GPZ maiden voyage

[beekbuster]

I made the plunge and bought a used gpz. I have the worst luck buying used, and this time was no different ( Its under warranty and im sure my issue will be handled). I will keep this post pertaining to the performance between the units I own, and my opinion of them.

I spent the last week deciding which patch to hit. I have thoroughly exhausted all of my known patches with both my sdc and gpx4500. I decided on the location that I had the best chance of finding gold that was missed. deeper smaller prickly expanded gold with a chance of large specimens.

Only 2 targets were recovered, niether was deep. niether was out of reach of my sdc. From my first run with this machine, my take away is it has the capability of an sdc and a gpx in one unit, to an extent. it finds really really small targets, but I dont see it outperforming a gpx with a flat wound coil for 1/2 gram+ pieces. This is only the first outing, and I have a half dozen spots to hit before I can make any solid conclusions with it. I will keep posting to this thread as I learn more, but at this point im not impressed. "old patches are new again" is a flat out lie.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Diving for Pleasure and Treasure - Grab it through Amazon!

[minerjosh]

Congratulations on your new unit. I hope it works out how you want it to. The dealer I got my gpx from kinda steered me away from the gpz actually...and he had one in stock. He told me it's not really going to do a lot more than a gpx with the right coils and a good vlf. I'd imagine in your case with the sdc and gpx with your coils in your experienced hands it might be hard to find anything at all on your old patches. I'm sure you cleaned them out pretty darn good. On the other hand now you can do the cleaning out of new patches with one detector in less trips

 

[minerjosh]

Also I have been wanting to ask you about that 15" spiral DD. I noticed it in an older post of yours with some nice nuggets. Are you able to run the gpx in normal timings or sensitive extra in hot ground where you have to run enhance with mono coils? I'm asking on this thread because I've heard that gets close to gpz performance

 

[beekbuster]

I have seen holes from the gpz, so I have to remind myself of that before i go badmouthing the unit. I have only swung it for one day so far. The dealer made it right, and then some. He gave me 2 options and both are above and beyond being fair. Hard for me to choose which one to take. I was able to learn the gpx really fast, and I understand its language. the gpz runs hot, and i was not expecting that. I thought i was taking it to milder ground, but found several hot spots with it. the gpx runs smooth at that location. The dd spiral coil works really well on the gpx. great depth for a dd and it helps to mellow out hot spots so you have a better idea if its a true target or not.

Here are my options on the gpz. I can either recieve a 19" coil free and I take the unit in for service under warranty, or send it back and recieve a new, unused unit for $500 more than I paid for this one. There is a little over a year left on this warranty. Im leaning towards a new unit.

 

[beekbuster]

Also I have been wanting to ask you about that 15" spiral DD. I noticed it in an older post of yours with some nice nuggets. Are you able to run the gpx in normal timings or sensitive extra in hot ground where you have to run enhance with mono coils? I'm asking on this thread because I've heard that gets close to gpz performance

those pics were of a patch that had never seen a detector before. when i found it, i had the dd coil. I found 5 pieces equaling 1/4 ounce. the next trip i brought the 14" mono elite, I found another 5 pieces equaling 1/4 ounce. but i only found 1 of those where i had already swung the dd. the next trip i used the stock mono. I found 1 piece the others missed. it was a small deep .5 gram. and finally a 1/4 ouncer. only 1 other piece since then and ive been back several times.

 

[Goldwasher]

I have seen holes from the gpz, so I have to remind myself of that before i go badmouthing the unit. I have only swung it for one day so far. The dealer made it right, and then some. He gave me 2 options and both are above and beyond being fair. Hard for me to choose which one to take. I was able to learn the gpx really fast, and I understand its language. the gpz runs hot, and i was not expecting that. I thought i was taking it to milder ground, but found several hot spots with it. the gpx runs smooth at that location. The dd spiral coil works really well on the gpx. great depth for a dd and it helps to mellow out hot spots so you have a better idea if its a true target or not.

Here are my options on the gpz. I can either recieve a 19" coil free and I take the unit in for service under warranty, or send it back and recieve a new, unused unit for $500 more than I paid for this one. There is a little over a year left on this warranty. Im leaning towards a new unit.

My partner has the 19". BuG here will also tell you that he doesn't care for it. My partner wishes he didn't buy it.

I've seen it beep out a half gram dinker about 14" in gravel bed rock still inches down.

I have a feeling as you use it more you'll love it more.

Do you have the ferrite ring for balancing?

 

[beekbuster]

I do have a ferrite ring, and yes I did use it to gb. Now that you mention it, I forgot to pack it when I shipped the unit back today. I know I have to put in the time and learn the machine if I expect to use it to its full potential. I wont be selling my sdc though, ever! maybe the gpx once I am proficient at the zed. The 4500 has been a stellar unit. paid for itself in 2 outings. I know luck had a lot to do with it, but Ive pulled plenty of gold out of areas that the locals have claimed is cleaned out.

 

[Goldwasher]

IMHO

the only two gold units you need to have "the best" right now

SDC & GPZ

there are actually spots fully cleaned up now because of those machines.

no vlf will be sniffing out any crumbs from those patches.

 

[beekbuster]

the sdc is the supreme small gold machine. there is a spot I go to that I can pick sub grain gold every time. there are accumulations along the bank here and there. some spots have 20 or 30, other spots 50- 80. Its small but it adds up. If I just want to come home with something, thats where I go. There was a lot of half to 1 grammers there also, but my friend and I have put a serious hurt on that population. I was finding gold with my 45 that he missed with his zed. Mostly because of detecting habits I suppose. when I get my new unit, that spot is top of the list. Not coming home with a lot, but its highly likely ill come home with something.