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  1. Hello team im new on this platform so forgive me if my question is out of place. is it advisable to puchase a second hand gold detector? im saying this because where i come from there is only one dealer of new metal detectors and its very expensive maybe thrice the price that you see on the internet. most websites i have visited they dont ship to my country (Zimbabwe).
  2. Im based in Africa. Which is the best nugget detector I can use? I have heard people talking about Gold Biug 2, Teknetics, Nokta Fors Gold+, Gold Racer, AU Gold Finder. Which one would be the ideal machine with good results
  3. I went through this website & I liked it a lot, especially the forums, I can see some honest reviews. i was looking for someone from Qatar if they do metal detecting here, but I cannot find even a single person who knows anything about MD either in forum or person...it is mostly desert sand here & some beaches I was wondering which detector I should get I am struggling between mine lab xterra 705, Gold bug pro... I guess I will order the 705 I am inclined towards it a bit, any opinions will it be too complicated for a newbie I have watched lots of videos & read lots of info on the Internet from last one month.
  4. Hello everybody i'm new to this site and was told to sign up here from another site. I'm looking to buy my first metal detector specifically to try and find gold nuggets. I live in "Victorville" which is part of the High Desert of Southern California. I'm looking to spend about $1.5k on a metal detector (may spend more). I was hoping that maybe some of you have metal detected in the high desert and have a good understanding on what metal detector I should buy. I was told that since I live in California that i should probably buy a metal detector that has pulse induction. If this is the case my question is what is the best pulse induction metal detector for around that range of money. If I don't need a machine that has pulse Induction what would be the best machine to get for around that range of money? Any other help is appreciated, thanks. - Mando
  5. In my travels in the western USA I sometimes find myself in an area that does not lend itself to nugget hunting. If I want to satisfy my itch to metal detect I must go to a park, sidewalk strip, or relic location. I have been hunting with my buddy Strick on occasion and his main machine is a CTX 3030. I am impressed with his finds and the performance of the CTX. I am unimpressed by the weight of this detector. The CTX is the acknowledged king of accurate VID at depth. Is there a machine that weighs less than 3.5 lbs that has nearly commensurate VID capabilities to the CTX that I could purchase for coin and relic hunting? Also any opinions on the Coiltek Joey for the CTX versus the stock 6 inch?
  6. Ok, we know there is no perfect detector for all types of detecting (Prospecting, Relic, Beach and Coin). But what is the closest thing to it that is available? The CTX3030, a great machine from most accounts really good at 3 of the 4 types of detecting but many say not as good for Prospecting. Then we have all the BBS, FBS detectors great as well for the same 3 types of detecting. Then the many Other single frequency detectors, many good for Coin and Relic and some span on into gold detecting as well. Of course the PI detectors which have poor if any discrimination value but are really deep seeking but not so good if you are working a trashy areas. So what would be the best detector out there if you want something that spans all 4 of the primary modes of detecting? In my search I can only find one so far that I think fits that requirement pretty well: That would be the Whites Spectra V3i. That's only my amateur opinion as I have a limited knowledge of metal detecting. Are there better Multifrequency detectors out there probably, are there better gold detectors out there - For sure, and are there better coin and relic detectors out there, probably but not that many as this is probably the detectors strongest area. There are several things I like about this detector as it has 3 frequencies and you can run all 3 at the same time or individually. It can use all the MXT coils which are many so no worry about coil selection. It appears to have a better than average discrimination. It allows for an abundance of control of the machine. In multifrequency one can go pretty deep in wet salt sand, or running it at 20 khz one can prospect or hunt for smaller types of relics. Want to go deep for coins or lager targets switch to 2.5 Khz and put on a big coil. It also has preprogrammed modes as well if you want to keep it simple. I just recently became aware of this machine and in many ways it has the properties of what most would want in a all purpose detector. If a new company came to me today and said they would build me the Ideal detector and asked me what characteristics I would like to have built into it, this detector would fill most of my request. Only other thing I would want is one more Frequency (50Khz or so) and be water proof! Ok now this is where I would like you all to chime in because I know there must be weakness to this machine as well or it would be far more popular than it is. I have heard issues with EMI. I don't know what other issues there may be, maybe it don't ground balance well in real mineralized soil? I don't know but I'm sure some of you do. Please give me your thoughts? Thanks in advance, Terry
  7. Hello, I have been researching this hobby the last week or so and I am thinking I want to give this a shot. I live in Arizona, and want to do mostly coin and jewelry hunting with the occasional hunt on old towns for relics and gold areas for gold nuggets. I was strongly considering the AT PRO or ACE 400 after lots of research, but now someone is selling a slightly used G2+ for only $400 which is very tempting considering the price. I consider myself a very fast learner, but the relative simplicity, various modes and lengthy history of the AT PRO are making it a tough decision. Some guidance would be greatly appreciated!!! Thanks!
  8. Got an invitation to work an old mine in SE AZ. It has a +200-foot deep shaft and I'm looking for a quality entry level detector. My thoughts are that in a mineralized medium like this a Gold Bug Pro might be good. Don't think that this one is going to be used for wet salt, underwater, coins, or jewelry. Probably going to get the new Minelab pinpointer to go with it. What are the best choices for prospecting for nuggets in an underground shaft?
  9. I am getting back into prospecting/metal detecting for the first time in about 6 years. I would like to pick up a new metal detector that I can prospect with and take out to the parks in the Anchorage area. I am leaning towards a Whites MXT due to it's track record, and I know that I can't go wrong with that choice. But, I know that there are other options out the (e.g. Gold Bug Pro). Some are in the 14 kHz range, and some run upwards of 20 kHz. Is there much of a difference in that 6 kHz range? What are other people's experience with detectors in this area? Am I even asking the right questions? I just don't want to go plop $800 on a new machine to find out that there had been a better choice out there in the same price range. In the past I have been using a Garrett Ace 250, so this will be a step up for me, and probably a whole new learning curve. But I figure that I will pass the 250 down to my daughter and try to get her away from her iPad :p . I have been reading through Steve's reviews as well, and it sounds like there are a lot of good choices out there. This is why I ask, because there are so many good choices.
  10. I'm in a bit of a quandary. I am getting back into metal detecting and am planning a long detecting trip that includes Alaska, Oregon and probably more frequently the Atlantic coast beaches and coin shooting nearer to my home state of NC. I picked up a GPX 5000 to cover most of my gold prospecting. However I have nothing else. It was suggested by a very experienced detector user that I get either a CTX-3030, a Minelab Excal II or as he put it his third choice, a Fisher CZ-21. Problem is I'm not rich and just spent a lot on the GPX. So, I have been looking at lesser priced machines that would serve a dual or more-so triple service and could be used for the beach, coins and a for prospecting in high trash areas. I was thinking that other than the CTX, his recommended choices might not be the best for land use or prospecting and the CTX is a LOT of money. So after a lot of online research, I am looking at maybe the Garrett AT Pro (water proof) or the new Whites MX Sport (also water proof). Any suggestions would be appreciated. Terry
  11. I live near the East coast and never done any Beeping in Oregon. I am set up to go there in July. I don't know the terrain, the weather there in July or much of any thing else about the area. I have a GPX 5000 with the commander DD and mono coils that come with the detector and hopefully a 16" round mono soon on it's way. Are there snakes to look out for, Ticks, Ants, Big Foot? What coils would be recommended for the 5K to use there? I wonder if there is lots of Iron to the point where a VLF machine would be a good choice? I live only 150 miles from the east coast so have been thinking about a VLF Machine suitable for the beach and for use in nugget hunting, maybe something like the Garrett AT Pro or ATGold? I know there are better machines but trying to find something in what is left of my smallish budget. I'm not a total newbie as I've been to Rye patch a couple times and Alaska as well and used coin detectors in my past with some success but presently the only real detector I have now is the 5K. Any advice would be appreciated. Terry
  12. I have been around this hobby for over 35 years and went from the guy that had no idea what ground balance or gain meant to where I am today. It has taken thousands of hours of research and time, putting good detecting habits into practice. I, myself, have been very fortunate to be around some of the best diggers that have ever held a metal detector in their hands. If anyone ever thinks they are the best and they can’t get any better or learn more about what we do, then they are sadly mistaken. To this day I continue to learn every time I turn on and start swinging. Being associated with these guys for the last several years has really given me an insight that very few people will ever have. The team of diggers I work with are some of the best and most successful group you will ever find. Our fearless leader keeps us up to date on new machines and technology to keep us at a level we have attained. Now, how do you become the best detectorist you can be? First of all you must have an open mind and be willing to listen to the right people for instruction. In the past, I have been a involved in both Archery and Bowling to high degree. Those 2 sports taught me a very valuable lesson, if you want to be the best you can be, then learn from the best, someone that is very successful. I spent a lot of money buying the wrong stuff by listening to the “expert” that didn’t have a clue. I have learned how to do research from whom to seek advice. I run into people all the time that are wanting to get better, but they listen to people that have a good line but, don’t have the success to back up their claims. It sometimes is hard to get rid of bad habits, whether it is in your swing or the way you do research. YouTube is nice and there are some good videos and knowledge to be found on the site. However, there is also a lot of wanting to be people giving some not so good advice. It’s important that you as a viewer know the difference. You ask how do I know, again look at what they have found. A few old coins or a couple of gold nuggets doesn’t mean they have the knowledge you seek. Another thing is don’t keep changing the settings on your machine because this guy says it is the best way to do it. Learn your machine from testing buried targets to find out what works to get the best results in your area. There are no magic setting, there is however very good setting to start and work with to get your best performance. You will never be good if you are always changing your detector from this guys or to the next video guy that knows it all. YOU must learn how your machine works and when you need to change settings. Learn the sounds, do not depend on the ID’S # on when to dig. They are for a reference point to what might be the target. It takes years of dedication to understand this hobby. Now let’s talk about the detector that you have or want to get. I get asked all the time WHAT IS THE BEST MACHINE? The simple answer is “none” are the best at every task. And beyond that is what task are you wanting to use the detector. How about the selection of coils (not loops or heads) is compatible with a metal detector. What is the cost of the metal detector and the selection of coils you are going to need for your task? Not everyone can afford the most expensive detector on the market. But, if goal is to be the best nugget hunter you can be and are committed to that end, then, YES the Minelab GPZ-7000 is a machine you would definitely want to consider for Gold Nugget Hunting. To be honest, I am a bit prejudice about the brands of detectors I use so keep that in mind, but I use the one’s I use because they are the machines that I feel are the best for me and the tasks I want use them. That being said, here is what I have for my needs: GPZ-7000 GPX-5000 CTX-3030 FISHER GOLD BUG-2 XP DEUS These are not the only machines but they are my choice, do your research to find yours. THIS IS MY OPINION: Yes, I put in thousands of hours swinging and learning and have found over a thousand gold nuggets and some nice coins and relics. Why did I pick those machines? It is simple for me. When it comes to finding Gold Nuggets, Minelab is unsurpassed for depth on larger nuggets. That is why I have the GPZ-7000 and the GPX- 5000. Those two machines are similar but not the same. There are times when the GPX-5000 will outshine the GPZ-7000 and so that is the one bring out of the truck. If you are hunting nuggets in an area that has had a lot of miners camping and leaving iron items and trash behind, then discrimination may be needed and the GPX-5000 is the detector I want to use. When hunting in the Nevada desert where ferrous items are limited and nuggets of all sizes are possible to be found then the GPZ-7000 is my first choice. I have owned all the Minelab series from the GP 3500 up to the GPZ-7000. The GP series detectors have been the best gold finding detectors of their time. I have been fortune enough to find enough gold to justify the investment and I believe if you have the proper tools to get the job done correctly your chances of success becomes greater. The Fisher Gold Bug-2 is designed to find smaller and shallower gold and mean from fly *#*# to nice gold in the mineralized shallow ground. It is hard to beat the Gold Bug-2 when it comes to finding really small gold, but the Newer Minelab SDC-2300 comes very close but doesn’t have iron discrimination if that is needed. The last detector I use for hunting gold is the XP Deus. Now where would I use a multi purpose coin, relic and gold machine, in tailing piles looking for specimen gold. Again, these are my choices and for tailing piles The XP Deus is not the only detector that is good for the job, the Minelab X-terra 705 is the choice for a couple of the successful team members. When it comes to coin and relic hunting the Minelab CTX-3030 is what I find works best for me. One of the reasons I like this machine because it is waterproof. If you choose to hit the lake or beach you don’t have to worry about getting it wet and it works outstanding in the water while jewelry hunting. It has a good selection of coils to cover your hunting needs. In high iron areas I use the 6 inch coil and if the area it is a more open and uncluttered spot with deep coins the 17 inch monster coil would be the choice. The Stock coil works great for all around detecting conditions. The CTX-3030 or Minelab’s SDC-2300 are some of the best in water looking for those platinum, gold and silver rings. Again, there are other choices, but the CTX has it all and it covers most all of my coil and relic hunting needs. The XP Deus however, is a good choice with very heavy iron where the coins are close to the ferrous objects. I have paid for the XP Deus in a couple spots, finding some very nice targets lying too close to iron that the CTX was unable to find. I always use both units when I am in an area where old goodies are coming out of the ground. Back to how to become the best you can be. It takes hours and hours of using the correct techniques to become consistent in producing good finds. But just knowing your detector and technique is not enough by any means! The first part of becoming successful is doing the research to get you to a good spot. You can’t just always follow your buddies to get you to a good area. If they have been there, then you are looking for the left overs. It is fairly easy to find the cream in a spot, but to find what is below the cream and mixed in with the ferrous targets, or just plain DEEP TARGETS is what we are trying to do. You must put in the time to be successful. Wanting to find older coins and relics, then you have to be at a site that can hold those old items. The local city park is probably not your best choice but can be a very good place to practice honing your skills. The same holds true for a school yard. Lots of targets to get in some practice. With all the junk targets you can perfect your swing speed, coil control and keeping your coil level to the ground all the way through your swing. Learn how to separate targets and look for the deep ones, not the easy ones in the top 4 or 5 inches. Pass those up and leave those for later, but instead listen for the faint deep signals. The deep signals should be the better coins and relics. Look at the ground to see if has been turned over or fill has been added. While driving around look for old trees or stumps that have been there for years. Watch for older homes, especially ones that have bad lawn care. It can increase your chance to detect. Empty lots where old homes once stood. Look for foundations in those lots along with colored glass and trash from days gone by. Research at city hall or the library from where old roads or buildings once stood. Get photos from the era of when the community or mining camp was first started. Look at areas that didn’t have electricity back in the day, especially mine sites. Look for old maps of towns, forts or mining camps that are not on today's maps. The internet is a great source of information, but books and maps are usually the best way to go. As my detecting partner has told countless people, you will spend hundreds and even thousands of dollars buying that perfect detector, but you won’t spend a $100 a year buying research material to get you to those spots no one else finds. They are still out there. Research is all part of learning how to become successful. Coils are always a hot topic. What coil do I need? Well, you need the one designed to do the task you are attempting. If you are looking for shallow small targets, then a huge coil is not a good choice. Same way if you are looking for deep targets a small coil is not correct choice. Are you going to use discrimination, if so, you will need a DD coil. If you are after depth and sensitivity the mono coil is what you will want because they are more sensitive than their DD partners. There is also concentric coils on our coin and relic machines. You need to match the right coil to the task at hand. Smaller coils are designed to find smaller shallow targets. Big coils are made to go deep looking for that Lunker or deep coin, but if there is a small target at depth the big coil will most likely not see it and the small coil can’t see that deep so what does that mean. You simply can’t get them all unless you are scraping off a few inches at a time down to bedrock but we do try. Again, do some testing, if you are a nugget hunter then buy yourself some lead (Bird shot and fishing weights) in different sizes and put them in the ground at different depths and TEST!!! Coin hunters bury those coins in the ground so you can barely hear them. That serves two purposed, practice on faint targets and the opportunity to try different modes and setting to see what works in real life. Air tests are ok, but the mineralization and wetness in the ground tell the real story. That way you know what works and what doesn’t. That gives you the confidence and so you will not have to wonder if your machine and coil combination is correct. You will know! Confidence is a good thing. That is how we all have learned, practice practice practice…. You don’t have to be in the gold fields or a ghost town to become better on your detector. Instead of sitting on your couch go outside and put in some time learning about to make the machine and you work together to be successful. You might be surprised about how you want to get out there and find the get swinging after honing your skill level. If you have a family, what a way to spend some quality time together. And mom and dad you know the kids are going to get better than you. In conclusion, you want to be really good or just so so, the choice is yours. Everyone doesn’t want to be a Pro but if you do, it requires time, energy, investment and a lot of hours swing an digging. Remember, if you want to be the best then learn what you can from the successful hunter. Detector classes give you a huge leap forward to becoming successful. The final word is something I did hear on a video from a fellow digger: “Look of a reason to dig not for an excuse not to dig” Thanks for your time, Rye Patch Ron PS: Always fill in your holes, ask permission and leave it as good or better than before you dug.
  13. I will start by saying i am a recent nevada transplant from oregon. I owned a whites mxt pro but never used it much for nugget hunting. I would like to take advantage of some of what the high dessert of nevada offers and try my hand. That being said I thought I knew which detector I would be buying until I started reading all the information I have found online, including Steve's reviews. I was going to get a whites tdi sl. Now I'm thinking maybe a GMT or waiting for the new fisher czt. Someone please give their best sales pitch and help me out. I don't have the funds to spend more than this so the minelab units are out of my price range. Keep in mind I am new to this so if I sound like I don't know what I'm talking about it is because that is true.
  14. Hello Everyone I am new to the Forum and fairly new to detecting. I currently have a GB2 and have for the most part only been nugget shooting in BC. I found that the GB2 did okay but had issues in moderate and high mineralized areas and lost depth rapidly. I am looking to get my next detector for the tool chest and would like something that will give me better depth and performance nugget shooting but it would also be nice if it had some capability on coins, jewelry and relics as most of the people that I know that detect aren't nugget shooting. With the vast amount of expierience on this Forum what are your reccomendations? Thanks in advance.
  15. Hi, i'am new in this forum, i have some questions for steve Herschbach First, sorry for my poor english, but i'am a froggy French, and you know Frenchies are very bad for english .... I sent this from Ecuador, town of PUYO, between Llanganati Mountain and Amazonic Forest.. I want to go prespecting here for native Gold, here isn't any treasur nor coin and jewelry or militaria to find, just gold, a lot of river contains gold all around Llanganati Mountain, but the soil is mineralised due to the volcanos (here they are everywhere) and contains lot of black ferous stone.. So i'am looking for a PI detector. I spent lot of time in many forums to take all the informations i could found, in fine i saw 3 detectors that can be good for my purpose, i juste want steve to tell me if my conclusions are good or not and help me to make my choice. The 3 detectors i'am looking for are : Minelab SDC 2300 - GARRETT ATX - Minelab GPX 5000 The problem is that here in Ecuador the prices are more expensive than in USA : Minelab SDC 2300 cost 4000$ - GARRETT ATX cost 4000$ - Minelab GPX 5000 cost 6900$. The conclusions of my search in forums is that : - SDC 2300 is good for very small and small Nuggets and quiet good for Medium Nuggets. - ATX and GPX 5000 are quiet good for small Nuggets and good for Medium and large Nuggets. The ATX seem to have the same capabilities than the GPX5000 for less money and it is waterproof like the sdc2300 (here we have lot of hard rain and i want to prospect in and around rivers). So i think the ATX seem to be my favorite but i can't make a choice anyway between ATX and SDC. SDC seem to be very resistant for prospecting in mountain in case of fall and chocks and more easy to use for somebody without lot of detector experience like me... GPX seem to be the more powerful but it cost 3000$ more, and i don't know if it is very resistant to the rain and if i can put the coil in the water to prospect the bank of the rivers. So my questions are : - SDC can really be good for other kind of Nuggets than very small one's ? - ATX really more complete than SDC2300 for all kind of Nuggets and what about very small Nuggets ? - GPX5000 remain the best overall and it's better to pay 3000$ more to have this one ? What do you think about that and what could be your advise for helping me to make a choice between those detectors ?? Or Maybe you know an other detector better than those 3 for my purpose ?? Thank you very much for your response Franck RACINE
  16. Hello everyone, I am seeking some input for a detector purchase. I live on the east coast and have access to historic gold fields in my area. I had a GPX5000 that I used out west, but recently traded it in for a GPZ7000. I had at least some degree of discrimination with the 5000, but nada on the Zed. I am now looking to add another detector to the toolkit for the high-trash areas where I am detecting. This is strictly for prospecting, so I don't need an all in one detector. I am mainly interested in this for around the tailing piles and in areas close to the old mines. There is a lot of hunting on these properties also, so lots of shotgun shells, buckshot, birdshot, bullets, iron, foil, etc. Basically it is like a dump in some areas. The gold out this way is mostly small in size, less than an ounce for almost all nuggets. The soil is very mineralized also, red clays, with heavy mineral/iron content. I have been thinking about the FORS Gold, the Gold Racer (when it comes out), the Goldbug 2, and some other machines. I would really appreciate your thoughts on the best detector for my situation. The 7000 is great in the non-trashy areas, but I am spending more time lately in the thick of the trash and am going crazy. Thanks, Hound
  17. Steve, I just signed up for a two week detecting trip to Colchester, England this coming October. Since you've been there before I would appreciate your advise on the best detector to take there. I currently own a White's MXT and a Garrett AT Pro but have been considering a new XP Deus due to it's light weight. Your thoughts? Thanks.
  18. What kind of machines do you guys use in California?!? I am running an MXT Pro. I am up in Tuolumne County gold country, and i'm pretty sure the mineralization is heinous! RED dirt, HOT rocks, and Lots of rusting metal mixed in in many areas. In the trashy areas, i SWEAR i get about 2" depth on coins, about 3-4" on padlocks. I mostly use the 4x6 shooter DD to try and see between the trash. Is my gain (between 8-10) maybe TOO high? I'm "scared" to run much lower gain in fear of missing stuff. BUT, i just need to try a different gain setting, then re-scan an area that I personally have "worked out" with my current settings. Then see if my "new" settings can find more/deeper stuff!?!? (BTW it took me 2 years to save up to go from an ACE250, to this $900 MXT setup) so I know... a $2500 CTX3030 or $1500 eTrac would probably work better than tweaking my MXT (haha BUT, i can't afford that right now! Thanks, Paul Yes, i'm kinda a "noob"! I got the MXT in March for nuggets and relics/coins. Got a nugget, then got busy for the summer. So I've really only done about 20 +/- hours of real relic/coin hunting. I am sure a CTX3030 or eTrac would be a significantly better detector. BUT, I don't want to be one of those "I ALWAYS need a better detector" kinda folks. I believe what i've heard "You NEED to learn your detector, don't just keep buying new/better detectors because YOU can't figure out your previous detector!" BUT, if MXT gets 5-6" and CTX3030 gets 10-12" based on the machine and technology, well, that's just life!
  19. My apologies in advance for asking so many questions in one post. Two of us in Alabama are planning to drive west in October or November to go prospecting / nugget shooting for the first time. We plan to devote a solid 2 to 4 weeks to learning to find nuggets and placer deposits. Priority will be on shooting nuggets with metal detectors and experimenting with ground penetrating radar. What locations or regions should we hit? Northern Nevada seems favored by various blogs and the BLM claim data. Which two or three detectors should we buy given about $3000 to put towards detectors? Would it be better to get three detectors (one as a spare) or put more money into two better detectors? Steve's guides are the best resource I've seen and suggest the following detectors: Fischer Gold Bug Pro White's MXT or GMT Minelab X-Terra 705 Used Minelab GP 3000/3500 or GPX 4000/4500 Is interference a concern because two of us will be operating simultaneously? Or should we plan to operate some distance away from each other? Thank you!!
  20. I currently have a GPX 5000, ATX, TDI, Gold Bug 2, Gold Bug Pro, and GMT plus some others. I should have a new Minelab SDC soon. Why don't I just keep the best one and get rid of the rest? Because there is not yet one detector that gets it all. When I look at my detectors I see a wide spectrum of varying and often overlapping capability with each having in some cases just one little thing it does better than the others. If you took them all away except one picked at random I would still go out and I would still find gold. Metal detector manufacturers sometimes give me detectors for free to go use. In the last two years I have received free detectors from Fisher, Garrett, Minelab, and White's. Why? Because if they send me one I can and will go find gold with the detector, and that helps them sell detectors. Metal detectors do not find gold. Prospectors find gold. Metal detectors are a tool some prospectors use. If a prospector can only find gold with one brand or one model of metal detector than in my opinion they are not all that good at metal detecting for gold. The secret is in putting yourself on good locations and then working like a dog. No matter what detector I have I am going to try and put myself someplace where I can find gold. If you have a "better detector" and I consistently put myself in better locations I am still going to find more gold than you. If we both know what we are doing but you detect a day a week and I detect seven, I am going to find more gold. In general. The reason I do well is I put myself in better locations than a lot of people and I work hard at it. I am not some kind of detecting wizard. I am just a very hard working prospector. Too many people think this stuff is easy and expect too much from too little effort. The only difference in having a detector that may not be up to your partners detector is you are going to have to work smarter and work harder than him. That said, get the best equipment you can afford, and if that means buying used then do so. Maybe that means you get a XYZ from a widow for a song. Then learn the detector, and research out good locations, and get to work finding gold. Any recently made model that is specific to prospecting will work. It can find gold. Or rather I should say I can find gold with it because detectors do not find gold! I have a passion for detectors and I love chatting about them and comparing them endlessly. But do not hesitate to just pull the trigger and get what you can reasonably afford and get with the program. Waiting for the perfect detector to arrive is just wasting time you could be out prospecting. I find no matter what as a serious prospector I need three or four detectors to cover it all. I just get the latest whenever they come along and let my detecting sort it out. I play around a lot detecting but when it is time to get serious certain units get grabbed and others left behind. Eventually if a unit sits unused long enough I sell it. Steve's Theory of Detector Natural Selection. What with my GPX and ATX and now SDC my White's TDI seems to be sidling towards the door. But I have a few more things I want to try with it before that happens so it keeps hanging on. But if it sits for another year it may be time to let it go. Get out there, get prospecting, work hard, but have fun. Good luck!
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