Gerry in Idaho

I've read a few posts from those who have both and their input is pretty much what I expected. Having fun (especially with others) is the majority of why I enjoy detecting. Only a select few actually do it for a living and do well. The rest of us (me included), enjoy the hunt, adventures, comradery with like minded friends, and getting some gold on occasion. It's looking like the GPX-6000 is getting the majority of gold better than the GPZ-7000. So, is the extra weight worth the rare occasional big nugget? Lets go a step farther. Say the ZED hits a 4 ounce nugget at 34". Will the 6000 hit that same nugget at 30", 32" 33" or 34". Say it's 2" less and only gets the chunk at 32". It's still near 3' deep which is deeper than most folks enjoy digging and or most other detectors out there. So the reality for most folks, the GPX-6000 at a cost savings of $2000 and over 2 pounds lighter, better ergonomics, no more tethered into a harness, more user friendly, real wireless Bluetooth phones, is the best option for most. Like I said in another post. There should be a convoy of GPZ users heading down the highway to get the new GPX-6000 and having more fun, more gold more often. I can help make that smile happen. Anyone have a point I am missing or totally off, please chime in. Pic of the nugget will probably only be a few inches in depth difference between the 6 and 7. But the majority of us would probably hear if with both machines at 30 or more.

Glad you were able to work hard enough and save enough to own both the Z and the new GPX6000, well deserved. It looks like you are answering some of our questions.

Was swinging the EQ-800 the other day and hit this nice specimen. I realize all the love is for the new GPX-6000, but come on, the reality is most folks can't afford it. There is still plenty people having fun with the VLF's.

40.93735834372933, -118.37677467837338 is a good place for base camp. You know I take gold nuggets in trade Condor or your favorite gold nugget hunting patches.

So you have hit a few patches out there in the flats off Jungo Road too. I really cleaned up at a few yrs back on one of those. Funny, nothing was very deep 10" and less. My question for those with a GPZ-7000. Do you spend a few thousand dollars more in coils to get a few more nuggets, or do you just purchase a GPX-6000 and have 2 machines ready at your disposal? I myself feel 2 detectors is smarter than 1, just in case 1 goes down and or a friend wants to hunt. Thanks for spending the time to share some of you findings/knowledge of the coils in semi salty ground.

I like a good challenge Steve. You also know as well as I do, Minelabs track records is as good as our gold hunting capabilities and that means the GPX-6000 is a winner. I'll be down towards the end of June and if I don't have one by then, lets try a variety of my specimens and see how well it really does. My Equinox is a tough nut to crack on that kind of gold. Even if the 6000 does not do quite as well, I'm all up for the 2+ pounds lighter and better ergonomics. You want to drag for pink slips.... now that's funny.

Both are worthy and I enjoy teaching the lady gold diggers.

You are the man Lunk and your knowledge of outer-space rocks supersedes mine by heaps. I swear I was there at that same spot back in my VLF days as I remember the clumps of grasses and the hilltop peak in the background. My VLF sang Hot Rock and my brain, said "not so fast amigo" so we checked it with a magnet. Yep it stuck to the magnet so I tossed it back down, the stupid hot rock got me again. If I had only known what a space rock was back then? Well earned my friend and another Top Notch NV Score for you.

I have never worried about a #9 lead shot on a PI, as I feel that small of a piece of gold is not exactly what I am chasing with a PI. Now if I remember and can find a tiny dove shot #9 with my VLF (it most certainly does when set up properly), I'll see what happens on the GPZ and hopefully on the GPX-6000. As for really small tiny gold pickers, my 25 yrs in the field with just about every gold detector I can get my hands on, the old reliable Fisher Gold Bug-2 is still King. It's certainly not the deepest VLF, but when on bedrock or decomposed granite, it shines the yellow stuff. Funny, how we are all wanting to see how the 6000 does, but I really do think it will be a few months down the road before there is enough people who know what they are doing, getting it in all the different soils, sites, and varying areas we enjoy chasing the gold and seeing the results on the varying gold types. I do want to make a very strong point though that has been mentioned before, many times and especially by those who have used the GPZ-7000 much. The better ergonomics and 2+ pounds lighter is enough for me to go GPX-6000, as I'll be able to hunt longer and keep the coil to the soil = more gold. If in fact it does to better on smaller gold or better at seeing the invisible gold, that is just a bonus.

Sorry I was late to my own party again but trying to keep customers happy and offer training is #1 and then comes this fine forum as a slight #2. Heck, I did not even realize your post GB and really do appreciate it. Sometimes newer folks need a simpler explanation of what to expect with different size/shapes of coils and I hope the impromptu off the cuff video and comments will help others. Dances with Doves- There are a few Hall of Famers in this bunch, I just happen to be one that also enjoys selling them. Thanks for the kinds words.

Chet, Part of the training sessions my staff and I do with customers (you a few times in years past on a variety of detectors) is interact, teach, learn, give/get advise and overall camaraderie within that group for the 3 days. I realized way back when on your 1st time with us, you had a gift as well and to this day you still display it. Your knowledge of electronics in detectors is above me, as I just know how to operate them well, but not really knowing the finer points as of what is going on in in a detector. Sure I know PI and VLF and patters, but your words of wisdom shines more light on it for us all. Even with all that power, you still enjoy comparing detectors, coils, settings, targets, just like my Staff and I...as the ultimate goal is for us to all get better. I look forward to getting the GPX-6000 in your hands, meeting again some time in NV or maybe CA this go round (if I get an invite) and comparing all over again to get the best results we can. This fine forum has some very knowledgeable followers and sharing bits of MD'ing experiences, knowledge and tips is what helps strengthen the hobby and hopefully putting a little more gold in the newer prospectors hands. New customers holding their 1st nugget and a golden smile is what my staff and I enjoy and I also feel you to are about sharing the knowledge we've earned and learned from yrs past. You said it very well again Chet and thanks for the time/effort to add to the post. Again, just like when my staff/I can snap a pic of a golden smile for a 1st nugget, you my friend shined on us again some of your knowledge in simple terms. See you in the field this Summer/Fall, teaching-learning-smiling.

My good friend Larry S was proud to share some recent success using his Equinox 800 and the new 10" Ellip NOX coil. Notice how small the one just in front of the CoilTek, pretty amazing. Nice to see some of what other people find as some folks think me being a dealer, it's setup. Those who know me, realize it's real and I would never take credit from a customers success anyway. If you want to learn more about the benefits of the new NOX 10" Ellip 10x5" coil, watch this video: Time to get out there and get you some. Thanks again Larry for sharing your Success.

Great responses from everyone and I appreciate the love as I really do try and care about my customers Success and them knowing their detectors better than what any other dealer will provide. I love it when I see other dealers offering education, as that is what separates us few from the majority. So when I see them offer some training, I just make sure my staff and I offer more and also the knowledge of seeing different kinds of gold in its natural state the way it was found and how those varying pieces respond to the multiple gold detectors on the market is very informative and unknown to most, including many dealers. As stated by some of my customers that have taken my class before, the density of the gold in a specimen is critical to how it responds to the different detector technologies. Here is something to think about. A Larger or dense nugget on the Minelab PI's/ZED in the preferred timings we use in most places of the US, the gold makes the low-high-low sound and pattern. But smaller nuggets and the few specimens with dense enough gold in it that the PI's/7000 see, they make the traditional high low sound. Now I realize there is always an exception, but 4 of my staff and I have been running Minelab PI's since the SD-2100 days for 20+ yrs. Our ears have learned the pattern of sounds as well as the width of target response vs ground noise and we've all dug 1000's of nuggets to compare to the sounds of the gold we find. Brian mentioned it. How many people have taken a vial of flower gold 1/4 oz, 1/2 oz, 1 oz and listened to their PI detectors? Most will crap their pants with the results. Let's hope the extra sensitivity of the 6000 can help in recover more of those ghost nuggets so I can quite taking 2 detectors on my trips.

You know me well Mitchel, Weight and Ergonomics do in fact = more gold for this old Jar-Head.

Cobill- Glad you and many others enjoyed that reading lesson I posted over the winter. It's not that I don't enjoy selling bigger higher end detectors (in fact I do), but it's the VLF's that will keep on giving on a variety of gold the other PI's and ZED just can't see. I don't make this stuff up, it's facts that I can easily back up and I do it every year. Here is another one I recently posted to FB (Gerry McMullen) that the Gold Monster 1000 recovered in the same gridded site the 7000 already clean out. In fact the guy wish the 7 was there and showed me where to go with the Monster, He was so stunned the 7 missed it, he took the nugget and played with his 7 for 30 minutes trying to get the detector to respond. Nothing, not a peep. So what do you think he did next? Be pissed off the 7 did not see it and a handful other others? Or think positive and realize there is a need for a VLF, which he purchased that same day before I left. Now he too is a beleiver and have showed me many ounces of Au he's recovered with his Monster and now Equinox-800, that his 7000 can not see. At least he realized the importance to own both and that a real gold hunter does not like to leave gold. This is a nice collectors specimen and the one his ZED does not see/hear at all, even in air. It The Gold Monster 1000 earned it's bacon on that day. Below is the 32 gram = 1.03 ozt piece so many bigger detectors can not see.

I like detecting for a variety of gold and really enjoy finding the stuff many higher end detectors can't see. I don't know yet, but feel the extra capabilities of the GPX-6000 will open up some of these areas I hunt with the VLF's to get even more of the gold and at greater depths or in worse soil conditions. As long as I am getting more gold, I'm happy. Will the new GPX-6000 see this kind of gold or act like all other PI's and the ZED and not see at all? I recently recovered this 4.2 gram speci with the EQ-800 while running the new CoilTek NOX 15" round. My goal was to find a piece of gold with the 15" and I met that goal. Part of some other testing back at base proved why I still like to take 2 detector technologies in the field. This particular beauty was found right in the middle of a GPZ-7000 grid area, along with 4 others while using different coils on the EQ-800. All 5 pieces specimens have visible gold and a couple how quite a bit, but to the point. The reason I found them in that gridded area, is because the GPZ-7000 does not respond or on a couple right near 1" and that's it. I teach folks this in my classes, as well as try to educate others on the goods and the bads of different detectors and technologies. Sometimes I get detectorists who are good hunters with their detectors and have success, tell me I'm full of BS and their detector will find it. I made a post on my FB (Gerry McMullen) and shared a pic of the find along with the true comments of, the GPZ will not see it. Between the private messages and or public posts, I was immediately informed by a few of BS and even told how I must not know the GPZ-7000. One well known GP-3500 hunter even said he guaranteed his 3500 would hear it. I know gold detectors and I know how to find gold with a variety of gold machines. No I am not the best, but I most certainly can hold my own and I learn to adapt really fast to a new area. Traveling to different states and countries to hunt for and find many different kinds of gold has helped elevate my detector knowledge and skill of many models of detectors and the differing Au rocks I have collected. So here is hoping the GPX-6000 with it's GeoSensing can respond to this little beauty. If it does, I know of some areas I'll be swinging the 6000. If it is like the GP-3500, the GPX-5000 and the GPZ-7000 and misses it, that fine too, I know what they can't see and realize it, I will also know where not to use the 6000. Bottom line for everyone. Please learn the kinds of gold your detector is good at finding and what it is not, so you aren't wasting time in those areas. Or be sure you have at least 2 different detector technologies.

AUgetter, 1st off, thanks for taking the time to post to Detector Prospector site as there is a wealth of knowledge being shared. I would have replied sooner, but was actually in NV over the weekend testing some new MD'ing toys. I feel detector knowledge is the most important part of ones success and time in the field with known successful gold hunters speeds up your learning curve. If you have not purchased your gold detector yet, then speaking with real dealers who use and sell a variety of gold detectors from the top brands, is your 1st step. Dealers prices for most machines are the same as internet, but our knowledge in the field at finding gold is what separates the few good dealers from the masses of offerings just to sell. When you get time call a few known gold detector dealers to get some input and then call me. I may not give away the barn, but the knowledge my staff and I have...can not be beat. You know, that name you have is half the battle right there. You're already thinking right AU.

Interesting read GB-A, I'm one of the few who has many (thousands) of hours hunting both silver coins and gold nuggets. My 1st 25 yrs was pretty much chasing silver coins and the last almost 25 chasing more gold nuggets. I have to agree with Oneguy as my experiences have been the same and it's much easier to o the mind when hunting gold nuggets away from the everyday hustle and hassle of people. As for excitement and what it takes...I'm quite easy to please as the task changes 2 weekends ago I was at a close RR to town RR site and towards the end of the day, I finally scored an IH cent and let out a nice whoop of joy. This last weekend I was in NV trying my darnedest to find a nugget with the EQ-800 and the large 15" NOX coil. After about 2 hrs, I hit a 4.2 gram speci and again let out the same "whoop" of joy, as I accomplished my goal that day. As you know a few weeks back my goal was to show off the capabilities of the NOX 15" round coil and with proper detector knowledge, the right size/depth coil and knowing certain locations, I too accomplished the task with an 8 silver day, which I have not done in a few years. Yes that day was a "whoop" but it took most of the day to get there. It's never been a value thing to me either, as value comes in many ways to me. Thanks for taking the time to give us some perspective.

If they get much easier Lunk and I will be without a job? Oh my...guess it would be time to retire.

Minelab USA had not said anything to us in the last couple weeks, but it could be because nobody at Minelab Australia has told them anything? We just finished our 1st training at Rye Patch, NV. and the customers on the list for training on their GPX-6000 had to roll back to the coming up June session. I would hope my Staff and I will be able to put some time on the GPX-6000's before we train in June? Either way, I am excited to get the GPX-6000 out there and finding a few more ounces of gold this year.

Well done my friend and such a pretty find. One thing able gold is each piece is unique in its own way and you certainly added a beauty to your collection. Those pics are incredible and the piles are just itching for a good detector to swing over them. If any larger gold in the area, I certainly would swing the piles. Thanks for sharing and well earned.

Welcome to the forum Steve. I'm well known in Idaho for my gold recoveries, but to be honest, it's all from Southern Idaho. If I did hunt up your way, I do recommend what others have mentioned and that is to rake the piles of overburden and then hunt them. Yes it's hard work, but that's gold hunting and part of the reason we enjoy it. The one thing I would do though in thick vegetation areas is run the larger 10" coil and be sure to keep it as close to the ground as possible. On soft hitting signals (small targets or really deep) be sure to not rely as much on the ID system and check the ones that are undecided and go from left to right and back as the detector is undecided. I small or deep nugget can easily fool the ID system and especially in highly mineralized soils. Good luck and keep us posted.

Glad to see you out there dusting off the Winter webs and finding some golden gems. Nice finds for your efforts and thanks for sharing.

Good to see you Lundy and sorry I did not have time to chat, but was with a gaggle of new customers eager to learn their gold detectors. 5 Gram nugget at RP is some serious Steak/Lobster and certainly worth your time. I actually enjoy the smaller one with its Rye Patch pattern, very nice. Customers recovered 12 nuggets during the training and most found with the GPZ-7000's, but the Monster and EQ-800 hit a few as well. Hopefully I can get back down there later this summer and spend a little time chasing some steak & lobster with the new GPX-6000. Thanks for swinging by and see you down the road.

Just wanted to update those still looking for the new NOX 15" round coil by Coiltek. I just received a shipment of coils and have them in stock ready to ship. My 1st hunt with the 15" round was quite silverish with an 8 silver day. Nothing extremely deep (Idaho soils) but most coins were in the 8 to 9" range. I was able to lift the coil a couple inches off the ground and still get a repeatable signal. No it is not leaps of 6" inches on a coin size target, but I would think a buckle or cannon ball would be approx 6" deeper. Call Gerry's Detectors at 208-345-8898 to get one on its way to you.