Gerry in Idaho

8 hours ago, Kodiak said:

Wade sounds like a great guy glad you guys found some gold.  The story lead me at first to believe he only had one arm, which reminded me of a guy I met who was a an actual amputee, with only the stub.  He was a log truck driver, and would drive, shift, and use the CB to call out mile markers, all with one arm, and a little stub.

Stay cool and hyrdrated.

Kodiak

It's amazing the capabilities someone can do when they set their mind to it.  He was in a bike accident with some serious body and nerve damage and so the end result, his left arm is paralyzed.  He keeps it in a sling since they are thinking in the future, there might be a chance to save it, but for the last few years and probably a few ahead of him, it's just hanging there in the way with no use or function, but the sling set up allows him to stuff small items there as a shelf or pocket per say.

Yes this year it's taking extra to stay cool and hydrated so back at you.

My 1^st customer of the new GPX-6000 is a very special man.  We’ll call him Wade (because that’s his name) and he drove all the way from Texas (with 1 arm) for the Rye Patch training end of June.  I am so glad and grateful this guy listened to me as he was eager to get a GPZ-7000 back in Spring and wanted to take my early class.   But as a conscious dealer and one who knows the GPZ-7000, I just could not see him enjoying the extra weight, the chest harness, the swing arm (it takes 2 hands/arms to use a swing arm) and or bungee.  The other issue I seemed to run through my mind… was how is a one armed guy going to use a pick and dig down 2 to 3 feet on occasion to find a beer can, an empty one at that?  So I called this stranger back and begged of him to reconsider his choice and told him of an up and coming new detector, the GPX-6000. 

Now when you have you mind set on an $8000 GPZ-7000 and some guy you don’t know is trying to sell you down to a cheaper GPX-6000, some folks just take that wrong and walk, thinking this dealer has lost his marbles – which I have lost quite a few, but I do seem to find a couple now and then.  Anyway, I was more focused on the customer and their lack of knowledge of what it really takes to properly use a detector, let alone a mammoth, heavy, awkward, robust, to many shafts, to much quirky harness which xo skeleton that can’t hold together properly to save my own life if needed, cheap built headphones that the 90 degree plug breaks after you take it out of the wrapping, a semi worthless WM-12 half of us forget at home or totally lose altogether, the ultra-thin slice of baloney (that’s not even fair to baloney, I actual eat it on occasion) cheap skid plate that a quality condom has better protection, the glare off the LCD screen is so bad your favorite polarized sunglasses are worthless because you see so many waves, you get a headache.  Yes you all who own a GPZ-7000 know exactly what I am talking about and you know I am not bull shitting one bit.  Now to be fare those laser focused pencil sharpened Engineers and Einstein minded Physicists’ (yes Geek squad Minelab has them too), are some of the brightest at getting performance out of metal detector technology and boy does that 7000 do it well.  Yes that GPZ-7000 was about to be in the 1 good hand of a stranger….all I had to do was say “yes you are right it’s the best at this time” and I would not have been lying one bit and would have scored an $8000 sale.

But that’s not how this duck walks (actually I kind of do walk like duck, but that’s just crappy feet) so I felt the long term relationship with this customer and most all of mine for that matter, was to get him the proper detector for his capabilities and in reality a GPZ-7000 is not that detector.  So we waited, waited some more and then waited even longer, until the day came and I was shipped a few of the GPX-6000’s.  It was so long of a wait I actually had to have a Staff Member grab a couple on 6000 and boogie to Rye Patch showing up early Saturday morning just as the 2^nd day of our 3 day class was about to begin.

So lets get back to 1 armed Wade the Warrior and his new GPX-6000.  Yes he was easily able to swing the detector and before long his coil control was smooth, slow and low, just like an Easy Rider… Warrior Wade was starting to get the hang of it and by afternoon of the 1^st day him swinging the GPX-6000 he is digging targets.  Just the 3rd target in of that afternoon and it turns to gold.  Warrior Wade is swinging his arm in air and smiling as a kid does when tasting his favorite sour gummy bears, with a golden grin.  After all, this guy drives 30 hours up the US to meet some guys in the middle of the desert and pick up a gold detector.  After all what kind of people are we?  Yes it’s the fever and many of us have it.

Anyway,  I was very impressed with Warrior Wade from TX and his desire to listen, learn and like…his new GPX-6000 and the 2 nuggets he recovered.

So the moral of this story is:  Even a 1 armed Warrior Wade who drove all the way from TX., can properly use a GPX-6000, can diligently dig his own target and willingly share his trip and experience of finding his first detected gold nuggets for the rest of his life and he had a couple more dreams come true.  Yes the 6000 is that easy, light and usable. 

Minelab Geek Squad did it again.

3 hours ago, strick said:

Jee wiz Gerry I think I seen this coming a while ago... mid life crisis... why on earth would a guy drop a good strong reliable and quiet detector for some younger better built thing with a sharp tongue? and she gets moody to boot! 

I'll be watching you more closely from now on 😊

strick

As I get time with this new girl (trip coming up), I'll find out how moody she really is.  I'm not saying the guys complaining don't know what they're talking about with the EMI as they actually have more time on one that I do right now.  But I just remember so many people complaining about the old girl GPZ-7000 when she 1st came out.  Heck even Jasong was a hater of the 7 at first, but as we all know he came along to liking her.  

I think so many people are used to carrying cell phones on their body these days, they really don't know how much those things cause issues.  I don't even carry it with me anymore, unless I am in an area I think I'll need for pics, then I carry it but totally off and in my back pocket.   You could be right my friend and my new girl just might blech a bit more than my 7, but even the 7 had issues until we starting getting things dialed in.  Heck the 1st year I was training on the 7 with totally different settings than what I train now.

Either way, just picking her up and twirling on the floor a few times, gets me excited as I know I'll be able to hunt longer and in areas I can side swing much easier.  If there is the occasional stinky belch I'll just hold my breath for a few moments.

2 hours ago, GB_Amateur said:

Gerry, I want to see a big chunk in your mouth, not a bunch of dinks.  Don't get me wrong, I like dinks as well as the next guy.  But you've set the bar high for yourself with those Oreo Cookie, etc. nugget photos and I know you've got some more hidden in the ground somewhere in your prime detecting spots.  Let's see the GPX6000 lift a loaded barbell.  We all know (from other reports) it can handle the hand weights.

 

Well since I will be taking one on my next trip, I could actually find a nice mouth full, but the 2 states I will be hunting and their sites are my own customers who have been using their GPZ-7000's (with success).  I also know the size of gold they have been pulling from these sites are smaller nuggets.  I think the largest was a 5 gram, so if I find one any larger than that, I'm most certain they will make me walk back all the way to Idaho or toss me in the nearest river.  It's not good luck to get an invite to a friends spot and then pull the biggest piece of gold from there right in front of them.  But it has happened before.

If I come back with gold (and I am sure I will) that is really just icing on the cake.  being able to spend time in the field while learning a new detector and comparing it to the GPZ-7000 with friends is most important.  The camaraderie built on such trips is really what allows us for many years of memories to chat about.

But then again, I was told the history books say there was big gold in the area.

The 1st part is boring...but what the heck, it's real and I to can take a few minutes trying to find a tiny nugget.  The small size of those nuggets are very impressive and he really does it well at the end when he scores a "monster" nice chunk of Au.  

I see the next JP in this young mans career as he gets better.. if he sticks to it.

Thanks for sharing.

7 hours ago, Norvic said:

Hi Gerry your as fickle as this Spoilt 6K Brat, On ya 

Yes Sir that's me.  When Lunk and I get a chance to head your way, we'll do a few days in the bush and see who can give the best tall tale some night while watching the stars and weighing our GPX-6000 nugget recoveries.  Although knowing Lunk, he'll probably swing day and night and not worry about weighing until the end.  Just realize if we drop him off in an area an hour later it will look like he never moved.  Quite a methodical hunter he is.

6 hours ago, Valens Legacy said:

When I read this part I didn't know if I should go any further  as I don't do porn.

We all do porn Valens Legacy, its just a different kind and on  DP it includes raw naked gold.  Heck just look at the curves on this girl...found by one of my customers

Yes I promised myself the old reliable GPZ-7000 was such a performance hog I would swing her until the end.  Well folks, the 7 and I are about to split the sheets and I'll let her beat up on some other old guy.  Sure she touched down in places I didn't know existed and had the sensitivity to blow my mind, but after a long workout with her, my pore old body ached for days.

This new GPX-6000 (I promise you in the US) will rule the goldfields for a few years.  The ergonomics on a PI is 2nd to none.  The weight is not 2 ounces lighter than a 7000, but over 2 pounds lighter.  But the compactness, the feel and lack of a harness and swing arm makes me feel naked again and I LOVE IT..  In fact, I might even take this sweetie to Burning Man (for those down under go to YouTube and watch a few Burning Man videos, watch out there might be A LOT OF NUDITY and some really weird shit. 

Anyway, this detector is the one we (most of us) have been asking for and patiently waiting for.  After all, check out the pics and see for yourself.  The GPZ-7000 in the pic is as short as I can get it and the new GPX-6000 is half as long.  I even took a pic of my forearm next to the GPX-6000 and it literally i only a few inches longer, approx 30" with the coil flat out.  It can get shorter if you lift the coil straight up but I imagine most of us will have the coil flat.

The reports from my customers and 2 staff members are exactly what we heard as for performance and I am thrilled.  I'm so excited, heck I'm even going to grab one and take it for a hunt to 2 different states I have never hunted for gold before in my life, just so I can say I found gold in those two. I won't mention the states right yet, but you'll hear about it and probably some pics of gold to share and show.

Those of you at the Rye Patch NV training end of June, we had last month were able to see 2 of them in action and I even noticed a couple folks grab them just so they could find a nugget or 2.  I'm not promising everyone will find gold, but from a guy who has been hunting and training at Rye Patch NV for 25 yrs, I sure know when something comes along that just turns the "gold switch" back on.  I seriously think I could go there right now and find 10 to 20 nuggets a day, probably average 15 in a 3 day hunt.  Now I know they may not be big gold nuggets, but when was the last time you went there and found 10 in a day?  Last fall I took the GPZ-7000 to RP and had 2 days of 7 each day, and I know I'll do better and find more this time.

Now here is the funny thing though.  I personally really don't care about the better performance on most gold and that's a fact for me.  I care most about the new design, compactness, ease of use and less wear to my body.  Yes folks, I got caught cheating and I really don't care.  I'll be swinging a new girl on the dance floor and she's one hell of a looker.  Yes the GPX-6000 is a serious game changer and please do not wait a year or two before you decide to get one, I promise anyone swinging a GPX-5000, an SDC-2300 and most certainly the GPZ-7000 will really enjoy this new GPX-6000.

On 7/5/2021 at 1:40 PM, Norvic said:

Aye, Gerry is the 6K proving to poach a wee into VLF gold territory in your backyard?

Sorry I was out on the East coast and have not been on DP for some time.  I can only tell you what I have heard as I do not have a GPX-6000 for myself.  Of the 9 staff members and myself, only Lunk and one other in NV have 6000's at this time.  I try to make sure customers get the detectors and so most of my Staff have to patiently wait.

Wish I have more info, but those are the facts for this time.

21 hours ago, sevastras said:

I was at the training and have to say that it was pretty impressive.  I only got to swing one for about 20 minutes or so and only found a piece of bird shot but the ease of use, weight and what I saw from the performance has definitely got me thinking about one.  I ended up with 5 pieces with my 800 @Gerry in Idaho @Lunk thanks again for the great weekend.

Glad you were able to spend 3 days with my Field Staff Experts and I learning what it takes to be successful and your EQ800. 

Yes the GPX-6000 is quite impressive and most US folks with 7000s will be changing their tune real soon.  But in the meantime, what I feel is most important..your desire to learn, ability to listen and focus on the detector in your hands now (Equinox), is what really shined.  A new customer finding 5 nuggets at Rye Patch Nevada is most impressive.

Thanks again for realizing how much difference on what we train than others and your Success is proof of that.  When the time is right we'll get a GPX-6000 in your hands and then you can do another 3 days Field Training for free this time..  but remember what's in your hands today is a heck of a gold capable detector and you just proved it.

On 6/27/2021 at 10:54 AM, mn90403 said:

How many 6000s did you get for your customer training?

1 customer showed up from TX to get his GPX-6000 and 2 machines went to 2 of my 9 Field Staff Experts.  Most of my Staff and I still do not have machines.  The GPX-6000 worked so easily and well at finding gold during the training, that other customers interested in one tried it and I think 4 people ended up finding gold with GPX-6000's, which was more nuggets that the GPZ-7000's (which is what I would have expected for Rye Patch).  The Equinox 800 with small 6" round coils also did quite well.  

The rumor has it a 2nd order of GPX-6000 will be shipping end of next week, so hopefully it's a good size shipment, but honestly, I have no control.

At Rye Patch Nevada training customers and 15 minutes into it Lunk scores 1st gold.  Yes we compared signal to GPZ-7000 and the 6000 heard it better.  A trained ear on 7 could have heard it, but much easier on 6000.

Steve,  I appreciate the kind words you spoke of my Field Staff and I about the training we offer and my business in general.

1st off, I was always taught to listen to the customer and get the detector for their needs.  Problem I run into on occasion is the customer really doesn't know what they need and they go off what someone else tells them.  That is good, if the person telling them really knows, but that as well is usually not the case.  For example, 2 yrs ago the Gold Monster 1000 was the talk of the VLF detectors, but yet I still recommended the Equinox 800.  I had so many people tell me the Monster was it, since the majority of dealers said it was.  Guess what, now a few of those dealers also realize the EQ-800 is a better gold detector.  Either way, I guess the customer is right???

As you also mentioned the difference in gold terrains/soils/etc and even kinds of gold and it's density...are just parts of the algorithm to get the right detector for the task.  And to be honest, most dealers don't know or have spent the time and money to research.  I just returned from a quit trip where the Equinox 800 found the most pieces of gold, but the deepest nuggets were found with the GPZ-7000's.  What if we did not have the EQ-800's there, the majority of gold would have been missed because of the kind of gold.  Such a big % of people think gold is gold and that's not the case at all.

My desire to be a successful detectorist (which is over 45 yrs now) has been to make sure I have the best detector "tool" for the task and to make sure I do, I have to actually purchase and try the other tools which tales quite a bit of time, so I also rely on my Field Staff to help speed up the uses in different terrains, soils, kinds of gold and states we hunt.

The best knowledge you give is to find that person who has Success more than most and does it at a variety of tasks, in different regions on multiple detectors.

Sometimes for me, the hardest part is when a few new detectors come out, it takes awhile to gather my info to make the best decision for myself and my customers.

I do wish there was one detector that could do it all THE BEST.  I really don't think that will happen though.

Just so you all know, I ran out of Likes today so please don’t be offended.

First and foremost.  I cannot say in words...because I don't think there are enough and or I don't know the proper way to say it.

But as a Marine and one who signed up knowing the ultimate sacrifice could be... and then hearing the news of a few USMC brothers who never came home, my heart goes out to those families and loved ones.

Memorial Day is a proud day for many, yet heart-wrenching somber for others as each of us treat it differently.  There's not... it's easy as black or white, right or wrong in my mind as some of us have never taken the knock on the door that tears our heart out.  But yes, so many have had to go through that pain and agony.   Memorial Day means so much to so many and in a variety of ways.  All I can do is thank each of you who did post pics, stories and tributes to your loved ones and those who gave their all. I salute you.

Now onto our freedoms of this fine forum, the ability for members to go out and make new memories with family/friends or be solitude how you desire.  We had a pretty good turn out for this contest and there were a few 1^st timers making comments, posting pics and having fun.  It’s good to get new faces/names on DP and active with what we all enjoy (detecting and gold).  Yes I realize we have some highly successful Swingers and I thank you for sharing your knowledge and expertise for all of us to learn.  Also, I see some young blood newer names who joined in the fun and I hope each of you continue to ask questions and share your experiences as you progress and get better.  It’s the asking, sharing, bouncing off ideas/knowledge that eventually helps us all become better with our detectors.  You must realize, even guys like Steve H and I who have been chasing nuggets with detectors for 25 yrs and a few members even longer (especially you Aussie mates), but the reality is….we were all greenhorns at one time and dumb as a rock.  Eventually down the road, we’ll be old and not so nimble, so we’ll be looking for you newer gold chasers to help keep our fire and dreams/desire going.

The tally – My count showed approx. 60 names went into the drawing for the Dream.

The winner of the Dream GPX-6000?  Everyone who entered, posted, commented and yes even you Northeast & Norvic.  I thank you all.

The winner of the new Minelab Gold Monster 1000 is…… Jeff McClendon.  Jeff, please call Gerry’s Detectors so I may get this Monster sent out to you.

Again, thanks everyone for posting pics, sharing memories, family stories & contributions to those who gave the ultimate.

Hopefully down the road I’ll be able to meet some of you out in the gold fields and we can make some memories and dig a few nuggies.  Then we can share pics, stories and knowledge for others to glean.  Happy Hunting all.

Thanks, Gerry

Gerry's Detectors

208-345-8898

www.gerrysdetectors.com 

Gold Detector Field Training

Genuine Metal Detecting Experts

The contest for the GPX-6000 is over as I did not get one in time.

The Memorial Weekend Contest for a Gold Monster 1000 is over as well and any post after this is just for enjoyment purposes and dreams (kind of like the GPX-6000) from here out.

Tomorrow, I'll try to get the tally and do a drawing so I can get the Winner posted.

I have not even read through everything as I spent most of the day  catching up with business from the long weekend.

Looking forward to seeing the posts, reading the comments and seeing the pics of your enjoyable Memorial Weekend.

Again,  For those families who have given the ultimate sacrifice, I honor your husband/wife, son/daughter, brother/sister, niece/nephew, aunt/uncle, grandfather/grandmother and all the men/women who are no longer with us.  Be proud of their actions for it's their bravery that allows our freedoms to be enjoyed on this day and forward.

15 hours ago, Norvic said:

Righto just because I`m downunder I can`t enter the comp, but I`d like to post in this thread and join the fun, if I may. This photo is an oz of that lovely 6000 stuff organized in a Memorial significant number, now whilst today that number has been adopted by another international "forum" as a sign off, this number came from early war time. (no its not the number of nuggets as there is actually 83) No more clues, let your keyboard direct you to the Memorial significance of this number.

 

 

Norvic,  You and all Aussie friends are most welcome to join and have fun.  As a Minelab Dealer, I am not allowed to ship outside of the US.  Nice batch of gold.  I'll bite on your #73, thanks to Wikipedia - "No. 73 Wing was a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) wing of World War II"

19 hours ago, LuckyLundy said:

Wow, Sounds Fun!

Rick

All you have to do Rick, is point the camera at yourself with one hand while holding a detector and Snap.  But I know you, you'll do better than that.  

Heck Condor that sounds like a normal trip to NNV to me.... except add 2 blown tires.

Hey,  Your thread was really rubbing me wrong that very 1st sentence, "I was using the only GPX-6000 in the US", but then as I read along, I kind of giggled a little.  Yes that's NNV in May and everyone best be prepared.

I guess the pic of digging holes to drop the tires was pretty good.  Only thing that could have been worse if you dug the holes, dropped the rear tires in them and then got yourself stuck...

Well the good is, you provided us some knowledge, a few laughs and you were able to run the GPX-6000 in the USA.

Hats off to you my friend and thanks for the story/education.

26 minutes ago, Steve Herschbach said:

OK, this is weird. I just got a message left on my phone from Minelab 601-401-8150 from Axel? Returning my call about an Equinox problem? Are they trying to call OP but accidentally calling me? I have no idea how the guy got my number, or why I got the call. Am I being trolled? All too odd.

Like I said, Customer Care is short staffed and a little stunned right now.  At least they are trying now and that's what is most important.

As a Senior Minelab dealer with many many customers, I get more calls/emails than most about the Customer Service Issues we are going thru right now.  I have to agree 100% with the customer on this go around.  Yes Minelab USA Customer Care Service team is not running as usual, but which company is?

But I also feel, - If Minelab is going to be the big dog at the show and the proud company they are with record sales/profits, I feel they need to have the man/woman power to back it up and we (Minelab) have to take the good we create and accept the bad when we fall behind and fail, which I feel right now. Yes we are behind...  but who expected records sales of detectors due to a worldwide Pandemic?  Trying to hire someone right now is almost impossible.

So here is my temporary solution and I can't do this every time someone has an issue. Edward,  give me a call, Gerry's Detectors in Boise, Idaho 208-345-8898 and I can get a loaner coil sent out to you today (if you are in the United States).

We'll need to step it up a little as it's already 3PM.  When the rest of my Minelab Team in Customer Care gets you taken care of then send my loaner coil back to me.  Hope this puts a little ease to the situation and we can all enjoy this special holiday.

Memorial Weekend Contest, win a Minelab GPX-6000 in your dreams. 

Ok, Detector Prospector fans.  Most of us have been patiently waiting, some – not so patient.  A few of us have even sold/traded our old detector to be ready for the release of the biggest dream of 2021.  Here’s your chance to win that dream.   BUT WAIT…. There’s more.   This is not a dream for just you.  That’s right, Gerry has stepped up the prize to the ultimate, most rewarding gift of all.  Folks, I’m allowing you and your favorite detecting buddy (that’s what I said, - TWO of you!!!) to experience this dream TOGETHER.

Here’s why I have went all out on this very special occasion, and by god it is special.  In my 20+ yrs of selling Minelab detectors….I have never lost so much sleep, never tossed/turned/sweated and dreamed to the point where I almost pissed me-self.  Heck even my Shepperd kicked me out of my own bed.. he did so.  Folks, these dreams are real, their genuine and it hurts.  Heck, I was just in the VA clinic last week and they scanned my brain for cause.  You know it’s bad, when they tell you to come back next week for more treatment. I overheard one of the assistants and I could swear, they mentioned “Gold Fever”.  Oh shit, it can’t be, I kept telling myself.  Those flashbacks about took me life times prior.  After all, the release of the SD-2100 in the early 90’s, then the big one of the GP-Extreme late 2000, or the popular series GPX in 2006 .  Those were pretty bad on me, but that last one, the trickle and tease of the GPZ-7000 almost did me in and this go around, I’m not sure 50/50 I was told?  Wife thinks I should double my life insurance, but I told her “it’s an existing condition”.  

Active posting DP members and just reading gawkers – Here’s the dang truth of it all.  We survived.  That’s right we did.  Each of us had our own issues and some of us are still wearing those Gold Fever Dreamin scars, but we are breathing, walking, talking.  And most importantly, we are dreaming.  Heck those many scars I carry, at this point, it’s almost a Gold Detectorists Honor to show them off.  But some of us do and we do it with PRIDE.

Here is where I’d like everyone’s help.  The numerous calls, texts, emails to me, my Field Staff, even my dedicated Minelab detector dealer friends, has to stop, if it’s about the GPX-6000.  We know, we’ve heard and we’ve read.  Bottom line is we want them just as bad as you folks.  Heck, I even had to take the customers who were scheduled for training on the April Rye Patch, NV session and move them to the June class.  Guess what, it’s almost June and so I’ll probably be moving them to the Fall class (which I just added another class to try and help get customers up to speed).  Yes it’s a mess and yes the Covid Gold Fever is real, but us dealers can’t do anything until we get detectors. OK,  Enough of the fun and laughs….but you can add some.. he he.

In the meantime.  I’d like to see you folks get out and celebrate this fine extended Memorial weekend and hopefully use your detectors.  I do want to reward those who have read this far down.  I (Gerry’s Detectors of Boise, Idaho) am really running a contest for all of you in the United States (sorry to my friends from other countries).  I’m asking of US participants to post each day (starting today and posting to this thread), a picture you took this holiday weekend of Memorial Weekend theme with detector in the picture, examples are you family picnic and a detector in the picture, a Veteran memorial with detector, your front yard with American flag and detector in the picture, or you out detecting and camping this fine weekend…and with detector, you get the idea by now. Each day you can post 1 pic and your name will get put in a bucket for each day’s picture.  BONUS - picture of “your gold find” with a metal detector.  Now, before some of you get crazy with the term “gold find”, I’m talking Au gold, not a piece of gold foil, not a gold colored doodad, but real gold..a coin, a piece of gold jewelry and most certainly a gold nugget, picker or specimen that was found with your metal detector this Memorial Weekend starting today and ending Tuesday, June 1^st at 5 PM MST zone.  Reason I am going until Tuesday, is many of us will be in the hills and not returning until Tuesday. The BONUS gold picture gets your name in the bucket 2 times per day, max of 10, for those who are fortunate enough to find and post a gold find pic each day.

Please don’t beat me as I am trying to have fun for most everyone.  Rundown of the rules.  1 picture a day can be posted per DP member.  So in reality, you could post a pic of this weekends events each day and end up with 5 entries, but you can only post 1 pic a day.  Sometime next week I’ll count the pics and enter your name per amount of posted pics and of Memorial = 1 or Gold = 2, per day (remember 1 post a day no more than total of 5) with the last one by Tuesday, June 1^st 5PM MST. I will take a tally and draw (no there will not be some big video show) a name.  The winner will get a new Minelab Gold Monster 1000 metal detector courtesy of Gerry’s Detectors.

No it’s not a GPX-6000, but it’s a real gold detector.

Detector Prospector is the #1 metal detector forum in my opinion and I enjoy reading, learning, sharing pics, seeing gold finds. 

Go out, get some, spend time with family/friends or alone the way you may and be safe this Memorial Weekend.  Don’t forget to think of the reason for this special weekend and the real meaning behind it.  As a family of US military myself, I thank you all who have sacrificed for our freedoms and dreams AND SO IS THIS CONTEST – for a Gold Monster 1000 and the chance to dream with your detecting buddy about the GPX-6000.

Again, a Memorial Themed pic with detector is 1 name in the bucket that day and a pic of your gold find is a BONUS which puts your name in the bucket 2X per that day.

Thanks folks for helping calm the storm of GPX-6000 Gold Fever, as I know it’s real.  But the reality is we all need to relax a little and enjoy this weekend...hopefully with detector in hand and surrounded by family/friends, laughter and making memories.

PS,  I'll probably shut the computer down later today, so chat with you all next week.

10 minutes ago, strick said:

Wish you were making all those videos like you used to I remember you saying that the guy quit doing it for you because Minelab would not compensate or something? 

I used to commercial fish in Alaska for many years and one day I woke up early at crack of dawn and stumbled out on to the deck of the boat to find my boss mushing his poop on the gunwale of the boat...apparently he had swallowed one of his gold teeth the night before having his dinner and wanted it back...I hope you never have to do something like that Gerry 😄

strick

The old Minelab Marketing people saw a need for quality videos and yes my video guy has a small contract with them.  We would do educational videos and have Minelab review it before release.  It was good for my video guy for a couple yrs.  Then this new Minelab came in and starting cutting things left and right.  They canned my video guy and I was informed "they get plenty of free video mentions from happy customers".  

Yea, I have some bad habits of tossing finds in my mouth.  

I about tossed a nugget in my mouth from this pic above, but then realized what I was digging next to.  Just to the right is a dried pie.  At least it was dried though.

BTW, Did you boat mate ever recover his gold tooth?

17 hours ago, Arch Stanton said:

It would be great to learn from an expert.  That was quite a haul.  The only meteorites I've ever found were the ones I bought at the gem show and on Ebay.  Must be really exciting to find one out in the field. 

One of my Field Staff, - Lunk will be down in AZ this winter and I'm sure I'll get down there for at least 1 trip.  He's not only dialed in the best Settings a variety of detectors to find Meteorites, he has spent countless hours and days in the field researching sites.  

A few of our customers from past - will visit AZ in the winter and schedule back to back training through me, and I connect you with Lunk.  1st day is learning the detector to find gold (at a different site down the road) and then the 2nd day is to learn how to set detector for those elusive Meteorites on some sites that still produce.  

Having that space rock sitting on your mantel with your other purchased gems will easily be the most memorable.

Good luck down road and be sure think positive.

14 hours ago, beatup said:

i can find the dinks with the 7000 just fine smallest i have found with .05 gram.

You bring up a very good point on the dinks with a 7000 as I have done the same.

The new 6000 is showing to be even more sensitive to smaller gold.  As I have stated before, I'm not much into dinks anymore for the most part (I'll do it when I get my 6000, just to see how well it does and for my own knowledge of knowing the 6000's capabilities), but I do want to see how it does on my invisible specimens.  I do think it will perform better than the 7000 on those pieces and that interests me as many of my pieces have over a 1/4 oz of gold, a few over a 1/2 oz and a couple over an oz of the heavy yellow metal.  Just mind boggling to witness a higher end detector not seeing that much gold.

As for the exact little dinks with a 6000, that's not my priority why I am getting one, but the 2 pounds less in weight most certainly is.

For my customers though, I'm totally happy the 6000 will find smaller gold than the 7000, as I feel there will be some fun times ahead at the old patches.

Thanks for your input.

Rob A - The last time I planned a trip for VLF pickers, grabbed one, put on a small coil and chased specs was at least 10 yrs ago.  Sure I help customers find tiny gold at Rye Patch with their VLF's, but that's not really for me anymore to find those.  Heck, I'd rather leave them for the customers to find and let them have the excitement like I had years ago when I 1st started chasing gold.  To be honest, I even get board chasing .1 and .2 grammers with GPZ-7000, when I know there are a few 2 grammers near by.  Yes I go each Fall to RP to get my 1 ounce of NNV nuggets with my 7, as that's been kind of a ritual the last few yrs.  Rye Patch has a special place in my heart and I know the gold gods will provide me, but I also know there's bigger gold down the road.  To me, gold nugget hunting, it's kind of like the steps in life and after a while, my desires change and I prefer hunting bigger.  Maybe the way I am wired, as I used to hunt big game and fish that way as well.  Bigger is better and I don't need to kill, catch, or find small gold just to know I'm going home with meat/Au.  Maybe I'm more of a "about the hunt and adventure" at my stage of MD'ing career.  Thanks for your input.

Norvic - I really enjoy meeting small groups of like minded folks and detecting, learning, sharing and camaraderie.  Glad you enjoy the same.

Tony - Thinking big is perfectly fine with me.  Now the term "big" means different things to people and or even me on different hunts.  Sometimes I'm all about trying to find any gold at all if it's a new site, but like you, I don't grab a small coiled VLF either.  Those older PI's are power punchers on depth of bigger gold.  Thanks for bringing back memories of those good ol golden days.

Below pics, Me back approx 20 yrs ago swinging the new 20" round on a GP-Extreme.  That's a 30" long pick and if I'm not mistaken the 3 gram nugget was near 20" deep.

Klunker- Not really comparing big gold to small gold, just asked the style of the nugget hunters here on DP.  I'll pass the little stuff all day long to go home with a nice 3 grammer or specimen with 4 grams of gold.  I've realized I quit chasing specs a few years back. 

Neither answer is right or wrong to each person as I'm happy if you are happy.  At the end, it all pays for the beer.

Thanks for the input and see you down the road... hopefully with big gold.