Good starter prospecting detector

[DurkaDigger]

I am researching a good gold (prospecting) detector for when I get my tax return.

I am guessing I need a PI machine? I would love to have a gpx5000 but that isn't happening... So can anyone advise a GOOD starter prospecting machine at a reasonable price? I do not need a multipurpose because I already have an Etrac, AT Pro, and F2.

Also will a prospecting machine be better for beach hunting than say the Etrac for gold jewelry?

My land here is about 2 miles as the crow flies from the largest gold mine in AL ( in 1830s). I have a creek and major river running through. Our soil is fairly mineralized also.

Basically when it comes to gold hunting I am a newbie all the way around.


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[Steve Herschbach]

If you go back through old messages the same question has been asked and answered many times. The gist of all the answers is there are lots of good detectors all with their fans. You do not need a PI though that is an option - plenty of gold gets found with VLF detectors. A couple of my personal favorites are the Fisher Gold Bug Pro and White's GMT.

I have a pretty extensive review of your options at Steve's Guide to Gold Nugget Detectors

 

[bevo]

not to mention the original gold bug. mho

 

[DurkaDigger]

If you go back through old messages the same question has been asked and answered many times. The gist of all the answers is there are lots of good detectors all with their fans. You do not need a PI though that is an option - plenty of gold gets found with VLF detectors. A couple of my personal favorites are the Fisher Gold Bug Pro and White's GMT.

I have a pretty extensive review of your options at Steve's Guide to Gold Nugget Detectors

Thanks for the link Steve. I am going to read it and try to make make a choice. I am leaning PI though from my current research .




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[DurkaDigger]

Steve that is an outstanding article! Thank you very much. Because of my mineralization I think I am going to look at the Garrett infinium and maybe upgrade my at pro to an at gold. This way I have both covered. I also am interested in the f75 as it was an option when I got my Etrac.

If I don't start liking the Etrac better it may get sold. I am surprised about the multi-freq machines.

Until I get a new machine would you think I am wasting my time with the at pro or Etrac?



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[Hard Prospector]

In my opinion, the best PI under $2000.00 is still the Whites TDI SL and I'm speaking from 100's of hours behind it and enough gold found to pay for the machine several times over.

 

[Steve Herschbach]

Until I get a new machine would you think I am wasting my time with the at pro or Etrac?

Not at all. The AT Pro is the one of the two I would use if I had to grab one to go prospecting this morning. I could find gold with it. So can you.

The ETRAC us one if the best coin and jewelry detectors made. Not so hot for prospecting.

 

[Lanny in AB]

When Steve talks, it really pays to listen.

All the best,

Lanny

 

[Steve Herschbach]

Thanks Lanny, a kind comment. I appreciate all your informative posts also!

 

[GarretDiggingAz]

I've got the Garrett ATG. Now they have the ATX. It's a PI. If I could've waited. Has 730 pulses per minute. Plus the chord is inside the shaft. I'm impressed with it and it's 2k. Now if I could try this baby out. Beats paying 5k for the other. Though I'd like that as well.
Plus it's waterproof and is good (supposedly) in salt water.
I'm thinking on that one, but wanting to see what others know as well. Dang these toys (tools).

 

[GarretDiggingAz]

If you go back through old messages the same question has been asked and answered many times. The gist of all the answers is there are lots of good detectors all with their fans. You do not need a PI though that is an option - plenty of gold gets found with VLF detectors. A couple of my personal favorites are the Fisher Gold Bug Pro and White's GMT. I have a pretty extensive review of your options at Steve's Guide to Gold Nugget Detectors

Have you tried or even heard of the Garrett ATX? I like the idea of running the cable through the shaft. Plus it's waterproof like my ATG. I'm thinking of this as my next toy. Though I'd love the 5000. Just haven't found that much gold yet with mine yet. Lol. I know a lot of the guys are using the 5000 here especially since we've got a lot of ferrous material here in AZ.
I enjoyed your article very much. It was nice to see input not being minelab or whites only. Those arguments are entertaining and informative to say the least.

 

[63bkpkr]

Hey GarretDiggingAz,
There are the VLF machines and then there are the PI machines, I have a VLF and have found gold with it. Mostly I believe I need lots more time out in the field waving the coil over the ground to gain more experience with my GMT but I'd like to go over the same ground again with a PI unit just to see what happens. Ah, time and funding both are in short supply and then of course there is carting in two detectors and backpacking gear for a two week (or lots longer stay), close to 100 lbs. Right now I do not feel like it........................63bkpkr

 

[2cmorau]

Hey 63
I have done just that, many-a- times, GMT and TDI go over same ground, not just for a day, but for a couple days, using dif coils, time of day, ground moister, cold mornings, hot afternoon, Lay a target down flat then on edge. It would seem a waste of time for some but learning the Detector not bragging about how someone gone over ground with this model where others have been before. My success seems always to be with the GMT when it comes to finding gold.
When the GM2 came out I bought one and like others had a tough time learning Doug Dusseu < ck spl, rep for whites took the time to school me on a couple of outings, then was introduce to Jimmy Sierra, took off from there
My best detector I have had the privilege to use Troy Shadow x-5 this machine was/is increditable it found grains of gold not grams and is a multipurpose, too bad it’s no longer in production
Pound for pound, dollar for dollar on a 80/20 rule for the average user VLF would be the way to go IMHO, dig all targets and learn. Using your ear and not the screen, working side by side with others w/dif detectors

 

[63bkpkr]

Hey 63
I have done just that, many-a- times, GMT and TDI go over same ground, not just for a day, but for a couple days, using dif coils, time of day, ground moister, cold mornings, hot afternoon, Lay a target down flat then on edge. It would seem a waste of time for some but learning the Detector not bragging about how someone gone over ground with this model where others have been before. My success seems always to be with the GMT when it comes to finding gold.

In my book the above procedures would Most Certainly NOT be a waste of time, instead it would be Time Well Spent!

When the GM2 came out I bought one and like others had a tough time learning Doug Dusseu < ck spl, rep for whites took the time to school me on a couple of outings, then was introduce to Jimmy Sierra, took off from there
My best detector I have had the privilege to use Troy Shadow x-5 this machine was/is increditable it found grains of gold not grams and is a multipurpose, too bad it’s no longer in production

Tutored by Doug and Jimmy, Wow!

Pound for pound, dollar for dollar on a 80/20 rule for the average user VLF would be the way to go IMHO, dig all targets and learn. Using your ear and not the screen, working side by side with others w/dif detectors

I always bring a colorful poker chip with a gold target glued to it so I can "re-tune" my ear to what type of signal I am looking for. I find the use of the grab button to be a useful step in determining 'what the coil is over'. Digging all targets, yes.

Thank you for the inputs 2cmorau!!.................63bkpkr

 

[Steve Herschbach]

Have you tried or even heard of the Garrett ATX? I like the idea of running the cable through the shaft. Plus it's waterproof like my ATG. I'm thinking of this as my next toy.

I will get my hands on an ATX as soon as I can and let you know. Cable through the shaft is cool, but it will not find things better because of it. When the dust settles the ATX will be just another of many options. PI units are not for everyone. You need a high tolerance for digging trash to run a PI. I do not expect that to change with the ATX.

 

[GarretDiggingAz]

I will get my hands on an ATX as soon as I can and let you know. Cable through the shaft is cool, but it will not find things better because of it. When the dust settles the ATX will be just another of many options. PI units are not for everyone. You need a high tolerance for digging trash to run a PI. I do not expect that to change with the ATX.

I'm just curious on how close to the ML GPX5000 it could get. It'll be less than half the cost. I figure with the chord in the shaft it creates less snags on branches. As far as trash goes. I was told to dig every signal. I don't dig my iron hits (as much- depends on area history). But everything else I'll dig. Still get a lot of trash, but I think there's truly no way around that.
I should melt some of my gold to make a small nugget and do the poker chip deal. It doesn't sound differently in pitch though as I think it does for the GB2 (That's also on my list). I ran my detector over a piece of gold before to get the id from the screen. It was a 45-48. So each time I swung and saw that. Wallah pull tab. So much for id on screen. Maybe they should make the tone for gold be "cha ching". Lol.

 

[Steve Herschbach]

"I don't dig my iron hits (as much- depends on area history). But everything else I'll dig."

PI detectors LOVE iron and steel! They pick ferrous trash up much better than gold. Just run your VLF in all metal and dig everything and you will get the idea of what PI detecting is like. In fact, you can save a lot of money by doing just that as a good VLF in pure all metal mode will do about as well as a PI in many locations in the US.

 

[GarretDiggingAz]

I run in all metal mode about 98% of the time anyway. I thought the PI phases out the iron/hot rocks. Or are they actually two different beasts?

 

[2cmorau]

not all hot rocks are hot rocks, and ferrous or non-ferrous need to be dug out could be hiding some thing nice below

them peices in the Avatar are what i found after getting the iron and birdshot out of the way
the pic is part of bedrock i broke up, that little guy was hiding under a little bit of crust, it had the sweet sound so i kept it put it my pouch and when i was in camp i scrape it and put a tooth brush to it later, thing was, guys i was camping with using PI or VLF all agree when taking a swing at it thought it was a hot rock, the next morning i showed them the rock after cleaning, that next evening everybody had there pile of rocks and by the campfire cleaning rocks

 

[2cmorau]

Steve/Lanny with your backround, your knowledge and write ups like in ICMJ, Garrett would give ya one