Which gold detector to buy?

While the SDC is nice it costs $3,590. remembering that goldred wrote " i don't want to go out and spend a fortune, thousands of dollars "

The Garrett AT Gold costs $1389. will find gold and was tested by Garrett in OZ. Apparently we have the worst soils they have encountered, lucky us....

As for "Will a Garrett ACE 400i find me gold ? good for a starter? - none of this treasure crap for me, only the gold" Tot-lots and gold rings will almost pay for your machine in the first 12 months of ownership if your lucky and they will give you petrol money.....

I'm happy with my ACE 350 (US) it will detect a 2 gram gold nugget (tested it at Deep Creek) however most of the places I have used it while chasing gold the mineralised soil has overwhelmed it. Still, it has more than paid for itself in rings and dropped coins.

Thylacine the only reason I suggest Minelab machines is goldred emphasised the search is for quote "GOLD" unquote.

If anyone wants bang for their bucks when it comes to gold the market leader is Minelab.

Another machine which is gaining interest is the QED. With a few coils sounds like a QED package could be under 3k maybe 2.5k. Hopefully someone with QED knowledge might chime in and share their thoughts and experience.

Thanks for the help guys, i have been looking in the metal detector section and raise i might have this in the wrong section

I see nugget quit gold prospecting hence is why he has a 400i

Why is minelab preferred over the say garret ATX ?

The recommended minelab 4500 and SDC 2300, -

The price of the GARRETT AT @1.3k seems more bearable for me, what are the main differences from this machine to say the minelabs recommended above?

So it seems entry level prospecting machines are minelab 3-4k or GARRET AX 1.3k. - ill check these out at miners den

Does anyone have any recommendations maybe where i could hire these detectors for while or join some groups and go out to help me get the taste for this. That way i might be able to get a feel for the detector i like best, and get a feel for the hobby?

thanks

Ok and I'm having trouble finding the QED

What is the full name?

You are not the only one who wonders what QED stands for but the following link will take you to the QED section on this forum..

https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=21000

I use the Minicab SDC2300 and love it. Not many dials or buttons to get lost in and very user friendly. Pick it, turn it on, swing, and find gold if you have it over it. I picked up a .7 gm piece at 15cm in hard clay/rock the other day. ]

Hope this helps you Goldred

Cheers

Doug

Hi goldred

i have to agree with gpx4500 or sdc2300 for good gold finders in hot ground Australia is full of hot ground and until you have tried to detect in it you wont understand. budget priced

but if you want Gold then these are minimum machines i would recommend I personally have GPZ7000 & SDC2300 and Wife has GPX4500 with the 14inch coilek coil elite

its the best way . however i have a mate that found a gold nugget with a cheap machine a few weeks ago but he just got lucky which is a part of finding gold too.

Gold + newbie = SDC it is a simple, proven formula

goldred have you looked into joining your local prospecting club. It's a good way to meet like minded people and opportunities for field days and who knows maybe the possibility of trying a machine or two.

Phase Tech hit the nail on the head regarding newbie's and finding gold. The 2300 is a proven performer. What ever you buy success comes down to research more research and boost on the ground.

And if you want to find gold you need to spend money. But really $3500 is the money you need to put on the bench for new gear.
Secondhand its really up to your haggling skills. Phase Tech is 100% correct.
Then the real issue are your skills, have you had training and how much time are you prepared to spend in the bush..

Goldred, the Garrett ace 400i is an AT PRO without the waterproofing and the Pro Mode and the Pro will certainly find gold. Check out NQ Explorers in YouTube. Either Warren or Colleen found a 2.4g nugget in one of there vids and they were using an At Pro, I think. Not too long ago I thought my Pro was cactus and I was going to buy the 400i to replace it. Turned out only the coil had died so I didn't buy the 400i, but I would have. Go for it, you'll have a ball.
On one of the vids there a young lad finding a nugget with an Ace 250. If you swing over a nugget and its in the range of the machine, you should find gold........shouldn't you?

All detectors will find gold but at what rate and size if you are out for many hours without any luck well you came say you have not walked over any gold but after many times you start to get disheartened ,this does happen with the wrong choice of detector.Just look at what detector on youtube in Australia have found gold and you will come up with minelab regards john

Thanks for all the help guys,

I went to miners den at paramatta yesterday on the way to bathurst, it was helpful and another point to minelab. He also recommended the prospecting clubs in sydney, which I'm going to have a look at the one at kogarah. I should be able to get advice there and some advice (maybe) on tuning and how to use them properly.

As i understand, there isn't many places that give training on metal detectors, apart from maybe getting some advice from a prospecting club?

I did notice the cheap ones have small scanning heads, this essentially would take longer to cover the same amount of ground. minelab heads look bigger, hence more efficient too?

out at bathurst yesterday/today i had a look at accommodation to rent , i also went out and had a bit of a look for gold before i had to come back. I found a patch which was glittering with colourful (gold) specks in a water run off. However when i panned it, this wasn't as heavy as i would expect. Firstly i thought this can't be gold, then maybe its so fine it donesnt have the weight and therefore is easy to wash out of the pan. Is this some sort of fools gold or just mineralised rock that looks shiny in tiny qualities?

If you contact Central West Prospecting Supplies in Mudgee they may still have detectors for hire. They should also be able to arrange basic training on hired machines.
There are other very good training options like NSW Gold Tours in the area. The tours usually offer more indepth training & are also usually more one on one if required. I believe they have machines that can be used as part of the training/tour package also.

i think i missed their training until september, they just had one early march - ill phone up mudgee. Thanks mask

out at bathurst yesterday/today i had a look at accommodation to rent , i also went out and had a bit of a look for gold before i had to come back. I found a patch which was glittering with colourful (gold) specks in a water run off. However when i panned it, this wasn't as heavy as i would expect. Firstly i thought this can't be gold, then maybe its so fine it donesnt have the weight and therefore is easy to wash out of the pan. Is this some sort of fools gold or just mineralised rock that looks shiny in tiny qualities?

Also what tests can you do at home to see if its gold ? bar an acid test?

goldred said:

Hi guys,

New to prospecting and see huge uses a Garrett ACE 400i (i see member NUGGEt uses this), - i want to know if this can be used for gold detecting or if it is just a relic metal detecting toy? To be clear , I'm not after relics, i want GOLD!

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OHHH NOOOO, I'm using a toy, and an older model than that one too(bugga)
Gunna have to give up and try something different now that I'm a bit more clued in !

goldred said:

i also went out and had a bit of a look for gold before i had to come back. I found a patch which was glittering with colourful (gold) specks in a water run off. However when i panned it, this wasn't as heavy as i would expect. Firstly i thought this can't be gold, then maybe its so fine it donesnt have the weight and therefore is easy to wash out of the pan. Is this some sort of fools gold

Click to expand...

sure thats what your after, dig in mate, you'll be R I C H :Y: ] :rainbow: O

goldred said:

Hi guys,

New to prospecting and see huge uses a Garrett ACE 400i (i see member NUGGEt uses this), - i want to know if this can be used for gold detecting or if it is just a relic metal detecting toy? To be clear , I'm not after relics, i want GOLD!

Being new i don't want to go out and spend a fortune, thousands of dollars, at least until i get into this in a heavy way.

What are the pros and cons of each detector and what are good detectors to start on which will find gold?

How to learn to use them?
Are there training courses , good online material?

Also i want to move to Bathurst for 3 months and metal detect, are there places you can hire detectors and get a feel for what ones you like?

thanks for any info

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Sounds like youre not in vic but for anyone following the thread who is i know you can hire sdc2300s gpx4500 and gpx5000 at coiltek in maryborough and ee day and sons in ballarat.

goldred said:

i think i missed their training until september, they just had one early march - ill phone up mudgee. Thanks mask

out at bathurst yesterday/today i had a look at accommodation to rent , i also went out and had a bit of a look for gold before i had to come back. I found a patch which was glittering with colourful (gold) specks in a water run off. However when i panned it, this wasn't as heavy as i would expect. Firstly i thought this can't be gold, then maybe its so fine it donesnt have the weight and therefore is easy to wash out of the pan. Is this some sort of fools gold or just mineralised rock that looks shiny in tiny qualities?

Also what tests can you do at home to see if its gold ? bar an acid test?

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Yep 100% fools gold mate , id say its mica.
Gold will not be sitting on the surface wven if its fine . A quick easy test is to rub it hard against the bottom of the pan and it will break up unlike gold. Once you have seen real gold you will know it and never mistake it again.
Try get out to Oallen Ford and spend a day panning and you will certainly find at least a few specks as it is very prolific there but usually very fine so takes a lot to add up , but it will definitely help you learn what to look for.

Gaz

As it hasn't been canvassed,...you 'could' buy a well cared for (stuck in the cupboard) and used Minelab GPX 4000 for about $2500...and i guarantee it will find you gold....10 yrs old, but still a strong performer...add a few of the new flat wound coils and voila...

If you buy one from a Detector shop, have them send it to Minelab for a once over before buying, and most shops will warranty goods for up to 3x months anyway...

Mind you... i wouldn't sell mine for that money, it's worth more in my hands... ]

GaryO said:

Gold will not be sitting on the surface wven if its fine . Gaz

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True to a point...paint & flour gold will sit on the surface...depends on your definition of fine i suppose.

Put it this way , ive never ever seen noticable flakes of gold sitting on the suface of river wash