Metal Detector advice $500 to $1500

Hey Ted, i have tried a bit of detecting around Roxby/Andamooka and had no luck. For this reason i think Gaz is on the money, try a cheaper detector first for coins and relics and see how you like the hobby.
If your talking SDC thats an awesome machine but many thousand $$'s
I know there is plenty of gold at olympic dam but its 500 metres underground haha.
Not sure if there is any alluvial gold detectable around there but i sure cant find it

Tassie Daz said:

Hi the beans, Mate I've been looking to buy a new detector too. I've waited for the new ATX to hit the market and while waiting I have downloaded and read the manuals for the GPX 5000, Xterra, AT Pro, AT Gold, Whites, and the ATX. I have also downloaded watched and saved about 20 videos on the Garrett and ML. I decided to settled on the ATX for only one reason. I could afford $3000, but couldn't afford $6,000. All the guys on this and other forums will tell you to buy the best you can afford so that's where it really sits. I dont think my ATX will "reach" as far into the soil as the GPX but I have to live with that because that's the decision I had to make. It seems the make of detector will invoke much discussion and emotion because we all think the decision we make is the best. What ever you buy mate, good luck with it and I hope you don't end up finding the nugget that's got my name on it.........cause I haven't found mine yet. Good luck none-the-less. TD

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Mate, post was from quite a few years back but you nailed it... More people need to understand this!

My Answer = The best minelab Pulse Induction detector you can find for your $1500 .
Chances are it will come with extra coils , headphones, pick and all sorts of goodys for that price as well.

Gaz

Hully said:

Tassie Daz said:

Hi the beans, Mate I've been looking to buy a new detector too. I've waited for the new ATX to hit the market and while waiting I have downloaded and read the manuals for the GPX 5000, Xterra, AT Pro, AT Gold, Whites, and the ATX. I have also downloaded watched and saved about 20 videos on the Garrett and ML. I decided to settled on the ATX for only one reason. I could afford $3000, but couldn't afford $6,000. All the guys on this and other forums will tell you to buy the best you can afford so that's where it really sits. I dont think my ATX will "reach" as far into the soil as the GPX but I have to live with that because that's the decision I had to make. It seems the make of detector will invoke much discussion and emotion because we all think the decision we make is the best. What ever you buy mate, good luck with it and I hope you don't end up finding the nugget that's got my name on it.........cause I haven't found mine yet. Good luck none-the-less. TD

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Mate, post was from quite a few years back but you nailed it... More people need to understand this!

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If only he'd waited for the re-release of the 4500!

sorry I commented before

WELL I'm a green horn compared to most of you an researched detectors around the $1000 mark and pick out two deferent brand garrett at pro gold and international series. Then then minelab gold monster 1000 I'll be detecting in bush an creek areas mainly but bit of beach wen not in the bush
So which 1 do I choose people please add some input for me on pro and cons
Cheers all

There is a great review of heaps of gold prospecting detectors here:

http://www.detectorprospector.com/gold-prospecting-guides/steve-guide-gold-nugget-detectors.htm

I'm pretty sure the ones you are looking at (or may end up looking at) will be here.

Cheers mate will do
Thanks for site

If it were me, I'd wait for a bit for the new Garrett AT Max to be released, it offer the best features of both the AT Pro and AT Gold and should do better on the beach with the new expanded ground balance range, and for gold detecting now that it has the AT Gold's proper all-metal mode (not zero discrimination as found on the AT Pro). Don't think a high frequency detector such as the Gold Monster is going to be ideal for beach detecting, nor is the AT Gold really recommended for the wet sand.

If you can do without full waterproofing, other detectors to consider in that price range can include the Minelab x-terra 705, Makro Racer 2 (balances on wet sand), the Fisher Goldbug Pro or DP (both ground balance to salt), and the Teknetics G2 which is essentially a goldbug DP (11"coil version), though with a more ergonomic shaft setup.

The Makro Racer 2 is only a portion of the cost of my XP Deus, and a much easier to use and setup detector for beach detecting - on both wet and dry sand, and even in the salt water.

Units that can do beach and bush are not as common as you might think.

I'd put the Nokta Impact at the top of the list. It is as effective as the Racer 2 on the beach, but has a 20 kHz option for better sensitivity to small gold.

The 705 is another option but I'd recommend adding the 10.5" round high frequency coil. This gives the best depth on wet sand in my opinion.

My2c

Thanks heaps gents that info is just quality and I will now do some extensive reading on all that you have suggested
I like the Garrett at max I u tubed the 1000 and watched some bad reviews in the feild where it missed targets in high mineral type ground so I'm not real sure bout the minelab 1000 now
Cheers thanks all
sully

Sully, I've seen the vids on YouTube about the GM and I'm sorry if I'm offending anyone but they are crap vids. They way it is being set up, being used, what it is getting tested against - I'm not an experienced user and I can see that it isn't done well. The GM does have limitations in hot ground (most VLFs do) and it is certainly not an SDC but it isn't meant to be! And I think that is the point that is missed in those vids. You might as well compare the GM to a GPZ it is that different to an SDC.

I'm not sure where you are but I'm in northeast Vic and will be in the golden triangle in a few weeks and more than happy for you to have a bit of a play.

But it also comes back to what you are going to use it for. I like the GM but it's not my main detector and it has its limitations. But it's useful for what it can do :Y:

I would rather my Makro Gold Racer over a GM. And yup, higher frequency VLF's go silly on hot ground. Can try tame them, but they lose their purpose.

Still, the GM looks the part, and would of fit in perfectly with my SDC and ZED, but just didn't have enough features to warrant buying it seeing I already have a higherfrequency VLF.

And yeah true, can't compare to SDC at all. Very true.

Hi sully went to coiltek in maryborough vic today and took the gold monster out for a try.never used a detector before and found it easy to use found a tiny tiny piece of foil it is so sensitive.i will buy one in a couple of weeks.i got my imformation about it on here and how to use it .

VLF's are cool, but PI's are the best. In ideal conditions.

But there is a detector for every purpose as well, and you can't always have your cake and eat it too. Apparently. ;-)

hAyyoUinAU said:

VLFs's are cool, but PI's are the best. In ideal conditions.

But there is a detector for every purpose as well, and you can't always have your cake and eat it too. Apparently. ;-)

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Surely you jest - ZVT is the best

There are many (mostly in other countries) that will tell you that you would prefer to use a VLF and only use a PI if conditions necessitate it. Different strokes for different ground.

Nice to hear you thought it was OK Clint.

Finally (because I think I'm getting off the topic that Sully started ) I want to make it clear that although I like the GM and find gold with it please don't feel that I am trying to sway anyone in the direction of getting one. It is simple, it works and it was at a good price point for me but there are probably 10 other detectors that will do something similar and with more settings you can fiddle with.

Northeast said:

hAyyoUinAU said:

VLFs's are cool, but PI's are the best. In ideal conditions.

But there is a detector for every purpose as well, and you can't always have your cake and eat it too. Apparently. ;-)

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Surely you jest - ZVT is the best

There are many (mostly in other countries) that will tell you that you would prefer to use a VLF and only use a PI if conditions necessitate it. Different strokes for different ground.

Nice to hear you thought it was OK Clint.

Finally (because I think I'm getting off the topic that Sully started ) I want to make it clear that although I like the GM and find gold with it please don't feel that I am trying to sway anyone in the direction of getting one. It is simple, it works and it was at a good price point for me but there are probably 10 other detectors that will do something similar and with more settings you can fiddle with.

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I agree and your not trying to sway anyone, and your right about using PI's, In some locations in the GT will dictate the need for a PI or not as with the world over, If natural Gold is the target then the GM will work fine under most conditions and it is perfect for detecting in Bedrock and shallow ground and where there is junk mixed in with the good stuff.

As good as the top of the line machines are it is never a good idea to talk a novice in to buying a 10k machine because digging 200 junk targets after spend a large amount of cash can turn people away from detecting altogether, The sensible price of the GM and it's abilities will help the novice on to bigger and better things hopefully.

John.

Thanks gents great stuff I wish I. Oils afford $10,000 machine but budget will allow me $1000 maybe $1200 at best
I'm up nsw Newcastle area and will be going out Mudgee way later in the year from r a trip
Looks like I got so
E great advice and options. I'll keep researching an pls keep the info coming The more I read the better info I gather
Thanks cheers sully

sully67 said:

Thanks gents great stuff I wish I. Oils afford $10,000 machine but budget will allow me $1000 maybe $1200 at best
I'm up nsw Newcastle area and will be going out Mudgee way later in the year from r a trip
Looks like I got so
E great advice and options. I'll keep researching an pls keep the info coming The more I read the better info I gather
Thanks cheers sully

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For around a $1000 you have many choices from new machines or second hand models like the fisher F 75, the Whites MXT's and Gerrett AT's, Minelab Xterra 705 and the Minelab GM 1000 Gold monster and don't forget to check out the range of Nokta's, The GM 1000 is a new machine and it is starting to prove it's self and it has Minelabs rock solid warranty, also check out the for sale section right here on the forum.

Good Luck.

John.

Will do John
Don't mind researching but as always it's best to go research from people who
Are using or have used machines
Thanks again ev1