Golden Mask 3

[rjm]

Anyone used this machine?  What's it like?

It's got some good reviews from www.garysdetecting.co.uk who recommended the XP
Goldmaxx before they took off in UK.

[hedgehog]

Sounds like a good machine, can usually trust Gary for an unbiased opinion on a machine and at that price it's got to be a snip.
Watched this video on the golden mask being uncovered, would have the english arkies turning in their graves, a bit like pass the parcel 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=GB&hl=en-GB&v=_SN9xwUc2FQ&feature=channel_page

[altinkum]

their like a bunch of pikey's and the gobby bird cant talk she's allways shouting i think she's from porth

[coleggwent(phil)]

is the old chap with the hat on up the duff or what eat your heart out mark lodwick thats the way to do it           

[altinkum]

it would have taken time team 3 month's to shift them stones

[coleggwent(phil)]

see look mike they are all the same grave robbers they can talk about us 

[U.K. Brian]

The Belgian, or is it Dutch, group that test most new models were supposed to be putting up the results a few months back but there's nothing yet.
The bloke who bought my F75 off me last year was "upgrading" from a Golden Mask I. They have been out for ages in Europe and he had  bought direct from Nokkta or who ever makes them. I think he regreted not paying the fraction more for the ability to ground balance.
This was before they started to do the tweaks for British conditions (though in France their's are supposed to be the specially tweaked ones).

Nice to see a good warranty for a change.

Interesting design. Looks like a Troy Shadow and the Plus version seems to have copied what I like on the Nautilus DMC, the ability to shove huge amounts of power through the coil rather than the six or eight volts most manufacturers stick with.
There's not been many "anti" reports just the normal warnings to keep the coil lead tight to the shaft. If they can repair them here when needed they should soon be taking a slice of the big boys business as the prices continue to go mad.

[rjm]

Hi I spoke to Gary about the GM3+.    I cannot say what he said (as he is a supplier and has to be careful to whom he is talking to) suffice to say that he does not sell the GM3+ and I have the GM3!!    The GM3+ is £600 which is £200 more than the GM3.     Even if the 30% extra power is present, another £200 isn't worth it!!!!

He isn't a fan of the Minelab machines mainly because of the prices and the weight, and prefers to spend time detecting rather than pressing buttons.

Have you noticed that the price of Minelab machines went UP when the pound when down against the dollar.....but now that the pound is much stronger the price of the Minelabs have not come DOWN?

The E Trac originally sold new for £999..........now it's £1249.

I'm not buying one on this principle, and if I do it'll be when people sell them on Flea Bay like the old Explorers are now littering the For Sale sections.

If Golden Mask can be sold at  £385 with a 5 year guarantee it shows how other manufacturers have some catch-up to do in the customer service dept.

Reactions please!

[rjm]

Love the Video of The Goden Mask being uncovered.

My kind of archaeology !!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL

Wouldn't Minelab kill for an advert like that. The Best they can do is of "Phil from Yorkshire" finding a
hammered coin !

[U.K. Brian]

The Minelab increase isn't really any different than say that of Fisher where the F75 was £599 and now runs at £799 so plus £200. And 30% depth increase for £200 on the GM3+, though if its like switching in the Deep Hunter on a Treasure Baron it won't be useable on bad ground, might seem cheap to those who have paid £179 for a SEF coil to gain less depth increase.

Minelab (or rather KellyCo) in the U.S. were giving a five year warranty with the Explorers a few months back. Bounty Hunter did give five years a long time back even in the U.K., Fisher had five years and still has if you buy in the States. Tesoro still has its lifetime warranty, again U.S. only.
Contact any of the manufacturers and they put the blame at the dealers door.

I was stunned that Hyundai increased their car warranty to five years. Then went to the States to find the car was cheaper over there and they were getting eight years ! Its the good old tradition of rip off Britain. Trouble is many of the detector buyers are following fashion. Many Minelab users do seem to need the latest version to fix the problems they claimed didn't exist with previous one.

If people do hold off from buying the latest machine or gadjet then perhaps pressure might lead to an increase in warranty or reduction in price, or both but I'm not holding my breath !

[rjm]

Hi Brian
Quite well put. I've got a 7 year warranty on my car, so if one manufacturer can do it then there is no
reason why the others can't. It's as you say "rip off Britain".

I think the manufacturers spend a lot on glossy advertising and claims and many are drawn in by it.

It's quite true what you said that many claim to have the best machine since sliced bread and then
when a new model comes out it claims to be better than the predecessor as it fixes and enhances
things in the previous model.

Like you I loved the Minelab Tribune but sold it to get a "better model". Wish I still had it and in reality
Metal detecting hasn't really developed a lot in the last 15 years in many ways.

I like trying new stuff on the market, so in many ways I'm as gulible as the next person. But £1249
for an ET??  You can buy a lot of classic machines for that which are as good in many ways.

[hedgehog]

Ahhhhh! The Tribune what a wonderful machine that was and the finds were as good as I found with any machine, those were the days 
Agree with both of you what a load of sales talk goes on and we still get sucked in, we know that detector technology has gone as far as it can until there is a huge step forward. As for the price I wouldn't pay £1250 for any machine just hunt around for what I see as a mid range machine and get the best price available.
If I was looking for one now I would probably go for the golden mask because it is the price I would expect to pay for a good detector that does the biz!

[U.K. Brian]

There's a Tribune/Sterling site being started up at the moment I'll find the address for anyone who's interested.
Sorry to everyone that the topic has drifted away from the Golden Mask. Hopefully as the eastern European machines get better in performance and quality it might at least hit sales of the major brands and encourage pricing/warranties along the U.S. lines.

[rjm]

Brian
I'm interested in joining.

Been looking out for a Tribune for a while but seems none about.

Still got the literature on it from when I had it 15 years ago!

[U.K. Brian]

Funny, I have the advertising leaflet and the handbook as well.

Sven is just trying to get things going though the site is already worth a look

http://home.earthlink.net/~puddlepirate/id13.html