Metal Detector Mods

[HeadsUp]

has anyone here paid to have modifications carried out to their detectors and what do you think of the outcome ?

Detectormods.com advertise that service on ebay and state they can quieten down distortion to give clearer / deeper signals , they dont come cheap at $ 750 - 1500 each for SD and GP - GPX models

http://detectormods.com/

Last months issue of Gold Gem & Treasure magazine mentioned it as having improved markedly the performance on a GPX being used by i think from memory Jack Lange or one of the other 'magazine names'

Is there anyone else doing these mods and what are your opinions ?

 

[Guest]

Interested in this too.
Have found a GP Extreme for sale that has been modified by "Woody" from detector mods. Have been reading a bit about modding but it seems to be a hung jury - some people seem to think that its a good thing & a lot are dead against it due mainly to the fact that Minelab will not accept an older modded machine for any repairs/servicing & the newer machines will void their warranty if modded.
I guess if you pick up an older modded machine cheap enough & it works ok it would be alright but then again if it doesn't you could still do $1500-2000 or more.
Personally I wouldn't consider modding anything that is still under warranty but would possibly look at upgrading a SD or GP model if the modification was cheaper than upgrading to the next model i.e. if you could mod a GP Extreme cheaper than upgrading to a GPX 3500 & have similar performance it may be worthwhile but looking at current prices I think it would be just as cheap & maybe wiser to just upgrade. These mods can cost $1000+ & resale might be an issue also?

 

[HeadsUp]

i have been looking through my gem n treasure magazine but i cant find the article i was thinking of , i cant remember where i read it now so just correcting my post from above .

twas another magazine or online article sorry.

 

[LJ]

You can always get it repaired outside of minelab..

 

[Guest]

Iv spoken to woody many times he does have the answers and have used a few of the minelab machines he has modded with the front gain mod not sure if it's worth the $ but it was an impressive increase in performance.

 

[Guest]

I had my 3500 modded by Ismael Jones who is based in WA.

Ph 0417 947 764

He has modified my GP3500 and I think that cost less than $350 8) 8) yes it was that cheap.

First Ismael will test your machine and if its running great he will mod it if not he will tell you.

It runs more quiet and has a sensitivity boost as well and all mods that Ismael has done on
my machine can be switched off. As soon as you switch these off you will notice a difference.
The 3500 modded with the 14" Mono Nugget Finder in most situations runs very quiet.

Ismael does not offer front gains because these are analogue and you need to keep setting
them up unlike the digital ones and Ismael can provide you with more info about this.

To mod or not to mod.

Mod a 3500 if it only cost you around the $2000 - $2300 mark or less because you can buy a
GPX 4500 for about $3500-$3900 though make sure you have one of the latter models.

Why a 3500 because it has a tracking switch...

I was lucky to buy one of his last little ripper wireless and amplified battery kits as well. To be
walking around the bush wireless is an experience on its own with no cables between operator
and detector.

Ismael can also service these machines if one is needed.

 

[Sparra]

How do you tell if a 4500 is a newer or older model???

 

[Guest]

How do you tell if a 4500 is a newer or older model???

Serial Number.. high number, newer.. low, older..

Modding is a great thing if you can afford to replace a blown detector.. if not i wouldn't do it..

Ismael Jones would be my First and only choice if i were to have a detector Modded..

Woody from detectormods is a good guy and does great work, he also knows how to overcharge for it.. (its a business so fair enough)

Warranty is a big deal, Minelab aren't going to touch it after its modified, and it is now much harder for 3rd party repairers to get parts etc.

www.minelabmods.com (check out the 2nd post)

Points to always consider when modding a detector:

1. Can I afford to upgrade? If not then modding is an option.
2. If I decide to sell, will I be able to?
3. Who is doing the Mod? Are they reputable? Search the forums and web to see if they have good feedback.
4. Will they be able to repair the detector if it fails. A guarantee is worthless if they cannot do repairs.

(The above is why I WILL NOT mod anyone but my own machines) I am capable of doing the work, but If something I'm not familiar with goes BOOM, Someone's out a detector, and I'm out $$$$..

 

[markez]

Hi all, is that why mine lab have just gave me a 5year warranty on my 5000 & coils,
not that i'd be modding it anyway
cheers-mark

 

[Guest]

I believe Minelab did do work on modded machines but some were pretty bad & were taking too much time to sort out so Minelab decided that they would no longer do them. Fair enough I reckon - why you want to modify a GPX4500 or 5000 I don't really know?
You did alright getting 5 year warranty markez - its usually only 3 years.

 

[Sparra]

How do you tell if a 4500 is a newer or older model???

Serial Number.. high number, newer.. low, older..

Modding is a great thing if you can afford to replace a blown detector.. if not i wouldn't do it..

Ismael Jones would be my First and only choice if i were to have a detector Modded..

Woody from detectormods is a good guy and does great work, he also knows how to overcharge for it.. (its a business so fair enough)

Warranty is a big deal, Minelab aren't going to touch it after its modified, and it is now much harder for 3rd party repairers to get parts etc.

www.minelabmods.com (check out the 2nd post)

Points to always consider when modding a detector:

1. Can I afford to upgrade? If not then modding is an option.
2. If I decide to sell, will I be able to?
3. Who is doing the Mod? Are they reputable? Search the forums and web to see if they have good feedback.
4. Will they be able to repair the detector if it fails. A guarantee is worthless if they cannot do repairs.

(The above is why I WILL NOT mod anyone but my own machines) I am capable of doing the work, but If something I'm not familiar with goes BOOM, Someone's out a detector, and I'm out $$$$..

Cheers LT...whats the difference between the older and the newer ones???

 

[Guest]

components used, Lower resistance diodes etc.. I don't think anyone has actually noticed a difference, you know how people are (if someone says it on the internet it must be true!)

My brother in law owns a very old 4500.. I wouldn't trade it for a any other 4500 myself, its a beast.. but thats just an opinion, the difference is probably very slight at most..

 

[Guest]

My situation I ring Ismael and ask I can get a gp 3500 for $1800 with 3 coils what should I do?

He says don't think about it grab it so I purchased it. He told me if the 3500 cost $3000 buy a 4500
instead. You can't beat his honesty.

I just sold the 15x12 minelab mono it came with so the detector owes me $1500.
The 11"DD and the 450mm DD can be sold for around lets say $300 the GP then owes me $1200.

Then you have the shafts, battery, power cord and other bits and pieces and
if sold the machine owes me lets say $1000 plus mod.

I don't smoke nor am I a constant beer drinker. Each habit can cost you $1000 plus per year.
If you go and buy a new 5000 how much do you think your going to get for it on the 2nd hand
market considering 11 have been sold in the past 3 months and there are 3 currently for sale?

The whites TDI Pro is another example where on the 2nd hand market they only sell for $1380-
$1500.

I would only buy alatter 4500 as I have had a friend own several. Compare underneath the coil
box and some of the later ones have something stamped on it others don't.

 

[Guest]

My situation I ring Ismael and ask I can get a gp 3500 for $1800 with 3 coils what should I do?

He says don't think about it grab it so I purchased it. He told me if the 3500 cost $3000 buy a 4500
instead. You can't beat his honesty.

I just sold the 15x12 minelab mono it came with so the detector owes me $1500.
The 11"DD and the 450mm DD can be sold for around lets say $300 the GP then owes me $1200.

Then you have the shafts, battery, power cord and other bits and pieces and
if sold the machine owes me lets say $1000 plus mod.

I don't smoke nor am I a constant beer drinker. Each habit can cost you $1000 plus per year.
If you go and buy a new 5000 how much do you think your going to get for it on the 2nd hand
market considering 11 have been sold in the past 3 months and there are 3 currently for sale?

The whites TDI Pro is another example where on the 2nd hand market they only sell for $1380-
$1500.

Ring the boys at Maryborough and they will tell you if there is a difference between the older and new
4500. My friend has used a couple and he tells me yes there is.

I would only purchase a newer 4500. Is there a way besides the serial to know how to identify a
latter 4500? I am told yes there.

Some say yes, Some say no.. Give me one of each and a week to play around and I'll tell you one way or the other.. but really who has time for that?
Its all a matter of $.. if you can afford to upgrade, do it.. of not.. Mod.

Right now I own F1A4, 2100, 2200v2, GP Extreme.. all are fine machines... I could modify the extreme, which would probably set me back $400-600..
Or i could sell the extreme, 2200v2 and buy myself a used 4000-4500.. Or go new with an SDC2300 or ATX..

Do what's right for your situation..

 

[Guest]

$400 to $600 to mod a gp extreme? I paid less than $350.

I have a friend thats a very experienced prospector.
Not 1 machine is the same in the GPX range he tells me. He has over 300 hours with the 4500 and 5000.
He has owned earlier versions of the 4500 and the latter one and its where I am getting my info from.
Some later 4500 have a black stamp of a symbol underneath the box which distinguishes some of these.

In all he has used 4 GPX 5000 and he tells me each machine was different.

He comes down for a couple of months then heads home.

Last trip he scored just under 4 oz all in small gold only using the 11" mono with the last 5000 he
purchased.

 

[Guest]

$400 to $600 to mod a gp extreme? I paid less than $350.

I have a friend thats a very experienced prospector.
Not 1 machine is the same in the GPX range he tells me. He has over 300 hours with the 4500 and 5000.
He has owned earlier versions of the 4500 and the latter one and its where I am getting my info from.
Some later 4500 have a black stamp of a symbol underneath the box which distinguishes some of these.

In all he has used 4 GPX 5000 and he tells me each machine was different.

He comes down for a couple of months then heads home.

Last trip he scored just under 4 oz all in small gold only using the 11" mono with the last 5000 he
purchased.

Ismael modded your 3500, it cost YOU $350... I would also prefer to have him do the work, Doesn't mean its going to happen..
Have you seen the prices detectormods.com charge? I'd get no change out of $1200.

More over, I'm speaking to my own experience, with MY detectors and MY time spent..

Your friends experience is his own, as is mine, I don't make any claims that i know one way or the other.. I know for a fact that no one SD, GP or GPX machine are exactly the same.. slight variations in hundreds of components is to be expected..

I'm here on this forum because of convocations like this, information being shared, learning... I haven't heard much about the difference between the older and newer GPX 4500 machines other than some say the newer machines are "hotter"..... Now i know more.. which is awesome.

 

[G0lddigg@]

Wow $350 for a mod seems very good

 

[old hand]

The biggest trouble with mods is when you want to up grade dealers will not touch them .The only mod I would have done is a tracking button on 2200,extreme and 3000 well worth it and a amp regards john

 

[Guest]

The biggest trouble with mods is when you want to up grade dealers will not touch them .The only mod I would have done is a tracking button on 2200,extreme and 3000 well worth it and a amp regards john

Its the only mod done to my 2200-extreme.

And if dealers wont touch them after major mods.. then i wont bother.

 

[KIM-MARGARET]

Hi guys this is great advice we bought a gpx 5000 not even a year ago hubby has been taken in with this upgrade from Woody, as a matter a fact he was only on the phone yesterday with him, going to post it off next week.
Strange thing he never mentioned the warranty he knew the 5000 wasn't even 12 months old.

The other good point that's been made I had been looking at a 2nd hand 4500 for myself, but was a bit un easy about it so was aiming at a new 4800 which I don't hear much about.

I will be going 4500 after reading all the good things about it.

And the 5000 is going no where for an upgrade
Great advice thanks so much guys well worth being part of this forum
Margaret