QED or fully modded gp3500?

Hi All,

Just like to know which detector is better the QED or a fully modded gp3500?

Iam after the best detector but not one that breaks the bank like a gpx4500.

I am after extreme depth and ultra sentivitiy.

Also light weightness and easy to use.

Cheers,
Eureka

Hello Eureka (Real name, please),

The QED is NOT yet on the market, modded 3500's are. So it depends entirely on how soon you want your new detector.
I suppose it's best to direct your question to "Doug" or "Bugwhiskers". BUT, I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of the QED myself. By all that I read about it, it should be a good machine.

See you up them thar hills
Frank

ANY detector that exists is obviously better. My bit of advise for what it's worth, is to concentrate on what is available and use it. IF something better comes along and you can afford it, then go for it. If you can't afford it, then learn to use the machine you have and get the most benefit from it you can. These "vapour detectors" may or may not come to fruition. I certainly won't be wasting my valuable detecting time wondering if something that is still being developed, and may never be available, is going to be worth the wait. Roll back to the number of world beating detectors in recent years that ARE going to be a$$ kickers, and then get a grip on reality. I don't mean this to be offensive, just a reality check. Cheers.

I go a standard 3500 before a modded one.

As GN an QS said the QED isn't on the market and chances are never will be... may be better off with a Rangertel calculator on a stick

Eureka,
Another consideration is the "Fully modified" bit.
From what I read detectors are modified for either sensitivity OR depth. If this is the case then you would need a pair of "fully modified" machines to cover both cases, and then perhaps a standard machine as well. 3 X GP3500's plus mod costs far outweigh the cost of 1 x GPX4500. As to whether the 3 would be a better scenario is anyones guess, but I am certainly not prepared to gamble on it.

I know for sure that BW's QED project is real....I've seen it running. It's powerful, sensitive and eliminates EMI. But, even 'Doug' admits that until it is damn near perfect, it aint gonna see the light of day. Eureka, as I've said before, best to stick to the 3500M until something better is released. Word is, that there will still be a bit of a shake-up in the detector business this year.

Sandy, the modified units from Woody have the best of both worlds now. With a flick of a switch (or two) and change of coil, you can direct the unit for large OR small gold. The pulse width mod certainly adds a bit of audibility to those deeper targets using big coils. Some extra videos will be made showing this shortly. As Madtuna says,
the 3500 is still a damn good detector without the mods too! Cheers, Dwt

As Frank has already noted, the QED is still a concept which may never even reach market. And as other users here have observed, Modded detectors (more often than not) are a mixed bag of results with recent tests showing no noticeable improvement over unmodded EOM detectors in many instances. I myself don't believe that modded units offer any benefit at all. Some people believe that they do. If you are one of those people, then good for you.

If you are new to detecting, buy yourself the best NEW detector that you can afford at the time. If you don't, you may become disillusioned when detecting since you'll feel that you might do better with a "better" detector. As an alternative, if you feel you can get a better deal with a used detector (make sure it comes with a warranty), then consider a Second Hand unit. The downside of second hand units is that you have no idea about the history of the unit and whether it performed well with the original owner... and you don't know if it was mistreated. Many of them certainly are. Something else to consider is that most electronics and even the coils themselves tend to have a 5 year operational lifetime and they tend to degrade or misbehave beyond this period of time. The same applies to computers and cameras.

A new detector is going to have a lot more going for it than an incorrectly (or ineffectually) modded unit. Sure, the dealers and manufacturers would probably prefer you to buy something new for yourself but in the long term, a new unit will give you an edge over all the generations of older detectors out there on the ground. Not everyone can afford a new top-line detector (currently the GPX 4500) but there's a few GP-3500s and GPX-4000's out there which are still powerful machines at a discounted rate and you should be able to find one second-hand. The 3500 and 4000 ought to give you a very similar depth compared to a 4500.

The GP-3500 is a GOOD detector. I've used one alongside a GPX-4500 and found that they were extremely similar in performance except when it came down to nuggets that were subgram. Anything under a third of a gram was pretty much ignored by the GP whereas the GPX was still able to find and see them. Both were in factory default mode with standard coils. The 3500 is a great detector so you're on good ground if you seek one out for yourself.

You said you wanted extreme depth and extreme sensitivity: A modded unit will reduce your depth (or worse!). Unmodded, the 3500 is very similar to the 4000/4500.
As for sensitivity, only the 4500 has the SETA with new timings for smaller targets. If you can't justify the cost of a 4500, then consider another detector with a smaller, more sensitive search coil. ANY modder claiming they can "make a 3500 perform as well as a 4500" is lying through their teeth. And such claims are (sadly) blatant lies.

Good luck with whichever decision you make.

Regards,

Marco

I've seen the "evolution" of the QED. It's still an undeveloped concept and not much more at this stage. The big complaint by Bugshwiskers is that he is furious about the high price of the high end Minelab detectors and has vowed to produce something better and cheaper. Unfortunately, Minelab may own most of the Patents that he wants to apply if he wishes to sell the detector commercially. So now they're trying to delve into Patent law to see if they can "wing it". Garrett and Whites have both tried to produce a PI detector commercially that was cheaper and of the same quality of the Minelab PIs but they haven't been able to do so. That's why Minelab are sitting right where the market has placed it.

Hi All,

I am sorry that I have might have started something.

All I wanted to know which detector was better thats all.

I might stick with the modded 3500 for the time been.

Cheers,

Eureka

Hi,
I run a standard 3500 and most of the time just swing the 11DD coil or somedays a 14dd pro
even though id like a 4500, i have 100% faith in my 3500 machine that it will find small and big gold at depth.
cheers
gypsy

yup...and read that in context with Gypsy's other post....the proof is in the pudding

G day Eureka i've just picked up a SD2200v2 and am very happy with the tests i put it through today. Ok i haven't had it on the goldfields yet as thats a trip away for me but after what i saw today im very impressed and confident, something to consider anyway.


Brett

Speculation is the greatest thing to get us thinking there is superior technology on the horizon.
Like Qld Sandy, I have become a sceptic. Until its on the market and no longer just talked about then it pays to stick with the known instead of waiting for the unknown.
I stopped watching all forums as I wasnt getting anything more than if I was watching one only. If a product is proven in this game then you can be sure it will be displayed on all forums for good or bad feedback. If its good then all we will read is how the first with it are doing well and if you follow their lead you will find gold. Kind of sounds like the 4500 doesn't it? I still have a 3500 for my own good reasons, but look out gold fields if there is a quantum leap forward.
Brett.

Would someone like to give us some details on the QED, and whose developing it?

Jeff

Hi Jefgold,
The QED can be sourced from GoldProspectinginOz(invision plus)your main man would be bugwhiskers and the ever resourceful Doug,if you dare you could pop over and avvachat!!!, probably best to not denigrate anybody or the QED or you will cop the wrathe of Doug or B/W and probably a few forum "minders" as well, as i, on your forum copped yesterday.Although everyone seems well versed in the matters of the QED and are awaiting with baited breath for its appearance, it seems as though it has stirred up the proverbial hornets nest..aye NERO and others
Regards Ron

i second gypsy's comments, i now use a 4500 but until then had a 3500 in which i had complete confidence (mainly thru amount of use getting to know what it was telling me, hopefully one day i will get the same with the 4500 !!) regards, gary

Those guys are always carrying on with each other and whilst I don't have an issue with people disagreeing with one another, I do see a problem when they refuse to acknowledge error on their own part and yet nitpick on points which are so easily disproven with just a little bit of diligence. I think the QED won't be able to properly GB and I don't see anyone being able to produce it commercially without a Patent Violation of one sort or another. ML have made it hard for other manufacturers to produce similar products unless they pay a licensing fee. And an example of this can be seen in the use of LITZ wire under licence by Nugget Finder. Now LITZ wire itself can be purchased from a number of suppliers but the use of it in detector coils is covered by the Patent. It's normal business practice too... just like the way Sony has to pay Toshiba a licence fee every time they install a BluRay player in a computer or player. Toshiba own the Technology Patent and that's why Toshiba backed off and gave in during the BluRay Vs HDDVD wars.

I'd probably suggest against people offering to donate money to a project like a home-made metal detector. This is at best a home science project. It may even work in the long run but it's unlikely to ever be commercially produced if it does. People who develop radical projects like this certainly don't discuss it on public forums until all the bugs are worked out. An "LRL on a stick" (I really do like that term!) may be a term that applies to some of these things. Guess we'll see if it stands up if something ever gets released.

And yes, I'm disgusted at the behavior of some of the people on the other forum. authere seems to imply that people get what's coming to them and I heartily agree. In the end, this is indeed only the internet. But I'm one of the very few people on the internet that takes to time to look for the punks on the other side of the keyboard. And people really do get what's coming to them.

Cheers,

Marco

Hey Eureka...

U have been asking this question for the past couple of years... dont hire them all the time... Why dont u stick with a 2200 v2 as I reckon with an 18inch DD coil they are the best for out right depth in the golden triangle where u detect.

If u get a modded one then make sure it comes with a switch so if u want u can switch the mods off... this has been told to u before...

Qld Sandy... ignore the other idiotic comments... u dont have to justify anything to us....

Ray

Ok fellas thats enough.

I think the topic has been discussed enough and points made.

Jeff