Admin nuggethunting Posted November 25, 2007 Admin Report Share Posted November 25, 2007 Hello All, I received the new 2008 Minelab Dealer Agreement along with a letter about increased prices starting Jan. 1st 2008. Yep, that is correct, many of the Minelab metal detectors and accessories will increase. I was out at Stanton today and several guys that have been waiting have decided to purchase now and save $500 on the GPX-4000's. If anyone is waiting, you might want to consider before the new year. Here are some of the prices on metal detectors effective Jan. 1st 2008. Minelab GPX-4000 - $4,495.97Minelab SD2100v2 - $1,995.97Minelab SD2200v2 - $2,495.97Minelab Explorer SE - $1,298.97Minelab Sovereign G/T - $798.97Minelab Eureka Gold - $898.97Minelab Excalibur II - $1,198.97The X-Terra Series are pretty much the same price. I'm running bundle packages on all metal detectors, which include FREE Shipping, FREE 2-Year Extended Warranty, FREE Field Instructions and More! Give me a call, ask for ROB. (623) 362-1459Take care,Rob Allison Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1dredger Posted November 25, 2007 Report Share Posted November 25, 2007 Rob that is Minelabs way of saying that the GP4500 or GP5000 is coming out soon so they have to condition us for a price increase to get more for those detectors. Until some comes out with a detector we better just put smiles on our faces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridge Runner Posted November 25, 2007 Report Share Posted November 25, 2007 Hi Rob If I read right you have to comply with Minelab on a fixed price. One day Minelab will look around and they will be out in front in price but not in sales. I know Minelab makes alot of great detectors but will the part time coin and nugget hunter be willing to pay the extra two to five hundred dollars for one. I can assure you you will find more part time buyers than die hards. If we didn't have a dealer like you that give so much extra with the sale I think it would be less GP"S out there now. The only thing that will out do your pass package you have offered it would have to be buy one get the next one free. So everybody when he does I'll go in with you on half's. Like it was said maybe Minelab is getting ready to bring out the new 4500 are 5000. I'd say it's name will be GPD 5000 being it will be complete digital like Explorer SE and look about the same.The SE is hot running with a double D coil. It may be a half breed to the new GP without the mono coil and the PI. I guess we'll keep guessing until the time comes around again with the new GP XYZ. Chuck Anders Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcoulson Posted November 25, 2007 Report Share Posted November 25, 2007 Rob that is Minelabs way of saying that the GP4500 or GP5000 is coming out soon so they have to condition us for a price increase to get more for those detectors. Until some comes out with a detector we better just put smiles on our faces.It also could have something to do with the fact that the US$ is falling like a rock. Since the GPX is not made in the US and US buyers pay with US dollars the price must rise to reflect the decline in the US dollar.Pretty soon the dollar will not be worth a dime.Ken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin nuggethunting Posted November 26, 2007 Author Admin Report Share Posted November 26, 2007 Hello Guys, Here are my thoughs .... It's too soon for a new GPX series metal detector. Typically it's 2-3 years before we see something new. Keep in mind, if something new would come out you would see it first on the Aussie forums. Remember, Minelab is based in Australia, so most, if not all of the first field reports will come from the Australia goldfields. Once the field tests are done, reports will leak onto the Aussie forums for us to read! I think I'm giving too many secrets away ... Yes, I agree that without the "bundle packages" I'm sure less metal detectors would be sold. This is one reason I try to run the best metal detector bundle packages available for all you guys! The US Dollar is getting weaker. Rob Allison Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Ron Posted November 26, 2007 Report Share Posted November 26, 2007 Wow, Rob...Sounds like MineLab needs to get at new marketing guru...I've never been so unmotivated to buy a Minelab 4000 as I am now...You can pick up an old 2k mod, sd2100, sd2200 (although I do't much care for that less sensitive model) old GP or 3000 for extremely reasonable prices...Just my 2-cents, but I think ML's found it's upper limits...The last big "small nuggets at depth" doesn't justify its cost before a price increase...And certainly not after a half K bump...Cheers, Unc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reno Chris Posted November 26, 2007 Report Share Posted November 26, 2007 Hey I did a little research:The following detectors came out as follows:SD2100 - late 1996SD2200 - 1999GP Extreme - Dec. 2000GP3000 - April 2003GP3500 - March 2005GPX 4000 - Oct. 20062100 to 2200 = about 30 months2200 to Extreme = about 18 monthsExtreme to 3000 = about 27 months3000 to 3500 = about 23 months3000 to 3500 = about 19 monthsNote that the time from the 3500 to the 4000 was only 19 months.Also, six months prior to the intro of the 3500, ML raised the price of the 3000 - because of the downward movement of the dollar. Now about 6 months prior to the end of the normal product cycle of the 4000, we are seeing a big price increase....... (a very similar situation)We are 13 months since the intro of the 4000, and based on the product cycle and the fact that we are having a price increase, I'd guess there is a good chance we are 6 to 8 months away from a new detector. Only time will tell.Certainly pushing $5000 as the price for a new detector leaves plenty of opportunity for a competitor to come in and sell something at half the price of a new ML, and still make a killing, but so far no one is able to do it.Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rexb Posted November 26, 2007 Report Share Posted November 26, 2007 http://www.nuggethunting.com/forums/index....amp;#entry23867 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin nuggethunting Posted November 26, 2007 Author Admin Report Share Posted November 26, 2007 Hello All, Uncle Ron - As for small nuggets at depth, the GPX-4000 is doing better than the prior GP's. I like the fact I can find smaller nuggets at greater depths over the SD's. However, the question is, "what is the size of small nuggets?" I've found nuggets up to about 1/4 ounce deeper than the prior Minelab metal detectors. Most of the stuff is smaller, under a Dwt, but there are obviously more of the smaller nuggets. I did find one of the 8 Dwter's recently at a pretty good depth. It was just a whisper and under a large rock. I know for a fact I would have missed this particular nugget with an SD, maybe an earlier GP also. The increase in Minelab prices will either force people to purchase before or discourage them more than ever! Reno Chris - I seriously doubt we will see anything this year, but I would keep a close eye out around this time next year. Minelab likes to release gold nugget hunting metal detectors in the range of Oct - Nov to get the winter prospectors and the Christmas business. Would love to see a much cheaper PI, but I've been waiting since the SD2000. I paid almost $3,800 for my SD2000 back in 94-95 I believe. The last 10 years Minelab has had a monopoly on detector technology in my opinion. Take care,Rob Allison Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digger Bob Posted November 26, 2007 Report Share Posted November 26, 2007 Not to take anything away from Robbs sales here, but if anyone is interested, I have one new GP 4000 that I have used as a demo unit. It has a few scuffs but is brand new, never sold, full warranty. I've got a one time "package" to go with it at a very good price.Contact me directly if interested.Digger Bob[email protected] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JW. Posted November 26, 2007 Report Share Posted November 26, 2007 Really it isn't that surprising, if anything I would have expected a larger price hike, one closer to the drop in the dollar, since I doubt it will stop sliding any time soon... And with the increase in the price of gold it is even easier to make $$ back on the investment of a PI machine. I have to agree that it may not be the best marketing move and it will give a boost to used PI machine sales, I love my 4000 with the display and all the adjustments but a GP3500 for a few grand less is really the killer deal!I'm going to predict that right before next Christmas we will see the next GPX, which will probably parallel the advancement of the 3000 to the 3500, basically what Rob said! Minelab may have the monopoly on PI machines, but it was handed to them without any competition at all, in fact I think the opposition claimed that no one would buy such a thing and didn't even bother with the development of the machine... Doesn't White's own the PI technology that ML uses? I heard something like that was going on... May be the other way around... Speaking of White's where is that new PI gold machine?!?!?!? Perfect time to put that gold sucker on the market!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted Scott Posted November 27, 2007 Report Share Posted November 27, 2007 I've never been so unmotivated to buy a Minelab 4000 as I am now.I echo that sentiment.I don't even care about the supposed performance enhancements. One day, the GPX 4000 will sell for $1500 on Ebay and that is when I will upgrade. I'll give it a spin around my old patches at that time. Until then, I'll continue to find plenty of gold with the SD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin nuggethunting Posted November 28, 2007 Author Admin Report Share Posted November 28, 2007 Hello Ted, There is no doubt that the GPX-4000's will someday be on Ebay and all over the forums. I'm pretty sure by that time we will be using Handheld Ground Penitrating Radar Metal Detectors though. I know you have been very successful with the SD2100 and probably finding most of the deeper gold. However, I can guarantee you that if you're working deeper ground, you are missing smaller gold at depth. I've proved this a long time ago when the GP Extreme was introduced. I found a bunch of gold I left behind at depth using the SD2100. I even missed a few larger ones. Talk with you later,Rob Allison Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldman Posted November 28, 2007 Report Share Posted November 28, 2007 I would assume that Minelab lowered the Usec rating on the Pulse Delay(more sensitivity) on th GP series compared to the SD's. I have always been surprised that Minelab doesn't have a variable Pulse Delay like some other detectors. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted Scott Posted November 28, 2007 Report Share Posted November 28, 2007 I can guarantee you that if you're working deeper ground, you are missing smaller gold at depth.I believe that Rob and have never really disputed it. I'd be INSANE not to question it though, especially when looking at my personal finances. Anyhow, I'm pretty positive you are right after seeing how people like the machine, even without testing it myself. Just thinking about Russ and the additional gold that finally squeeked out of their 18 ounce SD2100 patch in that regard.Anyhow, Rod and I are trying to set up a depth testing thing over on his forum. Maybe if you attend we'll finally get to meet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin nuggethunting Posted November 29, 2007 Author Admin Report Share Posted November 29, 2007 Hello Ted, I know many wish they could find big gold nuggets, but the truth is there aren't that many big nuggets out there to begin with compared to all the smaller nuggets. I do believe the GPX-4000 is getting better depth, but no so much from the detector itself, but rather more user controls to fine tune the metal detector to specific ground types. I do think the GPX is much more quiet over prior GP's and the fact the GPX was built around a Mono Searchcoil platform really helps. There are locations where I could never run a mono coil on the GP, but I can now with the GPX-4000. The SD2100/SD2100v2 is a great metal detector and I still sell quite a bit of them along with the SD2200v2. You can really add performance to them by using a Mono coil, good quality headphones and the Coiltek Li-Ion Regulated "Pocket Rocket" Battery System. Talk with you later,Rob Allison Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest goldstudmuffin Posted November 29, 2007 Report Share Posted November 29, 2007 Hi Rob and Ted,I know many wish they could find big gold nuggets, but the truth is there aren't that many big nuggets out there to begin with compared to all the smaller nuggets. You just need to know where to find them. I spend 2 days setting in my truck because my 2100 wouldn't run on a very windy day, while my brother dug nuggets with his new 4000. I agree with Rob, Arizona is not known for big gold and so the Gp's do give you a better change of finding Arizona's smaller gold than a stock 2100, but so does a goldbug for a lot less money. A souped up 2100 brings it to a toss up with the Gp's on small gold IMO. But somewhere around the 1/4 ounce range the modded 2100 may have a small advantage. It depends on the coils, the ground, the weather, the gold, the operator. After that in 1 ounce plus range there may be a big advantage for the modded 2100. I'll be digging my 2100 out of the closet and putting my 24" round mono coil on and running ch 1 and hunt my new patch where I hit the 1.5 ouncer. I'm sure the battery is toast. I'll never sell my 2100, but the 4000 will be sold when the next new model comes out. The threshold on 4000 is nice and smooth overall the machine is more stable in all conditions. I'm sure the 4000 will punch deeper than the previous GP models, with the adj gain along. Each machine they bring out has very slight improvement towards small gold, soon it will match a gold bug II. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin nuggethunting Posted December 1, 2007 Author Admin Report Share Posted December 1, 2007 Hello Russ, You might/might not have a good point on the SD2100. The great feature with the SD2100 or SD2100v2 is the channel section (channel 1, 2 or both). In highly mineralized ground conditions you might hear a "big" nugget at depth better in one channel vs. both working together. I still have one of those big 12v batteries here if you need one! P.S. Heard you're giving me the run-around on where you found them. Take care,Rob Allison Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest goldstudmuffin Posted December 1, 2007 Report Share Posted December 1, 2007 Hi Rob,I got a phone call from someone along those same lines also, someone is trying to start a rumor to stir trouble between us. Let's see... I wonder who would do that? I think you know who started it!!! No worries Rob. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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