Nugget Finder Z Search Coil Release Date 18th December

[jasong]

What is the actual measured diameter of the final production NF 12", JP?

[Jonathan Porter]

2 minutes ago, jasong said:

What is the actual measured diameter of the final production NF 12", JP?

12 inches

[AussieMatt]

Looks like the first of the GPZ Nugget Finder Z Coils are being delivered:

https://www.prospectingaustralia.com.au/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=587396#p587396

Weight with lower shaft 1070grams vs Minelab stock coil with lower shaft 1408grams.

I'm sure many performance comparisons will follow......

Image: https://www.prospectingaustralia.com.au/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=587396#p587396

 

[jasong]

The 2 most asked for requests for a brand new GPZ successor were lighter weight and smaller coils. Here it is, for 1/7th the cost of a new GPZ. With the addition that this coil is reported to get equal or better sensitivity to most common nugget weights.

It's like buying a new machine for only $1000. This is a better improvement over the GPZ than the 5000 was over the 4500 IMO (assuming it matches the X Coil performance).

I am pretty surprised at the lack of excitement here. Has anyone in the US preordered one or do any dealers here even plan on carrying them? I would have been first in line if I didn't already have a 12" coil. Are people just waiting for a smaller one mostly?

[Jonathan Porter]

More is oft times less, so what might work in one ground type will not necessarily work in another. To achieve a universal coil that is acceptable “everywhere” first the coil needs to meet a very high standard dictated by Minelab itself, X balance being the main one and minimal Saturation signal being a high-order second. There’s no point in having a specific coil design that only works in homogeneous quiet ground types, Minelab have always had a winning formula based on detector design that is always aimed at working in Australia’s highly mineralised ground types, as history has shown if they can get it to work well here it will work well in less challenging areas too!

The ZSearch 12R X balances extremely well (It’s been remarked “better than the GPZ14”), the 12R also saturates less than the standard GPZ14, both of these things provide an advantage straight out of the crate in the vast majority of detecting areas in Australia, especially Victoria. Because of the construction methods used the Zsearch 12R is also a LOT lighter than the GPZ14, the main bugbear of a lot of detector users around the world, both in people choosing ‘NOT’ to buy and people opting out.

Lastly I can attest to a big improvement in sensitivity over standard and also less EMI and less Salt/Conductive signal, so the combination of less weight, less EMI, less Salt, less Saturation signal and correct electronic design tolerances all add up to a VERY obvious improvement in even the worst ground types.

If the first NF GPZ coil does not meet your needs then don’t buy, I for one applaud the honesty they’ve shown on their website which IMHO is highly downplayed based on my own personal experiences. Nuggetfinder have plans for more models in the future and when that happens I’m sure we’ll see more innovation as time goes on. Every coil bar 2 in our allocated stock have pre-sold with customers picking up their coils today. I now have customers buying into GPZ because of the weight reduction alone.

Because I helped develop this product and because I sell this product I’m happy to sit on the side lines and let others experiences filter through. All I can say is my own observance, especially going over ground that has seen me frequent these areas hundreds of times over the past nearly 5 years, I am once again pinging nuggets during one-on-one training sessions, no small feat I can assure you.

Nuggetfinder have sold out on their first manufacturing run, already that number exceeds other figures quoted on this forum. Now it’s time to let things settle and let the early adopters have a chance to go out and play.

JP

[AussieMatt]

If you read the first trial report from the new owner of the coil then it would appear the NF 12" does have more sensitivity. 2 x specs found in situ could not be picked up with the stock coil https://www.prospectingaustralia.com.au/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=587426#p587426

[Jonathan Porter]

Thought I’d go to some quiet ground and see for myself how sensitive this new NF Zsearch coil is, been meaning to do this for a while but prospecting keeps getting in the way and I’m not a good one for chasing the tiny stuff. 🥴

Settings used were:

• Gold Mode, High Yield
• Ground Type, Normal
• Threshold, 26
• Threshold Pitch, 40
• Sensitivity, 16 
• Audio Smoothing, OFF 
• Ground Smoothing, OFF
• Ground Balance, Semi-Auto and Manual
• Ferrite Balance, Calibrated at start till there was zero signal then checked after an hour

First piece was tiny, finger wetting to pick it up tiny, but a very clear signal.😳

Then I got a screamer signal that was so obvious even though I know this place well.

Then it was on for young and old and I could do no wrong till the sweat and humidity drove me out.

I filmed one of the deep ones, that was fun trying to do everything one handed. 😬

One of the pieces would not weigh on my scales, which is pretty impressive.

Gold found for the session with the new Nugget Finder Zsearch 12 inch round

[Jonathan Porter]

For those interested and who even care 🥴, I was using the unbranded proto during the detecting session and when I got back to the shop for the weigh in I put the nugglets on the MTR unit for the photo opp. 😇

Scales weigh down to 0.00 of a gram, so to me 0.00 means the flake of gold was less than 0.01, hence why the scales show 0.00 gram. 😳 Here’s a pic of a different set of scales when I weighed it on the front seat of my Landcruiser when I was still out in the field. At the end of the day I start to lose interest when they go much below 0.10 gm, too much bending and scraping for me I’m afraid.

 

[jasong]

Were any of these coils sent to US dealers? I called 3 of them in the AZ area yesterday just to see if they had them so I could see it in action, and got voicemails all around so I wasn't able to find out.

[Gold Catcher]

Given the current situation and the high demand I doubt we will get these coils to the US anytime soon. I guess I have to move to Au...