So... Please tell me Why does a metal detector cost $2499 again?

[dieselram94]

I'm not angry, Do I come across as angry? Its so hard to convey tone on a public forum.... If you read through the instruction manual that your metal detector came with, you will find it is written in an instructional "simplified" tone that can also be described as "informatively dumbed down" .....
Thats what I'm doing.....

You do seem angry... if you think they cost to much just don't buy one...no crime in making a profit...

sent from a potato...

 

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[Treasure_Hunter]

No, but I tell them whats on my mind every chance I get......


You are in a position that could make a difference if you knew any better, You know I'm right.....
SHAME ON YOU!!!!!!

No, I DONT agree with you, I thought I made that point clear.

NO ONE is making you buy anything. I would love to own a Ferrari but I can't afford one, just a fact of life.....

The resale on good detectors is very high so I buy used, I can always get my money back... That $2500 detector is still worth $1800 4 years later.....

I could sell either one of my excals and get all my money i paid for buying used plus the costs of the custom mods...






American by birth, Patriot by choice.

I would rather die standing on my two feet defending our Constitution than live a lifetime on my knees......

 

[Jason in Enid]

If I remember correctly the 1265 was either 700 or 800 dollars, now keep in mind that was 82' and that was actually a good chunk of change in that time, in today's dollars I'm guessing its way over 2500.

Not sure exactly how tech in processors degraded but FBS or not I can swing that old fisher with blinding speed and still get targets next to each other, where is the explorer, I have to literally take baby steps so the processor can work its magic...something fishy with that, why does something so much newer, have to be so slow ?

You make some great points BC. A detector that cost $800 in the 80's would have been the equivalent of the CTX price today, so all the people who say the price is outrageous have lost sight of inflation values.

As for the FBS being slower, it's actually got much faster processors but they aren't doing things the way to old ones did. Old processors had a tiny amount of signal to process. The FBS is taking thousands of times more digital data to process and alanyze. I can only guess that the designers decided they would rather sacrifice lightning fast output for the ability to more accurately ID deep and mixed signals.

The swing speed of the FBS has never bothered me, I have never been one to speed walk through a site whipping my coil back and forth. But that's what's great. If that's how someone wants to hunt there are plenty of other detectors available. No single detector is best for everyone.

 

[liftloop]

take garret for example
they took one old body style change the frequency on there infinity and and stuffed them to gather, and now want over 2000.00 for the left over inventory.... what a rip off.... if you ask me, and the d#m thing still find iron after it said good to go dig....

 

[BC1969]

Good point Jason, I did not take into account the ID feature, I'd love the tech in my explorer without the screen, then it could be faster.
Why I say that is, at least on my fisher, that thing over the years has become an extension of my arm, people say it makes a single tone, sorta there are subtle differences in the sound, or double clicks, so honestly I can tell what I'm about to dig without the need for a display to tell me.
Though 30 years on the same machine plays a big part in that, same reason people think a great detector is junk, if they are not willing to learn every last little detail their machine is telling them, they will have limited success, and that's what matters.
I'm hoping 10 years from now I'll be able to master the flute sounds of the explorer!.

Mike

 

[Jason in Enid]

I wish Minelab would make an FBS2, waterproof (true water proof), screenless detector for the beach!

 

[Rawhide]

I have friends who still use the older bounty hunters and they do just as good as me. I once walked a ball field with one of these guys and he was cleaning up. Just arms difference away. For those shallow targets, it seems price does not matter.

For deeper, smaller targets. For something that is gonna punch through the interference. You will need to pay for that option. I love 10" targets here, that seems to be a sweet spot for me. I can dig pennys all day long if I want, but my old BH will do that.

There is just too many features a more expensive machine has to put here in one response. Having had the boxes open I can tell you the folks have done their homework putting together these more expensive machines. I think your getting options as the price goes up.

 

[Fletch88]

I wish Minelab would make an FBS2, waterproof (true water proof), screenless detector for the beach!

I second that one Jason! It would way outsell the Excalibur 5 to 1.

 

[BC1969]

Only thing I don't like about my explorer, is it is unusable in crammed suburbs, all the EMI from WiFi routers and so called smart wireless electrical meters, I can't use it, even with the sensitivity set as low as it will go, old fisher..no problem it eats emi.

Mike

 

[bigscoop]

Performance and price go hand in hand to a point. If you really look at some of the latest and greatest there really isn't a lot of new tech in them on the hunting end, mostly users apps, cosmetics, and conveniences, which are nice and sometimes helpful if that's what you desire, but you're going to pay for those apps and conveniences. It's important to remember when considering a new machine that the guys who are experiencing a lot of success with new machine xyz were also experiencing this same level of success with old machine abc. I think this, more then anything else, says a lot about these new super hyped machines on the market today. In fact, many of these same guys experienced a higher rate of success when they were using some of those older machines a few years back. So sure, you want a quality machine that's been designed and engineered for the type of hunting you're going to pursue, but beyond this it just becomes a matter of all the user apps and conveniences that are being incorporated into some of today's newer machines. That's something that's strictly up to the buyer. Just my take on things.

 

[Jason in Enid]

... I think this, more then anything else, says a lot about these new super hyped machines on the market today. In fact, many of these same guys experienced a higher rate of success when they were using some of those older machines a few years back.

I disagree. I have been in the game for over 30 years. My first top of the line detector what a Garrett MH7. I did good with it. My next top line detector was the Whites 6000 dipro sl. I did even better. Then I bought an E-Trac and my finds skyrocketed. Now I have a CTX and I am digging deeper coins (and more) than I did with the E-Trac.

So every time I have upgraded it has always been with a top detector with new technology and I have ALWAYS outperformed my previous detectors. New technology is beyond the "leaps" it was able to make in it's infancy. Now it is steps forward. New steps in ground balance, new steps in signal analysis, new steps in processor speeds. The single largest step in a LONG time was Minelabs multifreq use, and most companies were struggling to catch up. FBS2 was one more step. Who will make the next step? Only time will tell.

 

[Boatlode]

How old were those Colt 1911's you were issued? My guess is 20-40 years old or older with THOUSANDS or rounds ran through it. Taken apart and cleaned how many times? The army most likely issued something old and beat up...which is common in the military

Yes, several of those have all sorts of collector value because of the HISTORY of the firearm, not necessarily its mechanical function now...50,000 rounds later.

What you may have been issued might have been a worn out piece of crap. The 1911 is not a "trashy" platform.


Lets assume that a Chevy Impala has a decent reputation as a reliable car.

If I buy one used with a rusted out bottom and 200,000 miles it and dies in 5,000 miles...I shouldn't declare that to be trashy, its just worn, abused, and worn out.


So, the 40 year old 1911 you may have been issued in 1980 might have been garbage, but my Colt GC National Match isn't garbage.


Also, my points about the both the AR and the 1911...I never once mentioned reliability. I was talking simply in terms of accuracy.

Accuracy has a lot to do with how comfortable you are with the weapon. I couldn't get good groups with a Colt AR, but when I picked up a Bushy I was driving tacks. Same thing with the 1911 - I was all over the place. Then I picked up a Glock 19 and was drilling bullseye every time. Was it the weapons? I doubt it. Was it me? Most likely.

 

[Frankn]

Accuracy has a lot to do with how comfortable you are with the weapon. I couldn't get good groups with a Colt AR, but when I picked up a Bushy I was driving tacks. Same thing with the 1911 - I was all over the place. Then I picked up a Glock 19 and was drilling bullseye every time. Was it the weapons? I doubt it. Was it me? Most likely.

Well, I joined the army in 1957. I was issued an M1. I qualified on the range first time out as Expert. I also got on the range with the 1911A1. It was all over the place. Years later My friend brought his Kimber 1911 based gun to my farm to try out. I was poping off tin cans at 25yds. I think the difference is the bushing that seats the barrel is looser on a military 1911 to prevent jams. Actually, i did better at that range with the Kimber than I did with my Glock 26. Frank..
.

 

[el padron]

I disagree. I have been in the game for over 30 years. My first top of the line detector what a Garrett MH7. I did good with it. My next top line detector was the Whites 6000 dipro sl. I did even better. Then I bought an E-Trac and my finds skyrocketed. Now I have a CTX and I am digging deeper coins (and more) than I did with the E-Trac.

So every time I have upgraded it has always been with a top detector with new technology and I have ALWAYS outperformed my previous detectors. New technology is beyond the "leaps" it was able to make in it's infancy. Now it is steps forward. New steps in ground balance, new steps in signal analysis, new steps in processor speeds. The single largest step in a LONG time was Minelabs multifreq use, and most companies were struggling to catch up. FBS2 was one more step. Who will make the next step? Only time will tell.

Processor speads? Processing speed doubles every 18 months.... So what kind of processor is in your CTX? Do you have any Idea? Does KelleyCo lead their adds with "The new CTX 3030, Now with a (fill in the blank) central processor...), No.... They instead say "Find more treasure with the CTX 3030. Steven and Chad found the lost treasures of the Incas in a Mcdonalds parking lot in Galveston" Why do you defend it? Is it to justify the shocking amount of money that you spent on something so unsubstantial? Is that it.... Ok It "paid for itself" right?
It works well, It should , it cost 2500.00.
It should be built a lot better for what you paid for it.
A lot of people have problems with them.....

 

[el padron]

You make some great points BC. A detector that cost $800 in the 80's would have been the equivalent of the CTX price today, so all the people who say the price is outrageous have lost sight of inflation values.

As for the FBS being slower, it's actually got much faster processors but they aren't doing things the way to old ones did. Old processors had a tiny amount of signal to process. The FBS is taking thousands of times more digital data to process and alanyze. I can only guess that the designers decided they would rather sacrifice lightning fast output for the ability to more accurately ID deep and mixed signals.

The swing speed of the FBS has never bothered me, I have never been one to speed walk through a site whipping my coil back and forth. But that's what's great. If that's how someone wants to hunt there are plenty of other detectors available. No single detector is best for everyone.

Jason, A fisher cost $800 in the 80's because because it was packed with state of the art technology. The best stuff available in its era.... OK?
A CTX 3030 consists of the cheapest technology and materials available today.... The cheapest. The absolute cheapest.... Do you follow me? Its cheap Jason. Its made cheaply.... So that $2500 comes nothing close to the $800 the fisher cost in the 80's even taking time value into consideration.

Jason..... It's cheap......

 

[el padron]

Well, I joined the army in 1957. I was issued an M1. I qualified on the range first time out as Expert. I also got on the range with the 1911A1. It was all over the place. Years later My friend brought his Kimber 1911 based gun to my farm to try out. I was poping off tin cans at 25yds. I think the difference is the bushing that seats the barrel is looser on a military 1911 to prevent jams. Actually, i did better at that range with the Kimber than I did with my Glock 26. Frank..
. View attachment 982994

1n 1987, I got your old 1911 Colt as standard issue.......

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

For ever 3030 that has a problem how many dont?.....

Just Kellyco alone sells dozens of 3030s every month...So far this month they sold 33 and there are still 8 days I'm the month left...





American by birth, Patriot by choice.

I would rather die standing on my two feet defending our Constitution than live a lifetime on my knees......

 

[Doubter in MD]

I've commented once or twice on this thread. I know where you're trying to go with this el padron. Electronics have gotten substantially cheaper in the last 30-40 years but none of that translates into less expensive, better built metal detectors. I agree with you. I believe the prices are kept artificially high by tightly controlling the marketing and distributorships. I also believe it's why they're worried about the Chinese "knockoffs". I doubt they are substantially lower in quality. In fact, once the Chinese stop trying to clone existing models and start making their own detectors in earnest I'll bet you will see a big drop in prices across the board.

 

[el padron]

I've commented once or twice on this thread. I know where you're trying to go with this el padron. Electronics have gotten substantially cheaper in the last 30-40 years but none of that translates into less expensive, better built metal detectors. I agree with you. I believe the prices are kept artificially high by tightly controlling the marketing and distributorships. I also believe it's why they're worried about the Chinese "knockoffs". I doubt they are substantially lower in quality. In fact, once the Chinese stop trying to clone existing models and start making their own detectors in earnest I'll bet you will see a big drop in prices across the board.

I really just want to thank you for understanding the point that I am making, and not comparing the relative function of any one particular detector against the function of another......again,........ or tell me that you buy used so it doesn't matter.......

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Used or new, no one is forcing you to buy one.

They will charge what ever they feel is the right price, it is called free interprise....

Average price of new car is $28,900 in Jan 2014. What is that car worth in 7 years.....

My excal is still worth 2/3 price it cost new and they are both over 20 years old.....






American by birth, Patriot by choice.

I would rather die standing on my two feet defending our Constitution than live a lifetime on my knees......