When will someone step up to the plate?

[bigscoop]

Just out of curiosity I've been taking note of the different beach and water machines I see on the beach and one thing has become clearly obvious. When will someone step up to the plate and compete with Minelab? As far as "true beach and water machines" I'm seeing something close to 70% Minelabs out there. Whites and Tesoro and Garrett are about even, and surprising it seems the CZ may be losing ground as I see very few of them these days.

I remember when the AT Pro was just a rumor and I have to admit, even being a Minelab fan I was excited to see just what Garrett had in the works. What a let down that was when the AT finally came out, not that I'm mocking the AT Pro as for the money I still believe it's a descent machine. But where is the real competition? Will it ever come?

 

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[seeker41]

im waiting also!!!!! fisher and whites are rumored to be the favorites for the next big thing. right now im using a tdi and badly need to get my excal back in shape!!!!!! both the ctx and the atx are too heavy for me and not hip mountable wich is pretty much a deal breaker for me.

chuck.

 

[bigscoop]

I may be wrong, but it just seems to me that some really stiff competition would be good for the marketplace. There was another post about recent tech advancements, or rather the lack of, and I think a little stiff competition might help to push this along as well. I just don't understand why nobody has stepped up to the plate? Is thinking outside the box more costly then losing a noticeable market share?

 

[Boatlode]

I looked at the Minelabs, but chose the Sand Shark. For me, Minelab was not worth the extra $$$. The Sand Shark is a much sturdier built machine. Plus I liked the Tesoro lifetime warranty.

 

[seeker41]

a few interesting land machines have been put out mostly by foriegn companys. they have maxed out vlf technology and pretty much the same with the pi. time for new blood and fresh out of the box thinking!!!!! funny thing is, an old cz or excal can compete with or out perform the latest and greatest.
an old eric foster aquastar II will find deeper and smaller gold than all of the current machines! the whites tdi is based on eric fosters design but they have made unneeded changes. whites could go back to that original design and beat everything on the market today!!!!!!!!! its kind of encouraging to see the ctx and atx waterproof machines come out.
maybe someone is very close, we will see!!!!

chuck.

 

[search and recovery]

I have to agree. Time for some improvement in the water machines. I love my Excal do not get me wrong and it has never failed me so far, but someone has to have a better machine in the works. Right now I am just finishing up a waterproof box on an old hole through design TDI. One of the first one hundred made. Just a waterproof box hip mounted with all dials and switches access able. Took the locking switches off. I have only seen one made and he was kind enough to share how he put it together. Gave me a good starting point on mine. Here's hoping all goes well on the end product. I think it will be the perfect compliment to the Excall.

 

[DnD]

I love the old CZ's too...but honestly, with all the technology why don't they have "an app for that"? Seriously, my smart phone has a faster processor than my PC, so why couldn't I just hook a coil into the darn phone? Seems like XP is on that track but I've yet to see more progress.

 

[bigscoop]

I love the old CZ's too...but honestly, with all the technology why don't they have "an app for that"? Seriously, my smart phone has a faster processor than my PC, so why couldn't I just hook a coil into the darn phone? Seems like XP is on that track but I've yet to see more progress.

You know, I just don't get fisher? I mean at one time that CZ was a true competitor and a top of the line machine, and it's still up there, but like you say, why not keep advancing on the design? Honestly, when I purchased a new cz-21 I could see right away that it wasn't the same quality as my older 20's, just the little things you notice right out of the box. On the other hand, I think too many companies are trying to compete by utilizing cosmetics and tech improvements/integrations instead of true tech advancements. When Minelab came out with the BBS it seems all these competitors just said, "Hu. Well now, that's something different. Not going to try and compete with that."

 

[CASPER-2]

ESPECIALLY IN THIS DAY AND AGE - THE 70'S THRU 2000
BUILD THEM - TEST THEM --BUT NOW WITH THE INTERNET - ALL THE FORUMS OUT THERE
IF I OWNED A COMPANY - ID PUT IT OUT THERE - "WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE ON A NEW MACHINE?"
WHAT ACCESSORIES WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE ?
ITS STILL PRETTY MUCH TAKE WHAT YOU GET - I THINK THE "BIG GOLD BUTTON" ON THE CZ21 IS A WASTE
ID RATHER SEE IT BE A QUICK SWITCH FROM ALL METAL TO "ZERO" ID - ID THINK THAT WOULD BE VERY EASY TO DO
AND GUYS WOULD LOVE IT
JW FISHER AND TESORO HAVE WATERPROOF CONNECTIONS FOR SOME OF THEIR COILS SO THY CAN BE INTERCHANGED
WHY CANT FISHER AND MINELAB DO THAT
ID LIKE TO SEE BETTER FITTING HEADPHONES OR ONES THAT ARE BETTER MADE FOR DIVING AND/OR SNORKELING
AND HOW MANY HAVE HAD PROBS WITH "COIL FLOP"?
DONT THINK WE SHOULD HAVE TO BUY OR MAKE AN AFTER MARKET COIL SRABILIZER
I HAVE GONE THRU AT LEAST 5 WHITES ARM CUFFS - BOTH ON MY LAND AND ON MY PI
THE ROD "SPRING" CLIPS - WHITES ARE MADE OF STAINLESS
FISHER OF CHEAP STEEL - HAVE HAD A FEW OF THOSE RUST OUT AND FALL APART
ENDED UP TAKING ONE OFF RODS OF ONE OF MY OLD WHITES ROD AND ALTERING
FOR MY FISHER
I HEARD MINELAB EXCALS FOR YEARS HAD KNOB PROBS
...JUST TO MENTION A FEW THINGS

 

[sponge]

My buddies dad used to build machines in south Florida. I used to talk to him about it but never took up the hobby. The were called macs or something like that. The mans name that built them was Herb. He was a very interesting person.

 

[Fletch88]

I don't know BigScoop. ML has so much $$$ behind it to put into R&D I'm not sure it will be anytime soon. I've owned a Tesoro Tiger, Sand Shark, and the Excal for water hunting. And while yes you can buy both the Tesoros for what the Exal cost, there just no comparison in performance.

Casper, I feel the Excal knob may actually be designed to fail, to prevent the pot from being damaged. After doing the pp/headphone mod myself, and really studying the internals, that would make the most sense, not to be able to crank on the knob causing damage.

 

[gamiller]

I got to agree with Casper . Companies are not taking full advantage of the knowledge readily available.
Also agree with Fletch that excel knobs are made to fail to prevent even more damage.

 

[Diggin-N-Dumps]

I was looking at the 3030's....But I hear they are always leaking, bad design on the o-ring i was told.

Hopefully they can correct that on such a pricey machine.

I think once they get that fixed, that the 3030 will dominate

 

[bigscoop]

I don't know BigScoop. ML has so much $$$ behind it to put into R&D I'm not sure it will be anytime soon. I've owned a Tesoro Tiger, Sand Shark, and the Excal for water hunting. And while yes you can buy both the Tesoros for what the Exal cost, there just no comparison in performance.

I agree, Fletch, but how did Minelab get all that $$$ behind them, from aggressive innovation and sales? I sometimes wonder if companies aren't afraid of innovation, perhaps never being comfortable in just how well the market might accept it? I mean, just in these forums we've seen a lot of improvements come to life and I can't imagine that all of these companies have never considered the same improvements.

 

[WaterWalker]

IMHO...NO one detector, design, accessory will suit everyone's perceived needs. Nor would one detector work well world wide let alone just in the US, UK or an island environment. There is one heck of a choice of detectors to choose from for the type/location you plan to search. I own 10 detectors and 18 coils from a variety of manufacturers. Each has it own area of greatness and weakness. Just because my first choice for a saltwater detector here in New England does not make it my first choice for a saltwater detector for searching in Florida. Dry sand, wet sand park or yards all call for a different detector with a unique coil. When it comes to a fresh water lake detector with one coil would not be a good choice for a river search. As for discrimination...Notch filters have a great use in searching for a specific type of metal, but may not be as good as an iron rejection or linear control in other searches. Do you NEED a display, a black and white or color, do you waste too much time trying to cypher what it is telling you, who really wants a 3 minute warning before your battery dies? There are just too many differences that some people like that others despise.

Please, don't just go and buy a popular detector that others give a high rating to. It may not be the best choice for the use you plan to put it to work in. Buy one that you will really meet your requirements in the environment you will use it in. You will be much happier with the hobby of metal detecting. One of the best sources of what detector would be best for you is a LOCAL dealer. Do you research on line, the go see your local dealer.

 

[Msbeepbeep]

Maybe they are waiting to see if we will have any beaches left to detect on!

 

[bigscoop]

Maybe they are waiting to see if we will have any beaches left to detect on!

Dude, that's a real motivational killer.