GOLD detectors - who knows a good one ?

Stick with Minelabs Mainey, you wont go wrong.



cheers uncImage Could Not Be Found

Mainey,

I was only talking to an old fella that was right into prospecting a couple of weeks ago.
I cant for the life of me remember the buisnes name but he informed me that there is a specialty shop in Perth, and I could get a good second handy for a fraction of the price of new! give it a google!
The old fella also gave me a tip! don't wear steel caps whilst prospecting! he did this after a couple beers one arvo and thought he had hit the jack pot!

Evan

Minelab are the only brand I would consider. The current model GPX4500 are without doubt the best world wide.........if you can justify the expense then that is the best.

But at the end of the day all the previous minelab models will find gold (and all the other metal junk as well)...it is just that each model upgrade has more features and get easier to use than the previous models......many experienced users have upgraded to the 4500 and many others have stayed with what they have..and they still find gold

At the end of the day if you are in gold country and are detecting well..then you simply have to be lucky enough to walk over it to get the target signal and then dig it so see what it is....gold if you get lucky...and in many cases a history lesson because there has nearly always been someone else out there before you...and left their junk....but it is all good fun

if you intend purchasing one for recreation and good fun with no expectations then you will enjouy being out there..if you intend to purchase one with the expectation of paying for it and making your fortune..then possibly best not to ....you might be dissapointed

I have just had a 10 days of fun with some success..but looks like someone else has posted a picture with a better haul than me!

hi mainey
i was talking to a guy in kalgoorlie last month and he paid $6000 for his new one he was new to the game and i wished him luck
i think it was a mine lab
i commented that maybe the gold is in the selling of the detectors????
cheers

I have heard much the same...
Plus:

You get what you pay for (though there can be exceptions).

And it's well worthwhile spending a day or 2 "training" at a reputable shop. That not only gives you the chance to test different brands/models (if you become good enough), but is saves all the trial and error trying to self-teach (ie, how many nuggets etc were missed in the "your" days?).
Plus knowing what coils & shapes & speed & ....


Maybe peruse some magazines. (eg: Australian Gold Gem & Treasure was a $5 monthly.)


If you are into electronics, there have been some cheap interesting circuits (BFOs etc) that can be very impressive. But detecting gold and ferro's are miles apart.

I'd still like to get those Canadian remote scanners though - flying overhead and detecting coal seams etc whilst the Aussies were still boring holes for cable probes....

Mainey, there are five thing important in gold detection..

1) Have a good basic understanding of geology.
2) Know how to read the environment your prospecting in.
3) Having the right detector.
4) Having the right coil.
5) Understanding your detector 110%.

We use Minelab detectors and think they are one of the best on the market but some people say the White or Garrett are the best or better then the Minelab.....it's like the Toyota- Nissan or Waeco-Engel debate.

People have good finds no matter what brand they use, it comes down to the 5 things I've listed above.

If there was 3 people using the top of the range Minelab, Garrett and White detectors who had the top 5 things listed above covered, the Minelab would come out in front by a small margin due to newer technology and better design but you pay the price.

Metal detectors are divided into two categories...coin/relics or gold, a dedicated gold detector will not do as good a job as a dedicated coin/relic one for finding coins and relics and the coin/relic one will not do a good job of finding gold...there is no such thing as one detector to do all.

Some company's say theirs can do both well.

Start of with a good gold detector costing around the $2000 mark and you will be on the right track, Garrett says their $1899 one is the bees knees and will out perform the Minelab GPX4500 hands down for a third of the price.

If you bought the Minelab GPX4500 first off I think you would be very disappointed with it and you would loose interest and sell it, but in the right hands they are fantastic.

My choice for a good fun first learning detector would be the Minelab X-TERRA 70, if you were a bit more serious then the Minelab SD2100v2 and for full on stuff the Minelab SD2200v2.

If you were looking for coins and relics you can't go past the Minelab E-trac.

Have a look around for a good second hand one, some people buy them and find it to hard so the sell after a few months at greatly reduced prices.

Jump on the Minelab site and some of the detector forums as they have good information and you will realise it's no different to the 4x4 world of Toyota vs Nissan, Waeco vs Engle debate.

Yo, Mainey
MM'ing tonight re Detectors/Gold
Hairbeds
Cape visit
Invertors ............ !!!

Too much ... ay !!

Hi Mainey
Go for a Minelab as others have said. Maybe a GP Extreme or GP3500.
Reeds or Prospectors Patch in Midland, or the Sunday times.
If you do get one, just remember Slow and Low and good luck.
Oh and don't forget you need a miners right to prospect,they last a lifetime
cost $25.
Brian

Hi

Based on my experience none of them are any good :)

Cheers
Greg

Gold Detecting forum

I would have to say mine lab :)

Image Could Not Be Found

and that is only a very small amount :)

Peter