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Older Minelab Pi's


PhaseTech

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Just curious, how many prospectors are still swinging around a Minelab SD series, GP or even GPX4000??

These models hardly get a mention these days. 

For those that are swinging these older models, here's a few additional questions do get a bit of chatter happening....maybe

Have you tried any of the new flat/spiral wound coils? 

Have you tried modern boosters, or aftermarket battery options? 

On a personal note, I still have a SD2100e and a GP3500 but they don't get any serious use. The 2100 is very sentimental model to me as it was the detector I found my first nugget with. The GP3500 was my baby, where Minelab added everything I wished for. It still has the best audio in any prospecting detector I've used to date (admittedly she's a bit on the quiet side). 

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Something else I've pondered recently relating to early PI's is that during the SD & GP series days there was good development in DD coils. Coiltek had the terracotta series and then PRO series. Minelab went from super goldsearch to the black GPextreme coils and then to GP series, and Nugget Finder had their Fiberglass DD's. The 16" DD was a ripper on the GP series machines. As soon as the GPX4000 came out and the birth of the Smooth timings (later adding Enhance and Fine Gold to the mix) development on DD coils sort of died. I may be wrong but the only new DD coils to hit the market were the Commander 15x12" DD, Coiltek changed their 14" Pro to a tan coloured DD Pro Elite, and then more recently Detech released the 15" DD Ultimate, and last year saw the Nugget Finder 25" DD X-Search. Anyway, my thought was if Minelab/Bruce Candy hadn't come out with the Smooth timings, I wonder what sort of DD/Coil advances may have been developed?? I guess we'll never know. 

Actually, the other non-Monoloop coil development that happened was Detech's SEF coils. 

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Hey Nenad,

Yes, I'm using a 'Woody modded' GPX 4000 with a 15" EVO.  This last year, I used the 15" exclusively.  Made some good finds along the way.

After almost two years, I can't think of anything negative to say about the mods.  Was it an epic change from the 5000?  Not exactly.  But the 5000 stayed in the closet for over a year before I sold it.  

I am also using the SP01 audio enhancer with headphones.  I'm not sure how it 'enhances' the audio, but I needed a volume knob because the 4000 was 'quieter' than the 5000.  My custom battery doesn't have an amplifier either.  The SP01 works great and does what I need it to do.  I'm very happy with it.

I've spent a good deal of time watching your videos.  Thanks for the excellent informative content.

Luke

 

 

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 I have left instructions for my 4000 to be used as my headstone. A 4000 used with an audio boosted 5000 battery makes an excellent detector for loaning to a guest or for corrupting some one by getting them addicted to nugget hunting.

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I still rock the 3500 when Im out in open ground thats not bombed with magnatite. I really like the easy operation, its just turn on and go. But when Im working difficult ground where the 3500 loses stability I use a 2300 and 5000. But I still really like the 3500 its the last of the analog machines. 

Im looking to maybe get the 12in EVO and give it a go on the 3500 and 5K.   

BTW thanks for the youtube videos!

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Phase Tech, I still have my old Minelab 2100 as well. It was the first detector I could take to an area that had super hot bedrock , bedrock that simply shut down other detectors, and it allowed me to find the nuggets trapped in that bedrock. Admittedly, the bedrock was so hot that at times I could only run it on one side/set one balance, but man, did it find the nuggets.

Enjoyed your post.

All the best,

Lanny

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Everyone needs a decent DD in their kit.

Seriously thinking of purchasing another 4500 or 5000 purely to run a big NF 25 DD

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