Jump to content

Gold Bug 3.5" Round Search Coil


Recommended Posts

The original Gold Bug. My first gold machine. There are 50 nuggets shown in this picture with the largest a 5+ ounce piece.  I think I bought it from a dealership called Clevenger. Those were some fun days. BFE8205F-0CE0-436A-88DE-FEB359DB98F9.thumb.jpeg.64337cc78bc991662ab2d8e192da3dee.jpeg

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites


Got a call from Felix, only been a week, nice! Going to be $65 for parts and recalibration, including return postage. I'm very happy to pay that to get an official calibration from the factory. I should have it back next week. Big thumbs up on FT servicing a thirty year old metal detector. 👍🏼

  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 10/1/2020 at 10:53 AM, phrunt said:

They're lucky they have the staff around that still know how to do it, must be a good company to work for. 🙂

This is pretty exciting resurrecting the old girl. 

FT has historically had low turnover, though I think they did some house cleaning recently. Felix has been there forever, and does a great job. He was the guy I talked to ages back when I still lived and worked in Alaska. It's a good thing to have continuity in the service dept especially.

The Gold Bug in question is one I sold to my sister brand new back around 1990. She only used it a couple times, but did find a 4 dwt gold nugget with it. It sat in her garage for over 25 years and died in the process. Probably a bad capacitor. So she gave it to me a few years ago. I got it to fire up at least, but very intermittent at best. It came with the old two piece rod assemble and white lower rod originally, but somewhere along the way I had upgraded her to the three piece assembly with black lower rod.

The 3.5" coils are a couple I picked up along the way many years ago, and due to the extreme rarity are one of the few hardware items I have held onto all these years. So she sends me the detector with 10" coil, and I have these two ancient coils that will work on it. It will be fun to get it up and running again, and a big impetus for my doing that is those tiny coils. The machine might actually prove useful for crevice work due to those tiny coils.

steves-sister-metal-detecting-for-gold.jpg

steves-sister-metal-detecting-for-gold-nugget found.jpg
Steve's sister with 4 dwt gold nugget she found with Gold Bug

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

They really do a great job.

Sent in a CZ-6 to calibrate towards a new 8” coil and have a standard headphone jack added.

Best dry sand switch on and go coin grabber out there. Just disc out iron and bottlecaps are gone. Some really fun targets still come through.

Can’t beat some fun with a Classic.

Make it happen with the Bug!!

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Reading this post jogged my memory. I just happen to have a new old stock 3.5 and 3 x 6 coil. If you can use it shoot me a pm and I'll send em down for you.

Always thought I'd get another Gold Bug and put that small coil on for checking the cracks, but I have to many detectors now and been forcing myself to pass on any new ones.  Sooooo hear ya go🙂

 

6960F629-DA86-4425-BD3D-8DFDF54C80B1.jpeg

A04DA005-F047-4D55-AD63-65B125AA6FE5.jpeg

  • Like 3
  • Thanks 1
  • Oh my! 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 10/10/2020 at 2:15 AM, sjmpainter said:

Reading this post jogged my memory. I just happen to have a new old stock 3.5 and 3 x 6 coil. If you can use it shoot me a pm and I'll send em down for you.

Always thought I'd get another Gold Bug and put that small coil on for checking the cracks, but I have to many detectors now and been forcing myself to pass on any new ones.  Sooooo hear ya go!

Coils received, thank you very much. That was quite kind of you! 👍🏼

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I used to really look forward to Clevenger's mailing list.   

HH
Mike

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, Steve Herschbach said:

Coils received, thank you very much. That was quite kind of you! 👍🏼

Your welcome, hope you have a few good adventures with them and share the stories with us. Threads on the old detectors is fun, kinda like an old 47 Ford sedan not much for it but everyone smiles when they see em!

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...