Chinese copy of Minelab Detector!

[Buddysox]

I have noted lately that there have been a lot of postings on EBay for Minelab GPX 4500 at ridiculously low prices from sellers with new accounts and few sales. I have sent several questions to the sellers pretending I live near and can I pick it up and pay for it. This is how I check out a seller. All were vague or refused In person contact. Legitimate sellers usually have no problem with that. Today I saw a listing for another GPX and the Lister stated that he will gladly supply a serial number to check authenticity with Minelab as there are CHINESE COPIES of the GPX being sold as authentic Minelabs. I Believe this because I thought the prices were too good to be true on quite a few listings. To all of you out there in our Forum, Be careful, I would guess its only a matter of time when a copy of an explorer comes around! Remember, If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!

 

[mickfin]

Thanks Buddysox, Mickfin

 

[El Koshe]

This copy is only at GPX or are you seen same in others models (Xterra,Exp,Etrack,etc?? Thanks Buddysox

 

[mgtmadness]

I havent seen ANY GPX 4500's for less than 4,700 dollars on ebay. Unless your counting the bid ones. and this is right now.

 

[dewcon4414]

We do a lot of buying and selling antiques, with Chinas laws which allow them to disregard copy rights and reproduce about anything... to include coins, cast irons, glassware and even clocks. Its getting very difficult to tell the difference. We are being flooded with these fake products. But i remember a time with Japan did the same thing before they started producing some pretty awesome stuff. The best advice is research and know what you are getting.....or in some cases NOT getting.

Dew

 

[mgtmadness]

What about the BS price of Minelab Coil Commander Series 15"X12" Monoloop of $2,500 dollars when at kellyco they are 300 dollars.

 

[Sabisch]

And this is driving the price down which was driven up by the African gold rush and everyone wanting to get a GPX. That's why they were selling for $1,000's above the list price . . .

Now that the demand is being partially filled by those using Tek T-2's and Fisher F-75's, the price is coming back down and the presence of GPX look-alikes is not helping matters. A number of buyers have been burned buying them and the allure is quickly fading due to this issue.

Sad state of affairs but I guess when you have an item everyone wants and Minelab can not supply, someone will step in and make money copying them

 

[dippodigger]

thank you for the heds up. Ihope we dont see copies of the xplorers.

 

[UtahRich]

Where are the current Explorers and E-Tracs being manufactured? I've not been following that closely, but I thought I caught something about new Minelab ownership shutting down the Ireland factory and stuff like that.

Does anybody out there know the current situation?


Rich (Utah)

 

[Sabisch]

Rich,

Yes, they closed the Ireland facility at the end of 2009 and moved the manufacturing to a company out of Malyasia. There have been several issues that came out of this transition which has drained the available inventory in the pipeline on most models resulting in backlogs that are weeks deep.

Hopefully this will get addressed soon as customers that had been waiting for a Minelab are starting to look at other offerings to get out in the field now that the warmer weather is upon us.

 

[Sabisch]

There was a distributor seller 5900 knock offs here in the US for under $200 . . . . . Whites stepped in but who knows what model is next.

 

[UtahRich]

So, I have an E-trac on the way that should be here tomorrow. Should I anticipate it being manufactured in Ireland or Malaysia? Any 'issues' I should keep an eye out for one way of the other?

Thanks,

Rich (Utah)

 

[mgtmadness]

If it is cheaper to manufacture in Malaysia seem like the prices would drop 500 dollars or more.

 

[Critterhunter]

I don't think checking serial numbers will do any good. The way I hear the China knock offs will also copy existing serial numbers, at least on some products. Here's how it works- They get contracted to manufacturer a certain product. They build enough to meet the contract. Then, since they already have the equipment set up, they start running off more copies of that product to sell on the black market, using duplicate serial numbers. Now how you going to know which one is real? And don't think it's as good of a product. I've seen some bad (and some very good) brushless RC motors made in China the same way. Sometimes they use the exact same parts to build them they just did to supply the contract, but often they'll use substandard parts to build the "same" product so they can increase their black market profits even more. That "Explorer" might look the same and work the same for the most part, but it could very well have several parts in it that aren't as good at things such as reducing circuit noise. Now your "Explorer" is getting less depth because you can't crank up the sensitivity without it getting unstable.

 

[Critterhunter]

And they don't need to be under some contract where they can just run more production. Some of these companies will pirate the circuit software on board and then start making their own clones without any "help" from the manufacturer.

 

[dewcon4414]

Hadnt thought about it Rich, but some issues not yet addressed might crop up with a new location of production. It all depends on quality control.

Dew

 

[MINELABMIKE]

wow, this sounds scarry, if they are now being made in malaysia thats almost as bad as being made in china. i know im staying with my 2 now.

 

[UtahRich]

The E-trac arrived late yesterday afternoon. The factory box indicates that my E-trac was manufactured in Malaysia. Took it out for a quick spin and everything appears to be operating properly. I will be posting weekly on the E-trac forum if any are interested in following along with my new acquisition.

I am optimistic that all is going to be working well. Stay tuned -

 

[jbow]

Give them time and they will be making knockoff mteal detectors that look like and perform like the originals but have a different name... and if it is like it went with the guitars they will steadily get better and better until many of them will perform as well as the original at 1/4 the price.

I'm not saying it is right but it is what will happen if the market is there.

You can take a look at Rondomusic dot com ... and see what I mean about the guitars. Some of them are very nice, I have a coiple of the 100 dollar models and they are impressive, well... one of them is, the other I had to change the pickups.

They can flood the market with them but they don't really hurt Fender or Gibson, people still buy the real thing along with the cheaper Chinese guitars... I think that will be the case with detectors too. People will buy both once they get the technology going, its the free market... not a lot anyone can do about it except adapt and try to stay ahead of it because if the Chinese decide to compete in the high end detector market the companies that realize that they have to adapt will survive.

I ain't saying it's right nor am I saying that they are making a good product at this time. What I am saying is that if they decide to, they will change things just enough and they will put something out and at first it wont be as good but they will keep at it, changing things until they have a decent product at a phenomenal price point.

Time will tell, I wouldn't buy one now unless it was really cheap. I mean, I hate to say it but if they want to do it they will and they will eventually put out a quality product and it will be cheap. The coil will probably be where they stumble at first.

J

 

[Lori]

Hey maybe that is what my problem is... maybe I have a Chinese copy???? Sounds good to me!

Anyone out there no of an inexpensive underwater detector. I just want one but I don't have alot of money to put into it. 200 or below?

It doesn't have to be awesome just pick up metal in and under the water

Thanks!