Rating Minelab & Their Higher End Gold Detectors - Long Read

[Gold Hound]

6 hours ago, Norvic said:

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

They always have...

Im predicting that when it first comes out there will be a fair bit of negative rhetoric. Just like when the 7k was released, a large percentage of operators were dissaponted (mainly due to operator inexperince) and many even sold their 7's within a couple of weeks of purchase. I was posting my reviews and finds on an australian forum and got ganged up on and accused of being a minelab stooge/liar so I stopped posting there and joined Steves good forum.

I really cleaned up in the months following the release, my first trip of 10 days going over the local well known patches netted me 8oz of missed gold! Which payed for the detector and some. We then proceeded to clean all of the patches in the main areas before others eventually cottoned on to how good the Zed was. We spent the rest of the season cleaning old areas and it was a very productive season.

While this was happening I pondered what the reason was for all of the dissapontment, I realised that barely any operators take the time to test the new tech in controlled conditions and experiment with the settings over detected targets to try and brighten or enhance them.

In fact most just turn on the new detector and expect it to be better than their last machine which they had years to get used to!

I suppose it is just human nature to blame the tool for ones inadequacy rather than looking at ones self for flaws in operation😕

 

[Dances With Doves]

Are  Minelab PI so good that the the SD 2100 would have the edge over the  Garrett ATX on   nuggets ?

[Gerry in Idaho]

On 2/16/2021 at 9:17 PM, UtahRich said:

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 - 

 

Very good questions. 

Here in the US repair department, Minelab does not repair SD or GP series detectors.  I know they are repairing 4500's and 5000's, but not sure if the 4000?

Realize most external parts on the SD/GP and GPX are all interchangeable within their series.  The shafts, arm cuffs, rods and all coils are interchangeable SD/GP/GPX.

I still get occasional SD in trade and a few more GP's, but I like to know the history and owner before I make a deal.  Right now I have a used GP-Extreme coming in.  Like all used detectors I take in trade, I like to run my testing to make sure the operation is good, the battery charges, the coils respond and the overall operation is fine.  Yes it will cost you a little more money when purchasing a used detector from me vs Craigslist/eBay or other, but you are also getting a piece of mind by purchasing from a well known and reputable dealer.

Shoot me a PM if you are interested in a certain machine, as I have a used SDC-2300 and GPZ 7000 on their way to me as well.

[Gerry in Idaho]

20 hours ago, Dances With Doves said:

Are  Minelab PI so good that the the SD 2100 would have the edge over the  Garrett ATX on   nuggets ?

Yes and No and that is a true answer.

A Garrett goof did a video of how close the ATX was to certain gold vs a $5800 Minelab GPX-5000 and he sold many ATX detectors.  At the same time, a few of the ATX folks would eventually end up in my 3 day Field Training classes and it was there, they seen the real deal difference.  To say the least, they felt like they had been lied to.  Did Beardog lie to them?  Not exactly, but he was either to blind (I'm being nice) to understand how to properly operate the GPX-5000 or he didn't care and wanted to make money.  Now to also be fair, many people do not know the 5000 that well as it can easily scatter brain the average person, if you look at all the variables.  The problem with the 5000 and even the other GPX series was to dang many options/settings/sub settings...hence the newer machines are getting easier (SDC-2300, GM-1000, GPZ-7000 and now GPX-6000).

But here is to answer your question.

A 25+ yr old SD-2100 will go deeper on large gold.  It will run smoother in highly mineralized soils.  It has more coil options.  On most medium gold, I would still take the dinosaur SD-2100.  But I know there is more smaller gold, I know there is more specimens and sponge type gold many bigger machines struggle with.  The ATX has greater sensitivity to smaller gold and certain specimens/sponge gold.  It's more compact and also 100% waterproof.  The ATX is a way better gold ring detector in saltwater than any Minelab PI detector made to this date.

So the answer to your question is still YES and NO.

I'll put a spin on this for you and it will totally piss off many people and I'll have folks thinking I have gone off the deep end.

In each of the last 3 years I have found more ounces of gold with a sub $1000 detector than my SDC-2300, my GPX-5000, and my GPZ-7000.  In fact, I have found more gold with it, than all the gold I have found with the 3 mentioned COMBINED.  That's a fact.

Part of our 3 day Field Training talks about what I'll mention below.

Knowing your detectors capabilities and strong points is a given...but just as important, is knowing its weak points and the kind of gold it's not good at.  You can't dig what your detector don't see.

Now, we are about to get a new GPX-6000 than can find many kinds of gold better, is lighter in weight and easier to use.  Those who wait to long wondering what others have to say? 

Realize, Minelab has a reputation, a 25+ yr going strong reputation of putting more gold into your pockets than any other manufacture...No ifs, ands or butts..just facts.

I don't need to wait for someone to tell me YES it's true...the history and facts are already there, they're GOLDEN.

[mn90403]

I've taken Gerry's class!  haha

[Gold Catcher]

Now, it will be interesting to look ahead from here. The next ML flagship machine needs to be substantially better than both the 7000 and the 6000. Tall order? 

[Norvic]

2 hours ago, Gerry in Idaho said:

In each of the last 3 years I have found more ounces of gold with a sub $1000 detector than my SDC-2300, my GPX-5000, and my GPZ-7000.  In fact, I have found more gold with it, than all the gold I have found with the 3 mentioned COMBINED.  That's a fact.

Elaborate on that one please Gerry, I feel it is because of the ground you work and your technique in working that ground, for me that statement would apply in the early VLF days before the PIs because the gold was just laying around but today the Z it`s depth on sub grammers and ozers but that`s in my backyard.

[Jeff McClendon]

2 hours ago, Norvic said:

Elaborate on that one please Gerry, I feel it is because of the ground you work and your technique in working that ground, for me that statement would apply in the early VLF days before the PIs because the gold was just laying around but today the Z it`s depth on sub grammers and ozers but that`s in my backyard.

I have the same issue (it is actually a good issue to have!!!) as Gerry and have found more gold nuggets, some up to 1/4 ouncers at 6 to 10" in really bad mineralization and sub .1 grammars at 2 to 4" with a sub $1000 detector also.  The PIs I used to own were heavy, awkward to swing and wore me and my back completely out within 2 hours. Most of that detecting was above 10,000 feet elevation to be sure but they still wore me out. I can detect just as well and feel a lot better doing so in those same areas with a Minelab VLF detector that is not named the Gold Monster 1000. If all I did was detect relatively flat to slightly hilly terrain without too many obstacles and at less than 3,000 feet elevation, a 6 to 8 lbs Minelab PI would be no problem. That is not where I detect most often.

[Norvic]

Thank you Jeff, that 10,000ft is the factor I suspect, the 6000 might be the detector to help even out our different environments a little. I work to 2000ft and your post helps me understand where you fellows are coming from. I wonder if one day we`ll have a detector operator working on say the moon, imagine how alien his methods would be to us, be long after I`m gone and is SF now. I hope Gerry gets the time to post tis a fascinating subject to hear the different environments we get that heavy stuff and how we adapt.

[mn90403]

5 hours ago, Norvic said:

Elaborate on that one please Gerry, I feel it is because of the ground you work and your technique in working that ground, for me that statement would apply in the early VLF days before the PIs because the gold was just laying around but today the Z it`s depth on sub grammers and ozers but that`s in my backyard.

I know the answer but let Gerry tell you himself!