Minelab vs Non-branded generic

[kadaj]

Hi Guys

I'm new to gold prospecting and am genuinely interested in finding some gold with metal detectors. Currently on a tight budget and looking for a cheaper alternative which i found in Oz.Plaza on Ebay

Link: (Can't post link but Oz.Plaza on ebay is selling "Deep Sensitive Metal Detector Searching Gold Digger Treasure Hunter Pinpointer" for 170 Odd)

Just wondering if anyone can provide inputs what differences between the minelab detectors and these generic brands. And if anyone has experiences with their non branded detectors.

Will be heading over to Gympie this Xmas holis to see if we score something

Thanks

 

[Heatho]

Have a read of this thread mate. This will get you started on the info.

https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=16473

You would be very unlikely to find gold nuggets in Australia with that detector listed on ebay. Minelab gold detectors will give you the best chance at finding gold nuggets. That one on ebay will pretty much only be good for coin hunting.

 

[PhaseTech]

For $170 you would honestly find a lot more gold with a river sluice.

The bare minimum for a gold detector would be a Eureka Gold or Makro Gold Racer.

 

[kadaj]

Have a read of this thread mate. This will get you started on the info.

You would be very unlikely to find gold nuggets in Australia with that detector listed on ebay. Minelab gold detectors will give you the best chance at finding gold nuggets. That one on ebay will pretty much only be good for coin hunting.

I see..

Where could i get a decent quality metal detector for gold around in Brisbane/SE QLD?? any recommendations for 1-2k range that i could use both inland, and beaches (waterproof)

on another note, I found some ebay vendors selling Minelab branded metal detector, branded Minelab Go-Find series for about 200 bux. Does anyone have any experience with this?

 

[SteelPat]

The Go-Find series are an entry level detector for coins and relics, not much good for nugget hunting.

 

[kadaj]

The Go-Find series are an entry level detector for coins and relics, not much good for nugget hunting.

I was guessing that since its 1/10th of the price of a standard minelab gold hunter, thanks for confirming.

Still looking for recommendations on a good inland/beach model.

Cheers

 

[B5MECH]

Inland and beach is almost impossible, choice would be an sdc 2300, I don't believe any other waterproof PI detector can handle Australia's mineralisation
The Garrett ATX is water proof but believe it struggles in Australia
You need to throw some zeros on the price you want to spend

 

[Marauder]

The guys above are right, and they are wrong.

If you want a cheap detector you can get one that will find gold. the old VLF detectors from the 80's found gold, not much but they did, plus you can pick them up for a couple of hundred bucks on gumtree. You might not find as much gold as a GPZ or similar multi $K machines, but you'll still get to go out there and have fun.

I've had a crack with an aldi detector, and guys on the forums here reckon they rock on the beach. $100 bucks, when you can get them. I've tried mine in the bush, and only found bolts and bits of wire, but saying that I hired a GPX5000, and I didn't find anything but trash with that too.

I've just bought an F1A4, for under $400 dollars, and it will pick up my test piece of gold at about an inch in my back yard(full of EMI) so in the bush you'd be Laughing.

Point is you don't have to spend $10k to find gold. You need to be looking in the right spot. The better detectors just increase the probability that if you swing the coil over it, you'll find it.

 

[B5MECH]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJX8ricN9nc
And proof they work
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=5199
Rocking the Aldi

 

[LORD]

SOLD, i am getting an Aldi to mess around with 8)

 

[B5MECH]

There hard to get LORD, keep your eye on there catalog and they come out on special for $69 sometimes
May have to do a check and report and see which stores have them is stock

 

[LORD]

I can see why they would be at that price.
I only get to town once a month or 2 so if they happen to have them while i am there its fate

 

[Ridge Runner]

The TDI Pro OZ series and the SPP and SL will handle the Ground in OZ

 

[Heatho]

The Makro Gold Racer is a newer detector that's recently been released and is finding gold for users, might not be as powerful as the minelabs but thwey are getting some quite decent reviews. They are priced quite reasonably also.

Check out this thread by forum sponsor Nenad.
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=16502

 

[Eldorado]

SOLD, i am getting an Aldi to mess around with 8)

I purchased an Aldi detector on the 30/12/15,so keep an eye out in the next few catalogs because I think they come out around the same time each year.Havent tried it on a beach yet,but have found a few cool things elsewhere with it.You will probably find you will need a pinpointer to go with it so you can limit the size of the hole you have to dig.

 

[Old Fred]

I have an old soverign gt that i still use on the beach . The dizcriminator tho complex allways handles it . U can pick them up cheap on ebay . When they first come out they where the best unit for tresure hunting esspecially on the beach . Get one with the digee metre whitch works well and u will find heaps , even deep targets . In gold areathat everyone been over a STS 2300 would be the go . If u do what i do u need a 6000 or more for u first run then a stc to get what u missed ( i go deep nw qld ) . Never leave ya pan or sluice (dry blower ) home cos if u find somin time to dig and sluice etc . Never forget that 90% of gold found on this planet was dust . The difference between a prospector and a fossicker is that 90% u misxed

 

[summit1966]

If anyone wants an ALDI detector I have 2 and willing to sell.

 

[BillS]

How much Summit?

 

[PeterInSa]

I think getting into gold detecting comes down to 2 things, How financial are you and how much you value your spare/free time. (not mentioning your partners thoughts on the subject)

Buying a cheaper detector other than a 2300, 4500 or 5000 you will still find gold, but come across more hot rocks and most likely will take a lot longer and you may lose enthusiasm in what is a great life time interest, a bit like a mechanic using Kmart tools. And while detecting using detector X and not finding anything, you will wonder If I had bought a XXXX would I be finding gold now.

On the other hand I recently came across a person who jumped right into gold detecting and purchased a 2300 and a Z, something that I could not do, when first starting out.

Coin and relic detecting is a great starting point prior to going gold detecting, most coin detectors can discriminate, pin point and show you the depth of the coin, are relatively cheap and great fun, for the whole family.

Peter

 

[patchfinder]

If you are genuinaly interested in finding gold, like you said, you need a good detector, in my opinion Minelab make the best metal detector for gold, my suggestion is to buy the best you can afford, forget about Aldi or other cheap metal detectors that you find on eBay, because you will only waste your money and your time, finding nothing time after time is depressing and you will endup loosing interest. This is my opinion but the money and the last decision are yours.