Rating Minelab & Their Higher End Gold Detectors - Long Read

[Gerry in Idaho]

What does a Veteran Detectorist think of all the gold detectors?  I’ve been hooked and chasing gold nuggets for 25 years with a metal detector.  I really don’t care who makes it or where it’s from, as long as the detector can find me more gold.  I’ve used most all of the popular gold detectors manufactured and or sold in the US in that same 25 yrs.

I’ve watched metal detector manufactures grow, seen them make a few duds, helped a couple introduce some fine detectors to the industry and I hate to admit it, but have watched a couple big name manufactures close their  doors.   I think it might be fun to share my spin on the brand that seems to just keep getting bigger and stronger – Minelab.  Yes there’s a few guys out there who have been using detectors longer than I and maybe they don’t agree with me.  No worries, I’m not trying to outdo anyone or prove a point.  I just want to share what I have experienced and if someone feels different and wants to take the time to do a write up, that’s even better.  It adds to the discussion and conversation of what we here on DP love, detecting for gold.

Chuck had asked if Minelab had made a gold detector that was essentially not much of an improvement.  Jason gave his input and history of Minelab detector and how he ranked them.  I got to thinking, as a Minelab dealer for 20+ yrs and one who was even using their technologies and products in the field with success, before I became a dealer, I feel some more light could be shed and even going back before Jason was on board.

Minelab SD-2100. In 1996 I was blown away with the introduction of the SD-2100 and it's power (depth) over a VLF.  Yes, it was a heavy detector but I was young and enjoyed digging deep holes.  Definitely deserved a 5 star rating as this was the deepest detector I had ever got my hands on.

Minelab SD-2200d. The year 1998 a new version, the SD-2200d come along and the depth was on par with the 2100, but the 2200 had some discrimination, which worked ok.  This detector did not knock me off my feet, but I did use the DISC in some areas of Oregon to get good gold in trash.  I'd rate it a 3 Star.

Minelab GP-Extreme. 2000 was a good year and the introduction of the GP-Extreme with DVT (Dual Voltage Technology) allowed for greater improvements on smaller and finer gold than the SD's.  Minelabs claim of nuggets 55% deeper than an SD-2200d (wonder why they did not say SD-2100?).  I was pretty happy with their claim and my success…when I found an Extreme that ran properly as some of the early ones were noisy.  I would give it a 4 star.

Minelab GP-3000. The issues of the GP-Extreme were cleaned up and an improved GP-3000 came out in 2003.  Again, no big jump in depth, but cleaning up the internal noises allowed for cleaner smoother operation, clearer signal response and a few more nuggets.  In my opinion the GP-3000 earned a 3 star. 

Minelab GP-3500. Only 2 years later in 2005 and the GP-3500 was in my hands.  Again, no big depth difference in any types of gold, but the Ground Tracking Button was added to the top of the hand grip.  This change was nothing I wrote home about, but it was an improvement.  I'd rate it a 3 star at the time.

Realize from the SD2100 (I never owned an SD-2000), up through and including the GP-3500, the coils, shafts and power supply were the same, so in reality it's hard to get a big increase in depths.  The GP series with the DVT was better at smaller/rougher gold but depth on big gold was all pretty close and I felt in some cases the SD's could get a little better depth on solid nuggets.  Today, finding a good clean SD-2100, SD-2200, GP-3000 or GP-3500 and it runs properly, at a decent price, would be a wise move for someone on a budget wanting to step up to a PI.  That’s why I am willing to take some of the older units in trade, but the price has to be right.

Minelab GPX-4000. 2006 was the GPX-4000, yes a new series "GPX" and there was improved capabilities again on smaller gold, specimens and crystalline gold.  New lighter battery, digital readout tuning and more timings.  No claim of extra depth from Minelab but I felt the adding timings, and digital adjustments were in fact getting me a few more pieces of gold.  I give the GPX-4000 a solid 4 rating of 5.

Minelab GPX-4500. In 2008 we were offered the very popular (even to this day), GPX-4500.  I personally did not see a big difference in depths and or did Minelab make any claims of such.  But it did have SETA (if I recall, a smoothing filter?) and added Timings, improved battery with built in Amp and a better waist belt, for what that’s worth.  Even though this machine was not a wow factor for me, it did prove the test of time and to this day is a fantastic PI detector.  In fact it was fazed out in the US and then later brought back at a better price point.  At the 2^nd better price point, certainly a 4 star, maybe 5, but at 1^st when came out in 08, I rate it a 3 out of 5.

Minelab GPX-5000. Fall of 2010 we get the new improved GPX-5000 with 2 added Timings and some other fine tune adjustments.  No big depth differences for most folks, but the 2 timings did have their merit and some folks to this day prefer a 5000 over a 4500.  If I was looking at price differences today, I think the 4500 is a better deal at $2600 vs the $4000 price point we see for a GPX-5000 today.  Realize the 5000 was priced $5800 and stayed there for a few years with great sales.  I don’t recall Minelab stating any depth gains of the 5000 over the others, but I could be wrong?  I did find more gold though as the Fine Gold Timing was good for certain kinds of gold.  I would rate the GPX-5000 a 3 star.

Minelab GPX-4800. Came out about the same time as the GPX-5000 while they tried to faze out the GPX-4500.  The 4800 in all fairness a relabeled 4500 in my opinion and it did not sell well, or last long.  Still a good reliable detector though and event today finding a used one at the right price is a good move from a  VLF.  This was in my opinion, Minelabs 1^st flop of a gold detector introduction.  I rate it at a 1, but performance at a 3.

All 4 models of GPX detectors use the same power cords, battery (although the 4500,4800 and 5000 battery have built in amp), same headphones and shafts.  Heck even the coils, shafts, headphones are all interchangeable with the SD and GP series as well, nice bonus for us all these years.  An interesting spin on the GPX gold detectors, is they are now the most desired detector of the serious Relic Hunters back East.  Those East Coast dealers are finally getting to make some money selling a multi thousand dollar unit that performs above all others at depth.

SDC-2300. Introduced in 2014, I felt this was a good breakthrough for Minelab and the gold nugget hunting community.  Easily the coolest looking most compact gold detector Minelab has made to date, but heavy and awkward.  Well we learned to deal with it, as it’s simplicity and performance for the majority of gold (small gold) was a big win.  The 100% waterproof had a liking as well and I enjoyed a few nice water hunts with it on some black iron sand beaches with gold & diamond success.  No it’s not a deep PI on big gold and Minelab never claimed it was, but boy did and still do, many people have fun and gold finds.  I rate the simplicity/performance of the SDC-2300 a solid 5 star.

GPZ-7000.  Early 2015, a Field Staff Expert and I took a prototype GPZ-7000 to Nevada to test the 40% more depth claims Minelab was touting.  Another easy to see benefit of the GPZ was the simplicity when compared to a GPX and we liked it as we also realized most customers felt the GPX detectors were not easy to understand with the 250K variables of timings/sub timings/options/settings.  The easier to set up and run 7000 was going to be easier to train and in fact we were worried it might be too easy and nobody would take the training.  That eventually went away, as we realized most people still did not have an understanding of proper coil control, a good beep form a bad one and difference from ground noise and a real target.  Did we find the 40% depth increase claim to be true?  Well no measuring sticks were used, but I know for a fact the 7000 sees a variety of gold deeper than any other previous bigger PI detector I or any of my Field Staff have ever used.  Our biggest complaint about the detector was the actual weight.  In fact my 1^st prototype did not even have the swing arm, which is almost a must for most folks.  I rate the GPZ-7000 a solid 5 of 5 stars.  I will say this though.  Early on, I would have rated it a 4 as I had not spent enough time testing the settings and getting it dialed in like the settings I currently use.  Today, I feel the performance of the GPZ-7000 is easily a 5 star.

GPX-6000. Introducing in late Spring or early Summer 2021 the most impressive of all GPX-6000.  The claims of XXX depth over a variety of gold is impressive to say the least.  The ergonomics and feel from my Staff that played with it seems to be a 5 star.  The User Friendly cleaned up turn on and go (somewhat like a GM-1000) operation rates a 5 star. Now we just need to get it in our hands and in the field for some actual real prospecting.  Then we can rate the stars on Performance vs what Minelab claims.

Again, I know some folks will have differing opinions than what I have mentioned.  I also know their soils and detecting ground or overall detector knowledge will be different.  I realize a few people have higher expectations than some of us and or not as fast to sell their old to try the new, technologies.  But when I look back at my 25 yrs of using Minelab detectors, I find very little faults in their claims of depth increases.  I’ve also found each new gold detector actually was an improvement over the other (minus the 4800) in some way or another.  Do I justify each of us running out and purchasing the next new model?  Heck no, I don’t know your income level or how high on the fun scale you rate detecting and digging up gold.  But for me, I have found enough gold to pay for all my different Minelabs and I consider detecting to be my #1 passion.

In my eyes, Minelab has been the most consistent metal sensing detector manufacture in the last 25 yrs and will probably continue to do so.  Each new unit they have come out with has produced more gold for my staff and I.  We all expect this new GPX-6000 to do just what we want.  That’s to find more gold, with a better ergonomically designed and user friendly detector.  Will we find a particular nugget that one of our other detectors may hit at stronger, or a little deeper, or in a certain EMI or soil condition?  Could happen, but I don’t worry about the rare anomaly occasion, I look at the overall variety of gold I pursue and chase.  I’ll go out on a limb and rate the GPX-6000 a ----  shooting star.

Would love to hear your responses.

The video is some of my guys and I putting a spin on one of Minelabs 5 Star rated gold detectors.

 

[Norvic]

For me I agree with the basic assessment that each ML even each ML VLFs were a step up, the first PI SD2000 was a big step on the VLFs, the 2100 another fairly big step, as you noted the 2200 was only a little step with its discrimination and auto GB after that each PI model had refinements with the 5000 the best for highly mineralized ground and then the ZVT Z was a few steps up in one hit, no cables, wireless speaker and increased depth and sensitivity plus more ergonomic ( I can hear lots rebelling to that)😉  I trust ML and have since the SD2100, simply ordering the next model well before release thus overall I rate ML above all other gold detector manufacturers, light years above, they are the "Microsoft" of Metal Detectors.

 

[jasong]

Good summary. A lot of that was before my time! I forgot about the 4800 completely.

It's almost like one could say there was a first gold detector revolution in the mid 90's SD's and then another with the SDC and 7000 in 2015. The GPX introduction in 2006 was a...half revolution? 

Anyways, it looks like every 10-ish years we see a new plateau from Minelab. Wonder if we are going to see something revolutionary in 2025ish like full discrim on PI/ZVT or the ultimate detector black swan idea - GPR. Or, if upon reflection GeoSense will be revolutionary enough to bring it 4 years early?

[geof_junk]

For some one doing it for wages, it would be foolish to not up grade at each release. For an amateur each major up grade is worth thinking about, but only buy the best for your conditions when you do. You will still find gold with the best old models even if it does not find wages. 

[UtahRich]

Gerry,

Any idea how far back in the models that Minelab is still supporting repairs ?

If I were able to find a reasonably clean / operating older model, could repairs still be made? Or would I be out of luck should the electronics gremlin strike ? Is there an obvious point in models where age makes the purchase a foolish one? 

rich - 

 

[mn90403]

Thank you Gerry.

My first gold detector was a 5000.  My first trip to the desert to look for gold with it was in 2010 and it took me about a year to connect with anyone that helped me find my first nugget.

Since that time I've bought several of the Minelabs Gerry mentioned and I still have them.  I've also found some gold with the CTX 3030 based upon Gold Hound's settings.  Then there is the 800 that has also found me some gold.  The only detector I've 'skipped' was the GM.

I would have to say in Gerry's description he is more concerned with a timeline than he is with a model number line and I think for good reason.  New models are standing on the shoulders of previous detectors that Minelab (and others) have made.  As Norvic said, "they are the "Microsoft" of Metal Detectors."

If I had the time to detect right now I'd be on a pre-order list.

Mitchel

[Gold Hound]

Hi Gerry it's really simple for me...

No other company has delivered a detector that I can make a living off!

I have not bought a detector off minlab that did not meet or exceed my expectations.

My first detector was a 3500 and I have owned every gold detector and high end coin detector since. And all have made me money.

I agree with your summery except for the 5000, the introduction of the extra timings and more refined electronics which made it more stable in normal alowed me to find a lot of extra gold in areas previously gone over with the 4500. The Finegold timing in particular.

 

 

 

[Norvic]

5 hours ago, Gold Hound said:

I agree with your summery except for the 5000, the introduction of the extra timings and more refined electronics which made it more stable in normal alowed me to find a lot of extra gold in areas previously gone over with the 4500. The Finegold timing in particular.

The 6000 has big shoes to replace but we know ML will do.

[mn90403]

14 minutes ago, Norvic said:

The 6000 has big shoes to replace but we know ML will do.

They've had a bit of time to consider this roll out.  Better to trust rather than distrust.

[Jeff McClendon]

I have owned the 2200d (it definitely worked well), GP3500 (really liked the ground balance button on the handle and still my favorite Minelab PI), GPX4800 (enough said), Whites TDI SL (no comment) and the SDC2300 (which I liked and hated equally). I might have 10 more years to hit the gold fields of the western USA. I am going to sell anything I can and save up to hopefully buy a GPX6000 in the future, after all of you professionals get your hands on one and give it an honest verdict. I still have a QED PL3 to play around with in the interim.