Gold Canyon Detector Shoot-Out

[Rick K - First Member]

Yes, it is a sickness. Having tested and sent on their way for various reasons a:

GoldMaster 3
Goldmaster 4b
Original Lobo
Lobo Super Trak
AU-52
Diablo μmax

And having on hand until further notice a:

Goldmaster 4b chest mount
GOLD bug Pro
Gold Bug 2
MXT
TDI
Sd-2100
Whites DF PI

I am receiving on Tuesday an ATX, I am now ready to take the field and look for AZ gold.

Now any normal person would have set off years ago with his first gold detector and found out whether he really had what it takes to find gold. But then, who said I was normal.

The current plan is to find out if the ATX can replace all of the above stuff except for the GB2 and the SD-2100. The former because NOTHING can touch it for finding crumbs. The latter because I just got it and I need to scratch the Minelab itch a bit, plus I have met someone who loves this detector and is willing to help me learn it - especially for meteorite hunting.

In my own defense I can only offer the fact that metal detectors fascinate me as devices. I have derived endless pleasure puttering around on my 3 acres or so of AZ desert trying to hear what the various machines are saying to me about the ground and it's contents.

So Thursday we head up to a club claim and start the "Survivor" process.

[Jack and dog]

Hello Rick ,

 

Love to hear why the following got the cut  ?   

GoldMaster 3 & the Diablo Umax

 

Jack 

[Rick K - First Member]

The GM-3 wasn't as hot as my GM-4, plus I liked the push pad GB on the 4 better. Besides I had an offer I couldn't refuse for the 3. I know it's considered to be the cream of the pre-GMT crop, but I liked the 4b better.

The Tesoro was nice, but I kept forgetting which position the switch to choose between the 2 Gb settings was in. In a "hot rock hell" I prefer the discrimination of the GB-2 to flipping back and forth on the toggle switch of the μMax. At least on the GB2, the absence of a threshold tone reminds me that I'm not in the "primary" - in this case, all metal - mode. Also another case of an irresistible offer. Probably should have kept it - just because they are so hard to find.

I don't claim that all of my choices were optimum, but I learn as I go along. Because I have been fortunate to find detectors that interest me at bargain prices, I have been able to experiment with them at low cost by selling them on pretty quickly without loss.

I have high hopes for the ATX. Small gold, bigger gold to reasonable depth, beach and fresh water, packs nicely for foreign adventures - we'll see.

For other than gold hunting on land, there is nothing in AZ which makes demands beyond what my venerable Whites Classic III SL with Mr. Bill's mods can't handle. I also eagerly await the next round of offerings from First Texas.

[Jack and dog]

Thanks for the reply Rick

, The hot rock balance on the Umax covers a wider section of minerals then the GB knob but takes a lot of practice  to get the hang of .

 I think Steve was interested in getting one not that long ago .

 

Jack .