Which gold detector to buy?

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:D ...and my experience has been to have flour float in the pan while finishing off.... :Y:

We are both correct... ;)
 
Now I might be wrong here but from what I've seen gold doesn't really reflect light. If it glitters in the sun then I doubt it's gold....
 
Hi there,
I'm a newbie too. Gonna be mostly in the WA goldfields.
Looking at the new Minelab Gold Monster as my 'starter' Detector, and I'll definitely be waiting to buy till after I see some real world reviews of it.

But what do people think will be an expectable depth that the new detector will be able to 'see'?
I don't want something that will be useless deeper than a few inches.

And I see it has a rechargeable battery which is good.
Will it be similar to the GPX batteries? How long do people think it will last on one charge?

Thanks in advance for replies
 
Zengeo said:
Hi there,
I'm a newbie too. Gonna be mostly in the WA goldfields.
Looking at the new Minelab Gold Monster as my 'starter' Detector, and I'll definitely be waiting to buy till after I see some real world reviews of it.

But what do people think will be an expectable depth that the new detector will be able to 'see'?
I don't want something that will be useless deeper than a few inches.

And I see it has a rechargeable battery which is good.
Will it be similar to the GPX batteries? How long do people think it will last on one charge?

Thanks in advance for replies
Click to expand...

Hi there :)
I'm not sure what your expecting from the gold monster...
"I don't want something that will be useless deeper than a few inches" :eek: :eek:

Going by the comparisons and price....
I would say it wouldn't out perform the GPX 4500 or 5000 :eek:
and
I'm sure it won't punch anywhere as deep as the GPZ 7000. ]:D :brokenh:

:D
 
Cheers Madhatter.
I don't really know what to expect or how any of those other detectors perform, just what I'd like, hence the questions!
So you think it WILL only see a few inches?
 
The depth capabilities of the Gold Monster 1000 will only be as good as the operator and this will vary depending on ground mineralisation. Any detector will loose depth due to the above variables. What's it's optimum depth capabilities, I can't answer that.

Go and see a dealer and ask your questions and while your there check out some other machines, it might help you with your decision. Are you a member of your local prospecting club (if there is one near you) these clubs are a good starting point for info from like minded people. Hope this helps.
 
The Gold Monster is to be released very soon, it will be interesting to see some clear reporting on its capabilities.
There are a few machines to choose from the biggest issue is price and what you really want to use the machine for, gold etc.

Big decision. I personally would start at a detecting club. They have the knowledge and happy to share.
 
Hi guys,
Thanks for the feedback.
Yeah, price unfortunately is a big issue for me. But ease of use is also right up there....
I'll definitely be after gold. Any other 'treasures' I find will be a bonus but not the main target.
I don't have a club near me but I do know a few guys that head out now and then so, same diff. I'll definitely try to tag along with them when things get that far!
 
Hello everyone I'm new to the forum, I know this question has been asked before but here I go. I am going to get back into detecting, last time I went was many years ago with my fathers old Sd2000. I can afford a new Minelab GPX4500 which appears to get great reviews or go for an older secondhand GPX5000. I like the idea of a new detector with warranty but is the technology in the GPX5000 worth going secondhand with possibly no warranty.

Thanks David
 
Hi David1956, welcome to P.A. From all the info lately I would go for the GPX4500. The detector is gettong pretty good reviews and the 5000 will be a hard unit to get used to for a first detector.
Jaros ]:D
 
Welcome to the forum David1956 imo the money spent on a machine warranty is a good thing. Haven't used a 4500 to offer any advice I do have a 5000 though and enjoy using it when I get out, not as often as I'd like. As Jaros says the 4500 have great reviews and a good following. All the best either way you decide.
 
Depends on the source, and price variance, as the 5000 does have more adjustment imo....buy a traded/hardly used/backtrade 5000 from an authorized distributor, and you'll likely have a few months warranty in the least....(most shops have a QC check/clean prior to sell afaik...), or if buying private, ask to see the receipt/report from any previous visits to ML for service/check etc, or ask if they are prepared to have it checked prior to sale. (last i had done cost ~$120 for my 4000)...

You 'can' buy well in the used market, it just takes another level of discernment prior to purchase...additionally, buying used free's up $$$ for 'other' needs....

ymmv.
 
Go for the gpx 4500 with warranty. The wife an I tried one out on a training day the other week and we both enjoyed it. Wasn't that hard to set up ,we just followed the instructions we learned that day and that they gave us on a cheat sheet to keep. Call minersden Bendigo they will sell the 4500 for $3,300 with 2 coils headphones harness battery pack n cover plus control box cover and a dual charger. Which is a pretty good deal..
 
Thanks for all of the replies, think I will go with a new GPX4500. I have been doing a lot of reading on the forums and the wealth of knowledge is amazing. Now all I need to do is get out there, cant wait.
 
I am in a bit of a dither over which detector to invest in.
My primary target will be gold, the ability to detect old coins and relics would be an added bonus if possible. My budget will be around the $1500 mark (max), so I was looking at either the Minelab X-Terra 705 or the new Garrett AT-Max International. I have watched a lot of Youtube videos on both, and they both seem to have their strong/weak points. I am struggling to determine which is the better buy though.

The Minelab SDC seems to be very popular, unfortunately at this point it is beyond my budget limits.

I don't want to end up with a lemon either
 
Cranky Emu said:
I am in a bit of a dither over which detector to invest in.
My primary target will be gold, the ability to detect old coins and relics would be an added bonus if possible. My budget will be around the $1500 mark (max), so I was looking at either the Minelab X-Terra 705 or the new Garrett AT-Max International. I have watched a lot of Youtube videos on both, and they both seem to have their strong/weak points. I am struggling to determine which is the better buy though.

The Minelab SDC seems to be very popular, unfortunately at this point it is beyond my budget limits.

I don't want to end up with a lemon either
Click to expand...

Well you have a vast amount to choose from, with the 705 and the Garrett AT series and the MXT series along with the Latest Nokta Impact and the Nokta Relic and the Nokta Fors Core and the Fors Gold+, and the Makro Range of detectors.

Have a Word with PhaseTech right here on the forum, he has done a bit of a review on the Nokta Impact and it really works well whether you are searching for Coins or Gold.

Here's the link,,, https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=23216

Hope that helps,

John.
 

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