F75 Upgrade?

[pasttom]

Tom (sandnsea49) I really don't think FT manipulated release order to screw you. I cannot tell you how many times I bought a product (DSLR, cell phone, laptop, computer & yes, MD) where a new and better came out shortly there after. Moore's Law rules. Options rule. The Frat Bros (& G2/GBPro) having interchangeable coils makes them more desireable. How sweet if there was some boost mode bump available for less than $1200. I'd pay a couple hundred, maybe more to get that for my Omega! OK, so I live with what I bought.
Tom

 

[jmaryt]

the "standard" f-75 is a "crackerjack" detector ,and can stand on it's own merit!..if the detector
was a "sub-par" performer,(f.t) would have dropped it from the line,however that has NOT happened.
that said,as previously mentioned,i don't believe that there is approximately $500.00,or so ,difference in performance
between the two to merit selling mine!...of course!. i am disappointed,but when an improvement is warranted for a particular detector design
then it is my "position" it should be incorporated in to that design as quickly as possible,so as to NOT deny the "natural" progression
of technology!..one must also bear in mind that businesses exist NOT to give anyone a "break," but to earn money!..just sayin!

(h.h.!)
j.t.

 

[jmaryt]

hey dave!
when y'all gonna git that there fancy "multi-frequency" machine on the market!
we's all a waitin' on ya!...dab gum it!..just sayin!

(h.h.!)
j.t.

 

[Dave J.]

C'mon, JT, we can't do a terrible thing like that! It just wouldn't be fair! Some of our dealers are multi-line, and we'd catch hell from 'em for all the unhappy customers we caused by ruining the eBay going price for used Minelabs.

Besides which, it surprises even us how many Minelab owners have bought one of our less expensive user-friendly lightweight ergonomic single-freakers just out of curiosity or as a backup unit, and now the Minelab stays in the closet. We have laurels to rest on! What the heck do we need new products for anyhow?

--Dave J.

 

[SteveP(NH)]

I sure hope the The "Eta-Kappa" project is far enough along so that your marketing folks will start to trickle out details soon ...... I get excited everytime I go back to the Fisher site and reread the part in the processes white paper where you say, "In the future we plan to introduce new processes which, although they may

 

[LittleJohn]

I hope that machine is slated for release this year

Go buy a f75ltd...then it will come out the next week!

 

[Elton]

n/t

 

[jmaryt]

excellent point!..dave!..well taken,but ya can't con a con!..you know that!
we all know ya'll's are chasin' the boys down under!..gotta tell ya!..make it light,and ya'll
"clean up" when it arrives!....seriously though,if ANY COMPANY can do it,YOU
and the "'crew" can!..just make sure ya'll don't circumvent any patents along the way!
consider it a "personal,and professional challenge!"..your "legacy" awaits!..just sayin!

(h.h.!)
j.t.

 

[NE Digger]

either its an item I purchased that subsequently goes on sale..........or its upgraded right after...with stuff/options I really wanted. Its just life.
I've always been befuddled by those that take things like that personally, and then slam the company when it happens.
A few facts:
business do not release things till they are READY to be released.
They do NOT stop selling current products because of the impending release of a newer improved product.
Engineers do not lay in bed at night calculating how many folks they can screw with a carefully times release.
business are in business to make a profit! If they do NOT make a profit......they are no longer in business.
Last but not least..............there is ALWAYS one in EVERY crowd....................

 

[LittleJohn]

well I must be that one in the crowd then....however if you had read the context of the original message, you may not be so quick to judge. easy to jump on the band wagon and kick someone when you feel that you have them down.

Here's the deal for all of you who feel you want to take this post out of context and bash...I like the F75, I really like it. I would like it even better if it was an F75LTD...but it isn't and will never be...ok I got that. However....the capacity is there for them to make it an F75LTD, which I would be willing to pay for, and I believe many people with the original F75 would also be willing to pay for the benefits of the upgraded version...enough that it would be profitable for the company to do so...as well as satisfy many customers who are loyal to their brand.

NE Digger, I dont think your "there is one in every crowd" comment was called for...matter of fact I think it was out of line...this is a public forum where ideas can be exchanged, and opinions can be given. If you dont agree with someone, thats fine...but think long and hard before you decide to make personal attacks on peoples character.

 

[Dave J.]

From the perspective of a customer who happens to have heard that it's physically possible to convert an F75 to an F75LTD, it may seem like the factory should offer for sale that model conversion as a "service product". The customer however has not thought through the costs of creating and selling that "service product". In any industry (not just metal detectors), it's almost unheard-of for a factory to offer for sale a "conversion" from one model to another, and for darn good reason-- it's rare that it's a money-making proposition. Even selling "upgrades" to a specific model, a much easier thing to do from an administrative point of view, is not very often a profitable service to offer.

I'm sensitive to the issue of what makes money and what doesn't, because of my 30 year history with Fisher as both an insider watching it prosper and for 12 year interruption as an outsider watching it die.

--Dave J.

 

[Elton]

I hope they make a newer and better detector every time I buy the current model. I think it's great, and look forward to getting the next model.

 

[jmaryt]

in defense of YOUR position,i agree with you in principal,however in the "real"
world,ne digger is correct.what he is attempting to convey is that all those who bought the
standard f-75 cannot "see the forest,because the damn trees are in the way!"..translated,his point is that
the company(s) don't care 2 s**ts about what you think because their "objective" is the bottom line,and showing allegience
to the shareholder(s)..all of "us" standard f-75 owners simply got "caught" in the progression of technology!
cheer up!.we still got a crackerjack" detector,and if you are "primarily" a coinshooter hunting with the coil on the ground,and using
a very sensitive set of headphones,then ya pretty much have all the "bases covered"...just sayin!

(h.h.!)
j.t.

 

[NE Digger]

it was for another poster wayyyyyyyyyyyyy down the thread.
But...still....you seemed just a wee bit too gleeful wishing FT problems for not paying attention to your needs...........even though your needs werent practical. And thats my fault huh?

 

[TerraDigger]

We all expressed our points of view. And we all have the right to do so. But let's not digress into anger & animosity. I think we are all better than that.

 

[SteveP(NH)]

Contrary to what you said in your original post, there is a strong market for used F75 standard machines. In fact one Findmall Sponsor dealer was advertising for used F75s as he had several customers waiting to buy one. A used F75 standard routinely sells for around $525 to $550 or so. A used F75 LtD sells for around $750 to $775. So you should be able to sell your F75 standard and then add $200 to $225 to the money you get and buy a used F75 LtD.

I can't imagine that First Texas could do an upgrade on a F75 for much less than that, considering the cost of the new circuit board and the labor to install it, plus the 2 way shipping. In fact they may have to charge even more than that to make it worth their while.

Personally I am happy with my F75 and will keep it as my primary machine until its successor comes out or I win a machine at a hunt or something like that.

 

[wharghoul]

SteveP,

Excellent points. Let's not forget the marketing/advertising and additional customer service support that would be involved.

For the folks wanting the upgrade option (Rob, LittleJohn, PastTom), what is the maximum $$ that you would be willing to pay???

 

[LittleJohn]

I hear all you nay sayers that it wouldnt be profitable, but you are talking about something that you think...not something that you know. I bought a product from a company, local US manufacturer. A year later they came out with the new model. They offered people like myself, who bought the prior model a complete upgrade, and an upgraded remote control for $200, that included shipping. If you would like reference to this company and this product I would be happy to share this information.

So it has and can be done, so don't tell me it isn't profitable for the company. If you have experience in this specific issue, then you would understand, but I sit here and laugh at all the ill informed responses with a hyena pack mentality.

Circuit boards are not that expensive especially when you have them manufactured in the quantities that a company like Fisher would. Fisher could do the same thing and turn it around quick, but their focus seems to be moving on to bigger and better things and leaving customers in the dust who may not want to drop another $1000 to have the latest and greatest.
And I really am OK with that...really.

 

[Dave J.]

LittleJohn, I work for the company and therefore have to reason through whether a product is likely to be profitable or not. That means I have to think of issues that a customer usually knows nothing about, things which go 'way beyond labor & materials cost. Someone else came close to nailing it on the head when he asked "how much would you be willing to pay?" If we were to name that price tag, guess who would be complaining then? The same folks who are presently complaining that we don't offer the deal, plus a bunch of others besides.

You can do model conversion yourself just like thousands of other beeperists have done. Sell what you've got, and use the proceeds plus a bit of extra cash to go buy the one you want.

--Dave J.

 

[jmaryt]

if you are referring to used equipment,then you are correct,however i should have pointed out,i was referring to new equipment with a "full warranty"
a 5 year warranty is certainly worth chasing,as opposed to "no" warranty on a used one,as you ,of course are aware...if selling the "standard" f-75 for say,550.00
and THEN purchasing a "new" (l.t.d),which is what i was originally referring to,then "all bets are off" because then i would be lookin' at a "hit" of around 50%
on the original standard f-75,PLUS an additional 700.00 or so, to purchase the "new" (l.t.d.)....in any event,like you i will keep my regular f-75 because as previously
mentioned in another post,i believe it's close enough in performance to merit me holding on to it for "coinshootin"....just sayin'

(h.h.!)
j.t.