When will Garrett wise up?

[marcomo]

Surprised to hear that since Garrett service complaints seem to be as rare as snowfall in Hawaii.

I'm not nearly as experienced as many here, but in about two years of following this forum the only other complaint I saw about Garrett service was some guy from England (I think) who was upset because Garrett wouldn't pay shipping costs both ways.

But I've read a lot of great things about Garrett's customer service, and my service experience with them was excellent as well.

 

[ohiochris]

The proof of the pudding is in the tasting and I use a 2500 because it tastes so good to me. I've read this entire thread and here are my thoughts about a few things I read.

For coins and jewelry down to about 6 inches it is by far the best machine I have ever used. The response time is plenty fast if you adjust your hunting style a bit. After a thousand or so coins it becomes second nature. I use either the stock coil or 12.5 inch imaging coil for coin shooting and if there is little possibility of deep silver I prefer the stock coil.

For old silver there are probably "hotter" machines but the difference is two inches extra depth I would guess. When looking for old silver I use the 12.5 inch imaging coil and get depths of at least 8-10 inches if conditions are right. My technique when hunting for clad coins is completely different than my clad/jewelry technique and you must dig iffy signals. These iffy signals now make the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I read a lot of other boards and I've read posts by many Minelab and Whites users who say the exact same thing about their machines.

The weight issue. I had this issue my first year with the machine. I must have built up the required endurance because I can swing the 2500 for 5 hours without fatigue and my elbow which used to get sore doesn't anymore. My knees give from retrieving coins long before anything else does. Would I like it better if it weighed 3 pounds? Yes.

The style of the machine. Who cares? If it looks dated and still finds tons of coins, I don't. The display is very well designed. Very intuitive and makes for fast IDing of targets. I prefer the notch system to VDI numbers. I know many of you don't.

I have written before that I, too, am waiting for a new top end Garrett. I'm sure when it comes out it will change the hobby. At least for me it will.

One final point. Look at Detroit. In my opinion, much of their best stuff came out from about 1955 to the early to mid 1970s. Maybe using this analogy my GTI 2500 would be a 1963 Corvette, a 1964 or 65 Mustang or maybe even a 1969 Pontiac GTO. Possibly dated but still a classic and a ball to "drive."

Chris

You are right that the style of the machine makes no difference, who cares. But the only reason I mentioned it is because it does sorta indicate that they havent changed much as the times and technology has. The look does not always represent whats under the hood but it may hint at it , and can imply that the company may not be as into improving the product as they used to be. But I am just saying that this has kept me personally from buying a garrett for a long time , not that it means they arent great detectors. Those that have used them for a long time may not care since you already know how reliable they are but for someone considering a garrett for the first time it dosent inspire a lot of confidence in the machine. I am pretty sure there are others who feel about it similar to how I do , but all I have said is just my opinion. I have heard and read many good things about garrett detectors , I would just like to be able to see that they have been working on improving their products as time and technology would allow.

 

[larrykadra]

I,ve used them all......And let me tell you I,ve never had a depth issue at all, I live in Lynn Mass, I go all over the place, I use the 2500 and the 1500, both are excellent , yes the 2500 is a little heavy, but if I need too ,I use a sling, I,ve pulled MANY silver coins from the ground at well beyond 10 inches, liberty seated coins , a couple of flying pennies etc,etc, i,m almost 68 years old, i,m in the phone book, if interested call and we can go coinshooting shooting together

 

[ggoodew]

You can reduce the wait by attaching the battery pack to your belt.that what I do with my GTI 1500.
then i swinging all day

 

[prospector 55]

I was thinking the same thing Bill I have owned my GTI 2500 for about 5 years I have the last of the talking models and mine goes super deep and hits targets so small you can hardly find them unless you have a super magnet on your digging pick, if you don't have any depth you need to turn the 2500 on first, I tested mine against 6 other detectors including my Minelab Eureka Gold and in all metal mode my 2500 went much deeper than the Minelab or any of my other top of the line detectors the 2500 is just an impressive beast, it has a lot of features that most detectors don't adjustable frequency I use mine a lot the only time the unit feels mildly heavy is when I have the 12 in imaging coil on it! this puppy is a real keeper I have all of the coils for this unit you can nugget shoot with this guy it ignores mineralized ground, a lot of guys give up on the 2500 before they really learn the machine. I am an Electronics Technician and have worked on a lot of industrial detectors, 2500 still an excellent machine!!!

 

[Roscue2]

THe biggest problem with the GTI 2500 at this point is the weight. Also, I would assume any replacement of it would use VDI numbers, and hopefully start to steer away from the finds brackets that almost all modern Garretts have.

 

[Digger22]

I am 74 years old. I have had back surgery and I have to live with a degenerative spinal condition. This, coupled with arthritis on my left knee makes me very attentive to the weight of a detector.
That being said, I do not find the weight of my GTI 2500 to be objectionable. I swing it for hours at the time. When my right arm gets tired, I switch arms.
While my AT Pro is lighter, it does not have the imaging abilities that I really like with my 2500.

I've never put the battery pack on my belt to lighten the weight of the unit, maybe when I get old I'll have to do that.
Roy

 

[Robert2300]

I admit, the 2500 could probably use a face life and made a bit lighter.
AND BY ALL MEANS get rid of the sickly GREEN color.
But from what I have heard from so many of the 2500 users, it's a great
machine and the ability to attach the Treasure Hound Eagle Eye to it is
a real plus for those deeper treasures the standard metal detectors
can't reach.
Robt2300

 

[BigCatDaddy]

n/t

 

[prospector 55]

I really don't think the GTI is in anyway behind on there technology! I have been an Electronics Tech for about 30 years now starting out working on $10,000 a piece food service industrial state of the art metal detectors, repairing them in the field and on the bench, to board and component level! I own about 6 top of the line detectors including mine lab, fisher, Whites, in all- metal mode my GTI 2500 went deeper than all of my other detectors except my Whites TDI pulse induction, it has imaging a two box coil no other detector has that!!! and I own the talking GTI still another feature other detectors simply do not have, mine is extremely useful in low light conditions,back light is a great addition, this unit hits targets that other detectors do not even see, now that is extremely low tech!, gee Minetrash has a gps on there 3030 oh palease! And the biggest nugget ever found with a detector was found with a GARRETT the hand of faith,not any other unit not a Minelab PI, nothing but a GARRETT!!!!!!! DUDE
I use to think the GTI 2500 was not a great detector but I was wrong and after using it for 5 years it's performance never stops amazing me, I use to think I was hitting false targets WOW was I wrong! I was hitting very very small pieces of iron in zero mode while nugget shooting, that I could barely see with the naked eye but my rare earth magnet on my digging tool picked them right up. Nothing on the metal detecting market today has the features or the performance of the 2500 and if you do not think so use it and all of the 8 + coils made for this machine you will be very surprised at the high end performance!

 

[RogerV]

Garrett makes some good machines and stand behind them well beyond their warranty period. They are also an AMERICAN company. Garrett has been involved with Security for our nation since 911 and I applaud them for that. They also try to keep their products reasonably priced so the everyday person can afford them. Mine lab supposedly has good machines if you can come up with $1500-5000 dollars and have them constantly breakand are in the shop. The sharks say they have a lifetime warranty but I read that they come up with excuses not to honor it. When Garrett comes out with something better I will definitely look at it.

If your Detector is broke its just a paper weight.

 

[Dan-Pa.]

Either my 2500 was on steroids or you don't know how to use the all metal that ID's as its as deep as any.

Have to admit its big and boxy and heavy and sort of eats batteries as most did when the unit came out..

Go out and try an AT pro and perhaps your opinions will change...end of the story....