araratgold

Yep, I have been griping about Minelab's short shafts for 20 years, but they just don't give a damn ! You could say we have been shafted ! Rick

The big thing with the previous GPX's is that longer aftermarket shafts are readily available. Why the hell do Minelab persist with shafts that they know are too short for people over about 5'10" ?????????? How freakin difficult is it to supply a better length shaft ? Rick

I'm with you JW. What I've seen so far of this machine doesn't even remotely interest or excite me ! The fact that it is also shorter in the extended length than a ZED is a big downer. I have been calling on Minelab for years to make the shafts longer, but alas, they are still too short ! Also, there appears to be no provision to run speakers like we can with the ZED and current GPX's, as it doesn't have a wireless module ! Rick

I notice from the specs that it is 57 inches extended, whereas the ZED is 60.1 inches extended ! I already find the ZED too short, so this would appear to be worse ! 🙄 I also note that it uses a 3.5mm jack, which is smaller than the usual 6.35mm jack. Is there any adjustment for the threshold tone ? I only see threshold ON / OFF mentioned ? 😕 What the hell Minelab ? Rick

I'll be adopting a wait and see approach to this one. I'm after a third detector to always have a spare when we are miles from nowhere. However, this might have too much irrelevant crap on it for my liking, such as wireless headphones, which I will never use, and possibly too much " automation ". I'm expecting it to sit midway in pricing between a 5000 and ZED, so it won't be cheap either ! A good used 5000 might be in order, to complement our 4500, and ZED with X coils ! Cheers, Rick

Simon, My adaptor is extremely well made by a professional and includes full heat shrink wrap. My concern is that with the stresses involved with changing of coils that it may fail one day, with possibly catastrophic consequences ( or none at all if I am lucky ! ). I have been prepared to take the gamble, as my machine is a week one release and has paid for itself at least 20 times over. Not everyone is in this position, and the thought of possibly bricking their new ZED would put a lot off the X Coils. Not so with the N/F. Rick

X Coils undoubtedly have better performance than the stock coils. I have two of them, and will not be getting rid of them, they are just that good ! They are however expensive and there is always that nagging question, will my adaptor, as well made as it is, fail, and fry my machine ??!! This is where N/F will win the battle. No adaptor required, superior warranty ( 3 years vs 1 year ) and the sentiment of Aussie made ! And as Matt alluded to, Rohan would not have released the coil if there was no competitive advantage ( other than weight ). It is a slightly smaller coil than stock, so one would hope that it was lighter ! Time will tell. There will be a lot of people who won't fork out for the 12 inch, but probably will for a bigger one, or a 10 inch. Rick

https://www.finderskeepersgold.com/product/nuggetfinder-12-z-search-coil-new/?fbclid=IwAR1g1pJldbUZS9XUxeI4ytnu-zmSS7cirXI6y7NIODdllBMSvlzEHbUmEr0 Conveniently priced below the X Coils, but still very expensive, and too close to the standard coil size for my liking ! Big plus is no adaptor lead. Unless X Coils become significantly cheaper, there will be no more market share for them, given the benefits that the NF coil will bring. Rick

Well that's a bummer ! I was hoping this new machine would well and truly be on the market and reports coming in before the next detecting season in WA. That looks unlikely now ! Thanks for the update. Rick

Simon, I firmly believe, and have for a long time, that Minelab don't give a damn about coils, or their betterment. They leave it to the aftermarket, which is fine, but in the case of the GPZ they should have supplied the chips to the aftermarket makers from day one ! Just an act of corporate bastardry IMHO ! Rick

I too am waiting for these long awaited Z coils, but for the life of me I don't understand why Rohan has started with one so close in size to the standard ? Maybe a 10 inch, or 17 inch, would have been a better option to give current users a different size coil ?? One thing I do know about Rohan, he won't release them until they are perfect, with any bugs ironed out. 👍 Rick

Total crock of sh#t. As fake as a Bali Rolex !

And yet they have hoovered tens of thousands of ounces of gold all over Australia, and the world for that matter ! They may be overweight and overpriced in your eyes, but they work brilliantly in the nasty ground of WA where the QED just craps itself ! Rick

Thanks Lanny, No I won't be going on Aussie Gold Hunters ! We enjoy our own company, and peace and quiet, too much to be ruining it with a circus, I mean film crew ! Cheers, Rick

That is correct. The fine lighter coloured " wire " you can see in the 10 grammer video is actually a piece of cord attached to a chain for chaining or gridding. Cheers, Rick

Rarely use the WM12 these days, find it a bit directional and just another thing I need clipped to myself. The lead is just a guitar amp lead, plugged into an SP01 booster, then to dual speakers. Works perfectly, and I don't have to worry about break up of the signal, especially if I want to film a nugget dig. To be perfectly frank, the Minelab wireless systems are crap for the money you pay for them ! Cheer, Rick

Thanks madtuna, you are welcome, and likewise it was a pleasure catching up with you. We will be back next season, with Dad in tow ! And you are right, those very different hot rocks were something else ! Likewise, I can not fault the finish of the X coils. My 17 has no problem with the cable, although the 12 did " unwind " a little at the coil end, but nothing that can't be fixed by good old duct tape ! I believe old mate in Russia has also fixed that early issue. Hells bells Dave, we hadn't heard either, glad you survived and are on the mend, all the best mate for a full recovery ! Cheers, Rick

Just back from our first prospecting trip after taking early retirement and moving to Kambalda in Western Australia . Did really well for a 5 week trip with 216 pieces for 376 grams. Biggest pieces 10, 11.5, 27 and 155 grams. No more working for the man ! Cheers, Rick https://youtu.be/jvZ3RyTN0Mo https://youtu.be/hvygdhqU_uQ https://youtu.be/yWINJjZdhp4 https://youtu.be/MODRP3GihW8

Nice fix ! However, yet another example of Minelab's CRAP ergonomics and design ! How bloody hard is it to incorporate a decent stand into the design like they have with the GPX, GPZ ?? The SDC2300 has exactly the same problem ! Rick

So Minelab have finally decided to fix some of the problems that should never have made it to market ! WOW ! Other problems that have been there since day one remain ! I'm underwhelmed ! Rick

Slight correction Rob. We are now over 5 years into the life of the GPZ, as it was released about Feb 2015 ! Take this with a grain of salt, however, I have heard through my grapevine that Nugget Finder coils will include the chip as part of the factory made coil. If this is the case, happy days !! I love my X Coils, but am always worried that all the changing of the coils is going to eventually fracture my adaptor, as well made as it is ! Cheers, Rick

Good work Condor ! My 17X is my go to coil, hardly ever comes off, but if it does, it is replaced with the 12X ! Won't use the GPZ14 again, unless both of the X coils crap themselves ! Am really looking forward to Western Australia later this year, the 17X will be my main patch finding coil. Cheers, Rick

Just passed AUD $81 per gram, a new record in AUD ! Go you good thing !

Not using the big Russian jobby yet Steve ? Nice finds by the way ! Cheers, Rick and Kaye

Gidday Mitchel, I have had a few ugly one ounce + nuggets over the years ! All were reef gold nuggets, and were as ugly as a hat full of arseholes ! 🤣 They ended up in the dolly pot and got turned into bush bars. Rick