Just Watched Calabash's Rant on American Metal Detector Companies

[Terry Soloman]

What's YOUR opinion? Does he have a good point? I have to be honest, I couldn't believe he's wearing Crocs, and the toilet paper was distracting, but after I got over myself I heard the point he is making. I guess I'm just not as concerned about it. We already know who the posers are - hell, they are self-evident. New guys getting conned? I know it happens, I just.. CROCs? Really?

 

[GoDeep]

He's dead on. Welcome to the internet, where even a steaming pile can garner some favorable reviews if there's an incentive: "Pungent aroma, but really wakes up the senses. Attracts flies, but repels other breeding males. Sticks to the shoe bottom, but dries quickly".

 

[smokeythecat]

Terry, in the age of the internet my suggestion of test driving a new machine isn't so easy anymore. Three dealers around here have gone out of business. I watched the entire video on youtube, not the link, and yes, what's with the TP and the paper blob from hell on the right...

I place ZERO faith in test gardens, minus 20 faith in youtube videos and minus 100 faith in air tests! Air tests are for, well, forget it. Unless when you detect the targets hover in the air.

That said, he makes some good points in his video. What kind of machine you have does not necessarily mean you will find nice stuff. Some days it just doesn't matter. Every machine has pluses and minuses.

The stuff has to be there to begin with. That's rule #1. Rule #2 is you have to have a machine that works. Rule #3 is you have to dig some iffy signals.

I have used most of the machines he mentioned with the exception of the Nokta units. No one around here has any, so no ability to test drive one.

There are advantages and disadvantages. Pricewise the XP Deus with HF coil is most expensive. Vferrari and I did a head to head in the very bad Virginia red dirt. The Deus was about 20% better as it got a few more targets than when Hugh used the Equinox 800. We were almost stepping on each other, it was a great day. The AT pro my buddy had at the same site just wouldn't cut it. Interestingly enough, the Tesoro Vaquero would pound the site and go deep. Go figure.

The Equinox series is next price wise, the price just went up this month. Just don't get it really wet. And be sure to spend another $100 on an after market shaft. The build quality is less than the Deus judging from the one I had. Great engineering, not so much on the build.

Then the AT series. At least the Max and Pro. Lower price than Equinox 800. They are built well and in moderate ground before I got my Deus my buddy would hand me my butt on a platter using his Pro.

So...its back to Rules #1, #2, and #3. And your pocketbook. I saw a guy, literally 20 feet from me pull a valuable Spanish coin off a beach with a cheap Radio Shack unit a few years ago. I was so jealous...I finally got my share. He just had to get that coil over the target.

 

[smokeythecat]

Go Deep, I had to laugh. Is that what the TP was for? (Just kidding Calabash.)

 

[michael NY]

wonder why the comments are turned off for his videos? I think people new to hobby will be quick to watch videos and become an expert overnight to run out buy machine they see other people using...
Why not have an seasond Detectorist run a new machine through the paces in the feild who can make intelligent comparisons?

 

[smokeythecat]

I have. I had my first machine in the early 80's. 1980's not 1880's.

 

[Tom Slick]

Calabash - I agree with you 100% on your video. Maybe I'm selfish but I really don't want everyone using the best detectors. When I started in this hobby there were silver coins in just about every city park and school built before 1964. Good targets are getting tougher and tougher to find and for folks not willing to put in the time and effort to research the best detectors, don't really deserve to be finding the best treasures.
Some folks just want to dink around and find a few clad here and there. Those folks deserve to have a dink around detector and not necessarily the best technology has to offer. It is a shame that the American detector companies have fallen behind but that's on them and buyer beware. I'm more concerned that the U.S. doesn't make the best autos, but that's just my opinion.
P.S. I do have a couple of Dink Around detectors along with my Xp's and Nox 800. But nobody wants to eat steaks every night. Sometimes a guy just wants a hamburger,

 

[Woodsy]

I've never really been a big fan of Garret, but I will say I was watching a small potatoes guy on youtube. He likes to hunt bullets out in the forest with a T2 LTD. Anyway, he must have been watching some of these videos because he bought a Nox. He was very excited to show it off in a video that he was making on the fly with some stuff buried in the woods. Apparently, he was expecting the Nox to blow his T2 out of the water, but you could hear the disappointment in his voice when it was apparent that the Nox couldn't hit on some deep targets like the T2. He even tried doing some tests by mixing some nails with some silver, and the T2 still performed very well against the Nox.

In his newer video hunts, I noticed that he was using the T2 LTD, so I asked him about his Nox and his response was that he sold it and decided to keep hunting with his T2. He did say that he felt that the Nox was a good machine, but it just wasn't his cup of tea.

There's another guy that makes videos hunting parks in NY; he is madly in love with his Nox. But there was one video that caught my attention, and that was the one where he decided to do a hunt with his E-track. Amazingly, the E-track was banging some nice targets where the Nox was pulling pennies and bottle caps.

 

[ColonelDan]

CD has a great point and I agree with him.

Over the years, I've tested and/or used detectors from every major manufacturer as a voluntary retirement activity for Kellyco. I was never an employee of Kellyco and didn't want to be...I didn't want the constraints or obligations that comes with being an employee. I was free to express my unadulterated opinion on everything I tested.

Bottom line; Calabash is right and I own Minelab products exclusively. I did own an XP Deus but much prefer multi frequency machines over selectable frequency machines for the kind of beach hunting that I do.

Just the view from my foxhole...

 

[ARC]

Terry... what's wrong with Crocs ?

Boat shoes that float... they aren't pretty but hey they work great.

I swore I would never own a pair... but then I had an opportunity to buy new ones for 5 bucks a pair... bought 2 pairs... wished I bought at least 5... most comfortable easy to use shoes I have ever owned... can wear in shower to clean and dries in minutes.

Great invention... hope they make them more stylely... for I would never wear in public... but around the house and yard... great... um... they are perfect.

Fisher and minelab for me... period.

And VP 580 is the only PP I will ever use.

 

[ARC]

Oh i forgot... CD... you need to turn those horse shoes the other way... read about horseshoe luck online.

Anyway... you had some Black Glass luck

 

[pepperj]

Never understood Crocs ( I like my feet ) boots and socks type of guy-then again Crocs are only the summer weather gear.
Now there's a man prepared to go out the door hunting. Like TP ready-better having than wishing you had-just saying. So here's to your well equipped room CD.

Ok the video-Nailed it! Most are pump/dumpers sell to the masses, throw the freebees to the most like video makers-most I turn the sound off-period.

Put a 1000 hrs in on a machine-then one really knows what it's telling you.

There's a couple of folks that make sense on reviewing a machine-to the CD- thanks for your honesty-seems to be a rarity in this world sometimes.

Videos on hunting-Seriously many see some well knowns filling the viewers with that heavy bull floppers. Shame on ya!

 

[ARC]

PSS... never buy AA etc batteries over and over... why would anyone do that ? ? ?

Buy them once ... and several packs of the right kind... RECHARGEABLE. heh

I use em from everything from my remote controls to this keyboard I am typing on.

Been using them for decades... Best part... I never have a dead detector... ever.

https://bestreviews.com/best-rechargeable-batteries

 

[eman1000]

He is spot on! And I don't always agree with everything he has to say, particularly around the use of "Analog Machines" I still think there is a place for them that you can certainly emulate with the very best digital machines Equinox & Deus (I have owned both - great machines, kept the ORX) but an appropriately priced Analog machine IMO is still nice to have in your collection if your a serious or even a casual hunter. I find a good analog machine can unmask trash and has quick audio that can only be beat by maybe the top of the line machines. (more on that rant later)

However to his point about Youtubers and other social media "influencers" that are most likely getting free machines - Garrett being the worst offender I have completely avoided almost all their videos now. Which is a shame because I think some of those folks find really cool stuff that you just don't see in the midwest like you do on the east coast but I just can't stand to listen to them hype up a machine they just got out of the box.The video with Jase Robertson which already has more views than most of my favorite youtubers feels a little to much like a commercial and I don't necessarily fault Jase but that is part of the problem were facing.

As to the American companies - I also agree 100% - Whites had the Technology in the V3i - why they could not lighten that machine up, simplify the menu a bit, and waterproof it is beyond me because they really had some features that were way ahead of the time. When I bought a used V3i a couple years ago I really wanted to make a carbon waterproof case for the housing and a lithium battery for it as a proof of concept and try to sell Whites on the idea but then they release the MX7 about the same time ..maybe a little before and it was the equivalent to the AT MAX - basically a MX5 in a new housing with the gain thru the roof. I still have my MX5 from whites it is a great little machine, still has some AT Pro features - if they had released the MX7 as a multi-freq/ waterproof machine then we might be having a different conversation.

Same is true for Tesoro - really for me all they had to do was release anything exciting but what did they do...release a Vaquero and Tejon in a different color sticker and larger coil? really .... I have a Deeptech Vista X which has been on my list to try and full disclosure I haven't even had it out, but I will give an honest opinion of it when I do... In my Midwest fields I hope it does well, but we will have to see. At least it is an improvement in that it has dual discrimination with iron audio. Although I am already looking at a lithium battery if I decide to use it full time – I am rarely out for more than 4-6 hours so I can usually put batteries on a charger and be fine.

Fisher I can not personally say too much but the F22 I had the first one died on the first day I used it in the rain and the 2nd one the pinpoint button came undone after about a week of use. It had iron audio for a $250 dollar detector but its performance next to a simplex is not even close (I still say the Simplex for <$300 dollars best machine you can own) I would like to try an F75 but can justify adding one to my collection from what I've seen.

On the Apex - everyday I see people complaining about the machine making too much noise, issues with touching the coil - I hear that Garrett had a manufacturing issue and is replacing coils for people left and right. Unless Garrett officially releases a statement on this. I would be very leary of buying one unless one of our sponsors checked it before hand. I dislike there marketing tactics but appreciate they are at least trying to put something out there. I think they missed the mark a bit with the shaft - I personally don't have a problem with that style of shaft but modern cam-lock shaft is the way to go for that type of machine.

Quest is an interesting company - Can we call them American? - but they have the Q series with is multi-freq & waterproof and the X series which is weatherproof. I know they had a somewhat rocky start, but I am thinking of giving the X10 a go for the price just to see how I like it in comparison to the Simplex. The also seem to be following Garrett marketing which I understand is the future of marketing but if you are going to give someone a free detector I think they should be 100% transparent of it. So far Addictedtobleeps I think has been very good "spokesman" for this brand. I liked in one of his videos his complaint was don't rip off Equinox look your have a good machine be your own company..and we will respect you for what the machine does. That sold me on him and trying the Quest brand.

So who knows if American companies can bounce back from this? I love metal detector technology and I'll keep trying Machines as I get the time & money too but I'm with Calabash it's probably going to take something really special to knock Deus or Minelab off the top.

At soon at this snow is gone...HH eman

 

[phrunt]

He is correct, time they heard the hard truth. American manufacturers make outdated detectors, fact! Pumping out detectors in 2021 first made 10+ years ago from 15+ year old technology with little change. Two have fallen already from this, its only a matter of time. At the moment First Texas make their money selling entry level toys but that market has now become the target of Minelab (Vanquish/Go-Find) and Nokta with the Simplex. The Impulse AQ was always going to be a flop, small market for the beach detectorists like that, and an even smaller market for ones that would use a PI with minimal discrimination.

Nokta has done what First Texas should have done, modernize old technology, adding modern features like wireless audio, vibration, blacklighting, hell even volume control is missing on some US high end machines and the list goes on and on, the absolute basics.

I doubt anyone is sitting there excited and hopeful about the next Garrett or First Texas detector release. I can't wait for the Equinox 1000.

 

[OBN]

I do agree with some of what he says, and other not. American manufactures do need to step up the pace.....

Funny he did mention the Fisher Impulse AQ, I'm a tester of the Limited.....Many know that....I do Have a LOT of video's out on it, testing it and many finding gold, in fact more Video's them Him I would say. Not the perfect machine but I love it. Someone asks me what is a good beach machine to purchase and my answer is the Nox 99% of the time. I do agree on the subject of some testers, I wonder how they got on the list and I am sure they want to stay on the list so they give positive reviews and push the products. Then I know testers that never say a word...other then the factory reviews which go unseen by the public. So like always you have many different views... Just like we have a Calabash.

https://www.youtube.com/user/oldbeechnut/videos

 

[Tesorodeoro]

Terry... what's wrong with Crocs ?

Boat shoes that float... they aren't pretty but hey they work great.

I swore I would never own a pair... but then I had an opportunity to buy new ones for 5 bucks a pair... bought 2 pairs... wished I bought at least 5... most comfortable easy to use shoes I have ever owned... can wear in shower to clean and dries in minutes.

Great invention... hope they make them more stylely... for I would never wear in public... but around the house and yard... great... um... they are perfect.

Fisher and minelab for me... period.

And VP 580 is the only PP I will ever use.

I call em “Prison Shower Shoes”. Imagine them orange. Wait - don’t go there!

With that said, the kids gave me a pair of Crocs slippers and they are very easy to put on without hands and your feet kind of lock into them.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Some times I wear crocs when beach hunting in the summers.

 

[Irishgoldhound]

Crocs are alright I guess but crocs and socks should be illegal. I used to wear crocs at the beach but little stones would get stuck in them too often and I hated picking them out every 5 minutes.

 

[smokeythecat]

I don't do crocs. They just didn't appeal to me, just personal preference and once I had a little snake strike the back of one of my tennis shoes. Crocs don't give you that protection. I like my "tennis shoes" and socks to keep sand from rubbing my feet raw on the beach, and for most other sites as well. At the house, same shoes, different days.

And regarding machines, depth, etc., beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I won't go into the cities anymore to dig. Period. Not Baltimore. And I have so much up here in the country I can conceivably detect, I am not spending time looking for that last silver dime or two in a park missed by others, that's not my forte. I also don't collect silver. Generally speaking, except when I get bored and go to the beach for the bling, I won't bother with a site older than the Civil War. I am very fortunate to have some sites with little modern trash on them.