Rob Allison

Hey Bud, Thanks for the kind words. I also know how important it is when someone is leaving for a trip and needs a product. We have always, and always will support our customers 110%. I'm not the biggest nor smallest dealer, but I will always answer phone calls, text messages, PM and such ASAP. Let me know when the new coils arrives and hope you have much success with it! Rob

Hi Ceril, I know you have asked me many times on the release of the NF 16x10. Originally I heard it wasn't going to come out, but recently I heard it was, but it's still down the line. I don't expect to see one anytime real soon. I can't keep the NF coils in stock to be honest, they are very hot coils, especially on the GPX 6000 & GPZ 7000. I haven't had one customer that has purchased a Z Search for the GPZ 7000, 12 or 17x13 that has been unhappy with the performance and this is the same with the new NF Exceed 12x7 for the GPX 6000. We also sell all the Coiltek GoldHawk coils for the GPX 6000 and they sell well also. Like many have mentioned, you might consider the Coiltek 14x9 if you need something soon, or you can wait along with me with "hopes" of a larger GPX 6000 searchcoil to arrive from NF. To be honest, once you see or hear of some customers in Australia using them, I would say we are several months out after that for the US market. Rob

Hi Gold Dozer, The key in my honest opinion for detectable gold is to search for "Free Milling, Pocket type deposits." There isn't a ton of info on this, some USGS stuff and some random stuff you will find. You have to understand how gold nuggets are formed in the veins and search for those type of deposits. Also, like other mentioned, the placer info on these areas will also help, letting you know if nuggets or sizeable gold has been found in the past. I used to love talking on the phone and emailing Jim Straight. Jim loved to talk about true geology behind where gold comes from. Many of his book, hard to find now, were a good research. I believe I still have a few copies of his books, but not the NuggetShooter Bible, which was one, if not the best books written. Out here in the Southwest, I have found some great nugget patches in unknown, not documented areas. These are normally on the outskirts of known gold mining districts. Like anything, research, exploring (boots on the ground), persistence and a bit of luck all help. Keep in mind, a good gold detector, VLF or PI will be a big help.

Hi Guys, My overall favorite pick was the old Walco's that originally came from Australia and Doc used to distribute them. They were super strong and you had a couple options on size. I was able to find a dealer that sent me 4 of them many years back, but I had to pay premium to get them shipped over. For years I carried Bunk's Hermit and Burro Picks. However, even though Bunk is a personal friend, the demand became too much for him to support the dealers, so he deals direct and I believe can custom build to your specs if needed. Contact Bunk @ Bunks Arizona Prospecting for this. Doc builds his pick, the GoldStalker 24" with magnet, which is highly recommended. I sell a ton of these through the Winter prospecting season. I still carry Apex picks, all sizes. The most common are the 1-3 magnet 18", 24" & 30" picks, some like the longer 36". You can also get them with no magnets, but I recommend at least one or purchase your own and place on the top. Apex also makes a very nice nylon pick holder and belt. I also have the smaller Jobe 14.5" with a foam hand grip that works great for coin/relic or VLF gold detectors (shallow digging). This is a very lightweight pick and sell super well. For the creative type, you can always build your own. Picks due to the cost of wood and metal have really increased in price over the years. A good prospecting pick anymore is probably $60-$130. Hope this helps a bit, Rob

Hi Phrunt, Great news, Thanks for the heads up. Glad to know we will at some point see a larger NF coil for the GPX 6000. Rob

Hi Guys, Yes, still have a couple NF 12" Round Z Searchcoils (Black ones) in stock, but they will be gone quick. We will have to wait until the next NF shipment, which could be weeks or months. It's my understanding, at least for now, there will not be any larger NF coils for the GPX 6000 made. The two coils on their site have been promised since the beginning of the year and we haven't seen one proto-type yet. Being one of the largest NF dealers here in the US, I'm sure I will hear something if things change anytime soon. Hope this helps a bit, Rob

Reese, Just proves that certain detectors/coils can work in different goldfields better than others. I have always stated the GPX 4500 and 5000 have the most versatility overall with their 8 timings and various settings/combo's. However, the GPX 4500/5000 are only good to the guys that really like the experience and try different settings, rather that just a "Turn On and Go" PI, like the GPX 6000. I like the GPX 6000, but I would never run it against a GPX 5000 or GPZ 7000 in high mineralization or anywhere there is a lot of depth. This is just my personal opinion, but I have used them all long enough to prove to myself what I'm stating. The GPX 6000 is deadly on small gold and specimens, shallow ground or bedrock hunting, but not a real great unit on going for depth. I think you are proving this yourself out there at Gold Basin, where most of the gold is buried deep in the washes, or maybe shallower on the hillsides and flats. Also, I'm sure Gold Basin has had no much attention, especially after the Gold Basin Meteorite discovery, so the ground has been pounded in areas out there, so I'm sure a lot of the easy gold is picked away. Great to see you finding gold, regardless of detector. Keep up the great work! Rob

Hi Gerry, We have sold all three versions of the NF 12" Z Search and the Black one is the newest. The question has came up several times, about is there any performance difference on the new vs. older versions. I have used two versions, the first and last (black) and never seen any difference in performance, EMI or such. I heard it was all about UV, and the black does not get as hot or transfers heat better, which I would of thought it would be just the opposite. I heard about possible cracking, but have yet have anyone that purchased from us have any cracking. Hope this helps a bit. Rob

Hi Rad Rocks, I'm here in Surprise, AZ, near you, so I know the AZ desert well. I always recommend a good pair of Snake Gaiters, or better yet Doc's Leg Gaiters we sell that are knee pads/Snake Gaiters combined. I wear just a normal, light weight hiking boot, the Gaiters, lightweight pants and light colored, long sleeved shirt along with a hat. I tried to stay light, but properly covered for Sun Protection and all the stuff you will be stepping on and through while prospecting and metal detecting the desert regions. I have seen people carry everything including the Kitchen Sink with then, so you have to figure out your own style and comfort. I don't like all the gadgets, so I like to stay lightweight, minimal stuff hanging off me, but still have all the essentials (snacks, water and such). Rob

Hey Hardrock, I have tried many pinpointers over the years specific to digging nuggets from a location or crack after detecting the target. For years I have used the Garrett AT Pinpointer for this very task, worked great for nuggets about 1/4 to 1/2 gram and up on bedrock. You will not get a ton of depth unless the nugget is very large, but a Pinpointer at times, on certain targets can save time and potentially eliminate you from damaging the piece of gold by picking away vigorously. I have a ton of the new Minelab Pro-Find 40's in stock, but haven't personally tested it again the Garrett or every tried to Pinpoint nuggets with it. Pinpointers are convenient to have at times and can be easily stored in a side pouch, lanyard or backpack. Hope this helps a bit, Rob

Hey Reese, Many would love to live the dream you're living, despite the hard times. Many of us live in this "rat race" world chasing the dollar to make ends meet. For most, it's the stress that kills us. Sometimes I think living a simple life with very minimal stress is much healthier for us. For me, it's working since I was 15, running a business for over 20 years and sometimes I think what do I have to really show for it? I look into the mirror at night, wondering where time really went ..... You realize people around you have died off, kids grown up and wonder where did time really go, as I didn't really get to enjoy anything running and gunning for years on end. I guess it's just a part of life. There are many out there that never get to experience what you have seen and done, but would love to. You're adventures, Youtube and posts here truly keep the dream alive for many. You're influencing many people with the dream, the experience and the stories, most wish they could do. That all being said, keep your head up, the next big nuggets is not far away! I loved Northern Nevada, spent a good amount of time around all those areas you mentioned in the late 90's early 2000's. Wishing you much luck around Gold Basin and Thanks for all your continued business with us. P.S. Stay off so and so property 🙂 You're friend, Rob

---- You Klunker! .... LOL Rob

Doc, Yes that is correct, the first version wasn't like the newer SAGA version. The new SAGA Swing Arm does allow you to swing the detector at different angles than the first version, allowing much more stress on the joint and allowing it to wear out and break. Hope this clarifies my original statement much better. We all know you are the "Pioneer" when it comes to various detector equipment/gear. Rob

Hey Scott, Good repair. Sorry I didn't have a better answer for it, as there are not too many options for aftermarket beyond the stock replacement one. Doc does make the SAGA Swing Arm, but the reviews are 50/50, some love it, some don't. We always have the GA Replacement Kit, GA10 Replacement Swing Arm or Doc's SAGA in stock. Rob

Hey Guys, Coiltek has been around so long, but I have felt they have lost the leading edge on coils many years ago. I'm still a huge supporter, but the sales have tanked, its just the facts. This is nothing I have not expressed with Trevor at Coiltek numerous times. Nugget Finder just seems to be more sensitive, more stable and lighter. Coiltek makes bulletproof coils, but they don't have to be bulletproof to the point they are 1.5 times heavier. When Nugget Finder built the EVO (Evolution series) searchcoils, I felt this was the big seperation from the Elite and other coils from Coiltek. They have continued to push forward even more with the Exceed Series for the 6000 over the GoldHawk series by Coiltek. I would love to see Coiltek take the drivers seat again, so a bit lighter coils might be just the ticket on the next series. Just my person opinions. Need a 100 more Exceed 12x7 Searchcoils Rohan 🙂 Rob

Hawkeye - After I sold Reese the NF 12x7 and hearing other customers talk about how great it was, I had to keep one myself on the last batch and get out with it. I was using the NF 12x7 Mono. However, I can't claim it's all success of the coil, even though it's a great coil, my friend is running just the stock 11" Mono and he picked up a small handful also. Rob

Great Finds Gold Catcher. The NF 12x7 and Coiltek 10x5 on the GPX 6000 are deadly. I'm using the NF 12x7 right now and doing well on small gold, mostly bedrock hunting as it's getting warmer out West now. Keep up the great nugget hunting. God Bless, Rob

Hey Reese, Great to see you are back home, away from this Arizona heat .... LOL A few guys purchased GPX 6000 and were hoping to see you in Gold Basin, but I told them I thought you bailed out for the season. Believe it or not, you got me fired up a few months back to get back out with the GPX 6000, so I did. I rounded up 197 nuggets in 5 trips, will post some pictures, but wanted to make sure I cleaned the spot up first 🙂 Wishing you much success in Montana this season. God Bless, Rob

Hey Guys, Well the good old days, if you want to call it, are long gone. They days that dealers could bundle great deals, which I loved to do, are pretty much done. I'm not saying Manufactures don't back the dealers anymore, or am I? I have been a dealer of many manufactures going back over 20 years and the culture has changed. We now live in a technology age, where it's just a simple click of a "buy now" button and your product is on your doorstep potentially the same day. Many customers, we are a small group here on the forum, just visit Amazon and it's there! I probably talk to a dozen of these type of customers throughout the year and none of them knew about their local dealer, any deals, current promo's or any training/support beyond the initial sale. They just heard from a friend, about a certain detector, jumped on Amazon and ordered. Now you ask why, have you ever been at a UPS store or even the post office and seen the amount of Amazon returns. Heck, purchase anything, use it, you don't like return for a full refund. If I did that on all items that a customer decided they wanted to use over the weekend and return, I would have a wall of returned, opened and used items I could never sell for normal price. The days of walking into storefronts to talk with your favorite dealer are far and few in-between anymore in the lower 48. I remember when I first purchased one of my first detectors, it was a place called "Arizona Al's." You would walk in, a small shop, but there was always other guys in there talking about gold and equipment beyond the people running the counter. Al ever put in a small table, but later realized he couldn't get long winded prospectors out of the shop ..... LOL At some point, business is business and you have to run the non-buyers, long winded prospectors out, the coffee machine is now broken - if you know what I mean 😉 I'm sure if you talked with Dealers like myself, Steve H., Chris G., Gerry M., and many others, you would hear the same theme. It's the days of getting great deals, free promotional items (hats, shirts, ect), yearly conferences and great support are long gone. When you start seeing companies like, for example - Bed, Bath and Beyond - selling metal detectors, you know at that point it's not about support to a dealer anymore, it's all about the dollar and who cares who sells it, as long as the manufacture is getting their money. To be honest, the small dealers are slowing being pinched out and what you will see is more direct sales from the manufactures and only a few big box retailers like Amazon. Those great prices, training and such will only be offered from a few dealers that will continue to not give up, giving their very small profits up in training, customer deals, discounts and everything that will benefit the customer beyond their own lifestyle. This is the absolute truth, many of us dealers are running on a very small profit line trying to keep the ship floating. God Bless the small dealers! Rob

Hey OzGold, We both use pretty conservative settings, but I ended up going from the typical High Yield that I love, to General/Normal with the larger coil, 17x13. I use wired headphones, Sun Ray Pro Gold's to be exact. I don't care too much for wireless, at least not yet. If I had to make an educated guess on how much more depth it's getting vs. the 14x13, I would say these nuggets were at the next level of detection, which I would say just a few more inches probably on smaller gold. All the nuggets I found, I think 13 total for like 3 trips on this location and about 6 hours total of hunting. I have found some larger stuff here back in the 90's-2000's era, so I was hoping for a larger piece deep. I think the largest I found was about 3 grams, smallest was about .25 grams. After finding the 13 nuggets and a small handful of deeper rubbish, I thought I might get lucky and score a 1/4 ounce or better at depth. There is still a lot of ground to cover, I just covered some of the places I knew I found a bunch before concentrated in a small area. Hope this helps a bit, Rob

Hey Scott, I have only been out a handful of times, but all over hammered patches with the new GPZ 17x13. I found gold every day, friend running the GPZ with stock coil got skunked 4 times with me. I have 13 small nuggets, from about 1/4 gram to 2 grams all found at great depths. A few targets my friend checked with his GPZ, running very similar settings and didn't hear them and doubted I even had a good target. No magic wands, just another $1100 coil that will find deeper gold 🙂 I'm convinced it will find a lunker deeper "if it's there!" Hope this helps a bit, Rob

Hey Guys, I'm not sure, but it seems every since COVID many manufactures haven't recovered 100%. Whether it's chip shortages, lack of work force or whatever, just seems like it's much harder to get really anything anymore. Nugget Finder coils are no exception, many have been waiting for the 6000 coils since last year, with only small batches trickling in. Anyone looking for Nugget Finder coils, we would love to do business with you. We do have a priority list for the new GPX 6000 coils, so the sooner you get your name on it, the sooner you will be able to get one. I always recommend dealing with your local or favorite dealer. Rob

Hey Bill and others, This has always been a debatable subject (hearing, signal enhancers and miss targets). This last weekend, I gave the new Nugget Finder 17x13 Z Searchcoil another run over hammered patches. My first trip out was actually much better, but we will talk about the second trip to some of the most hammered patches I know about. Keep in mind, I have ran over these few patches with the GPZ and stock coils many times over, along with friends and some customers. Prior to that, hammered to death from VLF's all the way to the GPX 5000 with various sized coils. The ground has been passed over probably every direction, even spots dug up where people found several nuggets in a small area. That all being said, went back with the GPZ 7000, new NF coil, Sun Ray Pro Headphones, No booster/amp and running some pretty conservative settings (Sen 10, Auto Balance, General, Normal) and picked up 3 nuggets over the course of about 5 hours along with several dozen trash targets and bullets. I pretty much concentrated on the area where I know I personally found nuggets. I was super surprised what was missed (many deep trash targets, boot tacks, wire, pieces of tin ...) and the 3 nuggets. I really thought will all the targets missed at depth, I would get lucky to pick out a nice one. Nothing to write home about, but one piece was only a few grains, other was a nice 1 gram specimen and another 1 gram crystalline nugget. A couple of grams only takes a small chunk out of a $1200 searchcoil, but I had a great time and realized you never can clean a patch completely out. My long time thought process has been conservative settings, very little background noise and concentrate on breaks in the threshold. This can't in my opinion be done well with external speakers or detector speakers, but only with a good set of headphones hardwired to the detector. Wishing you all much success! Rob

Great picture guys. I always enjoyed when Erik would come over, he would examine any specimen (gold, silver, copper or whatever) I had on hand. Great to hear you guys sold a bunch of your books. Anyone looking for Erik's books on Rich Hill or the 3 volumes on Quartzsite along with Reese's book we carry them. They all have amazing color pictures and a wealth of information for any prospector/nugget shooter. Rob

Hey Gerry, Hope we both can weather the storm. We both have been long time Minelab & Coiltek supporters, so hopefully they understand a little bit of our frustration. We haven't given up, we have continued to sell, promote and train anyone interested in these products for many years. God Bless, Rob