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Older Minelab Pi's


PhaseTech

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I have one of the blue SD-2200V2's and a hardly used smooth running GP-3000 that I am in no hurry to sell.  Yes I have the 2300, 5000 and 7000.  I do feel the newer flat winding coils are better.  One of my all time favorites was the orange CT 14" round MONO, then another gold getter for me was the NF 16" round SL MONO.  Yes I still use a DD coil in some of Idaho and Oregon as the iron trash just wears this old man out and DD is a must.  Another one of my favorite coils on the Minelabs is the Commander Semi Ellip 15" MONO.  Talk about a solid built coil that just performs.

As for the boosters...I pretty much stick with factory.

Mods to a detector.  If you are happy with the mods and feel it is working for you, then I'm happy for you.  I don't get any of my machines modded, but I am also still selling Minelabs, so it might not be wise for me to sell a Minelab and then tell the customer to get it modded.

 

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3 hours ago, Gerry in Idaho said:

Mods to a detector.  If you are happy with the mods and feel it is working for you, then I'm happy for you.  I don't get any of my machines modded, but I am also still selling Minelabs, so it might not be wise for me to sell a Minelab and then tell the customer to get it modded.

 

Hey Gerry,

Sold any GPX4000's lately?  😄

I am happy with the mods.  Now I don't have to be curious about them anymore.  In some ways that was enough, but I'm still finding gold that other people missed, so there's that too.  I'll qualify that by adding that I haven't dug any huge nuggets or 1 grammers at two feet.  But if the machine is stable and quiet when others may not be, then there's an edge.  I also have less than the cost of a good used 5000 in it, so I don't feel I'm doing too bad considering the alternatives.  Lots of coil choices as well.

One thing I don't do is get all caught up in the 'hype' and controversy surrounding the mods.  I definitely don't say this is better than that, or whatever.  I also haven't said anything about it on this forum in almost two years.  Just so people don't get twerked about it. 🙃

When 'Mr. Phase Tech' posed his question I thought it would be a good opportunity to shed some light on the 'experiment' I've been conducting.  From the responses I've read in this thread, my 4000 is the only 'old tech' still getting regular use (primary detector) and finding gold.

So if we happen to cross paths in the future, you're welcome to try out my detector for the day and I'll keep it a secret for you. 😉

Luke

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Im running a Gp Extreme ,modded by Woddy and have had it ,seems like 10 years.

Runs sweet and does the job really well.The Lucky LArk,Li Ion Battery combined with the Amp is all i need.Oh and a good set of headphones,Thanks Nenad!.

Actually i also use the Apple ear buds and find them excellent.

Regarding the machine,if any,the only gripe i have is the "Level Adjust".Which affects the pausing of tracking.Kinda does my head in ,regarding tracking out weak signals/combined with hot noisey ground at times.

Other than that very very stable.Huge improvement on hot rocks from stock....Gain control great,not to mention the wider Frequency adjustable pot...Thanks a bunch Peter!.

I run the 12 Inch EVO...Goes deep and also the 12 Advantage.Best all round coils in my opinion.

 

 

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Hey Ash, 

Glad to hear that. 12" round or 12x7" in the advantage? 

Yes the level adjust was always a tricky one. I used to use Fixed in milder soils, and in variable ground when using Tracking, I found the Level Adjust on about 10 o'clock worked well. Later when I installed a tracking switch on the handle, I never (very rarely) used Tracking, as it was so much easier to control the machine. 

In very mild ground, running mono coils on Normal/DD position was deadly. 

One thing I could never really work out. On my GP extreme when using a Coiltek 14" Pro DD, it seemed to run better with my home made battery regulator set to 6.9 V. When I used the same system on the 3500 I seemed to get a more stable threshold running a stock 6V gel cell. Couldn't work that one out..... I later switched to the 15x12" Commander DD, running my regulator on 6.7V (unloaded) and that combo worked great. Medium tracking, Mono and Sens Extra could handle most of the soils here and got some good results.  

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Hi Guys,

These days I swing a GPX4500 and a SDC2300 that works for me and I love them, but still have a GP3000 that is a great little gold getter.  I have a sadie, a 14 x 9 evo as well as an occasional 14 inch DD on the 3000 , also a SPO1 booster that I got off you Nenad. 

Whilst i am not a supporter of modding I must admit I did get the tracking button put on my 3000 and a decent third party power supply that attaches to the detector saving on unnecessary trip leads that I seem to find,  also cutting down on weight. 

The 3000 still delivers, got this 10 grammer with the 14 x 9 evo in flogged out ground that has seen just about every machine go over the top only the other day close to home .  Only goes to show its still out there and no one gets it all.

 

Regards to all.

 

 

 

 

My 10 gram nugget.jpg

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On 3/12/2020 at 7:53 AM, PhaseTech said:

Hey Ash, 

Glad to hear that. 12" round or 12x7" in the advantage? 

Yes the level adjust was always a tricky one. I used to use Fixed in milder soils, and in variable ground when using Tracking, I found the Level Adjust on about 10 o'clock worked well. Later when I installed a tracking switch on the handle, I never (very rarely) used Tracking, as it was so much easier to control the machine. 

In very mild ground, running mono coils on Normal/DD position was deadly. 

One thing I could never really work out. On my GP extreme when using a Coiltek 14" Pro DD, it seemed to run better with my home made battery regulator set to 6.9 V. When I used the same system on the 3500 I seemed to get a more stable threshold running a stock 6V gel cell. Couldn't work that one out..... I later switched to the 15x12" Commander DD, running my regulator on 6.7V (unloaded) and that combo worked great. Medium tracking, Mono and Sens Extra could handle most of the soils here and got some good results.  

What you say,i agree with here."Best run in Fixed"and also with Level adjust lower down better when ground is mineralised.

I really need to get around to sorting out that tracking switch on the handle.Was yours a push and hold type(Like on 4500?) or a traditional switch?

Been so long since i set the "POT" in my lucky LArk battery(Voltage output) that from memory i thought the sd,s and the Gp,s were good to up to 7.3 Volts.So not sure why your machine as stated did what it did.

Anyway ,look forward to my Coil,yet to receive Nenad.

Actually also working on another!.The 9 Coilteck Elite,which id love to hear some views on or anything that can do the job as well as my regretfully sold SADIE.

 

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Yeah I'd think like the 12x8" Evo, the 9" Elite may be too much for a GP machine, they are just too sensitive! Be dynamite in very mild soils though... 

My remote GB switch was literally a relocation of the control panel switch. I removed the switch and put a DC plug in it's place, so didn't have to drill the control panel. Then with a bit of boring on the handle, mounted the switch up there. It was forward for tracking, back for fixed. Worked great. 

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