Where's Garrett?
- Thread starter SS_Wonder
- Start date
The Garrett Axiom has turned out to be an outstanding, lightweight pulse induction gold prospecting detector. Its use for relic hunting and deep coin/jewelry hunting has not been talked about much yet. With all of its Mono and DD coil selections (Detech is making coils for it too) and its ability to handle some shallow iron discrimination, it should be a better deep coin, jewelry and relic target hunting choice than many of the more expensive Minelab PIs. It not being waterproof is too bad, but Hulk type people can still submerge the ATX if they feel like it.
For me, the Apex would be a decent detector if it had more audio options and could handle iron mineralization better.
For me, the Apex would be a decent detector if it had more audio options and could handle iron mineralization better.
Metalsguy
Junior Member
I'll just chime in to say that I like the Ace Apex. Since it is my first detector, I don't have anything to compare it to, but it has a lot of capability I have not yet explored. As long as it continues to be trouble-free, I expect to grow into all of its capabilities. Agreeing with earlier posts, I'm not sure it was the best idea to attach the "Ace" name to this MF unit.
cellrdwellr
Elite Member
Correct me if I'm wrong here, but I believe neither the 600 or 800 even attained an IP rating. The 700 and 900 DID attain an IP-68 rating, meaning they improved the waterproof capabilities somewhere along the lines.I would like to be able to buy an American made machine, but the Aussies and the French are making better machines.
Also, the 700 and 900 are no more waterproof - IP68 - than the 600 and 800 and the overwhelming majority of Equinox users have never broken a coil ear.
The bright side is you can use your 900 to go back over the ground you hunted with the AT Pro and pull out some more good finds.
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too_pointer
Elite Member
Garrett " ruled the roost " for many years with their AT Pro and the Max, and my bro-in-law just bought what he calls as their top of the line ? don't remember what the model was ? ( My opinion ) without the AT's, the other companies wouldn't have made their new machines as good as they are ? 
too_
too_
cellrdwellr
Elite Member
Been waiting since the AT Gold for a new Garrett flagship. I jumped ship after watching multiple targets be recovered right in front of me that my machine would not alert me to. Now primarily a minelab user. They have the resources I'm sure, just not sure the profit margin is anywhere near the security divisions.
metaladdict
Elite Member
I guess I jumped ship too.
TampaBayBrad
Forum Supporter
Had a Garrett Master Hunter back in the day as my 3rd detector I ever bought. Was a big fan. Now I'm thinking that unless they come out with something comparable to the Manticore, may as well not even bother unless it's much cheaper.
Research and development costs big bucks, and if Garrett is not willing to spend the coin to stay on the cutting edge, they will have to STAY in the mid to economy price range of detectors like now and unlike in the past when they were top dog years ago. Mine Lab spent 3 years engineering Manticore....very costly. But I bet they get their return on investment, just like they did with Equinox.
Research and development costs big bucks, and if Garrett is not willing to spend the coin to stay on the cutting edge, they will have to STAY in the mid to economy price range of detectors like now and unlike in the past when they were top dog years ago. Mine Lab spent 3 years engineering Manticore....very costly. But I bet they get their return on investment, just like they did with Equinox.
CountyWorker
Forum Supporter
As I recall, Minelab explained it as simply not thinking it was necessary to pay the extortion money for the IP Code, so they did their own testing and the specs for the 600/800 are equal to a 68 Code. Remember, this was 2016. I’d be willing to bet that if they didn’t have the ingress issues that they had with the 600/800 they wouldn’t have paid to get an IP Code for the 700/900. Minelab has made no claims, that I’m aware of, to specific changes to the housing, other than it “has the IP Code”. And based upon Minelab’s history of being very creative with words, I’d bet dollars to donuts that it’s the same housing and buying the IP Code is just a marketing ploy to assuage the reluctance of buyers who were concerned with the ingress issues with 600/800.
How many units per thousand do you think had ingress problems? One? Two? Three?
In the internet age it only takes one.
cellrdwellr
Elite Member
Three or more if I had to guess. I'm FAR from educated in this subject, I'm just trying to better learn which my next machine will be. Waterproof abilities are going to be close to a number 1 priority for me. Not sure IP ratings work that way, but your theory does make sense. If they did improve it, you would think they would make it known. Minelab must have some REALLY good lawyer's
Carl-NC
Full Member
You don't have to pay anyone to get an IP rating, you can do the testing yourself and claim the IP rating.
The 800 and 900 that I own absolutely do NOT have the same housing.
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Garrett Goldmaster 24K (remake of the Whites Goldmaster 24K) is a fabulous detector for gold prospecting, Axiom (complete remake of the ATX and improved everything) is also a fabulous gold prospecting detector and potentially will be a fabulous relic/deep coin detector. ACE Apex is a nice concept but it's still an ACE, not an AT.
CountyWorker
Forum Supporter
Unless something has changed, it used to require paying for an independent testing. Why didn’t Minelab slap an IP Code on the 600/800? Are you saying that they did no testing to make their waterproof claim?
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CountyWorker
Forum Supporter
It was my intention to imply the same type of manufacturing process for the housing. It’s obviously not the identical housing. But, I’m sure you knew what I meant.
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CountyWorker
Forum Supporter
It can read either way. Read “housing”as a verb, not a noun. Just an economy of words, in an effort to avoid walls of text.
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CountyWorker
Forum Supporter
Three or more if I had to guess. I'm FAR from educated in this subject, I'm just trying to better learn which my next machine will be. Waterproof abilities are going to be close to a number 1 priority for me. Not sure IP ratings work that way, but your theory does make sense. If they did improve it, you would think they would make it known. Minelab must have some REALLY good lawyer's
I water hunted today with one of my 800s and no ingress.
And no luck either, unless one wheat penny is considered luck. 
metaladdict
Elite Member
I bet the Axiom is a great machine but $4k? Nope!
Still love my At pro
Still love my At pro
