What's a good Gold Detector to start out with?

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For the beach and salt water, I'd scour ebay.us for a dedicated PI beach machine like Tesoro Sand Sharks and Whites Surfmasters, you can regularly pick up a used unit in great condition for $4-500 plus shipping. All depends on whether you want to buy new or second hand, and worry about having an Australian warranty, personally I believe detectors are way overpriced here, just my opinion though.

That leaves something like the x-terra 705 more dedicated and suitable to land coin/relic/gold hunting. There are plenty of other coils available for the 705 for various applications, including Coiltek and NEL units, so you are not just limited to Minelab ones.

There are so many new and second hand detectors on the market that cater for all types of detecting, so confusion is warranted. Some units are specific gold detectors running high frequencies for small gold/lower mineralisation, and with basic iron discrimination like the Whites GMT, Fisher Goldbug2 and Minelab Eureka, whilst others like the Minelab X-Terra 705, Whites MXT E series or MXT Pro, Fisher Goldbug Pro, Tesoro Lobo Supertrac and Garrett AT Gold serve more as all rounder gold detectors running lower to mid frequencies. They also have more dedicated discrimination for coins/relics. (Note: the Eureka also runs lower frequencies at 6.4khz and 20khz, but still with basic iron discrimination). The lower frequencies are also supposedly operate more effectively in highly mineralised areas than the higher ones.

Also consider whether you want to have things like auto ground tracking (GMT, 705, Eureka, Tesoro Lobo Supertrac, MXT, AT Gold), or manual ground balancing (Goldbug2 - GMT, AT Gold, Goldbug Pro and 705 can also be manually balanced, the Lobo Supertrac cannot be balanced at all in discrimination mode, it has a fixed setting).

Every detector mentioned here is quite capable of finding gold, just depends on where you intend to use it (ground conditions), whether you want dual usage for gold/coins & relics, what extra features tickle your fancy, ease of operation, accsss to spares/extra coils, warranty and budget. Lots to take into account, just need to do plenty of research before making a final purchase.

At face value, the GMT and GB2 are probably two of the more popular gold only VLF detectors used across the various detecting forums, with the 705, MXT, AT Gold & GBPro, popular as more dual purpose, lower frequency machines. That's just from my observations, not actual experience on these detectors. :)

The forums are definitely the best location to do research, dealers selling a single brands are obviously more likely to tell you what you want to hear.
 
yournutz said:
ok so basically if i want to find gold i should buy a detector dedicate to that, and buy another for the beach/relics/coin ?

That depends, if your budget is around the $1000 mark, you could pick yourself up a decent VLF detector that is suitable coins, relics and gold. Obviously with any VLF detector you'll always be limited in terms of performance in mineralised goldfields (in comparison to a PI detector), but in saying that VLF's can and will find gold.

The 705 Gold Pack sounds like it'll meet your needs.
 
yournutz said:
ok so basically if i want to find gold i should buy a detector dedicate to that, and buy another for the beach/relics/coin ?
You could always look at the new Garrett ATX although it may be a bit out of your price limit.
 
So I've been interested in the idea of prospecting for gold since I was a kid.
However I have yet to do much about it. So I decided to gain some knowledge and get a start.
I got a phone number of a prospecting shop in Sydney.
I gave them a ring and started talking metal detectors with them.
I thought to myself I will invest $1000. to my surprise the guy said "$1000? our cheapest detector is $1200"
wow I thought that was pricey. however, he then recommended a $6800 detector.
I think I said "shit I don't have that sort of money on something I haven't even practiced on or know that much about."
But he then told me that "people who buy these detectors make around $200,000 a year with them.:
awesome , looks like I'm going to be rich fellas.!!!

Believe it or not I believed him and nearly bought one.

I did further research and found this statement he made to be ridiculous.
I'm sure a person or 2 may make that sort of money , but it's more like winning the lotto isn't it ?
what are your thoughts guys ?
For now this newbie will be using sluices and highbankers till the gold I find can buy me a good detector.
All for fun I say.
Goodluck out there guys.
 
Yes, a lot of the new gold VLF detectors are just above or around the $1000 mark (Whites GMT, Fisher Goldbug 2, Minelab Eureka, Garrett AT Gold). But you can get other mid-range gold detectors for less than that (Goldbug Pro, Whites Sierra Gold trac etc), or buy any of the above second hand.

Ignore the seller regarding buying a gpx5000 and making $200000 a year as a sell point, just rediculous unless you have your own productive leases and are prepared to work them full time. Some of these shops really give bad advice, more akin to car dealers telling you what you want to hear, vs realistic, and honest information. :rolleyes:

Yes the Gpx5000 is probably the best and most deep seeker PI Gold machine out there, but it is also very expensive, and you would need to set aside a lot of field time to recoup the intial purchase price. Yes people have been lucky enough to find enough gold to recoup costs, but not everyone one will be so lucky.

If you have the spare cash, fine, but if on a limited budget, there are other options out there without over extending yourself.

Other Pulse Induction machines are available on a more meager budget, including the Garrett Infinium, Garrett ATX, and Whites TDI, so the gpx5000 is not the only choice available. There is also nothing wrong with buying a second hand Minelab SD or GPX series PI machine, some owners actually prefer the older versions over the 5000.

At the end of the day, you have to ask yourself how often will I detect (serious or hobby), how much money do I have available without breaking the bank, and possibly for absolutely no return in $$, what areas do I have available to detect in, did they historically produce fine gold or coarse nuggety gold (may dictate type of detector used), can my detector handle the ground conditions in that particular area etc etc etc. :)
 
Very good advice Goldpick. $200K??? I wish. You are quite right - the full-timers are using a combo of detectors - older PI for specific jobs, the newer models for patch hunting, big specially made coils etc etc. If I were starting out - I would follow Goldpicks advice in the last paragraph. I have said it before, find a niche and exploit it for all its worth.

I might add, even with the latest and greatest its still a lot of hard frustrating work. Yes we have 'eureka' days - and then we have weeks of searching for little or no return.
 
unfortunately he didn't tell me where these guys are striking it rich :(
Thanks for your feedback guys.
I think buying the right detector is half the battle, however I don't think I have done enough research yet on which one is best for me.
But my way of thinking was to power sluice rivers and creeks for fine gold and use the detector for nuggets :) in theory it sounds good anyway haha
So I will be taking your advice Goldpick and doing alittle more research before outlaying the $$$
but as it stands I might wait and see some further real world testing of the ATX, either that or a second hand gpx5000 or 4800 ?
Many Thanks for the feedback again.
 
Hi guys.

My name is Phil and I'm new to the hobby Gold Prospecting. .. and currently on the market for my first detector.... I have a budget of around $850 I would be looking mainly for GOLD...

Also if anyone has any suggestions of area's to hunt in NSW as I live in wollongong. And do I need a permit or anything?

Cheers Guys.....
 
Hi Phil,

I am in the same boat as you, in the process of getting my first detector, so I can share a few of the things I have figured out so far, from a noob's perspective. This whole process can be rather daunting - there are so many choices to make.

First thing I would suggest is figure out roughly where you are going to do your hunting, and learn a bit about the geology of the area, because it can affect the performance of the machine. As an example, in highly mineralised ground, a VLF (Very Low Frequency) does well because it ignores the mineralisation.

I would also recommend taking a look at a variety of manufacturers and compile you own little short list of say 2 or 3 detectors and make your choice from that.

Here are some links to a few of the ones I referred to in my own winnowing process


I read some of the description, picked out the ones with features that caught my eye, and then read up on the technologies they use. Also watching some You Tube vids will yield a few nuggets of info :D

Also read through the forums here, wealth of information available.

In the end though, make a choice and then own it! You can also upgrade when you find the mother-lode ;)

Now as far the place to hunt for the shiny yellow stuff, I have found this map (https://maps.google.com.au/maps/ms?...-32.805745,146.359863&spn=11.016744,14.128418) to be an awesome resource. I also have the book "Australia and new Zealand Gemstones: how and where to find them" edited by Bill Myatt - a little out of date but still a wealth of information.

This post (https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=11) has .kmz files that can be plugged into Google earth which shows the gold mines for each state.
 
Whatever you buy can be handed down to a family member or kept as a spare like all mine!
I personally would go buy the most affordable detector as my first until you know what areas you enjoy, my first was a whites GMZ and would never sell it.
Whites also do a coin machine for $325 that would be a good hand down to the wife or GF
The Whites SST would also be a great starter.
 
Okay. .. so I was looking at the Garret ATX... I can up my budget now I can pick this one up for $2600 delivered including shipping. Gst. Tax. Etc... would anyone have any insight on this detector? I've seen some vids on YouTube happy to pay this price over the $6500 for a Minelab 5000.
Not that it's not good... just don't want to pay that much right now.... Good investment? ???? Or bad idea? ??
 
I'd get a Whites TDI any day of the week over a Garrett ATX, unless you really need a waterproof machine - which is unlikely...
 
Keep your $$$ in your pocket. I am a newbie (sort of) that has 100 hours of detecting under my belt. Until you prove to yourself whether detecting is your bag, AND you also try and decide which type of detecting you will participate in the most, you will most likely buy the wrong detector for the job. Different detectors excel in different environments, and if you aren't certain about the type of detecting you are going to do, you will most likely regret your purchase.

Fact #1 - Good intentions

Most folks buy a detector based on the idea that they will have fun. Most detectors make it out of the box and get used once or twice and then make a unique hat rack inside their closet for a couple of years before they decide they need some $$$ for the next great idea. I'm sure that is not you, but it shows you that in reality a good idea isn't necessarily so. It is work, exercise, as well as fun, but it doesn't fly over the ground on its own and there is a learning curve before you can consistently find the targets of choice. Having said that it does provide an excellent second hand selection of good machines at a substantial discount!

Fact #2 - the more expensive the machine, the harder it is to learn how to use. If you have not been detecting yet or not long, you need to learn how to do this properly so an easy machine is the ticket to begin with. The cheaper machines will find coins and relics with ease in a park situation where most folks cut their teeth and is easiest to get to from home. They will also do dry sand beaches. They will not find gold nuggets smaller than a few grams and the detector would just about have to touch it to detect it. At least you know that in advance. A Garrett 250/350 or. Minelab Xterra range will be fine for learning and you can pick them up second hand for a couple hundred bucks.

Then when you have spent 50 hours learning the machine and how to detect - come back here and get the good oil on the best machine for your $$$ - you will have found some $$$ with the cheapo detector and you can resell the cheapo and get your money back!

I wasn't told this and wish I was when I started but as your skill increases your desire for a better detector will too. (Gives you time to save up while getting your feet wet! ). ;)
 

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