flakmagnet

Hi Norvic, yes I believe ML did the best they could to make the 7000 as lightweight as possible…they had to know they had heavy internal components. Just thinking that nowadays, there are more compact possibilities as the internal's have probably shrunk in the ever-changing electronic R&D rush forward. Hope all is well with you.

I think they would be a large step ahead if they solved their silly ergonomics. Even though it is not a problem for you, a rather sizable majority have been outspoken about the design weight among other things, and if they want to sell lots of units, this should be one of the key areas of change.

Just wow...

Here's the thing; if you are Red Dirt Digger or Reg or JP who not only have the inclination and the time to get out and detect, they have the know-how and they have the ground where success (i.e. paying off their detectors), is possible. Don't think most of us are in that situation. There is no way I will ever pay off my detector(s), and that was never the hope. If you try to be economically prudent with buying detectors and hunting for gold, you are in the wrong hobby. What my detector allows me to do is to get out into areas that I would not usually go, to test my skill and luck and try my hand at finding something…it is the hunt that you cannot put a price tag on. I am lucky in that I have been able to pay for my detectors mostly with gold I have found. But the majority of the gold I have found comes from about three summers of dredging in the Mother Lode of the Sierra Nevada's in the late 70's, spending 10 hours a day underwater. As a friend once commented it's like voluntarily going to Leavenworth under water (a famous prison where they used to crack rocks all day). At one time I had accumulated about five pounds of gold and at todays prices, because I saved most of it, that has helped pay for most of my detectors. Nowadays I do not have anywhere near that amount of gold, but I do have years of fantastic enjoyment of new places, new experiences and new people. That has been worth everything.

certainly would be nice to hear from Nuggetfinder or Minelab. But I've spent a lot of time out in the sun over the years so I'm probably hallucinating.

Wow you are focused and thinking about what you're doing. Any gold hiding in that area will not be able to hide for long. It will be an interesting next chapter, please include us.

Jason, from the shadow width, it looks sort of 'normal' Mid-year? sigh...

In case anyone else has a problem seeing the image:

No image shows up…you tease.

I have a telescoping shaft for the 800 and have had no problems with it at all. No wobble, it doesn't get clogged up with sand from the beach, no problem adjusting the shaft to the length that I prefer. All in all it has been a perfect add-on. I'm sure either type of shaft will be a help.

Using a good magnet can really help in some discriminating. I have a bigger problem with lead than I do with iron.

Hi Jim, no, although I am the proud dad of two great kids it's not me. I believe our Mitchel has a relatively new child and we all know that being a dad to a young one takes precedence over mining…. Happy New Year to you. Hope maybe to get out and see you this year.

I would also add that being the parent of a young child and living hundreds of miles from the "goldfields" also tends to cramp us amateurs style. Happy New Year to you Mitchel.

Norvic, Happy New Year first of all. I would not call myself a prospector by any stretch. If a fossicker is an amateur who loves the unknown, who knows the best part of the day is the early morning because anything is possible, who has been lucky enough to be repaid for hard work and earnest learning by a few nuggets and a few good friends, then I'm your man. Hope all is well.

I don't see anyone saying anything close to that LowTide…it's precisely because we completely understand that ML does have all those qualities that we see people asking for a detector that, in todays economy, represents an ergonomic and electrical advancement at a price point that we can afford. A good New Year to you...

ML would be crazy to price their customers out of being able to afford (another), price-hiked "advancement." If they dare to use a price point that most can afford they will sell 'way more units and probably make more money in the long run. Also, and perhaps as important, they will earn an increased loyalty from what is now a rather disaffected customer base.

Yup...

Definitely am not holding my breath Jim, agreed. But it is fun to dream. I think if Minelab got nothing else from 7000 users, they got that, for most of us, the unit is simply too heavy - They got that they need a brighter screen - We want a coil selection that matches our needs - Pretty sure ML has made R&D progress, they always do and the progress in electronic miniaturization has been impressive. I am looking for a lighter, better made, lower priced, electronically advanced, gold-specific detector this year. It's time.

Hope this year ahead is the best for everyone. Happy New Year.

Once again JP you have nailed it. I forgot to mention that nowadays I rarely wear my hearing aids when detecting because, as you mentioned, I want to hear only the threshold, not all the other attendant sounds around me. But, if I do choose to wear them, they work well. It's just a different experience so to speak.

Doing what you do so well; finding gold. It's always fun to see what you find and I am really interested when you talk about detecting. You have an approach that few people have and are able to communicate in a way that is practicable and understandable. It takes time to share experience and you are one of the many people in this forum that make the effort. Thanks...

truer words were never spoken...

I have to say I have no issues at all with the 2.0 upgrade. I have been hunting on beaches that have tons of black sand in layers. With the original 800 it used to really react to those layers..with the 2.0 upgrade it has been my experience that the iron interference has been cut down by a noticeable degree. I have not done much hunting yet on 'solid ground' so can't comment on how the upgrade works in those circumstances.

The only vision I have is of a 7000-type detector that is (MUCH), lighter with a selection of coils. If that does not happen then I will remain happy with my overweight and hamstrung GPZ.

Mitchel, it sounds like fun (once you had your headphones), and you really have developed what looks like a great beach hunting technique. I too have been down to "our beaches" although for much shorter periods of time and after only using the 7000 over the last few months, I was blown away by how sensitive the 800 is at the beach. Continued good luck, maybe I'll run into you one of these days.