Metal Detector advice $500 to $1500

Welcome to PA. SCG.

Thanks all. After a bit of research I bought the Equinox 800 today. Just been trying it out in the back yard.

Enjoy and good luck with it.

Sunny Coast Gold said:

Thanks all. After a bit of research I bought the Equinox 800 today. Just been trying it out in the back yard.

Click to expand...

And what do you think of the new toy ?

Sunny Coast Gold said:

Thanks all. After a bit of research I bought the Equinox 800 today. Just been trying it out in the back yard.

Click to expand...

You do know that this detecting lark is more addictive than crack cocaine, dont you ?

layful:

Welcome to the therapy group.

Thanks all. Loving my new toy. Found it to be very easy to use straight out of the box. Got the kids to scatter coins around the place and found them all no problems. Just need a gold nugget to test on now..

They are easy to use but there are heaps on them to keep most people playing with the variables for ages.

Hi Sunny Coast Gold, welcome aboard.

Hi everyone,

I am a newbie to gold prospecting and after a few weeks of looking for the right gold detector to buy I am a bit confused now!

My budget would be $600ish and I found the xterra 705 dual pack for $599 new.

I was wondering if its worth it or if I should start with the go find 66 which is currently half price or even wait for a second hand one that would be more suitable for finding nuggets...

I am located in the Bundaberg QLD area if someone is selling one, I can travel a fair bit for the right one

Thanks heaps

goodaye McQueen. unfortunately a $600 budget puts you on the bottom of the scale for gold with a VLF detector.
the GoFind is a coin/relic detector & pretty much useless as a gold finder. The XT705 is def much better in that regard.
The XT705 can find small gold if the ground isn't too mineralised
There are also other brands/models of VLF aimed at gold such as the Fisher Gold Bug (I or II), a Minelab Gold Monster 1000, or one of the Nokta/Makro range, or the Whites Gold Master/GMT/MXT/MXT Pro
Ideally you need a PI (pulse Induction) detector for gold, & some older ones can occasionally be found for around $800-$1200
the bigger your budget the better you will get.
Do a lot of reading on here & research the models of detectors available, what they can do, & how much they cost.
good luck & hope you find what you need
DED

Thanks for your answer. My first choice would be a gold bug but I found so many fake in Ebay for a cheap price or way out of my budget for the only oz retailer that I gave up on the fishers.

I will check the others suggested

Apparently the x terra 705 can be quite frustrating sometimes with confusing noises thats why I wasnt sure if it was the best choice for a beginner...

Hi Mcqueen, maybe hang out for a gold monster secondhand. Or wait until Anaconda has a sale. You can pick them up pretty cheap new. As DED has stated your budget has put you at the low end of the Gold search equipment. Maybe put a wanted to buy on this forum and see what you can uncover.

Good luck

HH

Mcqueen said:

Thanks for your answer. My first choice would be a gold bug but I found so many fake in Ebay for a cheap price or way out of my budget for the only oz retailer that I gave up on the fishers.
I will check the others suggested
Apparently the x terra 705 can be quite frustrating sometimes with confusing noises thats why I wasnt sure if it was the best choice for a beginner...

Click to expand...

yeah McQueen, the 705 can be a bit annoying like that. I primarily use mine as a coin/jewellery hunter.
I recently picked up a 2nd hand Whites MXT Pro for $600 & this machine is proving to be a better machine for (for me) on coins & stuff, with more control over settings, but im yet to give it a shot alongside the GoldMonster in the goldfields. The main aim there will be to hunt quartz ridges/veins ... not to replace the use of a PI machine (I have a GPX4000 & a modded SD2100)
I mainly bought the MXT as an interim toy to play with & compare to the 705 until I get a newer machine ... EQ800 or higher.... but Im really liking it.
If you find one, for ~$600 I think they are great value for money.
DED

Heres one for $750 ono, if you can stretch your budget, https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/ora...s/makro-gold-kruzer-metal-detecter/1226478617

No luck here, the ad on gumtree is already sold!

Leading edge electronics shops have the x terra dual pack in promotion for $599 until the end of August so I might go on Monday morning and give it a go...

I was thinking at this price to try for a few months and hopefully upgrade for a better one.

I hope I will not loose to much money if I want to sell it again though!

Gold Monster for sale in QLD $825
https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/mos...nster-1000-metal-detector-for-sale/1225594562
Whites DFX - 2 Frequency detector in Redcliffe/Perth WA $600
https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/red...s-dfx-metal-gold-treasure-detector/1224390063
bit of a write up by Steve Herschbach on the DFX
https://www.detectorprospector.com/metal-detector-database/whites-dfx-r122/
.
If you're in the market for a detector, research the different brands/models to identify what you might be interested in, & keep doing searches like this

DD

since my last post I have also seen a Whites Goldmaster was around $600 too.
I understand you have a very tight budget, so you need to aim for the best VLF you can get for around that $600
In VLF's I have an XT705 & a Whites MXT Pro (& a GM1000). IMO the MXT is a way better machine than my 705.
If you really want a crack at gold for your money, the Whites machines come up for sale reasonably often.
MXT Pro & DFX are good, but the GoldMaster & newer 24K are more specifically aimed at gold.

hope you find some success
DED

Hi guys, just wondering if anyone could give me any advice on buying my first metal detector,don't want to buy a lemon, price range up to about $1500.any advice greatly appreciated, thx.

Have a look at Anaconda website. Welcome.