GPX 5000 Modification to gain and sensitivity?

Hi guys does any one have any knowledge regarding these mod's via woody?

http://detectormods.com

Two friends have detectors that have had LMS SWITCH and front end gain one is on a GP extreme he cannot use it in VICTORIA and has just returned from NTH QLD I asked him how it went up there he was disappointed with it he was detecting to may hot rock so went back to his 4500.My other friend has a 5000 he is very happy with it he said it took a bit of time getting to know the detector but runs quiet and is getting deeper he also has a 7000 I asked if he would sell me his 5000 the answer was a big no ,i have seen a test with the latest mods on a 5000 I am not sure on them but I must say the detector operator was not the best .Wal from the forum is getting a 7000, modded 5000 and standard 5000 doing some comparison test just hang on to see what the results are.
I have posted a wanted add looking for a second hand 4500 or 5000 with mods regards john

hi zakman,
the 5 year warranty woody offers is for the mods only and once modded minelab won't touch it. so if something goes wrong with the original 5k parts woody can't fix it and minelab won't so you end up with nothing. it has happened before.
I have not seen a 5k modded but have seen older modals modded and they were crap in my opinion.
regards trashy

Ismael Jones - Minelab Mods said:

I know that a lot of problems that could happen could be repaired by myself and others but if for some reason you have a detector that blows the MCU (2200 upwards) then none of us regardless of what you may be told elsewhere can fix or replace that. We do not and can not get the code to reprogram it and without the MCU all you have is a boat anchor!

Click to expand...

As stated above by TM Minelab will not touch a modded machine. There are many other things that can go wrong, like PCB issues, that cannot be repaired by the modders.
Ismael is very up front about modding & states in his opinion there is no need to mod a GPX model. I agree. Why would you risk owning a $4000-6500 boat anchor.
http://www.minelabmods.com/joomla3/

To be honest I think some older machines may be worth looking into but still there is a risk of no Minelab support for SD2200D's onwards. A lot of the time I wonder if some people turning to mods are the same people who blame their tools for poor workmanship I.e. I wonder if time spent understanding their machine fully, basic geology & spending time researching would be be better investments in finding gold over the cost of modding a machine to improve it's "capabilities".
For every good report there is a bad report or maybe more. For me its not a risk I would take with a Minelab serviceable machine & certainly not one I'd take on a GPX5000 still under warranty.

Edit: p.s. I also believe that a modded machine is worth less than an equivalent model that is unmodified & still Minelab serviceable! Modding a machine, in my opinion, doesn't improve value.

Thanks Guys yes very good points.
I personally haven't met anyone who has had these mod's but I'm sure Woody is very very good at what he does. I have heard his name mentioned in general conversation regarding booster and coil repairs.

P.s. i did find out the its $1800 for the mod to the GPX 5000

Thanks for the posts.

The ZakMan

I've always been against mods as the 5000 is a brilliant machine un-modded. I'm also a dedicated nugget hunter who spends a lot of time chasing gold all over Australia and wants to use the best machine to maximize my results. Minelab have brought out their super detector, at what we now know is also at a super price tag, especially once you get the smaller and larger coil, which I feel I personally will need to compliment the terrains I spend much of my time.

If "Theoretically" a mod comes out for the 5000, be it by Woody, Ismael, or some other tech, and an older model modded 5000 could equal or better a 7000, then I would not turn a blind eye towards it. I would have to be convinced that the mod was at least better than 40% of a stock standard 5000. At this % one winter season in WA would more than pay for the machine...for me in any case. I would treat the machine as a disposable commodity, knowing I can get two 5000's for the price of a 7000 with extra coils.

In saying all this...I've run a 7000 for only a limited time, and need to do some additional serious testing before I'm totally convinced it will get me more gold on a semi professional level, than a 5000 and SDC combo. For my money at the moment, the latter combination will probably net me more nuggets because of their superior versatility.....so getting back to the original topic.....would I look at a modded 5000......I'll look at anything that will improve my nugget take on a percentage factor, whether Minelab warrants it or not. My opinion only and each to their own I guess.

Wal.

:lol: I like your thinking Wal but the people who could consider a GPX5000 a disposable commodity would be a very small minimum! Definitely not me!

That's why I would not recommend that you look at a modded 5000 mate. :lol: ....certainly agree it would not be for the weekend warriors.

I'd like to see one clear field test comparison video where a modded machine gets a range of nuggets better WITHOUT increasing ground noise and/or emi.

In the process of doing just that mate.....If it can't be run as quietly as a standard machine there is absolutely no point in the mods. A quiet 5000 with lesser depth capability will always out do any noisy machine.....The depth would have to be achieved with a mod and not compromise on a steady threshold. If it can"t then you'd have to have rocks in your head to have the mod done. If it can, I'd certainly be interested in having a serious look at one, as I'm not out there in the paddock for exercise alone.

I myself wont take anybody's word on how good a machine is unless I test it myself in the conditions I would normally use it in. By the same token I wont take Minelab, or their authorized testers, word on their test conditions as they will give the same opinion /results as a Holden rep selling Holdens and have vested interests.....same goes for all manufacturers....that's why I don't have loyalties to any manufacturer and can give my own opinion without their approval.

EMI is not of much concern for me as where I go the nearest power lines / towers etc are hundreds of miles away (though lightning has sometimes been closer than I would like ) ....but it certainly would be of concern to those closer to urban areas, and it is certainly something I test for my own interests and evaluations.
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