advice on cheap (but not too nasty) gold detectors for beginners

So I've read a plethora of posts and forums and FAQ's and reviews on so many different detectors, both here and elsewhere, and end result has been there is no definitive answer on the topic. no real surprises there i suppose

like most things i try to do my research before jumping in, and to be completely honest i'd be a little while off realistically looking at buying a detector anyway, but I was hoping to gain some recommendations so i have something to work towards as far as buying a detector goes.

my maximum budget would be around the $1000 mark (unless i could ever find enough gold to convince the better half otherwise), from the looking i've done the minelab x-terra 705 dual pack and minelab 70 would fall into this category, but I've also read quite a few people rate the fisher goldbug series as a better detector for gold when compared to the 705. i'm guessing the lower x-terra models aren't really much good for gold?

also what are the pro's and con's between something that is a relic coin \ gold detector and something more specifically aimed at finding gold? i mean its probably a sounds like a stupid question but if you had the choice wouldn't most people always go for the more gold specific detectors? or is the line between the two so close you are better off with a dual purpose type detector?

Cheers
Adam (elbowgrease)

Hi Adam,

I had a gold bug 2 before getting a gp3500. The gb2 was so noisy in the "golden triangle" on the mineralised ground that it nearly ended up rapt around a tree. Not sure about the other tectors as I am only a newbie.

Cheers,
Pete

gday Adam don,t how they go where you are but i,m having a bit of success with the whites gmt goldmaster down here in TAS runs pretty quite and finds targets there about a $1,000 , have found a couple of speckies with it in last couple trips



cheers starry

Hello Starry,
Here are a few machines to consider along with field testing we have done. Firstly, X-Terra 705 Gold. It is $950 to buy, has 3 years warranty, comes with a 10"x5"DD 18.75kHz coil, has fair resale value, is capable to about 10" on medium to small targets, has many coil options available (including the new 15"AT DD 7.5kHz coil from Coiltek $295) to change how the machine performs & give greater depth. The X-Terra is a very versatile machine & can be converted to a good coin & relic machines by changing the coil & mode. The larger coil options provide good depth for a VLF machine on larger targets. The gold coils are water resistant but the concentric (coin & relic coil available) is water proof. The X-Terra includes VFLEX technology to give improved targeting identification. Runs on AA Batteries

Garrett have 2 machines that you could consider. The first is the Garrett AT Pro. The machine is waterproof to 3mtrs, Runs at 15kHz, comes with an 11"x8.5" DD coil. It is a versatile machine designed to do a bit of everything. There is no need to change the coil. Runs on AA batteries. Pretty good on gold fields in quiet to medium soils. Depth capabilities....shallow to medium but has a crisper target response than the X-Terra. Resale value is poor. Costs $780 to buy in Australia with a 2 year warranty. Service is in Australia if bought from a local dealer.

The Garrett AT Gold is a recent release. It is waterproof to 3 mtrs also & comes with an 8"x5" DD coil. It gives a crisp signal on targets in gold fields. Depth capabilities are shallow but it handles mineralization better than the AT Pro. The AT Pro is pretty good on beaches but the AT Gold is hopeless. It runs on AA batteries. There are a few coils for the AT Pro & Gold. The other options have not been tested (only the standard coils). Warranty is 2 years & if bought from an Australian dealer any repairs are local not requiring the extra cost of shipping to the USA. The cost is $880. Resle value is poor.

Can't comment on other brands. We haven't tested them. Regards Lizardonline

Hi Adam.

I started with the Xterra70 and prospected using the 10"x5"DD 18.75kHz coil.

I picked up heaps of shotgun pellets, pieces of lead and copper from various projectiles, aluminium from blasting detonators and numerous chips and tacks of iron. Quite a few of these at depths of up to 50 - 100mm in pretty noisy soil. I also picked up a 2 gram nugget at a good 100mm.

If you watch YouTube and see the shallow depth a lot of the small nuggets are found at, most of them would be found by the Xterra. (IMHO)

The main points I found were. (1) keep the coil on or as close to the dirt as you can (2) manually ground balance regularly (3) concentrate hard in noisy ground (4) keep the coil on or as close to the dirt as you can.

A 1/2 gram nugget to tune in on comes in handy too.

I use a 4500 now but love my Xterra70. It's light, sensitive, runs on rechargable AA batteries and the discrimination is excellent.

I think it's a good place to start but then I have no experience of the others.

Thanks heaps for the feedback, its really appreciated.

Its really good to hear from people with first hand experience using these detectors, certainly gives you a bit more confidence that you are going the right way when starting off. I guess I'll have to keep my eyes peeled for an X-terra 70 / 705 going cheap.

From the sounds of it there probably really is a bunch of different model all of which are capable, so I'll have to scrape together some pennies and try and get myself one now!

In the mean time I've discovered one of the guys I work with has a GPX4500 that hes never used other than when he bought it and was taken out on a field trip to be shown how to use it. But hes keen to go out over the next few weeks so I might have myself a detectoring buddy to learn with until i get my own!

I spent a week on the web searching for a "good" MD, especially one that had my set of requirements, it had to be user friendly, affordable, proven brand name and a proven record of finding small gold, and not a machine designed for coin or relics. I settled on the Whites GMT.

First off a disclaimer, I am NOT in Australia! I am in Alaska but I have plans to be in Oz all of my next winter so I felt the GMT was the "minimum" to use in the high mineralized soils with its auto balance. Otherwise I would get a stronger PI unit, maybe the Whites TDI Pro or ultimately the GPX 5000, but for some reason I just cannot see buying one of those. Even here in the states they are expensive.

Which brand, new, second hand, technology are only half the equation. The other half consists of you. Here are some key questions to ask yourself:
1)How much detecting do you intend to do.....serious part timer, full time or casual hobbiest?
2) What shape is your budget in?
3) What are you going to do with it?
4) How do you feel about second hand gear?
If you are only interested in gold prospecting then get the best gold specific machine you can afford. Anything less will frustrate you. If you are going to do a lot of detecting then there are 2 reasons to get the best technology you can afford. Thirdly, if money is the biggest issue determining your choice of detector look at other options. Does the shop offer finance? Is a good SH older model a stepping stone in so every trade after that will be small financial bites instead of one great big one? And finally, if SH is an option then look for the longest warranty period you can find. Warranty is vastly different depending on where you get it. Finally, beware of ebay. You might get a bargain but then again you might get a lemon & there is no warranty. Make a strategic plan of HOW you intend to get into PI technology, set aside a small savings fund to use to trade up. During the process your skill level will increase & you might find some of the yellow stuff to help you out as well. Before you know it you'll be the owner of a top of the line Pulse Induction metal detector.

If you are a casual hobbiest who may only get out a few times each year then aim lower. Your skills will take longer to develop & the frustration levels will not max out as quickly. What will frustrate you at this level is spending too much & getting slow results. Affordable technology like a Eureka Gold might be a better first step. You've got a bit to think about so all the best in finding the best machine to suit exactly YOUR requirements. Regards Lizardonline

SD2000, affordable and proven detector..... i think coiltek was selling them for around $800.

Cheers,
SHREEVE