GPZ 7000 opinion after 4 trips.

Well its been VERY QUIET on here since the release of the new expensive flagship Minelab Gold Detector, GPZ 7000.
I got mine less than a month ago and only detect weekends when weather and free time allows ( not often enough ).

Have i found gold? Yes.
Have you found any deep or big gold? No.
Are you impressed with the machine despite the high purchase cost? Yes.

Total finds, 8 days detecting for 4.4 grams 13 nuggets, mainly sub grammars, 2 are above the gram mark.
Things i like about the detector:
Easy to use and navigate operator menu.
Superb sensitivity to small gold, equal to SDC 2300.
Wireless audio, i really like not been connected by wires to the detector as with SD to GPX series machines.
Far superior Noise immunity compared to GPX machines.

Over the Easter break i headed to the GT with a prospecting friend who owns a GPX 5000. We compared many small targets and in a few cases i had located small shotgun pellets and the GPX could not locate them?
I found about 60 lead shotgun pallets on the weekend. Though the GPX pulled more weight in gold for the weekend.

Is there anything you do not like about the machine?
At first i was quite disappointed by the harness, as i did not have it correctly adjusted though its now sorted.
I AM NOT GOING TO COMMENT ON THE PRICE.
Why did you contemplate trading in a GPX 5000? Well i really enjoy prospecting as a hobby and wanted to maximise my little free time in the field by using the most up to date technology i feel buying a GPZ was the right choice for me.
As far as gold finds go are you disappointed in your production so far? Well yes and no, everyone wants lots of big nuggets though the reality is especially in Victoria gold is getting harder and harder to find, we must recall that the old time miners took most of the gold from the 1850s till the 1930s. More modern day recent developments with detecting and gold prospecting as a popular recreational pursuit along with internet and significant information sharing means that a lot of places have now been heavily searched by a number of very skilled prospectors. Luck plays a part in gold finds to some degree though information, the correct application of required skills and a huge level of personal commitment is required to find gold.

So would you recommend every GPX owner trade up to the GPZ? No i think that choice is up to the individual to make, as selling and re purchasing comes at a significant cost and no firm guarantees exist on expected returns for outlays.
Would you recommend the GPZ to Newbies? No, i feel if you are completely new to detecting you would be better off getting the SDC 2300 or a used GPX and seeing if you can learn the required skills in the field first before making such a large purchase.
Do you think the GPZ 7000 is a success for Minelab? I have no idea on the sales to date, though i have seen others using them in the field.
Are you confident in paying for the machine with gold finds this season? Not really sure, as if i was able would probably do every second weekend between easter & Cup Day weekend, i don't really need to get $10,700 with of gold to pay for my purchase i sold a GPX 5000, Garret AT Gold and a trail bike and trailer to pay for it, so $3000 worth of gold and i would be very happy, wether i get that this season depends on free time available and wether other operators beat me to the gold.

Well done GPZhunter, hope the gold keeps coming for you. I pick up my zed next week but I kept my two 5ks and GB2. I'll still use the 5k for patchhunting and the missus will use the other when she comes up to visit. The GB2 is great for working leaders.

Yes i have a friend who uses the GB2 and gets a fair bit of gold, though he is US based.

Thanks for your report GPZhunter on the 7000, as yu say it's up to each and everyone as to wether the new machine will suit them and only they can decide that.

I think that once you get comfortable and confident with the 7000 it's a whole lot better than the first day out with it.

cheers dave

I had a ripper of a day first day out scoring 4 nuggets in total and two over a gram, most of my GPZ gold came first day out in a spot me and a mate have done over and over with SD2100, GP 3000, GPX4500 & GPX5000.
I was quite surprised to get gold there though the GPZ worked well at that location.

thank you GPZhunter, you have given a honest post of this new machine, I do know that a lot of owners of this machine feel the same as you. cheers

Got another two very tiny nuggets today, 5 trips and gold found every time?
I could get very use to this.

Just out of interest gpz hunter how many grams or ounzes did you find with the 7000 on your old 157 ounze patch??Sorry mate l just reread your 1st post 8 days detecting for 4.4 grams and 13 nuggets..So l guess all the previous detectors to the 7000 did a fantastic job cleaning out the big patch.

Yes my super patch has been cleaned by previous machines, there is no such thing as an undiscovered patch within the golden triangle now?
It seems every location i go to now has had significant activity and the Labor Day & Easter weekends just recently a whole heap of work has been done, very obvious by all the unfilled holes?
I guess its related to the so called Inglewood 87 ounce discovery and the recent release of the GPZ.

Oh well i am now 7 trips in to the GPZ chapter of my prospecting adventures and yet to have a gold less trip, most nuggets i get are sub grammars and have not had to dig that many deep junk targets, the detecting that has been done in Victoria over the last 4 decades has recovered a great deal of the buried targets. My most common finds these days are those pesky lead shot gun pellets, oodles and oodles of them.

I must say i am very impressed with the performance of my machine, pretty much stick to high yield, difficult ground, audio smoothing off, Auto ground balance, sensitivity from 13 - 15 depending on the ground and i get some very small gold, ( SDC 2300 stuff ).