Andyy

I do believe Minelab is listening.  Earlier in the year I had taken a poll or "Wish List" for what people wanted on your GPZ.   I had a discussion with Bill Stirling at Minelab and sent him the link as well as summarized results.  My concern was that I had missed an opportunity to get suggestions out to them on software and hardware improvements.  His comments to me were that they very much want to hear our suggestions and that the ZED is a very new tool and will have many updates to come in the future.

Steve - I see you've tried multiple telescoping methods.   I ran across the "Golden Mask Rod Adaption" that you wrote up, also.  I am curious which worked better ... the gpx rods in the current thread or the thread from before (see below).  I am looking for something I can throw in a backpack (maybe even while running the ZED).  Thx!

I love the hip stick on my GPZ.  You can hook it up to any Camelback hydration pack (no need for the Minelab harness).  Funny thing is I just took my new Gold Monster for a walk and my shoulder was more sore from walking that!  Probably because I'm not used to using those muscles.  Go figure.

Really it's not that heavy... but as JP said, they could cut some weight off by saaaaaayyy ....  GOING TO A SMALLER COIL!!!   PLLLEEEASSEE!!    For the love of gold in small gullies, make a smaller coil, Minelab.

hmmm.... I was just looking around for a way to make my GM1000 telescope down.  I didn't really think of the GPX shafts.  Interesting idea.

I did the update but have noticed no improvement.  

Exactly what I was thinking Dsmith. 

Nice work on all the ideas everyone!

I keep looking for them benches at the LSD but never find them.  But I'm not giving up!!

Well now, Northeast ... congratulations!!  Those are considered Lunkers where I am from. 

Jeez ... very nice finds.   I love how each piece of gold leaves more clues to help you find more.  At least for those that pay attention.

I just reread again, and I don't even own a GM1000, yet.  In the near future I will get one to back up my GPZ, especially for use in the bedrock gullies.  Many thanks for taking the time to put down such a detailed review.  

I've seen the GB2 in action many times.  You cannot go wrong.

Yeah, nugget shooting is not for the faint of heart.  Your friend is NOT going to be on the same page as you and is very likely to ruin your gold trip.  You will end up wanting to check out some gold fields and he/she is just going to get bored and want a nice cozy bed in the nearest hotel.  Heck, you may too after finding how hard it is.  I would only take someone already bitten by the gold bug.  Just my humble opinion.

As for the original question, that's easy for me to answer anyways.  I wish I would have started with either the GB2, Gold Monster, or SDC2300.  Much more likely to find small gold.  And there is more small gold out there than big gold.  Also note, big gold can definitely be found with small coils.  My largest piece was found with my 8x6 Sadie coil.  

Good luck to you.  Hope I wasn't a big downer in my first comment.  Finding a partner is hard even when they *are* on the same page as you.

Andyy

I think there is a bug there that Minelab is not aware of.  It is always when switching between ground modes multiple times that the sound goes out.  The majority of the time, I don't need to switch that often, but if I want to get a check whether it is more likely than not, ground noise, then I will switch back and forth.  Do this too often in a short time span and you will lose volume.  At least for my machine.

Wow.  Now you have me worried.  Every once in a while I will be fiddling back and forth with my settings a lot and the sound will go out on mine.   I will then have to do a power restart.  Not too often thankfully. Crossing my fingers mine doesn't get worse.

Glad yours was under warranty!!

ok, rebooting this thread to modify my biggest wish for GPZ improvements.  Minelab is great at finding ways around salt.  My new #1 wish is for the GPZ to balance out those Tertiary Basalts that make up some great gold areas of the western US.  Kills me that I paid so much for a detector and my friends ATX can still detect these areas and I can't without playing rock soccer all day long.  Come on Minelab!!! :)

I pretty much use the center of the sticker :)

Well since I have switched from GPX to GPZ, I feel like an expert on small targets.  I know I have left a few but since then I have found that the really tough signals (disappearing ones that Michel mentioned)  are better to narrow down maybe once in the scoop and then spread around the top of the coil.   That's just what works for me when I get in the 1 grain size region.   Anything louder and I stick with the scoop all the way.

I tried to use the garrett carrot pin pointer but it is not sensitive enough to the small stuff that I am now finding.  

As for videos ... I almost think you are better just reading this forum and taking out some tiny gold samples out to test.  This will tell you far more and will give you much confidence for your conditions.  Knowing you've detected gold before with your test nugglets will give you confidence that is priceless. 

DAAAANG - as the others said.  Well done!!

I hated the external wrap system on the GPX.    Removing the velcro wraps was a pain.  I tried clips and they just got lost.  It made it a real pain to switch coils.  I love the GPZ internal coil method.

Thank you for the update, Chuck.  I am holding off on purchasing one of these until I am sure this issue is addressed. 

Nice one, Jen!   Those little buggers are still fun to find.  And the ZED will find smaller, yet.  Glad you're feeling more comfortable with it.  Once you get past the learning curve, that machine will really hum for you.

Lunk, JW & Steve - thanks for the input.  I've been looking for a backup/compliment detector to the ZED.  It's been between the GB2 and the Gold Monster.  I really like what I hear about the GM's ability to cancel hot rocks and discriminate in those really trashy areas.  

Here's a question to the GM owners .... will large coil still pick up down to 1 grain tiddlers?  (at the surface)  Or is that where you need to switch over to the 5" coil?  Thx all.

pretty cool to use such a small coil for patch hunting. :)