CTX, wheres the love?

[Native Floridian]

CTX, where's the love?

No fancy pix of spectactular bling on this thread. Just an old fashioned discussion of Minelab's latest greatest offering, the CTX3030. So what's up with this machine? Or, what's up with the swirling controversy surrounding it? Is it the price? Is it dissatisfaction that Minelab is going upmarket? Is it the way it is being marketed? Or, does there only appear to be controversy? Reality being, it's all good?

Let's have the pro, the con, or just get it out of your system. You got something to say about the CTX, Minelab, let's have it here.

Just for the record - On the CTX I'm Switzerland. I'm a very happy camper with my Sov GT while my Excal gathers dust. Until I can no longer buy batteries for my GT, I'm not going anywhere!!!!

 

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[Samuelljackson]

The price of gold in 2000 was $279.11 and oz. or your detector cost 2.15 oz of gold. Sill more expensive than the CTX in terms of how much gold it would take to pay off.

 

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[bigscoop]

The price of gold in 2000 was $279.11 and oz. or your detector cost 2.15 oz of gold. Sill more expensive than the CTX in terms of how much gold it would take to pay off.

I appreciate the angle you're using but I just don't think it really applies. There's no doubting that the 3030 is high priced in today's market, this and the fact that you're also comparing the unproven value of the 3030 against time tested, proven machines. If we apply the same math to say, the Excal or the Sand Shark then would could say that both of these "proven machines" are selling at giveaway prices today since a single ounce of gold at today's prices could nearly buy both of them. Time alone will determine the value and lifespan of the 3030. If it's truly worthy of it's billing and cost then sales will be satisfactory and it will survive for a while, and if not, then it won't. Just way too early in it's life to know how things are going to pan out. Give it a couple of years, by then the market will have a pretty good fix on it.

 

[Samuelljackson]

Just pointing out the price is not outrageous relative to the value of the gold it will help you find and historically that ratio has been higher for minelab machines in particular.

I hope the price scares people off.

Please, please buy another detector. I'm not convinced that in the right hands a Viper Trident wouldn't produce as much as any other machine on the beach (but I'd be willing to chip in all my clad if Gary would try it for a month).

I don't want to convince a soul to buy a CTX.

As far as I'm concerned the rest of the world should be using dowsing rods and giant magnets on sticks.

More gold for me.

 

[bigscoop]

Guys like Gary can find gold with a magnet.

 

[Native Floridian]

Food for thought about the price.....

Isn't the price of the CTX too low? We're talking about machines that find free money and valuables. If they were all $200-$300 a piece how much more competition would there be?

Also if you look at the historic price of gold. And figure out how many ounces a sovereign gt cost when it was launched it really puts our suffering into perspective.

The sovereign launched in 2005. The average price of gold in q4 2005 was $485 per oz. The Detector cost $1249 or 2.58 Ounces of gold.

The CTX 3030 retails for 2499. Current price.of gold $1701 per oz. or 1.46 Ounces of gold.

It's the deal of the century! It will actually takes 43% less work to pay off your new ctx with your finds then it did to pay off your gt in 2005. If minelab corrected for the cost of gold (which we all want to find with this magic little machine) they would price it at $4350.

Excalibur II, CTX3030, Propointer, Vibrabrobe, stealth scoop. YTD Finds: Gold: 11 Sliver: 13 Platinum: 3 Rings Returned: 1

This is funny!!!! You get an A for creative thinking! At least we know how you justified the high price. And, i'll give you that your thinking holds water, if the CTX finds more gold than machines costing a fraction of it's cost. Big question - if ?

Question: What gold index should Minelab use to peg the daily price of the CTX?

 

[gravediggermax-vabeachva]

Just pointing out the price is not outrageous relative to the value of the gold it will help you find and historically that ratio has been higher for minelab machines in particular.

I hope the price scares people off.

Please, please buy another detector. I'm not convinced that in the right hands a Viper Trident wouldn't produce as much as any other machine on the beach (but I'd be willing to chip in all my clad if Gary would try it for a month).

I don't want to convince a soul to buy a CTX.

As far as I'm concerned the rest of the world should be using dowsing rods and giant magnets on sticks.

More gold for me.

.
best reply i have read yet regarding the 3030
i like it

 

[bigscoop]

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best reply i have read yet regarding the 3030
i like it

Max, do you really think the 3030 is that much better on the working end then the Sov Gt or the Excal? And if so, why?

 

[lookindown]

Just pointing out the price is not outrageous relative to the value of the gold it will help you find and historically that ratio has been higher for minelab machines in particular.

I hope the price scares people off.

Please, please buy another detector. I'm not convinced that in the right hands a Viper Trident wouldn't produce as much as any other machine on the beach (but I'd be willing to chip in all my clad if Gary would try it for a month).

I don't want to convince a soul to buy a CTX.

As far as I'm concerned the rest of the world should be using dowsing rods and giant magnets on sticks.

More gold for me.

When someone says they dont care its a sure sign they care...but I dont care one way or the other...or do I?

 

[Native Floridian]

Food for thought about the price.....

Isn't the price of the CTX too low? We're talking about machines that find free money and valuables. If they were all $200-$300 a piece how much more competition would there be?

Also if you look at the historic price of gold. And figure out how many ounces a sovereign gt cost when it was launched it really puts our suffering into perspective.

The sovereign launched in 2005. The average price of gold in q4 2005 was $485 per oz. The Detector cost $1249 or 2.58 Ounces of gold.

The CTX 3030 retails for 2499. Current price.of gold $1701 per oz. or 1.46 Ounces of gold.

It's the deal of the century! It will actually takes 43% less work to pay off your new ctx with your finds then it did to pay off your gt in 2005. If minelab corrected for the cost of gold (which we all want to find with this magic little machine) they would price it at $4350.

Excalibur II, CTX3030, Propointer, Vibrabrobe, stealth scoop. YTD Finds: Gold: 11 Sliver: 13 Platinum: 3 Rings Returned: 1

Sam, looks like you did a lot of work to put this post together. And, as you've said, it is food for thought. But, i find it flawed thinking. While the spike in gold prices may make it a better deal by the gold price standard you've set here, it does not make it a better deal today. You are comparing prices from the past with prices from today to make your comparison. If the machines mentioned were no longer for sale today that comparision would be valid. But those machines are available. And, they still find gold.

Accepting your math, it may well take 43% less work to pay off your CTX than it did to pay off your GT in 2005. Fortunately, we are no longer hunting in 2005. It's 2012 where the comparative prices between these two machines means you will have to find 100% more gold to with your CTX when compared to a GT.

If the CTX will help you or anyone find more gold it is money well spent. But let's not kid ourselves, there are some very capable machines available for less money. These machines are not slouches in the gold finding department. One of those machines, the GT, is no more than a box on a stick, and has set the beach gold finding standard for years. That there is a new kid on the block does not take that ability or reputation away. As time goes on, the feature set contained within the CTX will prove itself or it won't. It may become the new standard. But, for now, the jury is far from coming in with that verdict.

 

[gravediggermax-vabeachva]

Max, do you really think the 3030 is that much better on the working end then the Sov Gt or the Excal? And if so, why?

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no the working end is pretty much equal to most beach heaters being used today....maybe just a tad deeper.....BUT
what u can do with it to help u find better targets better is to me the key to buying one........the set up, the tone changes, etc.

the sepro is good as is older expII - then comes the Etrac...even better, but none are waterproof / rainproof / waveproof...etc, but the ctx is all of that.........major advantage for hunting dirt/beach in bad conditions.
i just did not like the weight for use everyday.

 

[gravediggermax-vabeachva]

Sam, looks like you did a lot of work to put this post together. And, as you've said, it is food for thought. But, i find it flawed thinking. While the spike in gold prices may make it a better deal by the gold price standard you've set here, it does not make it a better deal today. You are comparing prices from the past with prices from today to make your comparison. If the machines mentioned were no longer for sale today that comparision would be valid. But those machines are available. And, they still find gold.

Accepting your math, it may well take 43% less work to pay off your CTX than it did to pay off your GT in 2005. Fortunately, we are no longer hunting in 2005. It's 2012 where the comparative prices between these two machines means you will have to find 100% more gold to with your CTX when compared to a GT.

If the CTX will help you or anyone find more gold it is money well spent. But let's not kid ourselves, there are some very capable machines available for less money. These machines are not slouches in the gold finding department. One of those machines, the GT, is no more than a box on a stick, and has set the beach gold finding standard for years. That there is a new kid on the block does not take that ability or reputation away. As time goes on, the feature set contained within the CTX will prove itself or it won't. It may become the new standard. But, for now, the jury is far from coming in with that verdict.

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i look at accessories and new detectors that i want in terms of rings i can find and use to pay for those. i do not like to use my own money for these items.
most good beach machines will find many rings and gold rings today are just worth more so it now takes less of them to use to buy detectors and accessories with.
most any good beach detector made today will find that killer gold ring that pays for the detector alone,or maybe 2 or 3 killer rings to pay off or maybe 10 or 12.
the ctx gives u the best chance to do this............like i told bigscoop...........is it better than the GT u talk about - sure it is as great as the GT is, can u take it out in the pouring rain, take it out in the big waves...........NO - Not unless u have it in a nice waterproof box like many do.......will it block out pennies and dimes and whatever else u want to NOT find - no - can u change to tones to suit what u are trying to find...no
the jury has been in for sometime.......
just my opinion of the ctx

 

[hamiddetecting]

Sov GT and Excalibur are both great end the world.
Sov GT and Excalibur are both best than CTX 3030, in other hand i'm never use it!!
Its my opinion.
Hamid

 

[Samuelljackson]

If my opinion will sway anyone:
I endorse the Viper Trident over the CTX. I think everyone should order one today and stop using their current machines.

I've come to the conclusion that any new detector would be meet with endless debate. Even if the CTX came with a leprechaun that burst out of the coil, and put gold in your pouch, Minelab would be asking to much, and the leprechaun wouldn't be able to see targets deeper than detectors costing half as much.

Plus if you put the little guy in the ocean he might drown and we should all keep our Excal's anyway.

 

[bigscoop]

Here would be some of my concern, until I actually get to prove it otherwise from first hand experience. Most of the fine gold chains I've recovered toned much the same as copper wire, or plated chains, some actually responded with nulls at first. Point is, they all pretty much present the same type of questionable responses unless they are larger and more dense. I've also recovered some deeper gold rings that never toned as gold, and several deeper silver items that responded much the same as dimes. So, with all of this mind, when you cancel out pennies and dimes how you can be certain the CTX isn't canceling out some of these other targets? I think this is a fair question and a reasonable concern. I still haven't heard a knowledgeable and experienced reply to this question that eliminates these possibilities with CTX.

PS: I'm open to the possibility that the CTX has better technology to counter these confused I.d.'s but I just don't understand how it's possible?

 

[gravediggermax-vabeachva]

Here would be some of my concern, until I actually get to prove it otherwise from first hand experience. Most of the fine gold chains I've recovered toned much the same as copper wire, or plated chains, some actually responded with nulls at first. Point is, they all pretty much present the same type of questionable responses unless they are larger and more dense. I've also recovered some deeper gold rings that never toned as gold, and several deeper silver items that responded much the same as dimes. So, with all of this mind, when you cancel out pennies and dimes how you can be certain the CTX isn't canceling out some of these other targets? I think this is a fair question and a reasonable concern. I still haven't heard a knowledgeable and experienced reply to this question that eliminates these possibilities with CTX.

PS: I'm open to the possibility that the CTX has better technology to counter these confused I.d.'s but I just don't understand how it's possible?

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scoop
i hope i never find another silver ring ever...........with dimes blocked i will not find any small ones.
but you have a valid point on pennies..........blocking them out will also block out some gold bands and bigger class rings due to the amount of copper in certain ring make ups. i have several gold rings that my sepro will not hear.
chains - i find a few as most do, so i can not comment on them, except the ones i have and i can hear all with the pennies and dimes blocked.
most people with any sepro, etrac, ctx more than likely will not hunt with a set up like that, but it is possible to do with either - that is what i was talking about.

sometime around 2007 or 08 we started finding titaniium and tungsten rings and then s/s and it has increased yearly "New Age Metals"...........kids are leaving the tradition gold and silver rings for new age metals....."Strenght in Marriage" they claim, so add up those.........mood rings, junk rings that all fall into the gold range and can not be blocked out nor can they be not dug if u even know the numerical read out.......the great sound they make, u just have to dig them.
like u said............the working end is where it counts.........no need for meters / screens - just damn good ears and good scoop. the GT's....Excals...cz's will remain great.
why is minelab phasing out the GT.........i wish i knew.......i presume marketing the new ctx and they want it to be the real deal for some reason.

 

[gravediggermax-vabeachva]

let me add.
i think the ctx will really improve people who hunt in the dirt/parks/etc and then want to carry it to the beach. all the dirt guys i know who have them are really doing great with them.
they are not all that much fun to use in the waves..........shaft is big......drag is great.......jerks your arm some, but for the average guy who hunts now and then and wants a machine that covers many bases well............then the ctx is the heater to have.

 

[Matt C]

I just bought a ctx3030 an have been learning the machine i've gotten 2 silver coins with it an probably 100 coins between 2 hunts on lake shores in very trashy areas i have 2 excal 800 an 1000 i'm a minelab guy for sure still learning an still getting at least 40 an fifty coins a hunts any way hh from waco tx

 

[Tony in FL]

If we were all treasure hunting in the water to earn a living then perhaps an evaluation of gold finds, the price of gold, and the cost of a CTX against other detectors may be valid. However I think most people are into this hobby first and foremost for fun. And as such the value proposition of any given metal detector may be weighted differently depending upon the hunter. Some may value built in GPS, a color screen, the ability to exchange discrimination with friends, the ability to swap coils and headsets on a water machine, the ability to use one machine in fields, dry sand, wet sand, and water, etc. Others may want a machine that can be used scuba diving in deep water. While others may want a machine that is simple and rugged. So I would say that there is no blanket answer to the question of whether or not the CTX is a worthwhile purchase. For some the CTX may very well provide a good value proposition while for others it may not.

 

[Samuelljackson]

If we were all treasure hunting in the water to earn a living then perhaps an evaluation of gold finds, the price of gold, and the cost of a CTX against other detectors may be valid. However I think most people are into this hobby first and foremost for fun. And as such the value proposition of any given metal detector may be weighted differently depending upon the hunter. Some may value built in GPS, a color screen, the ability to exchange discrimination with friends, the ability to swap coils and headsets on a water machine, the ability to use one machine in fields, dry sand, wet sand, and water, etc. Others may want a machine that can be used scuba diving in deep water. While others may want a machine that is simple and rugged. So I would say that there is no blanket answer to the question of whether or not the CTX is a worthwhile purchase. For some the CTX may very well provide a good value proposition while for others it may not.

Well said.

Excalibur II, CTX3030, Propointer, Vibrabrobe, stealth scoop. YTD Finds: Gold: 11 Sliver: 13 Platinum: 3 Rings Returned: 1

 

[Native Floridian]

So, if i'm reading the CTX users here correctly, the big advantage the CTX brings to the table is refined discrimination. It gives you the abilty to fine tune your hunt. More time spent on quality targets?

I can see where that would be useful. As with everything else we buy the value proposition is left to the the buyer to determine. IOW, the beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. For example, for me, i don't want to hunt the beach with anything with a screen. Maxing out the gold count is less important to me than having a good time. Reading a screen with non script sun glasses just isn't my idea of fun. Weight would be a secondary issue, but that's a try it, see how it goes deal. So, i will personally leave the CTX to the more serious hunters and ply the beaches with my GT.

THX for some great answers and some good debate. If anyone has more to add, please do. HH to all!!!