Gold Century imported detectors?

[John Galt]

Hi from a new member looking to get back into MDing.

The last detector I had was a White’s 6000D years ago. Fine machine.

I’m looking to get back in on the cheap, and wonder what you all think of several of the Gold Century imported detectors.

There are mostly good comments on here about the MD1023 “Time Saver” ($59), but I also wonder about the newer MD1025 “Time Saver II” ($89) and MD1026 “Pro Color” ($79).


It looks like these are made by Shanghai 21st Century Electronic equipment Co. Ltd:
http://www.chinadetector.com.cn/cn/product.asp?type_id=36
http://gcm.manufacturer.globalsources.com/si/6008801348106/Showroom/3000000149681/ALL.htm


The US importer seems to be Ace Distributors, Inc:
http://www.ace-distributors.net/GoldCentury.html


Manuals are here. http://www.ace-distributors.net/manuals.htm


Ace has two retail outlets:
Gold Century Metal Detectors
http://www.gold-century.com/products.asp?cat=1845
LG Outdoors
http://www.lg-outdoors.com/products.asp?cat=1845

Do any of you have personal experience with any of them?

John Galt

 

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[olegoat]

i have the gc1023, from lg outdoors, i also bought one from amazon, same thing only cheaper than lg.
i know couple people here on t/net that use them, it is agood little machine, it will air test a quarter at 7 or so inches. my partner dug a mini ball at about 8 inches, i know because i dug it up for her, it was screaming over that target, i was using my fisher 1220 (old model) and it was screaming too. i like the little detector, it will surprise you

 

[EddieR]

I like my gc1023....and yes, it will surprise you!

 

[John Galt]

Thanks for the replies.

I ordered the GC1026, and will report on it after it arrives.

John Galt

 

[EddieR]

I have owned several Chinese metal detectors including 2 Gold Century machines
One would turn itself on and off at random and the other had a faulty crystal; I replaced the crystal with a substitute and got rid of both these machines and my other Chinese detectors.
The quality control is woeful on these Chinese machines and the cct design is 20 years behind the times. so much so as to make these detectors not worth importing. All they will achieve is to give metal detecting a bad name as far as reliability, dependability and ability is concerned. There are plenty of top name brand detectors in the price range of 150 to 600 dollars that are vastly superior to any cheap Chinese imports. So give these imports the flick and support your local manufacturers and your country.

 

[EddieR]

To each their own. I personally don't need an LCD screen to find good targets...I go by sound. When hunting trashy areas, target separation and fast recovery are key....and the GC1023 has got both. Yes, other detectors are good too...but as I said above, to each their own.

I don't have a minelab detector...I've tried them, didn't care for them, and will never own one. BUT...I will NEVER, EVER, bash someone because they use them. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, likes, and dislikes, and I respect that to the utmost.

As I stated before, I have several detectors...The GC1023, Fishers, Tesoros, Whites, Bounty Hunters, and Teknetics, so I have several to compare the "cheap little chinese unit" to. No, the build quality isn't comparable with the top brands, but I don't buy a machine to throw around like a football. I buy a machine because of its performance. And after talking with several people here on TN that I highly respect due to their experience, I ordered the 1023...and I don't regret it one bit. That little machine kicks butt!

This post is not intended in any way to put down anyones opinion...I'm just stating mine based on my experience with the little "cheapie"...and, of course, everyones experiences will differ.

 

[John Galt]

My MD1026 arrived today, and here’s what it looks like so far:

Build quality is good but not outstanding.

The entire lower section of the shaft that connects to the coil is made of some type of non-metallic fiber, and seems strong enough.

Although this thing is called “Pro Color”, the only thing color about it is the static icons on the LCD faceplate.

Air tests for a clad Quarter are about 12-14” in all metal mode, and 10-12” in discriminate mode with sensitivity maxed out.

Ground balance is manually adjustable, works well and has good range.

3 modes: All Metal - Discriminate - Notch.

It does a good job discriminating, with 3 tones and 6 LCD icons for type of target.

Notch mode allows multiple simultaneous notches.

No memory; it forgets all settings when powered off and back on. Since the only available settings are sensitivity, discriminate level and notches, that’s not a problem.

After a little practice, the menus are easy enough to navigate.

Recovery time is quick.

1 year warranty.

Works just fine with NiMH Batteries.

Weighs about 2 lb 10 oz with 8 AA batteries installed.

A 12" Search Coil usable with the GC1023, GC1025, and GC1026 detectors is being made, but I can't find anyone actually selling it:
http://gcm.manufacturer.globalsources.com/si/6008801348106/pdtl/Tool-bag/1005538657/Search-Coil.htm


I’ll post more after trying it out for a while.

John Galt

 

[Shenandoah Digger]

The 1023 is a good little machine and a steal for the money. It's good for someone who doesn't want to spend an arm and a leg on this hobby and still get a good performing detector. Of course there are no cheap Minelab's. You don't get a machine of that quality for pennies. But the new Xterra 305 at $400 US is the best deal of a quality detector out there. By far.

 

[Lowbatts]

Got mine!
GC1023, Thursday UPS (Oh what brown did to me)
Been busy, but got to take it to my gold mines (totlots) Saturday and today. This is where I normally use my 1235X. It did perform well, getting coins to 6 inches and as others have pointed out, it hits everything in range in rapid succession. Very fast sweep speed.

Looks almost childish, well, childish indeed. But it performs well in those environments, once you adjust sense and disc according to site needs. Haven't cleaned out the playgrounds this year yet so these two days brought in almost enough to pay for the thing.

No, would not advise looking for deep oldies with it in hard ground unless you do not have any alternate machine and you have patience.

Disc mode seems to be on/off, no crackle or iffy signals. Turn the knob so far, nickels disappear, forever, they do not pop or crackle or sound iffy, they are gone. The slightest increment backward from that point and they are on again. Very tight for an analog control.

All metal mode, hopeless in trashy areas as it turns your audio into a rapid-fire beep gun.

Tone mode, again that tight analog control knob comes through, but it just sounds like a two-tone rapid-fire beep gun.

Pinpoint mode, not a deal breaker but not the best as the VCO tone shift is subtle over the target and constant otherwise.

Big selling point for me, it's quiet without the headphones. The speaker volume is unusually quiet and that makes it a nice attribute when I hit the totlots in the parks next to the buildings where the bad guys live. I do not use headphones there with my 1235X but it's loud and I have to use a muffler on the speaker to let the sleeping dogs lie.

The other big selling point is it's small, TINY and easily transportable by bike or on foot and assembles quickly.

I may find regular usage for it myself, but the biggest thrill was letting this grandpa with three grandkids use it at a schoolyard yesterday and watching them go hog wild with it while I walked away to do some deeper hunting with my CZ. When I got back the big question was, "Where do we get one?"

That led to the answer of time, patience and other machine options as well as mfrs. and I'd pretty well bet I'll be seeing those kids with new MD's this year for sure.

Yep, great beginner machine for the money, but keep in mind that you should always try to use a machine to it's advantage, not to your desire. Don't take a knife to a gunfight, don't take a low-end machine into the brush looking for the deep shinies.

I should also point out that my kitchen funding committee would not approve the funds for a new high-end detector but I did want something new to play with.

 

[scrounger d detector collector]

why wouldja ? with the 3 basic enrty level machines. ace 150, fisher 1210 or the tesoro compadre coming in at 120 to 150 new. can be had used on ebay for about half that. if u just gotta go lower and have no cash then the cheapest bounty hunter is about 90 new. ive seen used bounty hunters for 20 to 60.

 

[Lowbatts]

For comparison' sake, the three machines you mentioned Scrounger, could not be broken down and put in my hunter's bag and carried on my belt like the Chin model. The takedown and setup time is quick, and it's easy operation and depth give it the edge over those you mentioned, with the possible exception of the Tesoro.

With that said, I would maintain my position that I would not like any entry level machine in today's park environment where trash is king and you need superior performance for deep, old coinage. You need at least the mid-level offerings in the average environment today to get any edge in target identification and recovery unless you're surface hunting for clad.

So if you're looking for entry level, to hit totlots and soft sand, 62 bucks gets you good depth, clear disc and easy diggins', that's better than 90 or a hundred bucks. And of course for those environments I would still turn to the 1235X first for the most part but this little thing has it's place in my tool box too.

 

[metalmolly]

For the price, Ive got to say I think the GC1023 is well worth it in the little bit of time I've used it. As far as depth goes, it may not be a F75 or Explorer but it seems to compare favorably against higher priced entry level detectors. I dug a 1946 wheat penny at 6" in the short time I've used it. And the target recovery time of the machine is super fast. Build quality is less than any major manufacturer detector I've seen, it has a mini headphones plug which sucks and the meter just gives signal strength so it's useless and obviously just put on to make it look like a metered machine to someone who doesn't know better. But hey, somethings gotta give at $58 shipped. Don't buy it expecting 20 years of trouble free hard use, but as an easy to use backup detector for myself and friends I'm totally satisfied.

 

[bayoukid]

The GC1023 finds coins and rings down to 5-6 inches deep better than any other machine I've ever owned. For the deep hunting I prefer a Tejon or Minelab product.

I put the GC1023 up against the Tesoro Silver uMax and the 1023 was often a good 1 inch deeper (due to auto ground balance) and in recovery speed and target separation the GC1023 kicks the Compadre and Silver. But the Tesoros are made better and come with a real warrenty. The Silver has the great advantage of extra coils and with the 10x12 concentric it will eat the GC1023 in depth but not in target separation (the ability to pull targets out from iron).

Ground balance is much more important than most people think. Think of it, a $58-$80 machine has auto ground balance and we have to pay the major brands over $500 for it! That should tell us something.

One thing missed by most who have done reviews on the GC1023 is the fact that little cheap machine flat out finds coins when the big guns can't see a thing. I mean it. I've taken it to lots filled with trash where the Explorer or Tejon saw nothing worth digging. With the GC1023 I've walked off with up to a dozen coins after less than an hour's hunt. Granted most will be clad but what the heck.

For about $70 shipped the GC1023 is no doubt the supreme bargin of our times.

--kid

 

[silverfox1967]

i just had to post to you as i have had the "best" of md. whites mxt, xl, garrett 2500, i now use a rite metal detector model "3030" this is the same as the Gold Century Model "GC1010" Metal Detector. there are many other detectors that use a diff name but it is the same detector like the "dodge dart" and the plymouth swinger. optomus, and pioneer. i love mine and would never ever get rid of it will die with me lol. i have found so much stuff with this machine! the only thing i can say bad about it is that the rod is not to my likeing so i ordered a diff rod for it and love the thing. but if you don't want to spend tons of money for a high end machine please get a gold century. but dont get the "super eagle" it is to unstable and seems to jump around a bit for me. but notice the The "gc1010" and the "Gold Century Model "GC1019" its an upgrade to the "gc1010" i have one on the way and will let ya know how it goes. i have a post on the forum called "the best silver day in bangor maine" check it out i used my rite to find the silver. good luck all. god bless.

 

[GibH]

Just to add my $.02, a lot of these Chinese detectors have electronics in them taken directly from U.S. makers (stolen I should say). One of them is a knockoff of the 6000di and I've seen a couple of Bounty Hunter copies. While the quality may not be the same, they do perform rather well.

 

[teddy]

I've also used the Gold Century 1023 (still have it) and it's as good as any detector I've ever used for the purpose of general coin shooting on land. In fact, in my opinion, it's better than some costing much more. While it looks like it came from a gumball machine it holds up surprisingly well.

But this is the only Chin made detector I've ever thought was worth anything. The others I tried were basically junk in my opinion.

teddy

 

[olegoat]

i now own 3 of the 1023, i bought them while i could get them before the price jumps too much, i think they are a good little detector (see my post earlier), only trouble is nancy beats me when she uses hers and i use one of my other machines, that is starting to piss me off. lol
ps-- dont dare say she is just better than me

 

[Wildcat]

The MD 1023 while being cheap has carved a good name for itself in Australia. It will easily work in hot ground where a lot of expensive ones will not.
The thing you have to get used to is that it gives the same beep for a small or large target. It is quite light and simple controls make it one of the easiest to use detectors available. I have 2 of them. Even though the 1023 is cheap and has a primitive design circuit board, this makes it very easy to 'hot up' to make it even more sensitive to small gold. Just change the chips and a couple of resistors.
Incidentally John, The Australian version MD1023 comes with a 12" coil as well as the 8" but they are not light. The coils are MATCHED to each individual detector therefore they may not be readily available as an independent purchase. We call them Gold Snoops and they are imported and sold by Jack Lange in North Queensland. There are 3 models. Check here... http://www.goldhunterdetectors.com/
These have been Modified for Australian conditions by the manufacturer after extensive research with Jack.

The Cat

 

[Lowbatts]

Hey Wildcat, how come you guys get all the goodies?!?

I'd love to get that big coil on my 1023. I might even use it in the woods then!

 

[Wildcat]

LOL Lowbatts. I always thought you guys got all the goodies at half the price we pay! I haven't done much testing with the large coil, but what I have done, I do not think there is enough advantage over the small coil to make them worthwhile. Maybe OK for the beach but I haven't been there yet.
Even tho they are sold as a matched pair, my coils still seem to work on each detector and I can't notice any sensitivity losses. I must have been lucky.
I am of the opinion that there is little between an 8" coil and a 12" as you have better sensitivity with the smaller one and the loss of this sensitivity when you use a larger coil sometimes outweighs any gains. An exception to this may be when relic hunting.
Cheers
The Cat