Bounty Hunter Flagship? LRP or Platinum?

[hopeful_digger]

With the popularity of the Land Ranger Pro, I was curious what Bounty Hunter feels is currently their “flagship”, or best detector- the LRP or the Platinum? The LRP certainly has more features, and is a newer offering, however, the Platinum’s list price is significantly higher, which would seem to indicate that BH/First Texas still feels that it is their best unit. With the recent updates in the Teknetics Greek line, I wonder if the Platinum will be phased out rather than updated. I would love to hear Dave Johnson’s take on which unit is “better”, as he is the authority on the subject.

Anyone can compare features on paper and that's a starting point, but actual results on targets are what really matters. It would be interesting to see a head-to-head comparison between those 2 detectors, PLUS the Teknetics Gamma. I’ve always wondered how the Platinum and Gamma would stack up in the field, as they are so similar, though with a few under-the-hood differences. If a comparison could be done at the same time, same targets, and using the same 3rd party coil, like the Cors Fortune/Nel Sharpshooter (using an adapter for the LRP and Platinum), I think it would be very interesting. Unfortunately, the Nom Par Defaut comparison website doesn’t include the Platinum or the Gamma. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvw628lvEz4-yBsozovNw0Q/videos

Anyone out there who has used them, and could give us their thoughts? I’d love to hear what you think about the performance and how they compare. All are very good, underrated detectors.

Hunter GT, are you listening? This is right down your alley! lol

 

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[TheHunterGT]

I'm listening! Somebody send me a Platinum and I am all over it. I have asked First Texas to send me "whatever" for review and testing...but having such terrible soil I'm not so sure it is in their best interest. I was not told "no"...just to "keep up the good work" and we will "talk soon". Kind of like in a job interview where you know you are not getting the job right there....but maybe they need you later? It was like that conversation LOL. So maybe by years end when I hit 1000 subs? Who knows...

The marketing guys from BH and First Texas actually friended me on Facebook a while back...so perhaps something in the near future? If any of you know Russ Balbirona (BH's marketing guy) or Brad Fullerton (FT marketing guy)....feel free to harass them on it. LMAO I've trumpeted their detectors without being a company shill. I call it as I see it and so far my opinions of their products has been quite favorable. They did start me off into the hobby....so perhaps some bias here and there in my videos. But if something sucks about a detector...I'll say so....FT product or not. They might have seen my bad soil and my lack of enthusiasm at the depth as a knock against them. But far from it...just showing how terrible my backyard soil is for most detectors.

Deteknix even sent me a contract to sign...as they were going to send me a Quest version 2.0....but I never heard back from them after that. I don't cuss in my videos or bring up religion or politics. Maybe they just don't like my style.

Anyways...sorry for that babbling....back on topic...

I do not see the Platinum as their flagship...and I don't see it getting an upgrade anytime soon. However BH surely does not tell me their marketing decisions. It is already a 7.69khz machine like the rest of the new breeds....and I consider it to be the stepping stone that created the LRP...so performance is "probably" going to be very similar in a test environment...Gamma as well. However, my recent fun with the Fisher F44...also the same 7.69 Frat Bros technology...has me second guessing that. I have found deeper coins with the F44 than the LRP....too many times for it to be a coincidence. My backyard will be the deciding factor of course.

BH still has the Time Ranger at $649 and the Camo-LS at $569 on their website. Laughable prices and those sure as poop are not flagships running off the older 6.6khz tech. Website upkeep and price marketing is not BH's strong suit. I would say they consider the LRP their flagship and are just milking anybody who buys the other analog or digital detectors at those prices from sellers who refuse to budge off the MAP price.

I mean hell....just 5 months ago the Camo-LS was literally at $500+ at Wal-Mart and Amazon. I will assume people see the prices and think..."it must be the best one because it costs more"...and then buy it on a whim. Yes buyers should be informed before they buy....but BH does not make it easy.

 

[LRP1980]

I felt the same way TheHunterGT! When I was trying to find the best model I kept feeling that the LRP was a "sub" model, but once I started using it, I knew that it wasn't. I think what threw me was the price. It seemed too cheap for what I was getting. I, by no means have really used it for more than 5 hours in total so far, I still feel it's a superior machine to some of the more expensive "popular" brands on the market.

 

[N5XTR]

BH should really retire the muffler models and just go with the junior and pro models, IMO.

As a flagship I think the LRP has already been chosen by BH as shown in Phantasman's thread.

 

[Loco-Digger]

Last fall when I was in the market for a good backup loaner machine, I was primarily looking at the Platinum. However after looking at the specifications of both detectors and the fact that the LRP comes with the DD coil, it was a no brainer. I went with the LRP.

 

[Phantasman]

The LRP is the flagship. The Platinum is a revamped Teknetics with a BH name and follows the Teknetics program. The LRP is pure Bounty Hunter, with a Fratbros design, that follows, and improves on George Paynes original design of power without the price.

 

[hopeful_digger]

I purchased my Platinum used, a year or so before the LRPs hit the scene. I've since added a Cors Fortune, which has made a big improvement in the performance in the trashy areas I tend to detect. If I was to choose, today, I would do like Loco-Digger and go with the LRP. At its price, it's hard to find a detector with the features it has. And yes, that DD coil would have saved me some $$$. I AM curious if replacing the LRP coil with the Cors would make a noticeable difference.

 

[Phantasman]

I purchased my Platinum used, a year or so before the LRPs hit the scene. I've since added a Cors Fortune, which has made a big improvement in the performance in the trashy areas I tend to detect. If I was to choose, today, I would do like Loco-Digger and go with the LRP. At its price, it's hard to find a detector with the features it has. And yes, that DD coil would have saved me some $$$. I AM curious if replacing the LRP coil with the Cors would make a noticeable difference.

I wouldn't expect any magic with the Cors coil over the 11"DD. Both are DD, and you replaced a 8" concentric with a 9X5 DD which is going to improve trash detecting anyways. Now the LRP with a 5" DD will kill trash.

I put the NEL Sharpshooter on my Fisher F2 (over the 8" concentric) and it had the same depth and made the the unit nose heavy. If you buy a LRP, use the 11"DD, get a 5"DD and sell the Cors is my suggestion.