Yet Another Detector Question.

[Nightshift]

Hey team. Quick question, I see machines like the AT gold, gold bug pro etc saying that they are good for detecting small gold in mineralized ground....but what about bigger bits of gold, I'm not talking welcome stranger sized pieces (which none of us would ever say no to) but bits say 1-5 grams (or larger)worth.
I know a detector will find it, but I see some members and articles saying they go over pieces with a "larger" machine and then a "smaller" machine and the later of the 2 won't pick up the piece. I'm sure there will be some reasonable explanation for this. Being a newbie, with no detector as yet I'm just trying to understand the fundamental ideas in what to look for in a machine.
Cheers
NIGHTSHIFT.

 

[Reg Wilson]

Most detectors will find bigger gold, but it is the depth at which they will 'hear' bigger gold that is the important factor.
VLF detectors in general will find small gold at relatively shallow depths quite well, as will the SDC2300, but run out of 'puff' at depth. Probably the GPZ7000 is the best all round detector for find even fairly small gold at depth, and larger bits as well, however it is a very expensive bit of equipment, not to mention heavy and awkward due to the fact that you need to use a harness and bungee cord if you are going to swing it for any length of time. The Z 19" coil will improve depth even on relatively small gold, but once again very heavy and expensive.
A more sensible alternative for the beginner would be a GPX PI detector, and to keep the cost down I would go for a good used one from a reputable source. You will still need a harness due to the fact that the battery needs to be housed there, however you will probably only need a bungee cord for larger coils. A GPX4000 would be a good machine to begin with, and should not cost the earth to buy. You have with the GPX, GP, and SD detectors a large range of coils from which to choose, the smaller ones for small gold or poking around in restricted areas, up to very large ones for covering wider spaces and for those bigger bits hiding at depth. All the Minelab PI detectors from the SD2200d onward have auto ground tracking.
A recent addition to the PI range of detectors is the Australian designed and built QED which is quite competitively priced and has some very good features. It can be used with ML PI compatible mono coils of any size, and is extremely light in weight. It does not require a harness as it is powered by two small 'lipo' batteries which give about eight hours use. Audio can be achieved by speaker, headphones, or ear buds, and by utilizing a WiFi system a totally cordless set up can be achieved. This detector is surprisingly powerful, and can achieve quite good depth.
I hope this is of help and not too confusing, but these are the three best options in my opinion.

 

[Nightshift]

Awesome. Thanks for the info Reg, I wish the budget would stretch to a 2300, 4500, or a 7000 haha. But for the moment its on the lower end of the spectrum, so a at Pro gold, nox800 or gold bug pro are probably at my limits, hence why asking if they could find slightly larger pieces as well, I know the kids (and definitely me) will be excited to help dig up a piece or 10 what ever way I decide to go.

 

[Reg Wilson]

Nightshift, Go pulse induction. If your budget is that limited consider a used 4000 or even earlier 3000 or 3500 Or 2200d. These machines are all very capable and have a large range of coil options giving you the chance of adding to your chances across various target sizes. The machines you have mentioned are very limited.

 

[kingswood]

I agree with Reg...Nothing wrong with the older minelabs with a decent coil
My first bit was found with a 3000 and a 15" detect Ultimate DD.
Find an unmolested GP series for around $1500-1800, grab a few spare coils to suit where you are detecting and if you walk over a bit, you are a good chance to ping it
As an example, I have just finished clearing out a small patch with the 7000...every one of the nuggets I found, the 3000 would have found....Had I been using it!

 

[Nightshift]

Definitely food for thought, I'll look into something older.

 

[old hand]

As suggested a older detector may be the best way to go for a limited budget ,I think a gp extreme 3000 or 3500 would fall into your price rang out off the 3 a 3500 would be my choice but either of the other 2 are still good detectors just add a ground balance button and you will have a good detector regards john

 

[Nightshift]

Thanks old hand John. I'll definitely keep an eye out. Didn't really look into the older detectors because I thought it was probably redundant technology, how wrong was I huh, haha. Will be waiting with baited breath to see what pops up after Christmas and if I get some overtime that will pay for something decent, key word there is "if" haha