Would like advice on which detector.

[OzChris]

Good morning everyone and apologies in advance if my terminology is incorrect. I've never owned a detector before.

New to the forum and my brother and I are looking at buying a detector for our parents and after a lot of research we're still unsure what to get so thought I'd get some advice on the forums here.

They're looking for a detector for nuggets only and would probably be heading up around the Goldfields in WA.

So far we're tossing up between the Nox 800 or 900 and the GM1000 and were leaning more towards the GM1000 but after looking into it some people say the GM1000 is not usable in WA because of the mineralization and wondered if that was true?

They wouldn't be prospecting on a regular basis and the PI machines are well out out of our price range so our budget is going to be about $1000-$1500 so If anyone could recommend a detector purely for gold in high mineralization areas it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Jaros]

Welcome Ozchris,

 

[OzChris]

Welcome Ozchris,

Thank you mate appreciate the welcome.

 

[Newprospect]

I started with a Gold Monster {Minelab} ..

 

[grubstake]

Hi Chris and welcome to PA.

Firstly, the mineralisation in WA is not uniform and in my experience is generally no worse than in Victoria. Some WA goldfields are actually relatively quiet (as are some spots in Victoria), so I'd suggest you disregard opinions based on such blanket, erroneous statements.

None of the Equinox-series detectors or the Gold Monster GM1000 are an easy ride in mineralised ground, but the control choices on Equinoxes may make it easier to cope with, whereas the GM1000 is notoriously noisy because it's so hyper-sensitive. All of these detectors have been successfully used in goldfields around Australia, even though they fall well short of the capabilities of the better (but much more expensive) PI models. Another machine in this budget range worth considering is the Nokta Legend, which some PA members have reported having success with. I suggest you search PA for member comments on all of the foregoing models.

To be successful, your parents will need to learn to detect very slowly and thoroughly, using the smallest available coils and digging any repeatable signal. Discrimination controls and/or on-screen IDs are next to useless and should be disregarded.

I hope this helps.

 

[OzChris]

I started with a Gold Monster {Minelab} ..

Did you happen to try it in high mineralization areas and if so was it easy to work with?

Hi Chris and welcome to PA.

Firstly, the mineralisation in WA is not uniform and in my experience is generally no worse than in Victoria. Some WA goldfields are actually relatively quiet (as are some spots in Victoria), so I'd suggest you disregard opinions based on such blanket, erroneous statements.

None of the Equinox-series detectors or the Gold Monster GM1000 are an easy ride in mineralised ground, but the control choices on Equinoxes may make it easier to cope with, whereas the GM1000 is notoriously noisy because it's so hyper-sensitive. All of these detectors have been successfully used in goldfields around Australia, even though they fall well short of the capabilities of the better (but much more expensive) PI models. Another machine in this budget range worth considering is the Nokta Legend, which some PA members have reported having success with. I suggest you search PA for member comments on all of the foregoing models.

To be successful, your parents will need to learn to detect very slowly and thoroughly, using the smallest available coils and digging any repeatable signal. Discrimination controls and/or on-screen IDs are next to useless and should be disregarded.

I hope this helps.

Appreciate the reply.

I think which ever we decide to get for them getting a test nugget for them to practice on might be well worth it as well and I'll have a look into the Nokta aswell.

 

[Moneybox]

OzChris, It sounds like your parents are set on finding gold. For anybody with the time to spend detecting regularly a PI machine really is the answer. All of the VLF machines mentioned above will find some gold if the conditions are right but a PI detector will outperform them in almost all cases. I've seen people pulling very small gold with the Goldmonster where I couldn't get a signal with one of the best gold detectors the GPX6000 however they were in a small patch of tiny gold specimens.

Second hand detectors are usually well worth their money because they tend to have a very long life and late model machines turn up at reasonable prices from time to time. Perhaps the most affordable PI would be the Minelab SDC2300 however it is not the easiest machine to use for anybody without strength in the lower arms. It's an ergonomically difficult little machine to handle but an excellent machine on small gold near the surface.

We have an old Whites GMT. It's a VLF detector and I have it fitted with a tiny 6"x4" shooter coil. We went out here on the weekend, two swinging the SDC2300, one swinging the GPX6000 and I took the little Whites. We all found gold however I found about ten tiny hotrocks in an area where I never knew they existed. All of the PI detectors ignored these tiny little ironstone rocks but the VLF detector detected them with a stronger response than it had on the little gold nuggets.

 

[OzChris]

OzChris, It sounds like your parents are set on finding gold. For anybody with the time to spend detecting regularly a PI machine really is the answer. All of the VLF machines mentioned above will find some gold if the conditions are right but a PI detector will outperform them in almost all cases. I've seen people pulling very small gold with the Goldmonster where I couldn't get a signal with one of the best gold detectors the GPX6000 however they were in a small patch of tiny gold specimens.

Second hand detectors are usually well worth their money because they tend to have a very long life and late model machines turn up at reasonable prices from time to time. Perhaps the most affordable PI would be the Minelab SDC2300 however it is not the easiest machine to use for anybody without strength in the lower arms. It's an ergonomically difficult little machine to handle but an excellent machine on small gold near the surface.

We have an old Whites GMT. It's a VLF detector and I have it fitted with a tiny 6"x4" shooter coil. We went out here on the weekend, two swinging the SDC2300, one swinging the GPX6000 and I took the little Whites. We all found gold however I found about ten tiny hotrocks in an area where I never knew they existed. All of the PI detectors ignored these tiny little ironstone rocks but the VLF detector detected them with a stronger response than it had on the little gold nuggets.

Thank you for the reply.

I have been looking at PI detectors as well but they're certainly quite a big jump in price and rightfully so. I'm just not sure spending that much when they may only use it a few times a year.

We'll keep looking and see if there's any second hand PI's that might be worth looking at.

 

[Hippyty79]

Maybe consider hiring a machine to dip your toes in the water, google minelab hire Perth gpx6000 are $45 a day.

 

[Hawkear]

Thank you for the reply.

I have been looking at PI detectors as well but they're certainly quite a big jump in price and rightfully so. I'm just not sure spending that much when they may only use it a few times a year.

We'll keep looking and see if there's any second hand PI's that might be worth looking at.

Simplicity and success will be the key. It’s a very kind thought from you and your brother and I am sure you don’t want to kill off your parents‘ interest with something too complex and hard to use and be less than effective.
I am a great fan of the 2300 as a starter detector. No complex controls, easy to use over a wide range of soils. Whilst not a deep seeking detector it is sure fire over everything within its design range that it passes over. Have seen secondhand prices in the mid 2000s recently.

 

[XLOOX]

Understand that SDC2300 is double to triple the price range you are looking in but:
1) No metal detector is simpler to use - just turn on & go.
2) Great ground handling - will work nearly anywhere
3) It is great at small gold -there are hundreds more small nuggets out there than larger ones
4) Dont worry, it will still pick up larger deeper nuggets - I got 1/2oz at 40cm
5) Folds up very compact & is very robust so can just chuck it in a corner of car/caravan.
6) If it turns out detecting isnt their thing then very good resale - you might get 90% back.

When your parents are at a caravan park chatting with others about detecting then if they have an SDC then they will be happy. If they have a VLF ( Monster/Nox/Makro etc) they will probably be sad.

So you can buy a new $1200 detector you can resell for $800 or a second hand $3000 detector you can resell for $2600. Same net cost.

 

[OzChris]

Thank you for all the replies. Very much appreciated.

Looks like we have a little more researching to do and hunting for some second hand prices.

 

[Hamsy]

Maybe consider hiring a machine to dip your toes in the water, google minelab hire Perth gpx6000 are $45 a day.

That's an interesting price seeing as how I pay $120 a day in Qld for a 6

 

[Hippyty79]

Google it he gives a day free for travel based in marmion Perth I’d put a link but not sure if it’s allowed

 

[Hamsy]

Maybe consider hiring a machine to dip your toes in the water, google minelab hire Perth gpx6000 are $45 a day.

Oh yes, I see Reeds Prospecting do a GPX6000 for $320 for a week. I would definitely recommend this alternative as well as I paid $500 for 5 days in Qld and subsequently found about the same value in gold with it.

 

[axtyr]

G'day OzChris, it's a pity you're in W.A. as I have a modified SD2000 for sale. I know people will bag it in this era but I used it for 18 months and found it very good with a total of just under an ounce of gold found, the smallest piece being 0.08gram and the largest 13 grams. I mostly used it with an 8" mono coil. It only has 2 channels to adjust but being the first PI machine it doesn't have automatic ground balance. I really found it to be an excellent first detector and got me used to the sound of targets better than had I started with the GPX5000.

Maybe you should consider a SD2000 as you should be able to pick up an unmodified one for about $500.00 and a bit more for a modified one.

2 things to consider are that Minelab will not repair the detector if anything goes wrong. Mick the Mechanic in Dunolly, Victoria is the only one who I know of who might be able to fix it, and secondly it will be more suspect to mineralization especially with mono coils.

Batteries are cheap though and can be picked up at most electronics stores like Jaycar for about $25.00.

The SD2000 will take the same coils as all of the other PI machines right up to the GPX5000. I would recommend it as a first machine especially if they will only use it infrequently and have a very limited budget. There is also a SD2100 and SD2200 plus different versions of each. Other than that the Gold Monster is more in your price range.

Regards Axtyr.

 

[OzChris]

G'day OzChris, it's a pity you're in W.A. as I have a modified SD2000 for sale. I know people will bag it in this era but I used it for 18 months and found it very good with a total of just under an ounce of gold found, the smallest piece being 0.08gram and the largest 13 grams. I mostly used it with an 8" mono coil. It only has 2 channels to adjust but being the first PI machine it doesn't have automatic ground balance. I really found it to be an excellent first detector and got me used to the sound of targets better than had I started with the GPX5000.

Maybe you should consider a SD2000 as you should be able to pick up an unmodified one for about $500.00 and a bit more for a modified one.

2 things to consider are that Minelab will not repair the detector if anything goes wrong. Mick the Mechanic in Dunolly, Victoria is the only one who I know of who might be able to fix it, and secondly it will be more suspect to mineralization especially with mono coils.

Batteries are cheap though and can be picked up at most electronics stores like Jaycar for about $25.00.

The SD2000 will take the same coils as all of the other PI machines right up to the GPX5000. I would recommend it as a first machine especially if they will only use it infrequently and have a very limited budget. There is also a SD2100 and SD2200 plus different versions of each. Other than that the Gold Monster is more in your price range.

Regards Axtyr.

Thanks for the reply Axtyr.

So if you had to buy a VLF detector would you pick the GM1000 over the Equinox models?

As others have said the GM is very sensitive so was worried as beginners the folks might not be able to distinguish between junk and gold whereas the Equinox and other brands seem to have a few more bells and whistles to help with noisy ground.

 

[lazypat]

Good morning everyone and apologies in advance if my terminology is incorrect. I've never owned a detector before.

New to the forum and my brother and I are looking at buying a detector for our parents and after a lot of research we're still unsure what to get so thought I'd get some advice on the forums here.

They're looking for a detector for nuggets only and would probably be heading up around the Goldfields in WA.

So far we're tossing up between the Nox 800 or 900 and the GM1000 and were leaning more towards the GM1000 but after looking into it some people say the GM1000 is not usable in WA because of the mineralization and wondered if that was true?

They wouldn't be prospecting on a regular basis and the PI machines are well out out of our price range so our budget is going to be about $1000-$1500 so If anyone could recommend a detector purely for gold in high mineralization areas it would be greatly appreciated.

Only buy a pi machine usually a minelab, a 2300 or a second hand 4500 would find nuggetts in wa remember hot rocks and an anolouge is no good

 

[Deano]

Understand that SDC2300 is double to triple the price range you are looking in but:
1) No metal detector is simpler to use - just turn on & go.
2) Great ground handling - will work nearly anywhere
3) It is great at small gold -there are hundreds more small nuggets out there than larger ones
4) Dont worry, it will still pick up larger deeper nuggets - I got 1/2oz at 40cm
5) Folds up very compact & is very robust so can just chuck it in a corner of car/caravan.
6) If it turns out detecting isnt their thing then very good resale - you might get 90% back.

When your parents are at a caravan park chatting with others about detecting then if they have an SDC then they will be happy. If they have a VLF ( Monster/Nox/Makro etc) they will probably be sad.

So you can buy a new $1200 detector you can resell for $800 or a second hand $3000 detector you can resell for $2600. Same net cost.

XLOOX, I agree with you but you forgot one thing, Coiltek has 3 different sizes of aftermarket coils available for the Minelab SDC2300 which makes it even better::
https://coiltek.com.au/coils/gold-extreme-series/

 

[Deano]

OzChris, I also recommend you get a (second-hand) Minelab SDC2300 (comes stock with an 8” inch round coil) along with a larger size Coiltek aftermarket coil, look at my post above . Then you could sell them to get most of your money back.
https://coiltek.com.au/coils/gold-extreme-series/
Or buy a second-hand SD2200, GP3000, GP3500, or GPX4000 but they are bulky, heavy, and have lots of pieces.
~The SDC2300 and GPX6000 are way less bulky, less weight, and with less pieces.

Or yes “rent - hire” a Minelab GPX6000 is the third recommendation.