Looking To Buy My First Metal Detector

[MrCrim]

Hello everybody i'm new to this site and was told to sign up here from another site. I'm looking to buy my first metal detector specifically to try and find gold nuggets. I live in "Victorville" which is part of the High Desert of Southern California. I'm looking to spend about $1.5k on a metal detector (may spend more). I was hoping that maybe some of you have metal detected in the high desert and have a good understanding on what metal detector I should buy. I was told that since I live in California that i should probably buy a metal detector that has pulse induction. If this is the case my question is what is the best pulse induction metal detector for around that range of money. If I don't need a machine that has pulse Induction what would be the best machine to get for around that range of money? Any other help is appreciated, thanks.

- Mando

[fredmason]

mando;

you live close to many placer and hardrock areas. You say you want to hunt gold but beyond that what have you studied or learned about the subject? You could spend several days reading past posts with similar questions. You should at the least read Steve's list of gold detectors. You do't need a pi or a vlf, you could drywash. I believe you have some gold prospecting associations in that area...join up.

1500 won't buy you a new Minelab Pi but it might get you an older model...1500 might get you Garret or Whites PI.

El Dorado has a Gold Bug Pro on the want ads...check it out!

fred

[Hard Prospector]

In my opinion; the Fisher F19 and thats coming from a guy that likely has more detectors than I care to admit.

I've been prospecting the CA high desert area for a lot of years (Coolgardie, Rand & the Dale) , and the F19 and TDI SL are usually my go to machines when swinging new areas between Ridgecrest south to 29 Palms. 

The F19 (or GB Pro as nearly one in the same) is very effective on small gold, handles mineralization well for a VLF, has great discrimination, lite weight,  coil options and probably the easiest machine to use. For about $2000.00, you could buy both machines and have a very effective PI and VLF combo. There are more expensive possibilities  but I have done just fine with these machines in the Mojave

Lots of options....Good luck!

[GB_Amateur]

Combining the two posts above, the F19 (as you will find out from reading Steve's reviews) and the Gold Bug Pro are almost the same detector, and El Dorado's used one for sale has all three stock coils.  (Steve's main reason for his slight pref. of the F19 over the BGPro is that it comes with the 5x10 coil -- and that is one that El Dorado is including in his sale.)

I think the TDI/SL is about $1200 new on eBay and that comes with the 12 inch dual field coil.  There are two used ones up for auction there now, neither has a bid yet.  One with the 12 inch stock coil (presumably the dual field, not the mono) requires an opening bid of $700.  That auction ends in Tues at 10:37 PM EDT. The other with 5 days left and a required opening of $800 comes with a White's 7 in. round plus the Miner John 5x10 which is the favorite coil of some TDI users.  This second auction lot also includes the longer life aftermarket lithium battery.

[Roughwater]

1 hour ago, MrCrim said:

California. I'm looking to spend about $1.5k on a metal detector (may spend more).

Not a lot you can get in that price range as to a good gold detecting PI machine. Maybe a used SD 2100 or a whites TDI.  I would go a little more and get SDC 2200,  A Garret ATX or a Minelab GPX.  A SDC looks to be a pretty simple machine, easy to set up, use and is somewhat portable and all terrain. My personal best choice of those would be the Minelab GPX.  

The VLF Gold machines all would be in your price range and would include the Gold bug models, the White's MXT, the Minelab X Terra, 705 and the Gold Racer and would probably get the most votes at this website. However a PI machine would give you an edge in depth and definitely a big edge as well in mineralized ground. The only negative side to the PI machines is they have unreliable discrimination for the most part so are considered to be a dig it all machine.  You will want to take your time deciding and reviewing each machine.  Read Steve's Reviews for starters if you haven't already. http://www.detectorprospector.com/gold-prospecting-guides/steve-guide-gold-nugget-detectors.htm#Steves_Picks

[Nevada Brian]

My suggestion, go with a Minelab GPX series as previously mentioned.  For a lot less money you can get a VLF in the 40+KHZ range and still find gold. 

However,

$1500.00 may or may not be a lot of money to spend on a hobby you have never done before.

Brian.

 

[hawkeye]

McCrim, I recommend you seriously consider a Minelab SDC 2300.  It is proven gold getter (especially small nuggets) and is very simple to use.  Right now you can find two real good deals in the classified section for about $600-700 more than your current budget.  You will be glad you spent the extra $$.

[Don in SoCal]

Hi Mando,  I like your enthusiasm. I would highly recommend you first purchase the book, " Follow the Dry Washers" by Jim Straight.  He has the knowledge you need for the area you are in. He lives in Rialto. I believe he is a member of the mining club  'The Valley Prospectors'   in San Bernardino.  Areas dear to his heart are Randsburg,  Coolgardie just north of Barstow,    Holcomb Valley,  etc. areas you may find yourself at in the future. Knowledge is power and he is a wealth of knowledge.

[Swifty]

MrCrim, lots of good advice so far, but I do have a  question, is this your first time trying to detect Gold?? If so you may want to join a local club near you and find out if your going to like this past time. 100 people start off and only maybe 2 will find some gold in the first year or two... It's not something you can learn in a weekend.