Whats happening at MineLab?

[ARC]

I've had 2 Sov GTs, still have one and 3 Excals, still own 2 and all got over 12 inches in Fl, my Excals now routinely get 15-20+" at beaches, both Excals have 15" coils and reverse pp mods...

Agreed... Excals pound the comparable... I dig cans at 24 all the time.
12-15 is AVERAGE depth for me with a 10... and if the right situ then slightly more.
Only detector that can beat it out of the mass of detectors I have owned or used... is my JW... but it has no brain. :P

 

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[jeff of pa]

Why would one ever want to go to FBS over BBS? BBS is what makes the Excal/Sovereign perform so well on gold.

Yes I never found so much Gold as I did with my Sovereign.

as a matter of Fact, I haven't found any real gold with my Explorer.
though I hope it's all Location, and already cleaned out by me

 

[TheRingFinder]

Very poorly written blog. Don't know why Minelab didn't show in Germany for the trade show, could easily have been a scheduling issue. The Go-Find had nothing do with European offices. Minelab consolidated some of their offices, corporations do that all the time.






The Minelab repair center at Kellyco has been operating since mid 2012 as Minelab's 2nd authorized repair center in US, when the repair techs in Chicago retired the Florida repair center became their primary repair center, nothing strange about that at all.

TH - I talked to Minelab yesterday and asked if they moved their Chicago repair center to Florida permanently - She said that it is only temporary and the Chicago repair center will re-open soon. I just sent my Excal to Florida for a "short" in the power cable. I asked if I should address it to "Minelab Repair Center" at the Kelly Co. address? they said no, just write "Repair Center". That struck me as strange?

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

TH - I talked to Minelab yesterday and asked if they moved their Chicago repair center to Florida permanently - She said that it is only temporary and the Chicago repair center will re-open soon. I just sent my Excal to Florida for a "short" in the power cable. I asked if I should address it to "Minelab Repair Center" at the Kelly Co. address? they said no, just write "Repair Center". That struck me as strange?

LOL, Minelab has said for a year that it is only temporary so don't hold your breath. It isn't easy to find a qualified tech, you need an electronic tech that understands metal detectors. It took my hunting partner Dave 18 months to train Barry and he was a NASA tech...

Repair Center is how they tell people to address the packages. Who did you talk to at the repair center? You could have put Minelab Repair Center if you wanted...

 

[Backstrap80]

I wonder if this is the reason I can't get my 705 fixed with factory warranty... Worst warranty/service I've had. I'm ditching my 705s for ATpros. I will be posting videos of my good 705 's the snooty RMA'd 5 times unit.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

I wonder if this is the reason I can't get my 705 fixed with factory warranty... Worst warranty/service I've had. I'm ditching my 705s for ATpros. I will be posting videos of my good 705 's the snooty RMA'd 5 times unit.

Don't know when you sent yours in, when did it arrive at the repair center?

Repair center is catching up, they had over a 100 detectors in for repair a couple weeks ago and they have worked through over half the backlog as of Friday when I stopped by, They are still receiving 5-8 or more in each day. I know they are working 12 hour days and weekends trying to get caught up...

 

[penzfan]

As an owner of several Minelab machines, I must say these repair delays are not acceptable. Barry worked on my Sovereign last year and did a fine job while turning it around quickly. Minelab has a responsibility to have adequate repair staffing available to service these rather expensive pieces of equipment and it appears they have dropped the ball. Most top notch service industries have 1 or 2 people available to back up/assist their lead Tech to cover vacation/illness/heavy workloads etc. Minelab MANAGEMENT should be having ANY unit that is sitting at Kellyco or any other US repair center sent OVERNIGHT MAIL to a repair center in Australia/Europe/Asia for repairs until the US repair centers are properly staffed. That being said, I love all of the Minelab machines I have owned...

 

[jas415]

About 15 months ago I sent my CTX in to Chicago because it seemed to want to 'warm up' for about 15-20 minutes before ti started to work. I sent an email to the CEO of the company that owns Minelab and got a response. I suggested then that in the winter months many of the northern hunters will send in their machines for slight 'hicups' to be repaired. Creating a huge amount of work and resulting long repair times, and I suggested that Minelab have 3 repair centers in the US. An East, Central and West. I also suggested with the advances in electronics and the internet Minelab should create a way to plug the CTX into a computer, bring up Exchange 2, get online with the repair center, or a minelab diagnostics web site, and run a remote diagnostics of the machine. That way the diagnostics software could hopefully acquire all the info needed, serial number, owner, and repairs needed, issue the RMA, and all would be logged! Save a lot of time for a tech talking to a customer about the issue.

 

[Phantasman]

Very poorly written blog. Don't know why Minelab didn't show in Germany for the trade show, could easily have been a scheduling issue. The Go-Find had nothing do with European offices. Minelab consolidated some of their offices, corporations do that all the time.

LOL. Well I never meant any harm, just posted what I read. And yes, blogs are great rumor starters. But MD-Hunter has been good to deliver real and truthful info as well. But like with the National Enquirer, you take it with a grain of salt until the truth materializes in the real world.

No harm meant.

 

[penzfan]

So what was the response from the Minelab CEO

About 15 months ago I sent my CTX in to Chicago because it seemed to want to 'warm up' for about 15-20 minutes before ti started to work. I sent an email to the CEO of the company that owns Minelab and got a response. I suggested then that in the winter months many of the northern hunters will send in their machines for slight 'hicups' to be repaired. Creating a huge amount of work and resulting long repair times, and I suggested that Minelab have 3 repair centers in the US. An East, Central and West. I also suggested with the advances in electronics and the internet Minelab should create a way to plug the CTX into a computer, bring up Exchange 2, get online with the repair center, or a minelab diagnostics web site, and run a remote diagnostics of the machine. That way the diagnostics software could hopefully acquire all the info needed, serial number, owner, and repairs needed, issue the RMA, and all would be logged! Save a lot of time for a tech talking to a customer about the issue.

 

[ChampFerguson/TN]

I don't know about some of you guys, but when a repair center has their tech suddenly die, I'm going to cut them a bit of slack. And that includes a reasonable time period to find a GOOD replacement. Despite what you hear on the mainstream media, there's not a plethora of qualified experts for each job out there.
I'd rather take more time for KC to hire someone who can do everything right the first time.
But if I had an immediate issue, I'd call KC/Repair Center and get my machine in the que asap. Good Luck to you all.

 

[jas415]

So what was the response from the Minelab CEO

I got an email from Gary, then a call from Chicago and my machine arrived about 5 days later. I have no complaint at all about the service, but I do feel it could be better staffed and a tad more internet based for responses. It doesn't hurt to create a software system whereby the machine is signed in to the repair center, an email is sent to owner notifying them of that, then when the tech logs in the repair on the machine another email is sent as to what was wrong, and when shipped another email is sent. And I stlll feel strongly that some sort of internet based 'tune up' could be done via Exchange 2. I actually just got the machine back from Kellyco with another repair. This time when using the small coil it seemed to be a tad weak but I would switch to the stock middle size coil I got no fe-co numbers and almost every time the depth was '0' in sweep and on pin point. Tones were great. I got it back last Friday and today hunted with it for 6 hours. Max depth on the stock middle size coil is 6-7" in sandy soil. I buried a wheat at 6.5" on the pro-pointer and the machine would NOT pick it up! Using the small coil it did pick it up and there was a target icon. Big coil, nothing, no fe-co and no target. I could pin point and get a position though using the big coil. I am going to check it side by side with two of my buddies machines, both CTX's, and if it still is inadequate I will send her back again.

 

[jas415]

I would like to expand or clear up my ideas about the internet based repair system. Right now we call in and talk to a tech who diagnoses and gives us an RMA. That is time off the test/repair bench and slows down the 'get it back to the owner' concept. An Exchange-2 internet based diagnostics, where the software could effectively take over the machine and adjust the settings, simply check out the computer in the machine to ensure it is either working properly or not. That system would log the serial number, the date and time and all the results and if needed would issue an RMA to the owners email address on file. The system could also possibly check out the coils and interphone wiring. Yes, I am aware of the cost, but the time saved for the bench guy would certainly shorten the turn-around.

Yes, I was aware of the loss of the tech and again, I have ZERO issue with the repair guys or the people there! I have always found them to be exceptionally polite, respectful and professional!

I use my CTX a LOT! Anywhere from 3 to 6 hunts a week and the hunts average about 5 hours. Over the almost 4 years of using the CTX I have dug 24,000+ coins. "I like the CTX" is a huge understatement!

 

[dirtwizard]

"Minelab haven’t come to the show. So what? They’ve bought the booth and can dispose of it as they want. But…

Here, at the exhibition, some incredible stories are told of Minelab! The manufacturer is said to be not willing to meet with sellers and treasure hunters (I can’t believe it!).

Rumour has it that Minelab spent five million dollars on their Go-Find detectors. But hunters haven’t accepted this machine. And right now, the manufacturer is trying to find a way out of this problem."

I accepted one. I keep it with me all the time too. There's no more "next time I come here I'm bringing a detector" with me, I've got one in the car ready to go. I call it my star wars detector.

 

[Pick_axe]

I accepted one. I keep it with me all the time too. There's no more "next time I come here I'm bringing a detector" with me, I've got one in the car ready to go. I call it my star wars detector.

I got a GF20 as a premium when I bought a new Safari. I plan to do exactly the same thing. It will live in the Jeep for those "wish I had brought a detector" places.
Maybe it should be an axiom: any detector is better than no detector.

 

[dirtwizard]

I've read some complaints about them on this board but so far mine has been fine. I set up an air test the other night using a silver dime as a target. The go find 40 will pick the silver dime up at 7" on an air test. not bad at all for a cheap detector.

 

[Pick_axe]

As far as Minelab products go, I have never had a reason to send mine off for repairs. I've had an 'old blue' Excalibur 1000 for about 14 years and it has never failed me. I've had down to 120 feet in the Gulf of Mexico and all over the Treasure Coast beaches. The only thing I have replaced are the battery packs and the knobs.
The snow is finally melting off up here in the Rockies and I'm itchin' to try the new Safari.

 

[DeepseekerADS]

My CTX was out looking for treasure today with my buddy Indian Steve. Neither of us found much of anything except iron, but this is the first time ever I've beaten him in number of finds Four hours of swinging - my take = 5 clads for $0.42......

Didn't matter, I was out with it! Whole lot of hot rocks at the site, constant noise. But repeatable signals rule!

 

[Oddjob]

Hard to tell how this one was fueled.....

In regards to the blog, it is crap and seriously who in their right mind would complain about dropping prices. In my house we have two 7000's and three 3030's and my nice year old daughter uses the Go Find 60. So they closed an office for what ever reason and now prices have dropped; well good I love lower prices, I do not buy used machines.

To me it sounds like a bunch of poor people complaining about a price drop because their efforts on the machine they purchased have not paid out for them, and now prices have fallen and they want to act like someone owes them something. No one forced you to buy a darn good machine. All of our have paid for them selves a couple times now.

Repair time frame issues? Once again something tells me some people feel that just because they paid a little more for something that means they should go in front of the line. Seriously get over your selves, if your machine is needed that bad then why do you only have one machine. Get a back up or get over it.

I am a major fan of Minelab products, but man I really can no stand so many of the Minelab owners. To me it is like Mercedes Owners, yes I own a G63 AMG but no I do not think it paves a gold path for me that others should step to the side and bow down over. Too many Minelab owners act this way and I feel that is because they hunt above their own means and or abilities. Mercedes drivers are often the same way, they go finance their quarter of million dollar car or truck because they can not afford to pay out right for it, then when the slightest thing goes wrong it turns into a Witch Hunt.

I think some folks need to have a breathalizer directly hard wired into their computer access. Come on here and slam a corporation about how they run things with little or knowledge what so ever about what is going on, you want to see change, first become informed, then purchase stock in Codan Limited and then come back with that 12 pack attitude.

Its just sick,

 

[ROBOTCOP13]

I'm not sure if everyone knows

I don't know about some of you guys, but when a repair center has their tech suddenly die, I'm going to cut them a bit of slack. And that includes a reasonable time period to find a GOOD replacement. Despite what you hear on the mainstream media, there's not a plethora of qualified experts for each job out there.
I'd rather take more time for KC to hire someone who can do everything right the first time.
But if I had an immediate issue, I'd call KC/Repair Center and get my machine in the que asap. Good Luck to you all.

The tech that passed at Kellyco suddenly was Barry. The backup became his brother Dave. With the shock of losing Barry, David took a couple of weeks off to get over the shock. David is senior management but he came back and jumped in doing tech work and as mentioned 12 hour days , 7 days a week. In January I brought in 2 Excals for pin point mods and talked with Barry and Dave. About 2 weeks later Barry passed. I've talked with Dave on several occasions since and they are catching up. Dave is also the key point of contact on other brands like Aquapulse. Dave is a very dedicated person and pin point mods take a lot of time to do right.

Just wanted everyone to know the background on this.