Fisher's New Gold Bug Tracker Metal Detector

[Aureous]

5 minutes ago, Reno Chris said:

Again, really easy to say... Why doesn't ML do it and produce the GM 2000? It would be a big seller for them too. Because an accurate TID at 50 kHz or 70 kHz is way different than having it at 19 kHz or 5 kHz for that matter.

True, easy to say...harder to do. But Whites/Garrett did it with the 24K.  What an amazing detector that is... A big opening for FTP if they choose to pursue it.

[Gold Junkie]

It seems pretty clear this detector was aimed toward a combination of simplicity,  and affordability for those wishing to get into detecting gold. Not sure why so many posters are more concerned about what it isn't than what it is. Thanks Chris for putting this out there as An affordable option to beginners.  Your working with a tough crowd here, but I guarantee there are more lurkers reading this and thankful for it then there are pessimists.

[Knomad]

4 hours ago, Reno Chris said:

Minelab have never even touched the low cost segment of the market, and so has invited others to step in and take over. Fisher had obliged and has sold many of these detectors in Africa and will sell many in the US and elsewhere. I have seen some other stuff they have under development that is more advanced.

 

I think If they are working on ANY more advanced detectors they should at least give some general details, they are to date so far behind they are loosing their once loyal customers who are tired of waiting and not hearing a thing.!

[phrunt]

As we get older and build up affluence the price of things matters less, and for some becomes frivolous, for some younger person or someone in a less fortunate situation due to their country of birth or whatever reason at no fault of their own wanting to go and chase gold it signifies a lot to have something that can do the job for an affordable price.  We seem to forget the times if we even had them when finances were tight, living off the most frugal foods and struggling week to week.  I'm not surprised it is doing quite well in the African market.

Any endeavor by any manufacturer to lower the price to relish the hobby so many of us enjoy is an admirable effort, sure its old technology, some may say obsolete but it works no worse now than when it was first released and at the time it was seen very positivity, in some places it will do well, effort and boots on the ground and this detector could pay for itself in no time as long as the ground is fresh, you wouldn't want to take it to well-trodden ground.

I too was sick of First Texas paint jobs other than frequently they kept lowering the price on them like the Gold Bug Pro which morphed into the far superior but cheaper Time Ranger Pro, my issue with that was people were paying more for less if they didn't know better, so that deserved negative exposure. 

This isn't just a paint job, they've modified a design to make it better suited to their desired market and it is now a decent price for what it is, at a direct currency conversion it would do quite well here even competing with the cheaper GBP clones.

The First Texas "Fire Sale" that many of us are aware of and some benefitted from really adjusted their price expectations. 

Regretfully, I see First Texas more as "manufacturers" making existing product more than a metal detecting business researching and developing to improve product technology, this release certainly doesn't alleviate that, hopefully they can come up with something positive in the future.

[Aureous]

37 minutes ago, Lead Detector said:

It seems pretty clear this detector was aimed toward a combination of simplicity,  and affordability for those wishing to get into detecting gold. Not sure why so many posters are more concerned about what it isn't than what it is. Thanks Chris for putting this out there as An affordable option to beginners.  Your working with a tough crowd here, but I guarantee there are more lurkers reading this and thankful for it then there are pessimists.

All of this is true. I CAN see this unit selling, mostly to  'Newbies' or non serious customers. But, it will sell...mainly due to its great price. But, everyone looks at product through their own eyes and needs. Serious operators require performance and improvement over previous tech. This provides none of that. With the big financial backing of FTP, Fisher COULD produce something worth buying....but they seem content with cheaper options instead. Hopefully, Chris's expectations of bigger and better things will come to pass. I just wanna see Fisher back in the 'top 4' of prospecting detectors again. 

[Gerry in Idaho]

Great entry price detector.  Many folks out there who can afford that price range.

I figured sooner or later, one of the manufactures would decide to offer a sub $300 gold capable detector and Fisher has done so.  

Hopefully you and Fisher make some good sales and money off of it.

[Ridge Runner]

Gerry the day they stop making money they will stop coming out with something new. As I find myself getting older I’ve been wanting a digging arm on my detector being I can’t bend down anymore. Heck I can’t hunt anymore bye myself because if I get down I can’t get back up again. So guys if you see a guy on his hands and knees he’s not looking for something it’s me . I just can’t get up.

 Chuck 

[Reno Chris]

13 hours ago, Knomad said:

I think If they are working on ANY more advanced detectors they should at least give some general details

Like ML, Garrett and others, no one announces anything until it is on the verge of being released.

[Reno Chris]

13 hours ago, Lead Detector said:

Your working with a tough crowd here

I know that the crew here on Steve's forum is mostly very experienced and knowledgeable folks who run high quality, advanced detectors. The Tracker is definitely not a detector targeted at them, but I figured there would be a general interest in this detector, maybe just as a curiosity. I think there has been that type of interest. I'm not trying to sell anybody anything - I'm not a detector dealer.