If you only had $2k to buy a Pi machine what would you buy.

[Keyboardkowboy]

My cousin has been blowing me out of the water with his gpz 7000. I don't have 8k to spend on a detector. I can mabye save up 3 k tops. What would you get? At the moment I'm useing the Gold Kruzer and it's a nice little vlf but I don't want to be restricted to bedrock and super shallow ground. The gold is deep here.

 

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[minerjosh]

So all the reviews I read say that the gold kruzer and the monster 1000 are about the same. By mining partner runs the monster 1000 and we dig about the same depth but I feel like he might be getting a little more depth. What do you guys think I might sell it and get the monster. The kruzer has a lot more control. I was thinking about getti g the bigest coil for the kruzer but can't find any info on depth so $200 is a big price tag to try it out and see.

I'm not so sure you will get that much more out of the monster. I havnt used one but you seem to be doing well with the gold kruzer...yeah the monster might be easier to turn on and go and will do an excellent job, but in high frequency vlf machines you already have a good one and are finding good gold. My first vlf was the Tesoro Lobo supertraq. This old school machine was really incredible. I found gold with it for a while and I wanted to "upgrade". I bought the gold racer. It had more bells and whistles. I also found gold with this one. It didn't give me any more depth. Not a big deal..it still worked great and did what it was supposed to...I miss that Tesoro. Now if you really want more depth on larger targets I think you should save the money however long it takes and get a pi machine. I would keep your vlf though. It still has its place in your tool box. As far as the bigger coil for it...in theory you should get a little more depth on larger targets and lose some sensitivity to tiny targets. Still not getting anywhere near a pi. I look at this as an expensive hobby. It takes money to make money. Some people spend thousands of dollars on fishing, hunting, fast cars, motorcycles, boats..the list goes on.

 

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[oneguy]

Josh (above post) has some good points...imo. Not sure of your experience level and I know nothing about the Kruzer personally but from what I have heard of it, it's a capable machine? If you're gonna take to the hobby seriously you'll end up with a PI machine in your future. Both the vlf and the PI compliment each other and both have their place in your arsenal. Learn your Kruzer as best you can and that takes some time. Save up for that PI machine. Personally I don't like switching up machines as you loose some time learning a new machine, I prefer to try and learn a capable machine and learn it well. Managing my time is as important to me as any machine is so basically I try to do the best with what I got. Agree with Josh and avoid the larger coil, it'll struggle in hotter ground, stick with a small coil to pick out those tiny bits and be patient and persistant and eventually a bigger one will turn up. Remember if you aren't out looking you won't be finding....it's a numbers game, more coil time, more gold!!!! The best advice I can confidently give that has benefitted me the most is a real simple one and that is to SLOW DOWN and LISTEN when hunting.

 

[Goldwasher]

Large coils on a VLF are noisier and lose depth on small targets. Also harder to pinpoint.

 

[Lanny in AB]

So this point doesn't get lost, Oneguy makes a great one when he recommends you learn the machine you have very well, but the profound piece of advice is to hunt with both a VLF and a PI. They truly compliment each other and do jobs the other can't do as well, plus the VLF is much lighter.

So, if you can, keep the VLF, master it, and then get a used PI so you can get the deep gold as well.

All the best,

Lanny

 

[oneguy]

Lanny...Thanks for putting an exclamation point on some of my opinions. Looks like you got home ok. Outside of that first snow, so far a nice easy winter (knock on wood)......

 

[beekbuster]

Hold out for a used SDC2300.

people give up on detecting pretty easily.

I've seen several that look almost new sell for $2k

I got the coiltech10x5 for mine and it is a killer coil.

It will find small targets deeper than any VLF could dream of.

sdc is as close to cheating as detecting gets.

 

[Irishgoldhound]

What about the Garrett ATX. Brand new you can get for $2500. Very sensitive to tiny gold and a lot of reviews say it’s as deep as the GPX’s and can handle heavy mineralized ground even better, plus it’s water proof. Also I know Whites is out of biz but if you can get your hands on a TDI. Very good on both small and deep nuggets.

 

[Goldwasher]

sdc is as close to cheating as detecting gets.

I tell people all the time that it's like a VLF that actually works.

 

[Goldwasher]

What about the Garrett ATX. Brand new you can get for $2500. Very sensitive to tiny gold and a lot of reviews say it’s as deep as the GPX’s and can handle heavy mineralized ground even better, plus it’s water proof. Also I know Whites is out of biz but if you can get your hands on a TDI. Very good on both small and deep nuggets.

tried one when i was sorting out PI's no comparrison to a minelab at all.

the sdc wasn't even meant to be as much of a major gold getter as it is. Field use created its popularity.

the ATX not so much.

 

[Reed Lukens]

tried one when i was sorting out PI's no comparrison to a minelab at all.

the sdc wasn't even meant to be as much of a major gold getter as it is. Field use created its popularity.

the ATX not so much.

I agree, the ATX is nowhere near the machine that they claim it is. A friend who has been an avid minelab user bought one because it was cheaper, brought it to our claim and it couldn't handle the mineralization at all... he returned it...

 

[audigger53]

How long will it take you to recover the $3K? How long has it taken your cousin to recover his $7K? Those are the things to think about, IMO. Next define deep and what your after. Nuggets, veins, buried gold/silver. personally I would NOT spend that kind of money for Silver period. Gold? Only if I was planing on filing a claim, but then I would not need that expensive a unit.

 

[Goldwasher]

How long will it take you to recover the $3K? How long has it taken your cousin to recover his $7K? Those are the things to think about, IMO. Next define deep and what your after. Nuggets, veins, buried gold/silver. personally I would NOT spend that kind of money for Silver period. Gold? Only if I was planing on filing a claim, but then I would not need that expensive a unit.

my sdc has paid for itself several times

 

[oneguy]

How long will it take you to recover the $3K? How long has it taken your cousin to recover his $7K? Those are the things to think about, IMO. Next define deep and what your after. Nuggets, veins, buried gold/silver. personally I would NOT spend that kind of money for Silver period. Gold? Only if I was planing on filing a claim, but then I would not need that expensive a unit.

Just like Goldwasher said above... Paid $3000 for my SDC and dug $7500 worth in first 2 weeks of having the machine. Goldmonster was $800 and dug just under an ounce first season, just over an ounce second season, and between the two machines 8 ounces my third season. Just depends on your area(s), how much you hunt, how persistant you are, and how serious you are about the hobby..... it can be done!!!

 

[dante_e25]

I would buy one if I had the cash, they are proven to be a great investment. On another note my Dad gave me an Eureka Gold detector and I'm searching for a 6" Goldseeker coil by Coiltek, If anyone has one I would be willing to buy it and pay shipping. They have been discontinued, and none of the dealers or warehouses have them, I've checked.

 

[Keyboardkowboy]

Thanks for all the great advice I will be saving for a pi machineas my cousin kills me with his 7000 but I might aim. For the sdc 2300 or the 5000 for now even though he tells me the 5000 is trash compared to the 7000 I really don't think so.

 

[minerjosh]

The 5000 is not trash lol. It has helped people find pounds of gold. Im sure you are aware hahaha..yes the 7000 is better its also double the price. Its the newer than 5000 technology zvt. And now the new gpx 6000 is coming out. New exciting technology again. Im not waiting to get it when it comes. It's supposed to be special.

 

[beekbuster]

Thanks for all the great advice I will be saving for a pi machineas my cousin kills me with his 7000 but I might aim. For the sdc 2300 or the 5000 for now even though he tells me the 5000 is trash compared to the 7000 I really don't think so.

I can say with absolute certainty the Z has found nothing to call home about in any patch I have cleaned with the GPX. not worth the extra 3-4k by a long shot.

 

[prospexican]

minelab w no questions, at least a gold monster, or a GP or GPX, but gold monster is not a PI i think.

 

[prospexican]

some one told me that they got a nuggett with a gold monster than the GPZ7000 could not pick up. gold mosnter might b a good option. has a great audio too, thats what im missing on my gold bug 2, the audio not too loud on the GB-2

 

[prospexican]

unfortunately i think i live far away from gold places, and the times i been in rye patch not luck at all , i wish to know if the guys recommending coilteck will recommend a DD or not.