Minelab GPX4000 tips, settings, questions

[Kingsolomon]

Hi
Am new here and to the " hobby" . Have been lent a gpx4000 and was wondering if anyone could give me some tips, and not" wave it over gold! "Lol , I guess different ground requires different settings and so on . Any help would be much appreciated.
Thankyou

 

[AU Fever]

Hi Kingsolomon,

Well, the first thing ya wanna do is wave it over some gold haha just kidding...

I don't have a 4000 so can't give you any advice on settings, but try going to the Minelab web site where they have lots of good videos. Also try YouTube and google to see what else is around.

Then you do need to find good places to swing it, ya won't find any gold that's not there I've found most of my maps by googling but there's also the dealers that sell maps, checkout our sponsor for example.

Lastly, practice practice practice. Lead sinkers buried in the back yard are a good place to start.

Hope this helps, if not there's plenty of experienced folks on the forum that are more than willing to help you out. I wouldn't know half the stuff I do without the help of the forum members.

AU

 

[WalnLiz]

Best tip mate is try and find someone with a minelab PI (Any PI) in your area to go out with you for a detect. Doesn't have to be to a gold field. Check out an old farm or ruin etc, so long as it's at least a few ks out of town so EMI doesn't kill you. Most machines from the 4500 down are basically the same when it comes to learning the basic settings.

You'll dig a lot of crap but that won't matter as the aim would be to practice with the settings on targets, and not to find gold. Read the manual a couple of times first to get a basic idea of the functions. Shouldn't take too long for a competent user to show you the basic ropes...Then it comes down to practice and more practice. I'm sure there's a few guys on the forum in your area who could join you on a hunt.

Failing that, if ever you head down Canberra way just PM me and and you can join me on a hunt. Cheers Wal.

 

[Lbg dreamer]

Run it in sensitive smooth if your using a mono
As that will calm it down a lot
And ignore some of the hot rocks
Don't run your gain to high
Or it will be noisy and hard to ground balance
Run your stab A few numb under your gain

 

[Heatho]

I'm running a 5000, I could meet up sometime soon and do a rundown on some stuff,
could'nt be too much different, a target is a target, worth getting to know the machine
before hitting the goldfields. Around here I've occasionally had use a DD in cancel mode,
due to RF mainly wifi I think. Does the 4000 have similar settings?

 

[Kingsolomon]

Thanks heatho
Don't have it in my hands till Sunday. So can't comment, if you're not to far off and can give me a hand ,would be much appreciated . Beer is on me...just sent a message asking if he has manual . If not ill download one. He is in tas looking for coins... Think he is doing well...

 

[Mystyk59]

Gday King, I run a 4000 and find it a great machine, I am up in the Northern Territory so my settings will probably be a bit different to what you would use down there,if you are detecting in the same areas that the person you are borrowing the 4000 from then he will have the settings already that you need. but i run mine in sensitive smooth, motion = slow or very slow depending how noisy the area is , gain between 8 -13 depending on the ground, gb fixed, most of the other settings are personal choice. Picked up a couple of tiny bits today 0.13 and 0.11 using a Detech 15 x 8 mono coil i am trying out. So the 4000 will pick up the tiny bits ! Hope this helps a bit , if you want any more info on my settings let me know
Regards Bill

 

[Kingsolomon]

Legend bill
Thanks heaps ... Your probably right, settings should be correct as this is the area ill be looking, gulgong way...
It sure does find the tiny bits, I'd be more than happy with that! I've spent time in the nt , Kimberly , and tiwis islands. Love it up there... Should be up there soon for fishing and mozzies....

 

[Mystyk59]

For all the Gpx 4000 owners out there who haven't had the original push in on/off button replaced yet ,get it done ! I knew they had a problem with them when they first came out and intended to get mine done when i sent mine to Minelab for a service after the New Year. The symptoms where there , not coming on straight away , have to push in 3 or 4 times to get it going. Then the other night went to turn it off and it wouldn't ! Had to disconnect from the battery to shut it down. Then when i tried to restart it nothing the button was dead. So its off to Minelab with it today for a new toggle switch. Emailed service dept at Minelab and they got back to me in 10 mins ! So for the new switch, and to replace a couple of bits etc labour and post $140 all up. A small price to pay to keep my baby in top condition !
regards Bill

 

[Nightjar]

Hi Muleman,
Super glued a rubber grommet over the press button when the 4000 was new, never had a problem as was still going strong when traded for a 4500.
Cost $1.50.
You have already sent yours to Minelab but this may assist others with a 4000.

 

[pirateandy]

gday all. I am back in the minefield of buying another detector, I have noticed that the 4000 doesn't get much written about it, the prices are down and can get one for the 3 to 3500 mark. what the opinions on this machine for the price. I am also considering a whites tdi oz pro but have been told its about the same as a gp3000. cheers andy

 

[Diggerdude]

There a good detector. A mate of mine has one and is very happy with it. My main complaint when I had a play with it was there aren't many settings to play with. But I guess that also means there a lot easier to learn then the 5000.
It ran nice and smooth and found gold in the hot ground around Meeka.

DD

 

[Jen58]

Hi Pirateandy

I had a gpx4000 before my hubby updated to the 5000, handed down his 4500 to me..
Therefore trading in the 4000..
Anyway it was a very very good machine... We both found our share of gold and junk with it..

 

[MYSPOT]

My wifes GPX4000 crapped itself last week, and yes it still has the old push start button. So it will be off to Minelab for repair.

 

[the duck]

what is the best coil combo and settings for this detecor

 

[trashmagnet]

depends what ground your on and what size gold at what depth.

no point running a 24" round round mono on ground that's bushy and only 5cm deep chasing .1 bits just like theres no point running a sadie coil in ground three ft deep chasing 1oz bits.

more info needed duck to get the best combo on the ground your working, is it hot and mixy or hot and uniform or gravel under loam or open ground or bushy etc.. the list goes on mate

regards trashy

 

[the duck]

Usually looking for small bits in hot ground but not really bushy i have a 12 dd on at the moment and a 17 inch mono so i figure i have deep big gold covered so something around 12 by 7 mono or dd
Hunt around castlemaine dunolly etc

 

[trashmagnet]

the 12x7 mono nuggy finders are great coils. although if you go slow and listen your 17 mono will ping little .1 bits with no probs
I would stick with the 17 mono in smooth around there and leave the dd for deeper bigger bits then run it in normal for dd.
regards trashy

 

[Narrawa]

what is the best coil combo and settings for this detecor

There is no such combo on the 4k or any other model, what works well on it one day, may well be useless the next in the same area. To many variables to consider.

Back to basics...small coil small gold, large coil deeper gold, trial and error for the settings.

 

[the duck]

Thanks fellas much appreciated