Fake Fisher Gold Bug Pro detectors - be aware!

If you have a concern don't buy it your gut feeling is probably right. Take a breather and get the information you need first then scout around for a genuine one.

Yes. The seller reckons he bought it from the US. Other thing was the internal cut edge of the face decal is not a nice clean cut where it meets the screen. Could be just wear from cleaning the screen I spose.

If he hasn't got proof of purchase from a Fisher dealer, give it a miss.
I reckon there's more fake Gold Bugs in circulation than there are genuine!

Yes. I'm thinking you're right. I'll ask him before parting with the cash. Thanks for the advice all.

I saw an unboxing video on YouTube a few years back, by a Scandinavian bloke who had bought a cheap Gold Bug Pro from China, knowing it would be a fake. Every detail of the packaging, paperwork, detector, coils, etc, was indistinguishable from a real one! I don't know what you'd find on the inside if you took one apart, but without verification of legitimacy from Fisher or a trusted local agent, I think you'd be buying a pig in a poke.

Thanks to this thread, Im returning my fake gold bug pro for a full refund tomorrow. I bought it off eBay a couple of months ago and have had no problems with the product itself but I did think it was made in America because thats what the box said. Anyway, it was only by chance I realised it could be a fake when I saw the seller I bought it off had a recent negative feedback comment saying the gold bug pro was a fake and they got a full refund. That triggered me to do more research on mine and led me to this thread. When I saw the proxy address for fake GBPROS was in regent park Sydney and thats where mine came from I knew I had a fake too. I messaged the seller wanting a full refund after the return of the item via ebays resolution Center and they have agreed and have paid for the return postage without question.

For context this is what a Fisher gold bug pro should cost in AU after GST and import taxes https://www.gold-diggers.com.au/fisher-gold-bug-pro-combo

They're a "good" fake, a working fake, and for most people they wouldn't question it, so they sell them, people think they're getting a great deal, when in reality they're getting screwed, another case of China willfully F!@#ING the rest of the world for profit..

For the benefit of anybody with a suspect Fisher Gold Bug Pro who finds this thread in the future, there's apparently a visible difference between the real thing (made in the USA) and the Chinese fakes. According to the Russian bloke in the following YouTube video, if you look inside the detector's battery compartment, on a real US Fisher the battery contacts are 'yellow' (presumably he means copper), but on the Chinese fake version the battery contacts are silver.

[video=480,360]https://youtu.be/MqhYJuVNS_s[/video]

This is what appears on the Fisher Research Labs web site.
http://www.fisherlab.com/hobby/detectors-gold--nugget.htm#goldbug

So now I am not even certain that my bug pro is genuine even though it works fine.

So. What about your machine is making you uncertain Adrian??

The fact that the fisher logo on my tecta has also been found on some fakes.

I am not sure about the battery comp contacts being silver or gold means much. Mine are silver colour. I have owned several fisher detectors over many years inc 2 x Gold Bug Pro's (One was stolen) and none have had gold coloured contacts.

The Bug that i have now is faultless and performs so well at the beach that it has replaced my Infinium TDI and sand shark. The only time I use these tectas at the beach now is if I intend to go into deeper water

All of my Fisher catalogues show the Fisher logo with the tail of the R being long and with Research Laboratories above it.

I have sent a query to Fisher Labs re how to spot a fake GB Pro. I am not expecting a reply

Yes. I agree. I've been involved in some detector manufacture and there's nothing wrong re batt contacts being silver or copper. Fisher could have used both over the years. They are not a critical component. As to the logo mine is not as well printed as I would've expected. Tis a frac smudgee in a couple of places and as I said re the German Video where they are discussing the slop in the tube that was a red flag for me and I can tell you upon close examination the black tube reduction join where it slots into the gold tube is a loose fit from manufacture. The tube diameter sizes are not accurate enough and could not possibly pull up tight enough. A real Fisher would have been perfect. One other thing I found interesting though if you study the German video and read the body language of the two testers it seems to me they are agreeing that performance wise there is not much difference if any between the two machines. It's easier in the Russian vid as he basically says the same thing outright. Personally I'm finding mine very good from that point of view. Just wish it was a frac more stable re threshold. What do you think my idea if a Real Fisher coil was used??? Might be an improvement.???? Just thinking that may be an area the Chinese haven't got right.!

I would be outlining the scam to the states ombudsman.
They have to respond to all written complaints.
They may only deal with government issues but If it's not within their portfolio they will notify you.

Hope this helps. :fistpump:

I believe if Fisher haven't been able to stop this by now(years) then its probably too hard basket! I think the question that needs to be asked is Why are Ebay and others still supporting these blatantly obvious sellers when there's plenty of history on the board of this going on for a long time. Surely Fisher would have some clout to take Ebay to task on this matter. Quite frankly personally I find the whole situation extraordinary.!!!!We all know Ebay has been confronted by buyers about this very issue and clearly have done nothing to stop the practice.!!!WHY!

To Adrian. If Fisher do respond and want you to send your machine to them I'd be careful with that. From what I've heard if its fake they may simply keep it and you may end up with no machine at all. I'm just going to suck it up and use mine. It works pretty good. If I can try a genuine coil on it sometime and it improves it Ill get one of my own.

No I will not be sending it to Fisher Labs. The machine is running very well. I have emailed Fisher in the past and received no replies.
I will accept it as genuine. Well constructed, excellent finish, no slop in the stem joins, nice stable operation. No staccato sound in the threshold until an overload signal/big target signal occurs. Battery icon is in the bottom centre of the display.

Fair enough Adrian. Your machine is obviously working to your satisfaction and that's all that matters in the end. My batt is also in the middle. Be still interested if you can be bothered to know what build date is on your circuit board and it it has fisher written on it. It's only 4 star screws and is easy to open. I may have an opportunity to try a genuine coil from a nearby user but until we can travel it'll have to wait. Itching to see if it makes a difference. I suspect coil quality is a strong possibility where the Chinese may have fallen down. Regards... Ronnie.

The board is marked:
(C) Fisher.
EL Paso TX

Gold Bug Rev 4
09/20/11

Which coil do you have fitted (Brand) and is it specifically for the GB Pro?

Ok. Mine has exactly as yours but no EL Paso Tx. Same build date.09/20/11 Rev 4. There's quite a bit of clear silicone been used around the speaker and headphone jacks presumably to dampen or keep them in place. I have the 11" gold Bug coil and the 5" round gold bug coil. What I was suspicious about in the beginning is that I don't think they were ever offered new with that coil combo. Only 5". Or. 10" ellip and 5". Or 11" on the DP model. Only ads I've seen for my combo is the cheapies on Ebay.

Whoops. Does have El Paso Tx in the battery compartment and serial no is....837068