Steve Herschbach

Members
  • Posts

    769
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    3

Steve Herschbach last won the day on June 8 2022

Steve Herschbach had the most liked content!

Contact Methods

  • Website URL
    https://www.detectorprospector.com/

Profile Information

  • Gender
    Male
  • Location
    Nevada

Recent Profile Visitors

15,243 profile views

Steve Herschbach's Achievements

Newbie

Newbie (1/14)

  • Week One Done Rare
  • One Month Later Rare
  • One Year In Rare

Recent Badges

9

Reputation

  1. Is this going to happen Rob, and if so would you like me to mention it on my forum? If so would need a few details to point to. Hope all is well with you and the family!
  2. I am a bit different in that my goal is not to ever have anyone get a detector based on anything I say not proving to be accurate. That makes me cautious in my commentary. I want people getting the right detectors for the right reasons. I have owned a Gold Bug 2 since day one - I literally owned the first one in Alaska. To my mind they represent the pinnacle of small gold performance attainable in low mineral ground. If you are in low mineral ground, have a Gold Bug 2, and can comfortably run it maxed out, I see no compelling reason to run out and get a GM1000. However, I know for a fact that the high frequency works against the Gold Bug 2 in low mineral ground, especially when combined with the Gold Bug 2 only being able to employ concentric coils. My Whites Goldmasters with DD coils easily punched deeper in mineralized ground than the Gold Bug 2. Right now I have a Gold Bug 2 and a Gold Monster 1000. If I were headed to Rich Hill tomorrow and could only grab one or the other, I am going to grab the GM1000. I have been to Rich Hill and so have a passing knowledge of the mineralization there, and my guess is that the GM1000 with its 45 kHz frequency, DD coils, and Minelab ground balance system is going to get me better performance on large gold in that environment. Compared to the Gold Bug 2, not a GPX 5000! The Gold Monster 1000 and Gold Bug 2 excel in different environments. My Gold Bug 2 shines best in low mineral ground running the 6" coil, sensitivity maxed, low mineral mode. I can hit flyspecks with mine under those conditions. Many people never take the 6" coil off their Gold Bug 2. The weak spot in the Gold Bug 2 is its performance in highly mineralized ground, and it is specifically this weakness that the GM1000 targets. I as much as anyone am waiting to hear from Jonathan Porter and his reports on how the machine handles Australian conditions. On my last visit to Oz, I had my Gold Bug 2 along, and JP really took a liking to it, and I to a GPX 18" coil he had, so I took the coil home and left the Gold Bug 2 with him. Despite his association with Minelab you could call JP a Gold Bug 2 fan. He is in the perfect position to know best the strengths and weaknesses of both units in the worst of mineralized ground.
  3. You know, that is really interesting because I will have to get back to you on that. As a GPZ owner I never worried about how deep the GM1000 would find larger gold. My concern was how small was the gold I could detect - how hot is the machine - and how it would handle the ground while being that hot. From my perspective if I am going to chase big nuggets deep I am going to grab my GPZ. I suspect others already have those answers and we will be hearing from them soon. In the meantime I am going to do more on my end to get those answers myself. I can't imagine max depth at 45 kHz would be much different at all from what one would expect from a GMT running at 48 kHz as both sport similar size DD coils. Should be able to beat the Gold Bug 2 10" concentric in high mineral ground however. We will see. Thanks for asking!
  4. You are the dealer Rob, I am just a test monkey so heck if I know Since you asked though there is this April 7 news release on the Minelab website http://www.minelab.com/usa/customer-care/product-notices?article=309482 where it says... Minelab is pleased to announce that the GOLD MONSTER 1000 will be available for purchase worldwide from May 8th, 2017 onwards* And then following the asterisk to the bottom.... *Initial availability may be limited in some regions due to the unexpected high demand. Please contact your local dealer for specific price and availability information. We will be doing our best to get detectors into the hands of our valued customers as soon as we possibly can. That's all I've got.
  5. Hi Guys, been busy! Hope you all are doing great! http://www.minelab.c...rst-impressions
  6. Yeah, sent you a message awhile ago on this Rob - the Racer 2 is HOT! Before you nugget guys go bonkers, yeah, it is very good for that too. But I am talking hot as in overall just tons of great features hot. This one might get me back into spending more time coin and jewelry detecting this year. Well, this and my new XP Deus, once that V4 upgrade hits. Crazy busy year for new detectors, and more to come!!
  7. I had a self created meltdown that took me all day to fix - I think I can finally say that except for a few missing images all under control now. Not the new software's fault per se, but there was a configuration error in the switch over that caused a problem, and the medicine was as bad as the original problem. Still tweaking and twiddling however so who knows. The new stuff is like a toy for me and sometimes I break my toys! I apologize for any difficulty presented by such behavior on my part. In the long run this is going to work MUCH better, especially for people on mobile devices.
  8. Well, the world did not end here Mike so I do believe it is time. Thanks for paving the way Rob!
  9. Been putting the upgrade off myself until some other brave soul went first. Thanks Rob, will be good to see the reaction.
  10. If I seem cautious it is because even though I am one of the guys reporting on the Makro Gold Racer I just don't put a lot of store personally in reports from one or two people. For a machine to really prove itself it has to get out in the hands of a lot of people under widely varying conditions over time for that final thumbs up to happen. So while I am convinced that this is a very good detector for me personally it is just too soon to say how it will play out overall. Compared to the GMT and Gold Bug 2 this is a machine with a multitude of features that have never been attempted in a high frequency detector and for that reason alone I find the machine intriguing. The machine is best used in its very stable and easy operating all metal mode. You and your grandsons should have no problem mastering this mode as it is a very well behaved machine in all metal, all while having the benefit of on screen target id. Most ferrous locks on hard at 20 or 21, and I mean locks on hard. Unreliable target id numbers should always be dug until you get more familiar with the machine. A real beauty of having target id is that unlike the GMT or Gold Bug 2 certain pesky items like 22 shell casings or many hot rocks can be identified and ignored if so desired. Where the machine can be more challenging to operate is the discrimination modes due to its extremely hot high gain, high frequency design. In some areas it runs clean and smooth, but in most locations the disc modes can be rather chatty with transient blips, not unlike a Gold Bug 2 in iron disc mode cranked to the max in a trashy location. The trick is to learn the clipped sounds should be ignored while the fuller good signals should be investigated. This really is a great detector in my opinion but it is a very high performance machine pushing to the limits, and so not exactly a beginners machine in that regard. All metal mode is easy to master, but the disc modes are more challenging than what one will encounter on lower frequency detectors. It is worth the effort however as this machine will do things that simply can't be done with a GMT or Gold Bug 2. I am using it now around town as a jewelry machine and it is a tot lot killer if there ever was one! Thanks for the thanks Doug and best wishes to you and your grandsons for a safe and prosperous new year!
  11. Hi Doug, Well, I do not recall recommending the Gold Racer anywhere per se though I did write up an extensive review of it and am using it myself. It is a very hot VLF and that cuts two ways. Great on tiny gold but in hot ground and hot rocks that can be another thing. Some places a PI is just a better choice. If I ever recommend anything at all it is that a person have both a good PI and a good VLF to round out a prospecting kit. Best wishes to you however and hope it scores you some nice gold!
  12. The Gold Racer is now available for pre-order. Makro will start shipping to dealers early January in the same order the orders are received. PACKAGE CONTENTS Standard Package - MSRP: $699 GR26 - DD Search Coil - 26cm x 14cm (10'' x 5.5") Headphones 4 x AA Alkaline Batteries Pro Package - MSRP: $899 GR26 - DD Search Coil - 26cm x 14cm (10'' x 5.5") GR13 - DD Search Coil - 13cm (5") Headphones AC & Car Charger, 4 x AA Rechargeable Batteries Carrying Bag Rain Covers Extra Lower Shaft OPTIONAL SEARCH COILS AND ACCESSORIES GR40 - DD Search Coil - 40cm x 33.5cm (15.5'' x 13'') GR26C - Concentric Search Coil - 26cm x 14cm (10'' x 5.5") 2.4 GHz Wireless Headphones and Dongle You can find the Gold Racer brochure and the User Guide at the link below: http://www.makrodetector.com/gold-racer-metal-detector.html For people who may be wondering when Makro issues MSRP pricing it is the actual price the packages will be selling for. The U.S. practice of make believe MSRP prices is actually illegal in some other countries and so they do not play that marketing game. Makro Gold Racer Full Color Brochure Makro Gold Racer User's Guide