Custodian hunt for my Gold IRA - anyone dealt with Equity Trust or Preferred Trust?

• •Alright folks, digging into the world of custodians for my Gold IRA and running into a bit of a wall.
• •Spent my whole career in dairy – think milk prices, not market caps – so this is a different kind of animal for me.
• •I've been doing some research, mostly online during my lunch breaks, and two names keep popping up: Equity Trust and Preferred Trust Company.

Alright folks, digging into the world of custodians for my Gold IRA and running into a bit of a wall. I'm sitting on about $700k that I'm looking to diversify out of the market and into some physical gold, and frankly, I'm pretty new to this whole self-directed IRA game. Spent my whole career in dairy – think milk prices, not market caps – so this is a different kind of animal for me.

I've been doing some research, mostly online during my lunch breaks, and two names keep popping up: Equity Trust and Preferred Trust Company. Equity Trust seems to be the big dog, lot of chatter about them. Preferred Trust, a little less buzz, but I've heard some good things about their customer service side. For me, coming from a background where a handshake still means something, good communication and not feeling like just another number is pretty important. I'm in Madison, WI, so dealing with a company that understands a practical, no-nonsense approach would be ideal.

So, here's where you all come in. Has anyone here personally dealt with Equity Trust or Preferred Trust for their precious metals IRA? What were your experiences like? Were there any hidden fees or gotchas I should be aware of? How was their response time when you had questions? Any other custodians I should even be looking at that might be a better fit for someone like me, who values straightforwardness over fancy bells and whistles? My main goal is a smooth setup and reliable ongoing service. Spill the beans if you've got them!