Minelab GPX 4500 Is Back?

[TheDeepseeker]

Yeah it's strange, I read an article a few months back where a dealer was saying that the guys digging Catto's paddock use 7000's. Well who knows that may well be the case, but they pulled out a 5 oz nugget from just detecting the surface of the paddock about a year or so ago, and the pics showed the nugget and the detector which looked like a 4500 with a nugget finder coil on it.

Having said that, I don't think in their case it would matter which detector they use now. I took these pics of Catto's paddock from the roadside fence a few weeks back and going by the equipment and the pile of dirt it looks like they're going the full 12 feet before they swing anything now 🤣

I believe Reg detected Sheepyard Gully or the Grass paddock on the other side of the road many years ago?

[Guys gold]

The one thing about a 4500 come back.After market coils are in short supply.Ones that make the 4500 really preform.Only a few choices at NF small coils ,same a Coiltek other than available stock. 14” and 15” is the coils that make the 4500 punch deeper than the small gold detectors that are available.Been a few years since the people swinging punch a button and go detectors,have had to deal with multiple adjustments.Don’t know if some want to go back! And newbys got a pretty big learning curve,with limited amount of OLD Hands to lead them. 

[phrunt]

I think the way the settings were done on a 4500 made it more complicated than it was, if it was a modern machine with a screen and a few buttons instead of knobs and switches it wouldn't feel as complicated, most high-end VLF's seem to have as many settings if not more. 

This contains the most important information.

https://www.detectorprospector.com/magazine/steves-guides/minelab-gpx-4000-4500-5000-manuals-timing-charts/

[Reg Wilson]

Anyone who is lucky enough to have Xcoils to suit SD-GPX have the secret weapon to bring these earlier machine up to a level very close to 7000 or 6000. I was the last Aussie dealer for Xcoils before they went over to suppling direct from Kazakhstan, and as such had the last SD-GPX coils built.

Just recently I loaned a big spiral to a couple of young local prospectors who know what they are doing and have found the gold to prove it. They ran this coil on their 5000's and could not believe the depth that they were achieving. If Xcoils were still available for their machines they would order immediately, but unfortunately due to demand for the 7000 coils they don't at this stage envision going back to producing the earlier ones. Luckily the young guys are honourable and will reluctantly return my coil. I have an even better and bigger 'one off' top secret coil that I loan to no one.' 

Perhaps Simon, bring close to the Xcoil crew, may be able to talk them into building special coils to suit the new release 4500's. That would be interesting.

A PS to Goldseeker.   I detected the Harris property (with permission) many years ago and found some good large gold , it is to my everlasting shame that I missed the real big stuff that was 'moonlighted' by a well known identity some time later. This 'upstanding' member of the local community shall remain un named, but he and his low mates cheated the landowner and paid no percentage.

[Steve Herschbach]

I have seen zero information yet saying this is anything more than clearing out some old units found someplace. All this talk of a reintroduction of the 4500 is cart way ahead of the horse. Maybe it is, but specific people who seem they might know say otherwise. I guess we’ll see.

[RONS DETECTORS MINELAB]

When I got the last shipment of 5000’s they had a newer security label that is dark gray and this is also showing up on the last 6000 runs. Maybe someone can report if these 4500’s have the older silver security labels or the newer gray label. Might clear up how old these units really are.

 

[Gerry in Idaho]

I have not heard about any GPX-4500 from Minelab here in the USA, other than this post.  Anyone been able to get their hands on them and what is the price?

It would be wise for them to bring it back, but I feel Steve is correct, just a crate of them located.

[jasong]

I think it would be cheaper to make an updated machine based on the 4500 (or base it off the 6000 instead) and offload much of the signal processing to firmware these days. Modern components, less noise, more configurability, faster processing.

It's pretty affordable to get custom circuit boards manufactured these days, even 1-offs, in bulk that much more so. If I had to guess I would say manufacturing old 4500's with old design and components would cost a fair bit more than manufacturing something new, faster, and better with newer DSP's, etc. 

[George Kinsey]

Hope it has the proper timing and low serial number?