History & Friends
Michael of MetalDetector.com
My name is Michael Bernzweig. Let me share with you the story of our family business. Along the way, we will meet some of the individuals that helped our family get their start in the industry.
The year was 1975; I had just turned 5 years old, when my older brother Daniel, 10 at the time, announced to our parents that he wanted a “real” metal detector. Not that “toy” that our father David had painstakingly soldered together for him in his spare time over the previous three weekends! The problem was that the “real McCoy” cost $200. This was a tough predicament for a kid on a $2 weekly allowance. After some careful negotiations, he came to an understanding with our parents. They agreed that if he saved up half, they would put up the other half. To their surprise he did, and the rest is history. Soon I wanted one as well. Dad quickly followed suit and within three months we were a three detector family.
David, co-founder of Detector Electronics Corp.
You see, our father David was a scientist by training and had always been a tinkerer in his spare time. He could never accept the notion that things could not be improved upon. He was not happy with the performance of the metal detectors of that era. He set out to enhance their performance and to improve his success in the field. He quickly realized that the deeper, more valuable coins and other targets were softer and harder to hear. At the same time, he noticed that the surface targets were quite loud. His answer was to develop an audio circuit to overcome these two problems. His invention, enhanced the sound produced by deeply buried targets, while simultaneously reducing the loud ear-bashing surface signals. Friends from his local metal detecting club began to take notice of his invention. He started by producing a few units for them to try. Their feedback was amazingly positive. All of a sudden he and his friends were heading back to areas that they had previously hunted and thought were worked out. To their amazement, they started finding older, deeper targets. A light bulb quickly went off in his head. He realized that this invention might be the answer to his entrepreneurial desire to start a business of his own!
Fast forward to the year 1983, when our family hobby turned into our full-time business and passion. Seeing her husband’s excitement with his new invention, our mother Sondra turned to my brother and me and asked us “does this thing really work?” Our response was an emphatic yes! Knowing that her husband was more of a scientist than a business person, Sondra decided to become involved in the business. With David doing product design and development and Sondra focusing on marketing, things started to take shape quickly. At first they ran the business out of the house. They began advertising his invention under the name DepthMaster®. Soon the business became too big for the house and we moved to our first commercial location. Soon customers began calling to buy metal detectors. Several years later the MetalDetector.com website was launched as a resource for treasure hunters.
The business that Sondra and David humbly began nearly three decades ago is now enriching the lives of many generations of treasure hunters around the globe.
Our Business Timeline
1984 Glowing DepthMaster® field test reports begin appearing in many treasure hunting magazines around the world including the Australian Gold Gem and Treasure Hunter, the French Tresors and several magazines in the United States including Treasure, Western & Eastern Treasures and Lost Treasure.
1985
- Detector Electronics Corp. moves to a commercial location! Employees are added, manufacturing is expanded and a retail showroom is established.
- Hundreds of metal detector dealers and over a dozen distributors begin representing the DepthMaster® products across the United States and internationally.
- Sondra and David hit the road and begin visiting dealers, distributors and customers.
- David is awarded a patent (4,594,559 and 4,644,290) for his invention, the DepthMaster® circuitry.
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Detector Electronics Corp. sells one of the first Garrett walk-through metal detectors in the country to a bar owner in Dorchester, Massachusetts. - The concept of a walk-through metal detector being used in a bar is so unique that the Associated Press picks up the story and sends it around the world!
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Detector Electronics Corp. introduces the original DepthMaster® SuperphoneTM metal detecting headphone.
1994 Detector Electronics Corp. selected to supply security metal detectors to the trial courts throughout the state of Massachusetts.
The MetalDetector.com website is launched to offer metal detectors to customers online.
1997 Detector Electronics Corp. introduces the innovative DepthMaster SuperProbe,TM one of the first microprocessor controlled pinpointing metal detectors.
2001 Michael and Daniel are invited to the Minelab headquarters in Australia for a distributor conference hosted by Gerry Branigan, former Managing Director.
Amazon changes their business model and approaches MetalDetector.com to be one of the first companies to supply metal detectors to consumers online through their new marketplace concept.
2005 Detector Electronics Corp. moves to its current location at 23 Turnpike Rd., Southborough Massachusetts.
2008 Company cofounder Sondra Bernzweig officially retires.
2009 A brand new warehouse is constructed to keep up with the growth of the business.
- Detector Electronics Corp. is appointed Distributor for Makro Metal Detectors.
- Launches first e-commerce enabled mobile site in the industry.
- The warehouse is further expanded with the addition of a bulk goods facility.
- Detector Electronics Corp. is appointed Distributor for XP Metal Detectors.
- MetalDetector.com website debuts a brand new look along with upgraded, state of the art functionality.
- Installed Generac Generators across our physical plant for added operational uptime
- Increased warehouse efficiency
- Expanded reseller channel
- Enhanced Employee Benefits
- John Donahue, CEO and President of eBay presents “Top Rated Seller” award to Detector Electronics Corp.
- 30th Anniversary Achieved
- MetalDetector.com website is awarded Google Trusted Store status.
- MetalDetector.com updates mobile website with the latest best-in-class features and functionality.
- Supported the hobby through donations to nearly 100 metal detecting clubs and organizations.
- Expanded our social media channels.
2015
Detector Electronics Corp. becomes a national retail partner for the White's brand of metal detectors.
2016
Detector Electronics Corp. appointed as exclusive distributor DRS Electronics of Germany. The company produces a unique line of professional treasure hunting detectors.
2017
Detector Electronics Corp appointed as exclusive distributor for Detech Bulgaria. Their product range includes hobby and treasure hunting metal detectors and search coils.
