Minelab SDC2300 or GPX4000 / GPX4500 / GPX5000

[user 4485]

Due to it's design changing coils, while not overly difficult, isn't as easy as just plugging another one in but no doubt it could be made easier with some engineering. There are people using other coils but reports seem to have fizzled out now.
It is achievable but any reports I have heard or seen seem to indicate that there is no big gain or benefit in doing it other than some more ground coverage with a bigger coil but at the same time stability seems hit & miss depending on the coil used. From memory the best performing coil from various reports tried was an 8" Commander mono which kind of negates the whole process. That sort of backs my own opinion, & it is only an opinion - not based on any of my own testing or electronics knowledge, that the MPF used in the SDC is best suited to the 8" coil attached. My opinion is only a matched small/med sized elliptical type coil might give any real benefits over the 8" coil already on it?
As far as using it in wet ground & clay I never encountered any ground conditions I couldn't use the SDC in. Once you get used to & learn it's language it seems to take bad ground or conditions in it's stride.

Davejane:
As for the whole SDC v GPX thing well that's a moot point IMO & really has very little practical relevance in the scheme of things. Personal detecting preference will more dictate which will better suit each individual with some opting for both as well as other machines all based on what suits their own wants/needs.
P.s. seen a bloke on a local common using a GPX recently. His brother had recently acquired a SDC & was out detecting him on this area both in individual bits + weight. One bit the SDC got went 18 grams. That's the second decent bit I've seen found locally with the SDC in the past few months (the other was bigger again ) - they definitely aren't a small gold only machine as some would have you believe, although that is what they excel at!
For the record the bloke with the GPX had some nice bits too though.
My own experience locally (the areas you asked about) with using both is I had a much better success rate with the SDC due mainly to rarely getting the GPX out in the end.

 

[markgoldhunter]

g'day wishfull, I am lucky enough to have all 3 at my disposal and here are my thoughts. my first choice is always the 5000 with coiltek elite 14'', mrs mgh first choice is always the 2300 [ she likes to find lots of bits] and if she wants to use the 5000 I have no issue going back to my 7 year old faithful 4500 with 18'' nf round. and I agree the difference between the 4500 and 5000 is minimal and more than made up for by a new coiltek or nf coil. choose any one and then add the other as you can, you wont be disappointed.

 

[Wishfull]

Thanks mbasco appreciate the detailed reply. That explains things.

 

[old hand]

NF is working hard on produce a coil for the SDC [ EXPECTED LATE THIS YEAR ]

 

[Wishfull]

NF ? Who's that.

 

[user 4485]

NF ? Who's that.

Nugget Finder
Haven't heard anything about the Nugget Finder coil for the SDC for quite awhile but was told at least 18 months ago it was on the drawing board.
One thing I didn't mention before is possible warranty issues & it's something I'd be wanting to know more about, especially on a new or long warranty machine, before going down that path. If changing coils Minelab may view it as you break - you fix or you pay to fix.

 

[MikeB05]

G'day members,

I know zero about gold detectors but am considering getting into this side of fossicking. Many posts I read on here about coils etc mean nothing at this stage as I am seriously dumb about detectors

I note recently that Minelab detectors 2300 and 4500 are selling new for similar pricing.

I will be talking to the Minelab dealer about these different models but I am wondering if members can provide some insight into the differences and strengths and weaknesses of the 2300 and the 4500.

I am also keen to know about things like slings/harnesses to assist in lugging these units around and any other things that could help me know what to consider for a purchase.

Thanks in advance
Mike

 

[vstrom]

Hi Mike sdc2300 is a great detector for new comers very easy to use and deadly on small gold and bigger stuff not to deep water proof but will do about 12" in 4500 is a great all rounder will pick up small gold and large gold deep.is not water proof though is a bit harder to learn to use but when you master it is much more versatile than sdc and will go twice as deep at least . People that get sdc tend to find gold faster as it picks up tiny bits so it depends on what you want to target and where you are going with it bigger stuff 4500 smaller stuff sdc everything in between 4500 hope that helps.

 

[PhaseTech]

SDC picks up the crumbs that the other machines can't see. There are many more crumbs and reefy/specimen bits of gold around than nice clean lumpy ones. The 4500 with a 14x9 evo or 6" detech or Sadie will get very close but SDC will still get them deeper. 4500 with a bigger coil though will beat the SDC on depth on bigger/lumpier gold.

If you are not familiar with detectors then the fact that the SDC is soo easy to use is a big factor.

 

[Diablo]

Hi All,
Can't say I can add more than what is already stated, except that after success on small and large, shallow and at depth with my 4500,,, with 12in NF Evolution, there are times when the 2300 would have been a better all rounder for casual operators as myself.
Below are three little pieces from Rushworth this week, whichever you pick finding the really small bits is tough and requires extreme care and concentration, but very satisfying.

The larger specimen is about half the original rock, which had no gold visible until broken. They have only been washed in water and soft brushed.

Cheers
Diablo

 

[MikeB05]

Thanks fellas for the replies... I might go with the 2300 as I need it to be easy to operate. Also I am pretty limited as to where I could use it in Qld and others up here seem to say that the designated fossicking areas in Qld have very small/fine gold bits.

Have only been a panner so far and had some success...want this detector to take on travels and let the other half wander with it while I dig, pan and sluice (small McKirks that I love).

Thanks again guys, much appreciated
Mike

 

[user 7268]

Several reasons I'd pick the SDC over what has already been said, one of the main being no matter what detector you may buy in the future the SDC will always fill a niche the other more than likely won't. Probably 30 seconds from grabbing with one hand of the seat and coil is operational to ground. Travel a few hours to have a swing and it's starts bucketing rain ................... no problem just keep on going with the SDC whereas the GPX I'd be putting away as wouldn't risk water ingress into the box. Down the beach no problem even if a wave knocks you off your feet again no problem. Packs away small enough to always have handy and available in the car and out of sight of prying eyes. The SDC has a lot more going for it than just it's gold finding ability.

 

[MikeB05]

Thanks Bogger...good advice and yes it's compact set up would help my caravaning trips

 

[Diablo]

Definitely a better complimentary machine with panning, a lot easier when checking out crevices. Even though the 12in Evo coil is water proof the 2300 gets in a bit closer. You will enjoy it's ability and versatility, good luck. Cover only as much ground as you can do carefully. No prizes for just covering gound and missing half a coils width every sweep.
Cheers
Diablo

 

[Wishfull]

Just got one myself. Love it. All the statements made above are spot on. Read some of Scrougers posts.
I borrowed one and found a pin head bit at around 6 inches deep but it was a very loud signal. Can't go wrong mate

 

[vstrom]

I know this will open up a can of worms but it regarding the cost of a second hand sdc the 4000,4500,5000 devalue by nearly half after a couple of years but the sdc seems to hold it value.My question, is the sdc so much better than the others with a small coils on small gold to warrant them being more expensive for second hand unit's compering to others. :/

 

[Heatho]

My question, is the sdc so much better than the others with a small coils on small gold to warrant them being more expensive for second hand unit's compering to others. :/

On spiky, porous and finely disseminated specimen gold yes the SDC is way better. As an example, Syndyne and myself ran our 5000's over a certain patch and found no gold, when the SDC first came out we were some of the first to buy them, Syndyne hit that patch and within 5 mins started finding little nuggets everywhere that the 5000's couldn't detect. He got I think a couple of hundred tiny nugs from that spot.

The SDC handles EMI and ground noise better than GPX's as well.

Once nuggets start to get thicker and a bit chunkier and solid the GPX's can punch way deeper even with a small coil. So it can be a toss up which to get. If you are detecting shallow ground that has a lot of tiny nugs the SDC is the winner, if you're hunting larger bits in deeper ground then the GPX series wins.

 

[user 4485]

It's not really a can of worms or about the SDC being better than than the others or not.
It's all about supply & demand. The SDC is a very easy to use, very popular & proven gold finder. People want them new or used. While ever the demand is there the used price will remain reasonably high.
If you look at GPX's used with warranty remaining + good extras they hold used value well too. As they get older with no warranty & from the 4000 down thru SD/GP series the price does start to drop away but IMO compared to any other brand they still hold a pretty reasonable used value. Again it's to do with demand - anyone starting out usually wants or is advised to buy a Minelab if they want to gold detect.

 

[Dignit]

Sdc versus 4 to 5000. No comparison. Very different technology and capability. It's a matter of choosing what you want out of a machine. No machine does all. To date the closest to do all is the Z.

 

[Norvic]

Probably the SDC holds value because there is nothing newer to compete(in its market) with it, wheras the Xs have been superseded by the Z. Once I got a Z, I found I no longer used the 5000, so I replaced it with a SDC, which has a use in conjunction with the Z. Surface subgrammers are a piece of cake to retrieve with the SDC over the Z with its 14" coil although it picks them up no drama. The SDC came out after the X`s and has a market of its own.