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Reasons Not To Get A Minelab GPZ 7000


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Excellent post Steve; I am new to detecting and I am going to learn my 2 machines before I leap into a big purchase! I plan on detecting for a living, don't expect or want to get rich LOL but I would like to find enough to keep me, my truck and my camp trailer fed and as soon as my grubstake is big enough I am gone to the nugget hunt!

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Great  read mate you make some very valid points.

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 Another minor niggle. The coil feels and sounds like a hollow drum on the end of the rod. Not too bad when using good headphones but quite loud if you let it ride on the ground, as I often like to do because of the weight. I like being able to use an external speaker but then that coil bangs away loud and clear

As far as the GPZ 7000 coil drum effect. I quite simply being a beachy detectorist from way back wear quality headhones. (*ALWAYS* ) 

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I was stuck on headphones so much that when I visited Australia JP could not convince me to go to external speakers. I finally did two summers ago and I have to admit that when in bear and snake country it is nice being able to hear what is going on around me!

The fun part about making the original post is despite everything said I do not for one second regret selling my GPX 5000 and related gear and going with the GPZ. The more I use it the more I like it.

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On 3/8/2015 at 7:15 AM, Steve Herschbach said:

An 11" coil was mentioned in the draft manual but that mention was dropped from the final manual, as was mention of the 20" coil. The actual size of the accessory coils has yet to be determined. My vote was for an 8" x 11" semi-elliptical.

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 My vote was for an 8" x 11" semi-elliptical

Ducks nuts mate  >grin<.  Your on the money with that suggestion.

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With regard to buying a 7000 or staying with my 5000,

I will always try to jump into the newest technology because part of the thrill of detecting for me

is the process of delving into and coming to an understanding of, the newer engineering.

That being said, I still am coming to grips with my 5000.

Partly because I have had to move away for three years from the west coast where I detect

and of course that has given me much less time over the coil. 

Don't you folks think the 7000 sounds like a really interesting learning curve?

I do, and look forward to learning from the many fine posters here 

while I squirrel away my infrequent spare dollars and impatiently await the day 

I am able to return to the west and my many prospecting mentors and friends.

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Mr. Herschbach;

You have just demonstrated why this forum has rapidly become among the best, if not the best. Thanks.

After your first post on this thread I feel a bit more at liberty to make some not so favorable comments on the 7000.But I will put the bottom line here at the top. THE 7000 OUTPERFORMS THE 5000 BY A SIGNIFICANT MARGIN. However Minelabs claim of 40% was probably a mistake that will come back to bite them. I have spent 3 full days learning the 7000 so that I can help the purchaser learn to use it so here is a brief review with a few opinions thrown in.
The good- It is very good at finding small gold
The menu is fairly well arranged.
It handles hot ground very well.
It is somewhat more simple that the 5000 to set up and be confident you have the best performance for the ground your working.
The bad- Is it really worth $10,000? Not to me- because of the type of country that I detect in.
IT IS HEAVY.
As Steve mentioned, the coil cover sounds like a drum. It is very distracting and I inadvertently challenged a neighboring tribe to a battle.
What's the point of of a detector being cordless if you need an elaborate suspension system to support it.
The ugly-Why would the top detector company in the world send out a $10,000 detector with $30 headphones?
If you connect the headphones directly to the detector for a little better audio the cord is to short to pass your recovered target over the coil.
The short velcro on the arm support is infuriating. remember you paid $10,000 for this.
Minelab Dealers!!! start stocking replacement wireless modules. You can get a better more secure pocket / belt clip on a $5 tape measure from Ace Hardware.
You have just paid $10,000 for a detector but you need to print your instructions at your own expense.

A final comment about the weight.
I have retained the services of of a highly qualified structural engineering firm to design a better supprot system for the 7000. I have requsted them to pay careful attention to compressive strength, horizontal deflection, vertical loading and a bit of wind shear for added safety.

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Hi klunker, thanks for the post. I appreciate your honest appraisal.

The quote is "up to 40%" not 40% across the board. There is a huge difference, but I agree it is causing issues because people keep expecting 40% across the board.

"Up to" covers a lot of ground and all Minelab has to do is prove exactly one instance where 40% is true to be covered. No problem from what I have seen and in fact I think I could make an "up to" claim far greater than 40% to really throw some petro on the fire!

It will not matter in the long run. The performance is what it is, and all I need is an edge. That, I am convinced, the GPZ does deliver.

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The weight issue is interesting,as the GPX is not heavy and the balance is good even with a small side mounted Lion batt.  Also I have my GPX fitted to an old 3 piece stem, so it can go in a ruck sack. No way will the GPZ fit in my ruck sack.

Also GPZ coils might become an issue, check out how much the standard 14" coil is!

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