We all know that FT makes Fisher, Teknetics and Bounty Hunter. Now it seems that the Bounty Hunter line contains some detectors that seem more like they should be part of the Fisher or Teknetics line, for example, the Land Ranger Pro. It seems to me that with the same designers and manufacturing team behind these machines, the only difference is the perception of brands. Fisher has always been considered a high end product, and Bounty Hunter the exact opposite. Is that perception now being turned upside down? The Land Ranger Pro could have been released as a Fisher machine and automatically doubled the MSRP. Here is the question: Is the LRP going to be overlooked because people don't want the stigma of owning a Bounty Hunter? Would FT have been wiser to call it a Fisher and charge more? Or is the LRP going to end up being targeted to Walmart?
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First Texas detectors
- Thread starter dan b
- Start date
sprchng
Well-known member
Stigma?
I would say stigma is factor of self perception and possession.
What difference does the perception of others who own different machines make?
The counterpoint that Fisher and Teknetics are over priced and over rated is equally valid unless they are indeed better at which point the LRP is indeed a cheaper and inferior model.
It is what it is.......................
I would say stigma is factor of self perception and possession.
What difference does the perception of others who own different machines make?
The counterpoint that Fisher and Teknetics are over priced and over rated is equally valid unless they are indeed better at which point the LRP is indeed a cheaper and inferior model.
It is what it is.......................
Sven
Well-known member
The Stigma started back in the 70's when Bounty Hunter was a cheaply made, cheap looking machine with a big lack of performance. But, they worked.
Then they started making units with weird plastic shaped control boxes which also were marketed thru Radio Shack, known for overpriced audio equipment
that wasn't the best of quality either, remember the RS Realistic brand stereos and speakers. Then BH started building mufflers on a stick with circus clown decals and coloration.
BH still a good machine but the stigma stuck. Some of them models were are extremely good detectors that were being overlooked by many except the entry level hobbiest--price was right.
Then if Walmart sells it, must be junk? Not entirely if they stocked the high end units. Granted there were a few models such as the BH/Tecnetics Big Bud that were excellent machines and now have cult status.
The new Bounty Hunters now, will have people take a second look as to them being a serious detecting machine and not a toy. I suspect the new line will be less in cost than the Teknetics, Fisher to entice the entry level person into buying. It's a new age where things are made smaller, no longer do you have to carry a large portable wireless phone with a huge battery pack strapped to your waist, you have a cell phone that fits in your hand.
BH is following suit.
Then they started making units with weird plastic shaped control boxes which also were marketed thru Radio Shack, known for overpriced audio equipment
that wasn't the best of quality either, remember the RS Realistic brand stereos and speakers. Then BH started building mufflers on a stick with circus clown decals and coloration.
BH still a good machine but the stigma stuck. Some of them models were are extremely good detectors that were being overlooked by many except the entry level hobbiest--price was right.
Then if Walmart sells it, must be junk? Not entirely if they stocked the high end units. Granted there were a few models such as the BH/Tecnetics Big Bud that were excellent machines and now have cult status.
The new Bounty Hunters now, will have people take a second look as to them being a serious detecting machine and not a toy. I suspect the new line will be less in cost than the Teknetics, Fisher to entice the entry level person into buying. It's a new age where things are made smaller, no longer do you have to carry a large portable wireless phone with a huge battery pack strapped to your waist, you have a cell phone that fits in your hand.
BH is following suit.
I'll be honest, I've had some Fisher and Teknetics machines that I felt were cheaply constructed, and others that were not. I felt the T2 and the F5 were well built and felt solid. Sorry to ruffle any feathers, but I don't feel that way about the greek series of Teknetics. If the new BH machines are built like that, but are half the price, it's tolerable. But to see a MSRP of $649 on a machine that feels like it's going to fall apart in your hands is a really turn-off to the brand. However, that was a few years ago. Maybe the quality is better now??
If that LRP came with a 10" coil I would give it a try.
If that LRP came with a 10" coil I would give it a try.
It's all about marketing. FTP is covering all areas, and doing it quite effectively. The LRP is a digital detector, made a little less expensive due to mass production of IC chips, and isn't as solid as the higher end. If someone is rough on a detector, the LRP would probably givve in before the more expensive, more ruggedly built detectors. This places it in the less expensive BH line. But since it has an offering of more than the typical BH, and reaches for the higher end dynamics, it is a "Pro". It lives with the higher end at a substantially lower price. It is the Bounty Hunter that "compares" itself with the high end units.
This fills a gap of the wants of, say, a F19, affordably. It may not hit as well, but it hits. It may have 2 rods instead of 3, but they reach. It is the difference of a Toyota and a Kia. Both will get you there. How do you want to arrive?
Considering most finds are less than 10", the LRP works that area and does a great job. If you want deeper, don't buy it. If you like to move debris with your detector, don't buy it. If you need a light, don't buy it. Every detector has it's strengths and weaknesses. The LRP can keep up with many others, more than most BHs, and less expensive and that was FTPs plan. When someone asks "what is the best detector for $$$,", FTP is gambling that eventually people will say "you can't beat the abilities of the LRP for the price".
I believe it's ingeneous. They have set a standard with the new BH Pros, now it's up to the competition to do the same, or leave that market to FTP.
This fills a gap of the wants of, say, a F19, affordably. It may not hit as well, but it hits. It may have 2 rods instead of 3, but they reach. It is the difference of a Toyota and a Kia. Both will get you there. How do you want to arrive?
Considering most finds are less than 10", the LRP works that area and does a great job. If you want deeper, don't buy it. If you like to move debris with your detector, don't buy it. If you need a light, don't buy it. Every detector has it's strengths and weaknesses. The LRP can keep up with many others, more than most BHs, and less expensive and that was FTPs plan. When someone asks "what is the best detector for $$$,", FTP is gambling that eventually people will say "you can't beat the abilities of the LRP for the price".
I believe it's ingeneous. They have set a standard with the new BH Pros, now it's up to the competition to do the same, or leave that market to FTP.
My garette ace 250 does not have a locknut on the shaft, my bh platinum does. I have a bh rb9 that dates to 1983 or 1984 i think, it is for its time built as good as anything out there. My bh sharpshooter 2 does not seem as sturdy as some machines. I dont have anywhere near the field time as most of you out there but in air tests the sharpshooter 2 is an inch deeper than my ace 250 . I like them both. I think bounty hunter has always done a great job providing a decent detector for a fair price. Would i like a minelab e trac or f75 ltd, whites best? Shure i would but right now its not going to happen $ are tough right now. So thank you bh.
"Brand Stigmas' or even Brand loyalty, are nearly a thing of the past....in practically all products, not only detectors...It really is all about Marketing, like Hightone submits... a noobie aint gonna know a Fisher from a Minelab, He's just gonna whip out that card and get the first available rig thats marketed to him in an attractive way, in the shopping areas he frequents...It only after a fellow is immersed in a sport that the intricacies of components and Brands of various models may become an important part of a buying decision....all this said, in our sport, all things considered, generally its really more about the Indian and not the bow...
Detector mfgs would be well advised not to try to market to us...we are far too picky at this juncture of our careers in swingdom, and can be some real pantloads about features and benefits..no, the easy money is in the noobs, and thats what you try to do as a mfg...get them started on your gear early, and deep sell into them over time..
Mud.
Detector mfgs would be well advised not to try to market to us...we are far too picky at this juncture of our careers in swingdom, and can be some real pantloads about features and benefits..no, the easy money is in the noobs, and thats what you try to do as a mfg...get them started on your gear early, and deep sell into them over time..
Mud.
I had a Bounty Hunter Red Baron RB7 back in the mid 1980's and could keep up with most of those guys in the club running high end Whites'
The mistake I made was trading it for a RB-10, with auto ground balance, etc. A dealer saw me doing sidewalks, stopped and invited me back to his shop to see the RB-10. Maybe the one that I bought was a lemon, but I never liked it, and never could find a thing with it.
Maybe I had a lemon, but the RB-10 is what cooled my heels to metal detecting for several years. I traded it in the mid 90's for a Whites Eagle Spectrum. I found a little with it, but, perhaps I was not patient enough to fully learn it, but I still believe that the old Bounty Hunter RB-7 was a hot machine, especially for me, it was.
Found one on FeeBay last year. Bought the RB7 mostly for nostalgia.
You are right about the rise and decline in the perception of Bounth Hunter machines, Radio Shack, toy looking models, etc. However, I have heard a lot of very postiive things about the Land Ranger Pro.
If I can trade, or, sell one of my machines, I am interested in seeing what it can do.
The mistake I made was trading it for a RB-10, with auto ground balance, etc. A dealer saw me doing sidewalks, stopped and invited me back to his shop to see the RB-10. Maybe the one that I bought was a lemon, but I never liked it, and never could find a thing with it.
Maybe I had a lemon, but the RB-10 is what cooled my heels to metal detecting for several years. I traded it in the mid 90's for a Whites Eagle Spectrum. I found a little with it, but, perhaps I was not patient enough to fully learn it, but I still believe that the old Bounty Hunter RB-7 was a hot machine, especially for me, it was.
Found one on FeeBay last year. Bought the RB7 mostly for nostalgia.
You are right about the rise and decline in the perception of Bounth Hunter machines, Radio Shack, toy looking models, etc. However, I have heard a lot of very postiive things about the Land Ranger Pro.
If I can trade, or, sell one of my machines, I am interested in seeing what it can do.
plidn1
Member
First Texas has done exactly what it has wanted to do. Create lots of interest and curiosity.
It has produced a higher end entry level detector that is going to get people comparing it to their other models.
What better / cheaper form of advertisement can you get?
Not only will they sell a bunch of them, they will generate interest and sales in their other lines.
I read some place this morning, someone has already bought a lesser priced detector to have an accessory coil and shaft.
That's about an $800 sale for two detectors. That seems like pretty smart business to me.
They will keep the "Big Boys" and some of the little guys, on their toes.
It has produced a higher end entry level detector that is going to get people comparing it to their other models.
What better / cheaper form of advertisement can you get?
Not only will they sell a bunch of them, they will generate interest and sales in their other lines.
I read some place this morning, someone has already bought a lesser priced detector to have an accessory coil and shaft.
That's about an $800 sale for two detectors. That seems like pretty smart business to me.
They will keep the "Big Boys" and some of the little guys, on their toes.
Schick makes and sells some really great Trac II blades that sell for $10 - $15 dollars for a ten pack. Schick also makes the same exact blades that are sold under a generic brand for $1.80 for a ten pack. I bought several hundred of them. I ain't no fool, that's 18 cents for a week or mores worth of close shaves.
tabman
tabman
MarkCZ
Well-known member
I have an Omega, and I don't feel its flimsy, what its more like is trimmed down for weight! I mean I'm from the old school of detectors,
Large metal boxes,
14 AA batteries,
Lower coil mounting stems made of wood,
they were heavy and felt solid!
But to trim a pound or two of the weight is just amazing. The Omega is very light and for its weight really pretty solid.
As far as the Bounty Hunter's go, I'm going to say that they're getting better all the time. But I figure that First Texas will keep them a little behind in features, function, horse power, and lesser expensive components of there flag ship brands and models. Now, that doesn't mean that the top of the line bounty hunter is upstage by a Fisher F2 or the Teknetics Delta, but at the same time I doubt very seriously that the top bounty hunter would make it past the mid range of the Fisher or the Teknetics models.
Then to separate them they will offer slightly different features between them to keep them different enough to be attractive and to fill gaps in other production models/brands.
Mark
Large metal boxes,
14 AA batteries,
Lower coil mounting stems made of wood,
they were heavy and felt solid!
But to trim a pound or two of the weight is just amazing. The Omega is very light and for its weight really pretty solid.
As far as the Bounty Hunter's go, I'm going to say that they're getting better all the time. But I figure that First Texas will keep them a little behind in features, function, horse power, and lesser expensive components of there flag ship brands and models. Now, that doesn't mean that the top of the line bounty hunter is upstage by a Fisher F2 or the Teknetics Delta, but at the same time I doubt very seriously that the top bounty hunter would make it past the mid range of the Fisher or the Teknetics models.
Then to separate them they will offer slightly different features between them to keep them different enough to be attractive and to fill gaps in other production models/brands.
Mark
Of all the First Texas products, the Omega is my favorite, regardless of BH, Fisher or Teknetics brand models, priced higher or lower.
While there are a couple of adjustments of functions that I wish it had or was improved at, it has been a proven Coin Hunting detector for me, and done pretty well in more out-of-urban-country hunts as well. It's not my #1 all-purpose detector, but it is my #1 FTP model, to be sure.
Monte
While there are a couple of adjustments of functions that I wish it had or was improved at, it has been a proven Coin Hunting detector for me, and done pretty well in more out-of-urban-country hunts as well. It's not my #1 all-purpose detector, but it is my #1 FTP model, to be sure.
Monte
I loved my F5. The Omega and F5 are very close.
Teknetics Omega 8000 Lightweight, very straightforward user interface, excellent target ID and superb discrimination in trash, manual or computer-assisted ground balancing in motion all metals operation, response characteristics scaled to “talk” to you regardless of the sensitivity setting. List price somewhere around $600 but I suppose that actual retail is a little less. With the optional 11” DD searchcoil, it’s got hots in the big leagues, air testing in the 12-14” range on coins and outperforming most competitors’ higher priced machines on buried targets. The somewhat similar Fisher F5 gives the user a bit more control, but there is something about the stark simplicity of the Omega that dials my number in a way that the F5 doesn’t. - Dave Johnson
The FTP idea was expanded on when Dave said:
Our workhorse process family since 2006 has been the T2 (“default”) process and its descendants. This family of processes combines the advantages of the “two-filter” and “BH” processes and has additional benefits not offered by either of those earlier processes. To our knowledge none of our competitors has figured out how copy the T2 system.
We’re not a company who stands still. Over the last several years we have introduced a whole series of new products on several new hardware platforms, and have constantly advanced the science of target signal processing. In the future we plan to introduce new processes which, although they may “feel” like a member of the T2 process family, will operate on different principles and will produce results of a kind which are not attained by any metal detector presently available. -Dave Johnson
The T2 process is what the F75 is based. The LRP is a platform that utilizes a less costly garment. 2 rods, lighter weight, etc. I expect the move forward will be units that have some of the LRP abilities in a stronger garment at a greater cost and even refined electronic signatures. Maybe more tones. Maybe even deeper.
In the end, it's all about metal detecting. And I'm happy for what I have at the price I could afford.
Teknetics Omega 8000 Lightweight, very straightforward user interface, excellent target ID and superb discrimination in trash, manual or computer-assisted ground balancing in motion all metals operation, response characteristics scaled to “talk” to you regardless of the sensitivity setting. List price somewhere around $600 but I suppose that actual retail is a little less. With the optional 11” DD searchcoil, it’s got hots in the big leagues, air testing in the 12-14” range on coins and outperforming most competitors’ higher priced machines on buried targets. The somewhat similar Fisher F5 gives the user a bit more control, but there is something about the stark simplicity of the Omega that dials my number in a way that the F5 doesn’t. - Dave Johnson
The FTP idea was expanded on when Dave said:
Our workhorse process family since 2006 has been the T2 (“default”) process and its descendants. This family of processes combines the advantages of the “two-filter” and “BH” processes and has additional benefits not offered by either of those earlier processes. To our knowledge none of our competitors has figured out how copy the T2 system.
We’re not a company who stands still. Over the last several years we have introduced a whole series of new products on several new hardware platforms, and have constantly advanced the science of target signal processing. In the future we plan to introduce new processes which, although they may “feel” like a member of the T2 process family, will operate on different principles and will produce results of a kind which are not attained by any metal detector presently available. -Dave Johnson
The T2 process is what the F75 is based. The LRP is a platform that utilizes a less costly garment. 2 rods, lighter weight, etc. I expect the move forward will be units that have some of the LRP abilities in a stronger garment at a greater cost and even refined electronic signatures. Maybe more tones. Maybe even deeper.
In the end, it's all about metal detecting. And I'm happy for what I have at the price I could afford.
I loved my F5 too. One of those machines I kick myself for selling. It held my personal best for number of coins in one outting (105) until this year when I smashed that with a couple of 120 coin days with the Deleon.
I think the LRP is going to raise the bar for a lot of future detector designs. If a person can get that many features without mortgaging the farm, what are the other manufacturers going to do? We've all been waiting patiently for the Cazador, but will it even come close to the LRP in terms of features? And if it does, will it be reasonably priced? The price of the Cortes has me thinking probably not. Don't get me wrong, I loved the Cortes, it was a great detector, but it wasn't a great $700 detector. It was a great $400 detector.
Dan
I think the LRP is going to raise the bar for a lot of future detector designs. If a person can get that many features without mortgaging the farm, what are the other manufacturers going to do? We've all been waiting patiently for the Cazador, but will it even come close to the LRP in terms of features? And if it does, will it be reasonably priced? The price of the Cortes has me thinking probably not. Don't get me wrong, I loved the Cortes, it was a great detector, but it wasn't a great $700 detector. It was a great $400 detector.
Dan