Leaderboard

Hey Guys/Gals, Well I'm out in the field writing this, but I got a call from a customer today that purchased a GPX 6000 from us. His detector was going bonkers, tried everything to get it to settle down. Sounds like there is an issue and I contacted my Minelab Rep Deb. Any customer having issues on their GPX 6000 needs to contact Detector Center, or start by calling - Customer Service - Minelab Americas 1-877-767-6522 and hit # 2 You should be put in contact with Detector Center in PA, which they will send you a RMA and label to return the unit. Once they inspect/test the unit, Deb stated they will ship you a replacement. Contact the dealer you purchased from for further information on getting a Minelab GPX 6000 fixed (warranty issue/replacement). P.S. Also, it sounds like when using the external speaker on the Minelab GPX 6000, you can/will experience a lot more EMI, sometimes enough to drive you nuts. I haven't experienced this due to always using the headphones. Hope this helps, Rob

I'm very sorry for everyone experiencing issues with the 6000. This plus rod and EMI issues take the shine off the machine. There are way too many production issues with this very high priced detector. Not a good look Minelab. People expect more at this level.

A mate and I were detecting Beggary hill when the boys found this slug down by the fence where there were a lot of old tins. It was just off a surfaced area. The kid that found it was Adam Turner (not Yerner as printed in the paper). His dad was a friend with whom I drank 'moonshine' rum at Wedderburn. Luke Turner had a prospecting shop in Wedderburn and had loaned a detector to the kids for a school project on gold prospecting. I dropped in one night with a large bottle of Coke for a rum sip when Luke said to me "I've something to show you". He unwrapped the slug from a pillow case. It weighed about 85ozs with a bit of ironstone in it. A nice lump. Problems arose when the parents of the two other kids got greedy and involved lawyers because it seemed that they did not trust Luke to sell the nugget, which was stupid because Luke had the contacts to get an above spot price for the nugget. Gold brings out the worst in some people. The end result was a forced sale where the best price was not obtained and the lawyers ended up with most of the money.

Hunting gold takes me to beautiful places I would not otherwise visit. I love the history, the geology, the adventure, the solitude and thrill of finding gold. I also enjoy the friends I make and the knowledge we share.

Great post Rob. I'd like to add a little to this, if you don't mind. Since Minelab USA has been short staffed for quite some time (many companies are) I also suggest you follow up the phone call with an email to them at service@minelabamericas.com When emailing Minelab and or calling them with any detector issue be sure to have the model of unit, serial # of the detector and date purchased as that info is required to get things going. Note- It's most wise to assemble and test your detector (and coils) as soon as you get them. Also make sure the chargers and headphones are taking charge. Please don't try to operate the detector in the house or back yard. You need to take the time to get away from all the EMI we are walking around. I have always recommended those who purchase a detector from me Gerry's Detectors and have issues, I prefer you reach out to me 1st. That way, we can try to trouble shoot before reaching out to Minelab. Sometimes it's something simple a newer customer is not aware of. On occasion and it has happened more than once, I might be able to help. If one of my customers is on a trip and their detector craps out, I have been known to get a loaner to them. Sometimes it's the same model and then too it could be something even better. Well known dealers such as Rob and I are supposed to keep a variety of detectors on hand. Not saying we will be able to provide one every time, but if you never call us, we'll never know. Back in the day when Minelab USA was more interactive with all the dealers, we used to have a yearly Conference. Part of the event was to recognize those select dealers who went above and beyond for different areas of this industry. We were presented awards for our hard work, knowledge, sales growth, customer service and such. I can assure you, Rob and I were and still are always at the top for Customer Service for our customers and many others. Being that we both have stood the test of time in this industry and been with Minelab for over 20 yrs., you know we truly do care for most everyone who is swinging a Minelab detector. Part of what separates us both from many of the others, is we are small focused detector dealers who enjoy being in the field and sharing our experiences and knowledge. When you call our offices you don't get a secretary or middle man, you will be speaking with us, the owners of the business. Yes it might be a day late on occasions (as we are out there learning new detectors and or educating our customers), but we will get back to you. Wishing everyone a great experience with your detectors, no matter what brand and or model. It's all about fun, finds and making memories with friends.

For me when I started hunting gold with my grandfather, I found that when I was out there either panning or sluicing that I had no worries in the world. I believe that most of us will agree that when we do something we like there is no better feeling. I am just learning to metal detect for gold, and can't wait to be able to get out there to do it. Should I not be able to find it with a metal detector I will simply go back to one of my sluices or just start panning again in the local creeks. I will admit that I enjoy coin hunting with my detector and can/have hunt for several hours without any breaks. It seems that when I am out there and in the zone/hunt there is nothing that can be more relaxing. Hope this helps explain why I am out there every chance I get.

As a dealer who sells them and tries to keep up with my customers, I've had a few with issues and would say it is more than the norm. No excuse at all but I would guess they are having the same issues we are here in the US for keeping people at work. Just imagine the demand for a new product and at the same time so many people don't want to work don't want to be about anyone and then the Covid protocol kicks in and if someone tests positive, every person around them is sent home. The reality is there are issues with many companies and products right now. I would expect this to go on for another 6 months. My issues with the GPX-6000. 1) It finds gold so easy, I have to bend over more than I did with the other PI's and that's not good on my bad back I got from swinging a GPZ-7000 for so long. 2) It finds smaller nuggets so easy, I have to actually wear my glasses and filter the dirt. Now I have to carry glasses. 3) It's so much lighter in weight and better ergonomics, I find myself detecting longer hours and finding more pieces of gold. You would think this is great, until you realize you didn't get time to relax and have a beer or shot of whiskey with your comrades. 4) I'm finding smaller nuggets with this PI than any other before and sometimes I easily lose them before I get back to the truck. It pisses me off when I admit (easy come - easy go). 5) I find the external speaker works so well and is so loud I just assume the target is near the surface and then find out it's actually deeper. 6) The detector is so compact, it gets lost in my camper. Heck I even lost it in my truck one time and actually drove back home thinking I forgot to pack it. I'm wasting precious time trying to find it. In days past, the GPZ-7000 would take up the whole passenger seat or half the bed in my trailer. No more with the 6000, but I might put one of those beepers on it and keep the fob with me. I lost full size F-350 long bed 4 dr super duty truck one time in a parking lot. That beeping fob saved my ass. 7) The simplicity of the GPX-6000 is boring my brain. Who the hell sells a $6000 detector and all you pretty much have to do it hit the power button and a couple others. How can my brain grasp something I have no control? 😎 Not wearing a big bulky harness anymore is not what I expected. Now I have nowhere to pack my pick and I have no bungee to get in a fight with each time I bend over. 9) The cost of coils and battery is not inline with a $6000 detector. A GPX-5000 battery is $441 and this is only $165. A GPZ-7000 coil is $1000+ and this is less than $400. How is a dealer supposed to make a living selling accessories. 10) The amount of gold nuggets my customers are finding is the best Success of any high end gold machine in many years. Now I am getting accused of planting gold and taking pictures of the same gold over and over. I'm a Karma guy, just saying. Minelab, You ever pull this shit again and I'm done buying detectors. You could go out of business, me too.

In my almost 50 yrs of MD'ing across six different countries I find myself going back to the GOLD more often than not. Yes I've dug more than my share of Roman coins and even a few scare items dating BC when I swing the history rich fields of England's past. Yes I've pulled a few stunner diamond bling rings in the scoop from the salty seas across the warm water coasts of this world. Yes, I've been the 1st to touch a rare Civil War relic that was lost during battle of our freedoms in the rich soils of our original 13 colonies. On occasion my hand has been the 1st to reach down and pull a treasure from outer space that was sitting on the desert floor just waiting for someone to see/know what it is (meteorite). And yes to this day, I enjoy cutting a deep plug and popping out a silver dollar or even a Merc dime, for that matter from a 100 yr old house. But the reality is I seem to go back to the gold for most of my hunts. Why does it pull me/you more than the other kind of treasure metal detecting? For some, it could be about the money and value of gold? At times I probably think and direct my next hunt to that as well, but yet I've sold very little. I know my wife would rather see me spend more time chasing gold, as she keeps saying to find enough to retire. Is it really about the money though? Maybe it's the solitude of being out in the middle of nowhere and not having to listen to the constant hustle and bustle of everyday life? Being the only person on the side of a mountain and all you hear is sounds of nature around you? How about being in the isolate desert, the 1st (only person) to wake up, make your cup of Joe and watch the sun rise as you figure your direction and plan of attack to find a few Au dinks? I do enjoy my annual hunts with friends and the camaraderie we share. It's so exciting (for me anyway) when someone finds their 1st of something (gold wedding band, 1800's Indian Head Cent, 1st silver coin or even gold nugget. I was there and in a way helped them accomplish their goal. I try to capture the moment and enthusiasm as it's their first and may never happen again. As a pretty skilled detectorist (but always willing to listen/learn more) I do enjoy the challenge of Nugget Hunting as I feel it's one of the hardest styles of MD'ing to accomplish and succeed at. Maybe in a weird way we enjoy the defeat of not finding and or the hardships Prospecting seems to bring? I know for a fact I've had more talks with the man above when on such "trying to find gold" trips. For me, I think it's a combination of all above and probably other reason I've yet to bring up, but at different %'s. I really don't think there is a right or wrong answer on this and why we chase gold over other treasures. What's your excuse and some reasons as I'm looking forward to hear your thoughts?

It especially sucks that Minelab's policy is that if you don't find out your detector is defective within 30 days, they want to repair it instead of replace it. Unfortunately, for me it's about 45 days since I purchased the detector. It was way too hot here in Arizona to get out and fully test it until recently when it cooled down. I am pushing for a replacement because I don't think they really know what is wrong with it and I don't want an underperforming broken seal "suspect" detector I just paid $6k for. They know there are certain batches that have problems. Those need to be replaced not repaired. We don't pay that kind of money for junk. -Don

It is quite clear that earlier this year they were aware of problems with the 6000 yet they kept selling them.They could have done a recall on whatever run of detectors that were faulty or find out where the problem was during the manufacturing process. But oh no, they chose to keep sending them out and worry about it later at the expense of the consumer. Apparently they need to step up their quality control program and I don't care what the demand was a good company doesn't do that. JMO

I had some self inflicted issues with my 6 awhile back but thanks to the forum members and some advice it's now working as it should. My areas are trashy and emi can get real annoying so I don't use it much but it's always with me when I stumble onto a less trashy area. The issues I had were solved from advice got here and were loose coil wire and also a factory re-set. My coil wire was LOOSE as hell at power box. Today I dug 10 real tiny bits and working hard for them. Took a lunch break and realized I needed to do something different so I thought about an area I'd pounded with the Monster several times digging/raking and couldn't remember if I'd followed the spot up with the 6 or not? What the hell...I'll hit it again with the 6 as what I'd been doing wasn't going all that well today. The 6 ran pretty smooth (for a change) and I popped 5 more nicer nuggs so the 6 really added to the 10 previous smallest of bits. Today I was loving the wild sensitive 6 and quite impressed on depth on small nuggs. So sorry you guys are having issues....if nothing else check that coil cable at the box, it seemingly tightens first few threads...BUT then you need to push cable in a little further...tighten nut some more, and possibly one more time. Thanks to whomever told me about that as my cable was really loose.....that and a re-set fixed mine right up!!!!! Oh yeah...59 nuggs with the 6 so far and I rarely use it......

Enjoyed coin shooting for 26yrs focusing on older coins and for living in the youngest area(s) of the U.S. I've dug a pretty fair collection of Morgans, seated, barber, mercs, LC, IH's, V's, buffies, etc. etc. It finally got to where I hated trips to the city, people calling cops, sirens, traffic, people asking questions, people cussing you, dogs barking, etc. that I burned out on it. Always been a loner avoiding the crowd and my hobbies have been solitary things like trapping, shed hunting, trail cams (trapping without the hard work, blood and guts), cutting wood, hiking into the back country, etc. Always wanted to chase gold but never had the opportunity until recently when a guy said he was a prospector and would take me up to his claim and show me around, etc. Digging, sluicing, classifying, panning was fun until the fucking Forest Service came along and told me ALL the stuff I couldn't do and that pissed me off and I said to self...that's it I'm going to use a detector from now on....and damn glad I switched so in the end the FS actually helped me with their crap....lol that's my story......

With me it's genetic so I am absolved of any personal responsibility. My fathers family mined here in California before it was California.

Well Gerry I think the only thing you've missed and the main reason we hunt gold is simply we are a wee sun touched. Too much time out under the sun, right now that suns first morning rays are breaking and it's time to get up fire up the generator and get that morning expresso in hand and quietly watch that sun rise. Well that's my excuse.

All of the above plus trying to figure out where Mother Nature has hidden the stuff and, occasionally, getting it right.

I had to switch from belt pouches because the always slide off of me. (Gluteus Minimus) So I went to an across the chest sling pouch. It works great in the parks for me and carries a suprizing amount of stuff.

Simon, You've said exactly what I, others, and probably you, have said before!👍 ML is a business, and is doing the "right" thing for their shareholders; like it or not!! The warranty is "saving" their bacon; and ours, for now!! But they had better address the problem, (if not already, with recent detector releases) or it may end up affecting sales on future models! Not unlike the huge shift to Coiltek coils by users!! But then again, maybe that was a genius move on their part, and it's actually more profitable to just sell their coil "chips" to Coiltek, and not have to continue infinitely with their "problem" design/material issues for their own coils!? Time will tell!! But a word of caution, to those new to the problem! As we have said before, It's a crapshoot, if you permanently attach anything to an "under warranty" coil,(or Pod) that cannot be removed, if it still breaks! ML has given me several warranty replacements of various parts on two different Noxes! One was a tab l had too repair, just before a trip! Luckily, they replaced that coil, when I got back! But I called, and explained first, to get an OK! But they could have very well said no, due to it being altered! 👍👍

Gerry, there is nothing funny about people on here getting defective products. Sure the 6000 has advantages, and I will appreciate those advantages in a couple weeks. Remember the detector and coil sales I sent your way. I am still waiting for the $100 credit you promised in 2018. How much is the 17" coil? Surely you would apply that credit to that coil. Right?

Beach hunt # 6 is over! Not much has changed conditions wise, so I hit the same area I did last week, just expanding it a bit. I must have been working a newer layer, as most of the clad coin dates were at least 10 years newer than the last hunt. The chance for silver goes down quite a bit, but you still have to dig that deep clad, just in case. No gold this time around, but I did get 3 silvers - a Mercury dime, Roosevelt dime, and a war nickel. The ratio of copper cents to zinc cents was great. The amount of iron and aluminum dug was not so great. 😄 Also dug a Buffalo nickel and a transit token. Lots of work for just a couple of good finds, but it’s worth it if you consider I wasn’t at work and I got to view a beautiful beach. Keep digging!

Yeah not everyone enjoys speculating I suppose, but I'm weird that way because that's what I think is one of the thing that is fun about forums, speculating on what might be and the anticipation of that. I don't care if I'm wrong or inaccurate. It doesn't cost anything, stimulates discussion, and perhaps sends a message to the manufacturers on what hard core detectorists want in a detector. To that point... Great points, Melano, and that makes a great thread segue into what else people might want XP to include as features anticipating that it will be a MF detector - I personally would like to see XP retain the Deus fully wireless ecosystem but provide a more elegant way to shift into a water friendly mode. I like having the coil be wireless from the control box for most situations because it enables quick coil switching and allows you to place the control box where you think it is most convenient like on a vest or to tuck it away and just use the phones. I would like it to retain the multiple single frequency feature. I am hoping that MF improves Deus salt beach performance and Target ID at depth in mineralized soil. If XP can make it competitive with Tarsacci in this regard, then we might actually have something to sit up and take notice. Use of MF for better ferrous target filtering (along the lines of ML's Equinox iron bias feature) would also be good. It would be great if XP would allow the user, as an advanced feature, to continuously or discretely adjust the MF frequency weighting in some manner and to enable adjustments in signal processing to be SEPARATE from frequency weighting adjustments (e.g., on Equinox adjustments in signal processing and weighting are adjusted together by shifting the search profiles/modes - Park/Field/Beach/Gold) XP made some great tweaks to the user interface with Orx (pop up Target ID and iron probability bar) and I would like to see those migrate to the new detector as options if it is going to use a similar interface but also retain the Deus ability to cycle back and forth between the modes using the +/- buttons (which was not something the ORX was able to do). I like how Orx utilized the pinpoint button as a ground grab button for quick "auto" GB adjustment. I think the XP implementation of pinpoint mode on Deus and Orx is cumbersome. A dedicated pinpoint trigger or toggle membrane would be more convenient rather than having to switch between buttons to get in and out of pinpoint mode. XP should separate the non-motion mode switching menu from pinpoint mode. XP needs to ditch their cumbersome and fragile coil charging clips in favor of something more robust and convenient. Also, they need to update to USB C and the industry standard Power Delivery spec for charging their accessories. Target Auto scoop and plug digging/finds pouch placing would also be welcome. Anyway, those are some of my thoughts in what I am looking for in the next XP detector. Would like to hear what other people are looking for.

Nearly posted the photo too. Back in 1980 at Beggary Hills Wedderburn in the Golden Triangle a piece that weighed 84 ozs. was found by three boy had found it using an early Whites detector. Just after this was announced there was a rush there by everyone and their dog. The Wife, Me, and her brother went to have a look. I saw an old guy and his wife digging a hole about two feet deep. I asked if he would let me see how my detector responded to his target. I got nothing so he got back in the hole and his wife gave him he detector and said listen to this. I woke up straight away that he was getting his steel cap boots. He was not convinced till I told him to get out and let his wife have a go with her shoes. He was a bit upset as that ground was very hard to dig and he had been digging for over an hour. .....about the nugget.....

MF with 5 frequencies is what I heard.

I posted My Minelab Vanquish 540 pro review on another forum last week but have added quite a bit since then. Video link is at the bottom as well with some of the tests I performed for those that are interested. Ergonomics are good compared to most detectors out there, it’s light weight and I like the layout of the menus and screen. I can tell it’s aimed at the Garrett Ace series of detectors. The 540 pro pack is a good value for the money. But if a person is on the fence between a vanquish 540 Pro or the Equinox 600, I would pay the extra $150 and get an Equinox 600. Performance wise it’s a beginner metal detector and that shouldn’t be a surprise as the price reflects that. Menus are easy to navigate and straight forward. It’s a great metal detector for someone who doesn’t want to dig junk. ID is accurate and almost identical to the Equinox ID numbers. If a person runs the Vanquish in any of the modes and uses the stock high iron bias, virtually all iron trash and bottle caps are eliminated. I’m going to make some performance comparisons between the Vanquish and the Equinox for those that want to know how it compares. Not saying that one is better than the other because it’s all going to depend on what you want to use each one for. The iron bias on the Vanquish in high is about equal to F2 level 6 on the Equinox and on low equal to F2 level 2 as far as I can tell in side by side comparisons. Modes I’m sure have different weighted frequencies and it’s anybody’s guess what they are. So other than the weighted frequencies I think recovery speed is the big factor in each. All modes are 5 tones. Relic mode I feel is about like having the recovery speed on the Equinox 800 at 1, Jewelry mode about like level 3 and Coin mode about like level 4 or maybe 5. Recovery speed is not adjustable on the Vanquish. Recovery speed on the Vanquish vs the Equinox was based on coins with no iron near it. So, this is where it gets interesting. There’s got to be more going on than just recovery speed behind the scenes on the Vanquish because I was very disappointed with it’s unmasking abilities in any of the modes even with the small 5 by 8 coil. A few simple tests were performed. First, I laid 4 rusty nails in a row long way with a penny, dime and nickel between each nail. The coins were about 1.5” between the tip and heads of the nails. The Equinox 11” coil can easily see each coin at a recovery speed of 3 and even 2 with a controlled sweep speed iron bias at FE 2. The Vanquish couldn’t see the coins even with the small coil with iron bias set at low. I had to put the Equinox at recovery 0 iron bias 9 to perform as bad as the Vanquish. Next I placed a coin below a nail 2” the nail was 6 inches away. The vanquish couldn’t see the coin in any mode at any sweep speed with the V12 coil. It could see the coin with the V8 coil. In my yard I have 3 dimes buried at 4, 5 and 6 inches. My soil is bad 4-5 bars on Fisher F75. Most detectors can’t hit the 6” dime and not call it iron. For example XP Deus with 9” HF coil, Makro Multi Kruzer, Fisher F-19, and Teknetics T2 with 7 by 11 coils all call it iron. Equinox and eTrac hit it fine and ID it as a dime. The Vanquish in relic mode is useless in my ground I can’t even hit the 4” dime. In jewelry mode calls the 6” dime iron, in coin mode it hits it one way but ID’s 26, so not bad. But this is clean ground as in no iron near. I took it to my local park to try out for a few hours and I was pleased with it’s performance. But I wondered what I was walking over based on my test with recovery. My question was kind of answered on one signal I got. It was a long weird signal in the 25-26 range. Good but too big to be a coin or so I thought. So I grabbed the Equinox and sure enough there where 2 dimes about 4 inches apart. One was about 3 inches deep the other 4. The vanquish couldn’t separate the two coins unless in pinpoint mode. Next, I took a trip to the Great Salt Lake Marina and State Park here in Utah to see if it could perform in the mega salt environment. I ran the Vanquish only in the jewelry mode as I figured it was the one best suited for the beach. I was able to push the sensitivity to 8 out of the water and 6 in the water without too much falsing. This surprised me because I can’t run the Equinox out there unless in the Beach modes and even then, it’s pretty noisy. But stability comes as a price and that price is depth. I located about 9 targets with my other detector that were anywhere from 2” to 10” deep. Of the 9 the Vanquish could only see 2 of them and they were both junk, one was a piece of can slaw at 2” the other was .22 brass at 4”. The other targets were a swim cap buckle, .22 long brass, 1 nickel, 2 dimes and 2 pennies. They were all in the 7-10” range. Now on a normal salt water beach with no black sand the Vanquish will probably perform better. I haven’t had the Vanquish out to a relic site yet but will try in the next few weeks weather permitting. Most likely will do signal comparisons between the Vanquish and Equinox. I worry how it will perform in my iron infested site, we will see. It’s going to be a good metal detector for my daughter, which was my intentions of buying it in the first place. She won’t be digging many rusty nails or other junk and can cherry pick coins easy. It should also work good on the beaches in California when we vacation. Overall good value and I think Minelab did a good job for the market it’s intended for. Comparing the Equinox to the Vanquish is kind of like comparing the Simplex to the Anfibio. The low priced models just aren’t going to perform at the same level although they have good DNA.

Thanks, this is just my park/lawn rig. When I'm out in the bush, I carry my deep & dirty rig, the Dirt Devastator 5000! 😆

Your asking a lot for a $450 machine. There aren't many metal detectors in that price range that I would even consider. Fisher is too behind the times, Whites is out of business and XP is priced too high. So that leaves Garrett, Minelab and Nokta Makro. Yea you might consider some other brands that do exist but lets just stick with the main stream stuff. Garrett at $450 and under offers the Ace series which includes the Apex. So of the Ace series only the Apex is in the running IMO. Nokta Makro only has the Simplex. Minelab has basically the Vanquish series. You mentioned you want separation, mineralization and beach handling capabilities. What I don't know is are you taking about saltwater beaches or fresh water beaches because that will change my recommendation. So I'll make a pick for both. BTW I have owned or still own all 3 machines in question. Starting with fresh water beaches. The Simplex is hands down the best alternative and here's why. The Simplex is waterproof, handles mineralization quite well and offers the best target separation of the 3. My ground is 4-5 bars on the F75 and of the all single frequency machines out there (including the XP Deus/ORX) is handles my mineralization the best. By best I mean both runs quiet and offers exceptional depth. In the target separation tests I've done the Simplex is lightning fast compared to the Apex or Vanquish. For $450 you can have wireless headphones and 2 coils. Now saltwater beaches. I will say up front that I haven't tried the Simplex on a saltwater beach. But by default I would rule it out simply because it's single frequency and historically multi frequency machines perform better that single frequency machines in saltwater environments. So of the Apex and the Vanquish it's honestly a toss up but I would lean more towards the other in 2 different scenarios. If you're strictly after depth I would lean toward the Apex simply because it has bigger coils available and from everything I've seen the MS feature on the Apex is right on par with the Vanquish depth wise coil size to coil size. However, I haven't had the chance to work the Apex on a black sand beach. The Vanquish I've had on Southern California black sand beaches and it performs quite well. So the Vanquish might have to be the choice when you add black sand. In scenario 2 on saltwater beaches, which is trash handling I think I would have to go with the Vanquish. Neither one is outstanding at target separation. When all targets are placed on a flat plain like a nail board test the Apex slightly out performs the Vanquish with 5x8 coils installed if I recall right. But when places in a 3D situation the Vanquish MF outperforms the Apex. I would assume this carries over to larger coils, I could be wrong. Since the beach is more likely to be a 3D scenario. then the Vanquish becomes the obvious choice. Now the last thing to consider when looking at the Apex and Vanquish 540 for saltwater beach hunting is the price. For $438 you can get he Apex with the larger 8.5x11 coil. The Minelab Vanquish comes in at $369 with the 9x12 coil.

Certainly, for all the reasons you mentioned. Then, sometimes, I think there is strong physiology at play for to certain brains. I think it works similar to the same pathways as seen in gambling. Random reward systems can have a powerful dopaminergic/norepinephrinergic effect on us. Add to it the human inclination to look for patterns everywhere (even when there may be none) and the fact that experience and knowledge increase your odds. There are some powerful biological forces at play. For fun only, here are the DSM 5 criteria with the word gambling replaced with “gold finding” and other similar minor word substitutions. Gold-finding Disorder A. Persistent and recurrent problematic gold seeking behavior leading to clinically significant impairment or distress, as indicated by the individual exhibiting four (or more) of the following in a 12­ month period: a. Needs to find gold with increasing expenditure of money in order to achieve the desired excitement. b. Is restless or irritable when attempting to cut down or stop finding gold. c. Has made repeated unsuccessful efforts to control, cut back, or stop finding gold. d. Is often preoccupied with finding gold (e.g., having persistent thoughts of reliving past gold-finding experiences, handicapping or planning the next venture, thinking of ways to get money with which to find gold). e. Often seeks gold when feeling distressed (e.g., helpless, guilty, anxious, depressed). f. After losing money prospecting, often returns another day to get even (“chasing” one’s losses). g. Lies to conceal the extent of involvement with found gold. h. Has jeopardized or lost a significant relationship, job, or educational or career opportunity because of seeking gold. i. Relies on others to provide money to relieve desperate financial situations caused by seeking gold. B. The gold-finding behavior is not better explained by a manic episode. Specify if: Episodic: Meeting diagnostic criteria at more than one time point, with symptoms subsiding between periods of gold-finding disorder for at least several months. Persistent: Experiencing continuous symptoms, to meet diagnostic criteria for multiple years. Specify if: In early remission: After full criteria for gold-finding disorder were previously met, none of the criteria for gold-finding disorder have been met for at least 3 months but for less than 12 months. In sustained remission: After full criteria for gold-finding disorder were previously met, none of the criteria for gold-finding disorder have been met during a period of 12 months or longer. Specify current severity: Mild: 4–5 criteria met. Moderate: 6–7 criteria met. Severe: 8–9 criteria met.

GL, I think they call that 'Noassatall"! Most with this "malody" just wear suspenders! But you found a great alternative to overcome your "disability"!😂👍👍

Finally got it back. It got delivered to the wrong house. The connection is tight now and no more coil errors. Left it turned on in the tub last night just to be sure. I will try to email the tech and ask what he actually did to fix it. Now maybe I can finally give 2.77 vs 2.78 a try again.

GhostLight; very nice rig. Looks like you are set up for precision recoveries. It is all much too clean though.

I remember reading about it when the kids found the nugget. Also remember that the Skylab bits and pieces in Western Australia started the electronic gold rush for many of us. Just reminds me I'm getting old. When I read about large gold finds I tend to research the area and look at the type of ground it was found in, helps me focus on the geology and improve my odds of finding the yellow. People have learnt to keep the location of the finds to themselves these days, who can blame them?

Perfectly said, Randy! Hope to see you at Gold Basin in 4 weeks 🤠

My 6000 was working perfectly straight out of the box. It was one of the first in the US to arrive. Perhaps the following production batches started to have some of these issues? I never had any quality issues with any ML detector I bought, aside the well known battery issue with the first SDC models. I am sorry to hear that you guys have so many problems with it. Bummer!

I bring enough sand home too 🙄 It doesn't seem like I dig that much until I get home and start to sort it out. I have a belt with 2 home made pouches on it, along with my pin pointer. One pouch is for trash, a screwdriver (for prying rocks loose) and a toothbrush (for unclogging those tiny slits that the Garrett pinpointer has for speaker holes). The other pouch is for a drink, an old vitamin container with a slice cut out of the top, so I can just slip the coins in. Also somewhere is a 9 volt battery in a baggie just so I don't have to go anywhere if the pinpointer dies. I also throw trash in this one too if I get a lot of big stuff. I usually empty them about half way through the hunt, when I do a bathroom visit. Each pouch has a plastic insert in it so it last longer from all that sharp iron I dig. It's no beauty by any means, 😶 but it gets the job done.

I don't mind digging lots of clad after many of the crappy hunts I've had. If there's clad , there usually is jewelry. It's been ingrained in me to expect gold , but am often disappointed. I went out last night in Diego for 1.25 hours. Looked good but only 4 targets ! Ugh.. Covering the weep holes are no good. I need new ear pads....wait...I need a new detector ! 2 companies I been looking at are putting on a major jerk show. I typically wear shorts and a long sleeved tshirt. Unless it's really cold , like below 50° ! Then I wear pants and a hooded jacket over my headphones. Otherwise I get too hot and sweat.

Right now, I’m that guy. My $70 Winbest Pro always finds at least a few coins. Mainly an excuse to get out of the house and enjoy some sunshine and fresh air. I must admit, however, that finding a little gold/silver ring last month has made me start contemplating something better.

The problem is, if they release a new model of the coil with stronger thicker ears the previous model owners will be demanding the new model coil as a replacement for their possibly weak coil. With the Equinox likely their biggest selling detector ever this is an issue. As a business would you rather swap out the occasional coil that hardcore users are breaking and the occasional weekend warrior breaks by very bad luck or would you rather adjust the design and have a massive PR disaster with many requests for new replacement better coils even without them being broken and with people even breaking their ears on purpose to get the new model? That also means admitting there is a problem that needs fixed? 🙂 Minelab have clearly taken the first option, with replacing coils quickly and easily for everyone who breaks one. They've made it a simple process to keep people happy and say how good their warranty was. It's a shame for them the problem was unable to be fixed with a better plastic formula that looks the same but is stronger but this doesn't seem to be the case with some users breaking the replacement coils also. I've got coil ear strengtheners on my coils and I'd imagine my 11" and 6" are out of warranty by now, my 15x12" likely still has warranty although I haven't checked. I like the idea of people using epoxy to glue the strengtheners onto the coils but I don't like the idea of epoxy to make a permanent change, to get around this I've used some hot glue on mine, I can completely reverse the process as hot glue can be removed with rubbing alcohol. I could make my coils look like I'd never glued the strengtheners on if I wanted to and it should serve the same purpose as epoxy by binding the strengthener to the original ears, so far so good. As someone that's very fussy about cosmetics I used black coloured hot glue sticks too, and when using hot glue you can make it very neat by wetting your finger and shaping and adjusting it as it cools so you really can make it a nice tidy professional looking job.

Thanks for your time and effort to do this little report, kac. It's really appreciated. 👍

From my infos ( local French dealers ) , XP will release a new SMF VLF detector by the end of the year.

The Achilles Heel of the GPZ 7000 and GPX 6000 is that both detectors bang hard on certain hot rocks, generally the same hot rocks, that prior Minelab models can either reduce, or eliminate entirely. Usually in my case they are rare enough that digging them is more annoyance than problem, but if you get into locations where you hit them every few swings or more, they can pretty much shut a person down. That's why to this day I still advocate the GPX 5000 as the machine for all locations and situations over these two newer models, as it is in my opinion the most versatile Minelab PI made still. The SDC 2300 is also great, but more limited in coil selection and settings, so I give the overall nod to the 5000. In any case, I wanted to highlight your comment, as the newer GPZ 7000 and GPX 6000 get a lot of positive commentary from lots of people, including me. But it's important to note that for some locations they can be a total fail. There still is no one perfect machine for all situations, and may never be.

The Sovereign is not perfect, heavy, its recovery speed is long, poor reactivity. My Sovereign is mounted on the excellent Deus shaft. I like to use multiple detector that changes. Each detector has one or more strong points, the Deus is its reactivity, shaft, weight, wireless etc… But I find it below in discrimination/notch than Minelab detectors.

Welcome aboard Michael . You already know all of us , let us know more about you and your hunts and gear. Basically , just jump right in and have fun. We love pics ,,,,, (and maps with an X on 'em somewhere !)

Here is the ear that broke off. There is a groove worn in a circular pattern where there is contact, but obviously, that is not where it broke.

Sevastras - At least you have the top 3 performing detectors for their tasks. Xcal is known worldwide for providing ring bling to beach hunters and divers. Equinox 800 is on a league of it's own right now as a true world class multi use detector. The GPX-6000 is will be the talk of the town for quite some time. Your desire to get away on occasion and just to find anything, will eventually come around to success. I realize your 1st hunt in Hawaii did not produce what we all dream of, but to be fair, either did my 1st few trips. Learning the ropes and always trying to get better will reward you. Thanks for allowing me to be your dealer of choice. Oneguy - The worst part about "that patch", is if you drop it...you may not find it again. If you put it in your mouth to get the dirt off, you might actually not knowingly spit it out....or swallow it. No worries, I always carry a gold pan, just in case. Joe D. - Most of us have those other things in common. But at least we have the tools/toys/detectors to use if an opening of time arrives. How far can you get in a day is the other issue. Thanks for comments.

Reminds me of the Garrett ad before the release of the AT/Max as well as several recent Minelab ads. Do all these companies use the same (lame, IMO) ad agency? OK, some of the Minelab ads in particular as well as Garrett's Apex ads were even lamer than this. Tease, tease, tease on their part. Wait, wait, wait on ours.

In my mind no patch is ever played out, they are all worth ‘just one more go’ especially with new technology coming out regularly. Over time I’ve developed a number of places that have produced gold in a given district and will float between these historic areas in the pursuit of new ground. If I’m working in new ground I will often use an old favourite patch and the fond memories of the good gold I once found there as a reward if the prospecting wasn’t successful, even if I know the chances of finding something is slim the memories of what I found is a nice trip down memory lane as I go over the patch ‘just one more time’ 😂. Sometimes the tech leads you to gold adjacent to the original patch thanks to more performance in the form of either deeper gold in the case of the 7000 or a lot of smaller or specimen pieces in the case of the 6000 (with the potential of the occasional deeper piece too). I’m fortunate because I live near a gold field that is up there for some of the most variable ground in Australia, variability means that gold can be easily missed dependant on approach, angle of coil, speed of coil, height of coil, moisture, technology, etc etc as such none of my areas are truly played out. 😊 JP

Every patch holds its secrets! Some only hold Dink’s, some hold deep gold, some will hold course and smooth nugget the list is long even in the same region you hunt. The older Model GPX’s with the vast Coil selection aided in what I thought was cleaned out patches. But, you’d find nuggets just on your metal detectors ability to hear and for you to comprehend as a signal. The SDC 2300, made nearly every old patch cough up more nuggets and made it well worth the re-swing with that little coil over some extra large patches. GPZ-7000, was the same and it punched way deeper than my old GPX’s and I loaded the poke up again with it. Now, the new GPX 6000, is picking up what the SDC & 7000 missed. Sure, I haven’t found a nice nugget in my old patches (so Far) with it, as I believe the 7000 heard them all. And some old patches I’ve found nothing with the 6000! Each Prospecting trip includes swinging new ground and a few skunk trips! I know it makes it tough for a Prospector to travel hundreds of miles and to expect to find a nugget. It takes time with boots & coil on the ground to keep that smile on your face. Time to walk from and old patch? Know your old patches and the types of gold that you found on them. Each new machine advancements just might wake and old patch up. I’ve been finding nuggets just on the edge of not hearing them with the new 6000 (shallow Small Chevron Nuggets). So yes, I hunt with headphones and Volume Max’d. Happy Hunting! Rick

Today was kind of a nasty day, windy and light mist from time to time. Went to my new farmhouse permission, hoped that everyone finding silver coins would somehow rub off. 😀 I'm hunting this large grass cul de sac that the house stood behind. It's pretty large, about a half acre. The grass is really high. I may bring my mower here to cut it so I can find stuff more easily, but today I toughed it out. Did pretty well, went up and down the road, found a couple of coin spills, one with two quarters, two nickels and a dime. Went back to the circle and went back and forth over it wading through the grass with sensitivity at 24. Got all this today: A 1979 Mattel hot wheel car, surprisingly good shape. An odd piece of brass stamped Peerless Lock Corp Pat pend, two wheats, a 1930, and a 1940 something, they were in the same hole. 4 quarters, 4 clad dimes, 3 nickels and 3 memorials. 4 Zincolns. Trash was about par for this course: While making a sweep across the field I got a 17/18/19, I always dig those. After scooping up the top grass and some of the gravel, the TID improved, a 27-29. Got my best find of the day, and had to stop for Chinese take out because dinner is on me whenever I find silver: I really want to find a Barber, the dates here are right for it, but I'll take a nice Mercury dime any day.

This is for those in another thread https://www.detectorprospector.com/forums/topic/14912-blisstool-still-around/page/2/#comments Who inquiring about how to do the mods. This is Part 1 Ground Balance Mod Next installment Part 2 will be the Gain Control Mod And then I also have some easy set-up tips. Bliss Mods Ground Balance Part 1.pdf

I figured I'd try and keep my beach hunts in one thread if I can remember 😶Beach hunt # 2 is in the books. Headed to my heavy EMI beach to try the 6000 there. This is actually my better gold beach too. There were too many people there to try the dry sand, so the 6000 and 5000 stayed in the car. I figured I would spend some needed time with the Equinox. It did fairly well last hunt and I really needed to get some settings down. So, from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, I ran the 800. I was in the digging mood, so I dug a lot of junk targets. Not much change on this beach, as there are a lot of regulars hunting it. I was not alone, there was another guy with the Equinox giving me the stink eye for detecting his beach 😄. Every season I break my spade and yesterday was the day, so I am good for a while now. Not much of a low tide, but it did expose 3 rings. Each one looked good for a short while, but that mother’s ring was deep, and I really thought it was going to be 9K. So, 3 junk rings to add to the collection. I finally hit silver with a nice 925 bracelet. Another odd find was one that was going to burn a hole in someone’s pocket. A BMW car fob. That can’t be cheap to replace. Since everything is sanded in, I may just run the Equinox until I see some erosion happening. This also gives me time to try some new beaches to see what I can turn up. It’s always great to get out and exercise the old legs for the day. Weather was perfect, light breeze, cloudy, and warm – the perfect detecting weather!!!

Yes, I'm quite new to the CTX, only had it a few months and haven't had it out all that much since getting it, I'm not sure if the 17" coil is all that much deeper yet than the 11" as my targets are always around the same depth and both coils hit them fine, about the depth of a Garrett Carrot but it covers ground better which is good in my park type areas with sparse junk and plenty of silvers to be found. I guess some find it heavy and I can see why, but after swinging my GPX and GPZ for a few years now and I was never one to use any bungees the CTX feels light, even with the 17" coil The attributes that mean the most to me in a coin type detector are outright depth, while maintaining target ID at that depth in very mild relatively junk free soils and the CTX has proven itself for that, prior to it the Equinox and Vanquish were the kings for me, since getting the CTX it's been able to out perform them in my situation, although they're still outstanding for what I do. I can imagine that 17" coil is great for Mitchel doing his beaches, such big areas with a lot of ground to cover, I'll certainly be using it on the rare occasion I hunt a beach here, they're a similar situation with not all that much junk, mostly pull tabs so I think it'd be good.