Next Gold Machine !

[Gerry in Idaho]

I don't recall if you mentioned needing Iron Identification, but all the VLF class detectors you did mention, have that feature. 

If you're set on a PI, I feel the best priced model is the Axiom and as mentioned, it has more capabilities and Iron Identification, the GPX-6000 or GPZ-7000 don't. Now that we know the price increase coming up on the 6/7 models, more folks will lean towards the better priced Axiom.  Bonus, the Axiom coils are a better price point as well. 

24K, It's my favorite VLF Gold Only Detector and quite capable.  But you mentioned Equinox.  I personally will grab an Equinox or Manticore over the 24K. They can do things the 24K can't. 

Some great advice from top nugget hunters, so you get plenty to digest. 

Keep us posted on your decision. 

[QcGOLD]

On 12/20/2023 at 8:20 AM, Mike Furness said:

QcGold I haven't heard anyone say they absolutely hated the monster. Just wondering why? In your river beds did you ever rake them down incrementally say 2" at a time and detect each drop in layer down to bedrock or clay that typically would stop gold from dropping further? Or was it that it had no true threshold to listen to? I have heard that complaint a few times. Just never heard anyone adamant that they hated the Monster. As for myself the Monster has provided me with ounces of AZ gold. It is one of the few machines I did not sell when I moved out of AZ back to NH.

The knock sensitivity of this machine is driving me crazy. Yes you will find gold with a GM1000 but .... Prospecting for gold is a hobby, and I want to experience happiness while engaging in my hobby. 🙂

[phrunt]

3 hours ago, QcGOLD said:

The knock sensitivity of this machine is driving me crazy. Yes you will find gold with a GM1000 but .... Prospecting for gold is a hobby, and I want to experience happiness while engaging in my hobby. 🙂

To keep the knock sensitivity under control you just have to make sure you're very well ground balanced with regular coil pumping, and obviously sensitivity levels come into play.  It's certainly not ideal in rocky areas where hitting rocks all the time is part of detecting, and that's where detectors like the 24k are superior.  You also need to make sure your coil cable is secure, and not moving around near the coil, don't do it up tight so the cable is near to the coil, have a good piece of cable going straight up away from the coil and secure it nicely so it won't move.  Any movement of that cable is detected by the detector and it sounds off.

[dig4gold]

2 hours ago, QcGOLD said:

The knock sensitivity of this machine is driving me crazy. Yes you will find gold with a GM1000 but .... Prospecting for gold is a hobby, and I want to experience happiness while engaging in my hobby. 🙂

You need to slow down & learn/practise precise coil control & not bash the coil around & as Phrunt has said, maybe dial back the sensitivity. It is a grand little machine for the smallest of gold.  A bedrock detector that sniffs it out as long as the tiny stuff is close to the coil. That is what it excels at. Not a depth machine.

D4G

[phrunt]

Bill Southern did a great video on its ground balance here

It's got pretty slow ground tracking, especially early models of it I believe they improved it a little on newer ones.   I've got an early one. 

[Steve Herschbach]

55 minutes ago, dig4gold said:

You need to slow down & learn/practise precise coil control & not bash the coil around & as Phrunt has said, maybe dial back the sensitivity. It is a grand little machine for the smallest of gold.  A bedrock detector that sniffs it out as long as the tiny stuff is close to the coil. That is what it excels at. Not a depth machine.

D4G

Or use another detector. The issue does not exist with machines like the 24K or Gold Bug 2. You can drive a golf ball with a Gold Bug 2 6" coil with no falsing, and to this day a Gold Bug 2 with 6" coil will sniff tiny gold as well or better than today's latest and greatest. And it can be hip or chest mounted - in some ways we have gone backwards.

[Mike Furness]

51 minutes ago, phrunt said:

pretty slow ground tracking,

Yup a little slow but if you rely on manually ground balancing as soon as it starts to be a bit noisy you will have a super hunting tool! Bill Southern's video is a perfect example of when and how to ground balance the machine. The only thing he didn't cover is that when you stop moving the coil to either dig a target ... hopefully ... a nugget or just to look around without moving the detector/coil you will have to ground balance before moving on. Basically the answer to most problems folks have with this machine can be fixed by ground balancing in the way that Bill showed in that video.

[Gerry in Idaho]

5 hours ago, QcGOLD said:

The knock sensitivity of this machine is driving me crazy. Yes you will find gold with a GM1000 but .... Prospecting for gold is a hobby, and I want to experience happiness while engaging in my hobby. 🙂

You might have a bad coil as you should be able to tap the coil next to rocks/brush and the ground without much issues.  You probably know this and I'm not trying to insult anyone here. If the particular site is causing a lot of falsing, turn the GAIN down.

[Gerry in Idaho]

1 hour ago, Steve Herschbach said:

Or use another detector. The issue does not exist with machines like the 24K or Gold Bug 2. You can drive a golf ball with a Gold Bug 2 6" coil with no falsing, and to this day a Gold Bug 2 with 6" coil will sniff tiny gold as well or better than today's latest and greatest. And it can be hip or chest mounted - in some ways we have gone backwards.

You sure have a point there.  The GB-2 with 6" coil, I don't think we'll ever see a detector any more sensitive to small gold.  Interestingly, Fisher introduced this model in 1995 and here it is almost 30 years later and no better model from them.  Warning, for some time with the poured epoxy coils, there was quite a few bad ones that were extremely touch sensitive. Now the coils are hollow and a little lighter.  It's not my hot seller now so I'm not as familiar with the newer ones built in Texas.

[1515Art]

I have had the 7000, currently have the 6000 and Axiom they are all great machines the Axiom stands out in versatility and potential edge in trash and the salt mode is pretty remarkable it’s the most ergonomic, the 6000  is easy to use and comfortable to swing and the 7000 is king but the most expensive and least ergonomic but manageable with a swing assist device. You cat go wrong with any of them really but the Axiom is the least expensive and has the iron check feature with the potential to open up areas not well covered allowing you to investigate spots that would drive you crazy with the other two. I personally with the Axiom like both the 7x11mono and 7x11dd coils if you can get that package and decide on the Axiom.