What happened to Fisher?

[Cynangyl]

Yes and they are upgrading the F75, better environmental sealing....those that already have them can get hold of Fisher and get their machine upgraded as well. They will also upgrade the T2 if anyone wants them to.

 

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[Cynangyl]

For those wanting the info on them I thought I would post these as well.

 

[Beck]

I recently had to phone Fisher regarding a broken head mount on my CZ20. After about ten rings I was ready to hang up when an out of breath gent answered the phone and apologized for the delay in picking up, said the girls were on a smoke break or something. After hearing my request he said he would drop the part in the mail that day, no charge, no postage have a nice day. It showed up 3 days later.I know it was only a $10.00 part but I thought that was very good customer service.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

I've been keeping my eye on those upgrades for the F-75. They're not "official" yet and I hope to get in line ASAP so I can have the detector back by the time the glaciers recede up here. Beefier battery springs, beefier handgrip, improved case, "Environmental Protection" in the form of improved gaskets all around. The last one interests me the most. All for $50.

The new F-75's will have them, but will list $100 more because of them.

Boy, I wouldn't have called it an "F-70". Makes it look like a late "me too" response to the XTerra 70. Oh well, I ain't no marketier. F-40 or something.

Woncer of we can play with that double concentrin ring coil on the F-75? I've wanted to try one, having always been a double "D" man, myself.

 

[Cynangyl]

Charlie the upgrades are official, any F75 sold from Fisher after Feb 1st will be the upgraded version and after Feb 1st they will be accepting the ones already bought for the upgrade. We will be calling in to Fisher to get RA# s to send in machines that need to be upgraded and hopefully they can get them in and back out to everyone with haste! Sounds like some great upgrades for sure!

 

[Newfiehunter]

I know that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover but these new Fisher detectors (F2 and F75) look kinda "cheap" . I have to admit even though I have never used one of these detectors, I know its not a good idea to make a comment like that. But compare them to CZ5 or 12XX series, they look like toys. The older Fisher detectors were built rugged and durable. If you check out reviews on metaldetectorreviews.net the F75 gets a real bashing. Hope this doesn' t offend anyone with a F2 or F75 but I really miss the old Fishers. I've purchased a Tesoro Cibola last year and while it is a good machine, my CZ5 is sill my primary detector.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Components are smaller, designs are lighter and use less batteries. Some folks would still like the angular metal box "assembled in the cellar" look, but the market seems to have been driven by the Minelab Xterra "light and airy" design. The Tesoros have been tiny little units for many years.

I've read the review you mention, and added one myself. I also tried to find one of the "flood of used F-75s" and there were zero on ebaY or the classifieds of the four m/d sites I frequent. I don't think very many of those reviews were based on extensive testing after the learning curve was climbed. A person who gives a bad review but gives it 5/5 stars (as two did) obviously doesn't read instructions or use care in the task at hand.

 

[Shenandoah Digger]

Well the Fisher 75 has had well documented build quality issues. I'm sure performance wise it's a great machine, but to compare the way it's built to the Xterra 70 is ludicrous. The Xterra's have had NO build quality issues. There was a small issue where the unit would turn off because the battery springs were weak, but that was resolved long ago, and if you sent in your unit to have that fixed, it wasn't called a $50 upgrade. The Xterras are tough, like the Tesoros. Hopefully the new Fishers will be too. And the Xterra 70 is comparable to the F75 at hundreds less. From what I've read so far, feature wise, the F70 won't be in the same class as the Xterra 70. But it looks like it will have a similar price.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

At one point I was seriously considering the XT-70. I remember how mad the X-50 users were when they popped the X-70 on 'em. At the time folks with or who had used both weren't getting the depth the Musky gets with the XT-70 so I crossed it off my list. I had a Musky so why step backwards? I prefer the 2.5X longer warranty of the Fisher, the FASTGRAB ground balance, 3X more sensitivity calibrations, the mineralization display, the Double D main coil. Faster recovey, deeper seeking, better junk filters, more user controllable modes and settings. But is is a $300 less expensive unit so it's not fair to run them against one another.

And now that SunRay has a probe for the F-75 (none for the XT-70 as Minelab won't talk with the engineers at SunRay to allow its development) it is even less of a consideration.

And what "well documented quality issues" are we talking about? Knock wood, I haven't had any. And it stays "on" all by itself until turned off. One of the reasons I went with the Fisher is because of the user reports I was hearing off the Minelab forums. It was a choice between the Sovereign GT and the F-75 for me.

 

[Shenandoah Digger]

Three guys I hunt with all got 75s and had problems with where the handle connects to the detector head. They sent them back and got them resolved. I'm glad you've had no problems with your 75. However forums and detector review sites are loaded with them. It's just not built like a Minelab and I don't think that's disputable. The problem with the Xterras turning off had to do with the battery springs I mentioned. I had a 50 and wasn't that impressed with it. The 70 is a different animal, and with the 10.5" DD coil, it easily gets the depth of the 75. And in the prospecting mode it's deeper. Just hunt in prospecting mode with iron mask up to 20, and when you get a target, click to all metal and read the display. I know the 75 is lightning fast, but I can tape objects to a paint stick, one inch apart, and move it as fast as I can in front of the 70 coil. It will identify them all. I really don't need anything faster than that. I'm not knocking the performance of the 75. I've seen it work, used it, and it's good. But not better than the Xterra 70 for my needs, and certainly not $300 better. I much prefer the 70 to the Explorer. If you know how to use it, it's just as deep, half the weight, and fun to use. Try one. And by the way, the Xterras have a 4 year warranty-two standard and two as a free bonus, which is going to become their standard. Minelab's service is as good as it gets.

 

[Indasurf]

GARRETT was NEVER purchased by any other company and is still ONLY OWNED by GARRETT!!!

GARRETT is STILL in the SAME CITY and STATE location Garland TX!!!!!!!

My OLD BFO from the late 60s AND my GARRETT Infinium BOTH come from GARLAND TX!!!!!!!

Yes, First Texas is also in TX (BIG STATE) BUT in EL Paso!!!!!! I'm "NOT" trying to start anything here, BUT it's REALLY "NOT COOL" to "POST INFORMATION" like that when "NOT TRUE" or the "FACTS" are "NOT" KNOWN!!!!!!

Thanks and HH!!!!

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

This is their current ad on the CZ 5



The Fisher CZ-5 has it all: high performance, deep search capability, & visual target identification. The CZ-5 is easy to use, just turn on and go with pre-set control markings. It offers three tone audio target ID, big target alert, depth reading, push button pinpointing, wet-sand operation, deep-target audio boost and a built in speaker. It uses two 9V batteries for up to 20 hours of operation and comes standard with a 3-piece breakdown handle for easy transport. Plus, the control box can be handle or hip mounted. Backed by Fisher's Lifetime Warranty*.
$848.95

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Sadly, I think you found an old ad. The CZ-5 is no longer available.

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

Sorry, the point wasn't the CZ5 - it was the warranty.

Is this outdated?

http://www.accuratelocators.com/fisher.html



B

 

[Keppy]

Sorry, the point wasn't the CZ5 - it was the warranty.

Is this outdated?

http://www.accuratelocators.com/fisher.html



B

I saw them for sale there also i don't know if they are new or used though.........==Jim==

 

[Rob66]

I am not sure about Garrett being bought out. Fisher was sold to First Texas and all the lifetime warranties are void. The CZ5 is still a great detector, I have the 6a which isn't that much diferent. I own five Fishers and when they break down I'll deep six them. It's the customer service that has gone down hill and everyone is complaining about lack of service and prices for repairs. No more freebies or little adjustments. Now it's gimme, gimme.

By the way, the 1236 is a sweet baby.

Wow.... thanks sandman, my heart just jumped a beat reading this thread. I just purchased the 1236x
RD :P

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

No more freebies or little adjustments. Now it's gimme, gimme.

I just sent my F-75 in for the retrofit upgrade (the newer F-75's have a beefier foam grip, added battery compartment features and a weatherproofed/gasketed control case). Cost is $50, but the new units are $100 more than the 2007 models. The paperwork I got back stated:

"We have received your Fisher model F75 and based on our review of the product, we have determined that the product is in need of repair.

"Upgrade: $50.00

"Total Charges: $50.00

"We have tested your F75. We find it to be in perfect working order."

The coil that came back is brand spanking new from what I can tell, not a fleck of dirt or scuff on it (I got it dirty for 9 months and I mean it's now magnifying glass inspection clean). They don't have a coil serial # like the Minelabs, but I believe it is a new coil! Turn around was one week.

I got no porblems with Fishers' customer service or their five year warranty. Not as good as it was or Tesoro's, but still better than Whites or Minelab.

Maybe if the old Fisher's customers weren't so "gimmie, gimmie" Fisher would have retained the strength not to be bought out. Happens to the best of them . . . like Minelab, even.

 

[golddigger14s]

I own one of each TX First product: GB2/BH/T2 and live a few blocks from TX 1st. The engineer (who I've personally met, Dave Johnson) that worked/created a lot of detectors is at TX 1st. So just relax, the world has not ended.

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

Curious - are the "new" Fisher products comparable to the older ones? (from the original supplier) - in price and what you get for the money?

B

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Good question. For me I don't have a baseline as the F-75 is my first Fisher. Maybe that's why I'm not upset. The component housings are plastic, as opposed to metal, but no less well constructed than my plastic boxed Minelab. Sure are lighter! If I was going to fight off a pack of wild dog's I'd prefer to have an Explorer, but, really, how much physical stress do we put on a detector? Nothing's broken off my F-75 yet.

Performance for the $ seems to be competative with Minelab & Whites. Doesn't have the programability or complexity of the DFX but has more than the Xterra-70. Kind of fits in between those IMHO. I have a narrow area of operation (local dirt) but have done club hunts and handled and hunted beside many other detectors. There's a couple MXTs & M-6s that hunt the same town park I do and they leave me enough to keep me digging dimes, nickels and the occasional ring on my lunchbreaks. Quarters, too, but I'm catching a lot more dimes & nickles than I did in the past.

VDI is probably more accurate than any prior Fisher . . . as I think only the Coin$trike, ID Edge & ID Excel had a VDI (they were big on analog needle meters)

Unit & operating system of ther F-75 was designed by the same guy that did the White's GMT, MXT, Fisher Gold Bug 2, Teknetics T2, Troy X-5 & some Tesoros - Dave Johnson. It's not like it's a introductory experiment. I don't know if he's also behind the F-4, F-5 & F-70