Opinions - whats preferred? Old or new

[David-Karratha]

I dont want to restart a which detector is best debate, but I do have what I think is a reasonable question:

Whats preferable;
An older detector, with extra coils & useful (and useable) accessories, or
A newer detector with the most recent technology

I understand that someone who is experienced but using an older detector, may be more effective than a newbie with a shiny new toy, however Im interested on where different opinions might fall.

As someone who is just entering into this field (hobby? Obsession?), cutting through some of the hype and general bs can be a little tricky.

 

[Jaros]

It all depends on what you are looking for--that simple.

 

[HarryHoudini]

Mate the best advice would be work out how much money you can afford to spend, then work out what you want to look for?
A dedicated gold detector is very different to a relic detector.
Mind you you could hire one to see if you really like finding nails and shot gun pellets.

cheers hh

 

[David-Karratha]

Good points - I should have clarified myself.

Im semi-retiring soon and planning on spending a great deal of time out in the bush. Both Photography and prospecting the order will be interchangeable
- gold is the target
- primarily in WA.
- probably often in the Pilbara region as I know the area well. This would include the coastal salt flats & rocky creeks
- Ill also head out to the Kalgoorlie region as its much closer. This area, Im not familiar with however

Like my camera gear, Id be looking for good quality equipment, but with a top of <$10k or less.

 

[BigWave]

Then I reckon a GPZ7000 or a GPX6000 is best for you.

 

[David-Karratha]

Ill rephrase my original question.

Which option would most choose:
Something a little older, like a well looked after gpx5000 with additional coils and many accessories, or
A bare-bones gpz7000 ?

 

[PeterInSa]

Suggest neither.
as a newbie a 6000 is a lot easier to start off and find gold and does not have, to some, the complexities of the 5000 or the 7000 to get the most of of these detectors.

Have detected with friends with 6000's and carried out comparisons with my 7 and I am impressed and so is my wife who will buy a 6 early next year.

I am a 7000 operator of 6 years or so with a Nf coil and a 10 inch X coil. prior have used a ML 4500 (a great detector)for 12+ years with various coils and its similar to the 5000.

If you have the $, I recommend you buy a 6000 and you will not regret it. Even if detecting is not for you, you will not lose much on an easy resell.

 

[Nightjar]

Have had a range of detectors since starting out in '83.
There are three detectors which were by far my favourites.
Minelab SD - 2100
Minelab GPX-4500
Minelab GPZ-7000 (Won't be updating anytime soon. This machine is a definite gold finder, set up correctly the weight is not a problem using the std 14" coil.)
David, If you have the cash splash out on the 7000 and get it talking to you with the std coil before any other coils.

 

[David-Karratha]

Thanks,
Replies are kinda similar to where my mind is at. Still in the planning stages, so just doing as much reading and questioning as possible.

Ill probably join a prospecting club and tag along with hired detector a few times before going all-in, but I always like to get opinions.

 

[PhaseTech]

Yep, if I could only have one gold detector in the arsenal it'd be the 7000.

As much as I still love the 5000 and 4500, even with a range of coils, you can't do what the 7000 will on reef gold.
It also handles a range of soils very well while finding tiny gold and deep gold at the same time with the stock coil.

 

[David-Karratha]

Yep, if I could only have one gold detector in the arsenal it'd be the 7000.

As much as I still love the 5000 and 4500, even with a range of coils, you can't do what the 7000 will on reef gold.
It also handles a range of soils very well while finding tiny gold and deep gold at the same time with the stock coil.

Thanks, from everything I read, Im coming to the same conclusion too. Im guessing that theres probably an analogy thats a little like one of my other $$ hobbies, photography.

I could just take photos with my phone (which these days, are pretty dammed good). However I still choose to pursue my hobby using some pretty expensive gear, simply because when I do something, I like to do it well, and good quality gear can (to a limited degree), give me something of a head-start to make up for a lack of skill. In the same way a real photographer can probably consistently take amazing photos with a really basic camera, Im sure a geologist or professional prospector could consistently find some amounts of gold using a rudimentary pick & shovel.

However, I think Ill choose to get a good quality detector, and maybe an additional coil or two. Im intending to begin taking more and more trips out to the goldfields and back up to the Pilbara, where Ill setup camp and generally just waste my time. Ill take some photos, swing my detector and probably fly my drone around, as & when it suits me.

Ill take photos that Ill probably never show anyone, maybe find a few speck of gold thatll do little more than buy groceries, and Ill hopefully enjoy myself immensely.

 

[PeterInSa]

DK, Re the 6000 and the 7000, suggest you read the thread below Page 2 by Jonathan Porter who was on the Research and Development Team for the 7000 and the 6000 and probably the 5000 as well.

https://www.detectorprospector.com/...or-the-gpx-6000-and-gpz-7000/page/2/#comments

 

[David-Karratha]

DK, Re the 6000 and the 7000, suggest you read the thread below Page 2 by Jonathan Porter who was on the Research and Development Team for the 7000 and the 6000 and probably the 5000 as well.

https://www.detectorprospector.com/...or-the-gpx-6000-and-gpz-7000/page/2/#comments

Thanks for the link, very interesting reading indeed.

 

[gregory1353]

This is an old thread but it refers to gpx 6000 vs gpz 7000. I am seeking advice from more experienced prospectors on that topic too. After using a GM 1000 I bought a gpx 6000 partly because of it’s lightness - I am a senior although fairly fit. It has found plenty of small gold for me, but an experienced prospector I met told me to find bigger gold I would need a 7000. But will the 7000 harness make this manageable for my back or not? The dealer won’t let me test drive before buying, something I think Minelab should rectify. If I bought a 10k car I would expect to be able to test drive it. Not good enough Minelab. Are you listening?

 

[RM Outback]

This is an old thread but it refers to gpx 6000 vs gpz 7000. I am seeking advice from more experienced prospectors on that topic too. After using a GM 1000 I bought a gpx 6000 partly because of it’s lightness - I am a senior although fairly fit. It has found plenty of small gold for me, but an experienced prospector I met told me to find bigger gold I would need a 7000. But will the 7000 harness make this manageable for my back or not? The dealer won’t let me test drive before buying, something I think Minelab should rectify. If I bought a 10k car I would expect to be able to test drive it. Not good enough Minelab. Are you listening?

It's not necessarily a Minelab issue with respect to testing a 7k before purchasing, did you test drive the Monster if not why not. If you want one made available why not every model, as with a 1 thousand dollar vehicle and a 100 thousand dollar vehicle.

Initially some dealers did have them available for hire and pre purchase testing. However when quite a few went walk about never to be seen again this option was made obsolete for obvious reasons.

Even after purchasing a 7k new with the current after market accessories you will need a few extra grand to be on par with the people finding large gold regularly. On top of all the extras knowing the machines abilities and the enhancement each accessory provides is the only thing that will put big gold in your jar at the end of the day. How many are finding big gold is a mystery that no one knows the truth about, nonetheless a 7k in the right hands is your best bet.

 

[Solid Luck]

This is an old thread but it refers to gpx 6000 vs gpz 7000. I am seeking advice from more experienced prospectors on that topic too. After using a GM 1000 I bought a gpx 6000 partly because of it’s lightness - I am a senior although fairly fit. It has found plenty of small gold for me, but an experienced prospector I met told me to find bigger gold I would need a 7000. But will the 7000 harness make this manageable for my back or not? The dealer won’t let me test drive before buying, something I think Minelab should rectify. If I bought a 10k car I would expect to be able to test drive it. Not good enough Minelab. Are you listening?

Why won't the 6000 find bigger gold?
I've dug a few deep junk targets with a 6000. So I'm sure if its a big gold target it will hear it fine.

 

[red devil]

I would stick with your 6000 it will find all gold and it is light weight I have used a 7000 for years and bought a 6000 mid 2022 it may not be as smooth as the 7000 but it is light and finds gold. i all so use a nugget finder coil on the 7000 i will not sell the 7000 yet but i use my 6000 most of the time.

 

[grubstake]

After using a GM 1000 I bought a gpx 6000 partly because of it’s lightness - I am a senior although fairly fit. It has found plenty of small gold for me, but an experienced prospector I met told me to find bigger gold I would need a 7000.

Mate, whether or not you realise it, your finds with the 6000 show that you too are now an experienced (and successful) prospector! Don't let the 'mine's bigger than yours' brigade fool you into thinking you're using an inferior machine - you're not and your successes prove it.

Walking over big gold is the only problem and it's one that every prospector faces, as it's few and far between nowadays. If you're finding small gold, one day you too can walk over the bigger stuff. Dogged persistence with a machine that's proven to work well for you, is a better recipe for more future success, than a never-ending search for greater horsepower, IMHO.

Check out this link and his follow-up a few posts later in the same thread. Two beautiful chunks on the same day, 10 times more gold than his previous best day:
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/threads/⭐-gold-detecting-shown-tell.6453/post-659825

 

[gregory1353]

Mate, whether or not you realise it, your finds with the 6000 show that you too are now an experienced (and successful) prospector! Don't let the 'mine's bigger than yours' brigade fool you into thinking you're using an inferior machine - you're not and your successes prove it.

Walking over big gold is the only problem and it's one that every prospector faces, as it's few and far between nowadays. If you're finding small gold, one day you too can walk over the bigger stuff. Dogged persistence with a machine that's proven to work well for you, is a better recipe for more future success, than a never-ending search for greater horsepower, IMHO.

Check out this link and his follow-up a few posts later in the same thread. Two beautiful chunks on the same day, 10 times more gold than his previous best day:
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/threads/⭐-gold-detecting-shown-tell.6453/post-659825

Thanks Grubstake, good advice

 

[gregory1353]

Why won't the 6000 find bigger gold?
I've dug a few deep junk targets with a 6000. So I'm sure if its a big gold target it will hear it fine.

Thanks, it is certainly possible that I would only have found small gold with any machine, and I am realistic about my chances.