Whites Goldmaster II vs Goldmaster Vsat vs Goldmaster 3 vs GMT for Gold Nuggets?

[huntsman53]

White's Goldmaster II vs Goldmaster Vsat vs Goldmaster 3 vs GMT for Gold Nuggets?

Well TNnet Gold Prospecting Folks,

Since I can't afford to purchase a Minelab GPX 4500, 4800 or 5000, I have came to the conclusion that one of the White's "Gold Detecting" metal detectors in the Title, is probably my next best choice. I have seen a few YouTube videos on the Goldmaster II (GM II) and the GMT but wanted to get some help and insight from those of you that had really put any or all of these metal detectors to the dirt. I currently own a White's Goldmaster II (GM II) in excellent condition and believe that it will do a great job in detecting small to large Gold Nuggets. However, I would like to know and hope that you all can tell me whether the Goldmaster Vsat, the Goldmaster 3 or the GMT would be better suited to the task.

Any help and information would be greatly appreciated!


Frank

 

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[Terry Soloman]

Fisher Goldbug - Good luck!

 

[Aufisher]

Got for it I have the vsat and it is a great detector. You can upgrade to GB pro down the road.

 

[Steve Herschbach]

Had a GMII and currently have a V/SAT, GM3 and GMT. Honestly, I can find gold about as well with any of them, though like a lot of folks I have a soft spot for the GM3 due to it being the last version with the ability to chest or hip mount it. You probably have the concentric coil on yours and the DD coils that come with the newer units may​ benefit you depending on the ground you are in.

 

[huntsman53]

Thanks Steve S., Aufisher and Steve H. for the information! I know that you all are well hearsed in finding Gold, using metal detectors to Nugget Shoot and know your stuff. I have never been into Fisher metal detectors, so sorry Steve S.! I am primarily a White's and Minelab owner and user. A lot of the ground where I primarily prospect (Southeast Tennessee as well as West Central and Western North Carolina) has a lot of mineralization, especially North Carolina. The major problem is that metal detectors are not allowed in most of the National Forests in either State, so that leaves only Private and some Public lands, creeks, streams and rivers and/or the creeks, streams or rivers that flow through the Pay Mines. I have done quite a bit of research and know that in the 1800's, many nuggets and one as big as 8 pounds came out of areas where I want to get a metal detector into, especially some of the creeks, streams and rivers. Most of the mining done in these areas in the 1800's was from Prospectors only using shovels, picks and wooden sluice boxes and very little if any major Gold Mining occurred in these areas. Due to all of the floods, flash floods and erosion since then, I am sure that many nuggets, some with some size to them, have washed down into creeks, streams and rivers where I prospect. Also, there are places along these same creeks, streams and river where little if any propsecting has occurred in over 100 years, so I am hoping to get lucky. I may have to get permission to metal detect some of these in North Carolina as they may run through Private lands as it is unlike it is in Tennessee, where I can walk the entire length of the creek, stream or river that has fish in it, as long as I enter from Public Access or have permission from a Property owner to enter. I was just hoping that I could get an knowledgeable opinion on which White's metal detector in the Title is best in finding small to large Gold. I am leaning towards the GMT but if it is not better than the Goldmaster II (GM II), then I will probably keep and use mine.

Thanks!


Frank

 

[Hard Prospector]

Looking for gold in hot ground, trashy areas or on a stealth mission..........Gold Bug Pro is my VLF of choice

 

[huntsman53]

Had a GMII and currently have a V/SAT, GM3 and GMT. Honestly, I can find gold about as well with any of them, though like a lot of folks I have a soft spot for the GM3 due to it being the last version with the ability to chest or hip mount it. You probably have the concentric coil on yours and the DD coils that come with the newer units may​ benefit you depending on the ground you are in.

Mr. Herschbach or can I call you Steve,

I am sorry but I am a little behind times on all the different coils available for the wide variety and brands of metal detectors and need to ask some questions! My' White's Goldmaster II (GMII) has the Elliptical Gold Master II "Long Scan" Coil, is this a concentric coil or widescan coil and not a DD coil? From my understanding, an elliptical coil can be either concentric or widescan! If this is not a DD coil, then which coil would you recommend for my' metal detector for best Gold Nugget shooting in a variety of soil conditions? I have been looking at the Sierra Gold Max 13.5" x 7.5" DD Coil that you wrote about in a post to another Prospecting Forum. Would this coil be the best or can you recommend others?

Thanks for the help! It is greatly appreciated!


Frank

 

[Steve Herschbach]

Hi Frank,

Please, call me Steve. I'm feeling old enough as it is!

Shape has nothing to do with coil type, it is all in how they are internally wound. There also is no "best" coil. You no doubt have a concentric coil as that is what the Goldmaster II came with. White's called it a Longscan" simply because it was elliptical which was new for White's at the time. I believe White's introduced a DD coil when the Goldmaster 3 came online but need to research that a bit more as my memory is fuzzy on that now. White's called it a "Twin D" coil. It was initially an option and now comes stock on the GMT.

The Sierra white plastic 14" elliptical coils are concentric and the newer black plastic ones are DD coils.

Bottom line is concentric performs best in low mineral ground and DD best in high mineral ground and somewhere in the middle they are about the same. For hottest performance on small gold in low mineral ground I prefer a concentric. Most people probably do not know but the Gold Bug 2 can only be had with concentric coils, there are no DD coils for it. They work quite well as most GB2 owners will attest. Concentric coils get a bad rap these days mainly because of myths like the knife edge DD coil search pattern promoted by marketing pictures that bear little relation to reality.

With coils, it is all about the ground mineralization and the nature of the gold. I use a DD or a concentric depending on what works best for the conditions. I use both and rely on neither exclusively, except when given no other option, as in the case of the Gold Bug 2. Again, rough rule of thumb concentric for low mineral and DD for high mineral conditions.

I will say the 10" coils are best over all on the Goldmasters. The 14" coils are heavy and rarely stay on long, but again, it depends on what you are doing. Instead of going big I use the small 4" x 6" Shooter DD coil more often than not chasing tiny gold.

 

[huntsman53]

Hi Frank,

Please, call me Steve. I'm feeling old enough as it is!

Shape has nothing to do with coil type, it is all in how they are internally wound. There also is no "best" coil. You no doubt have a concentric coil as that is what the Goldmaster II came with. White's called it a Longscan" simply because it was elliptical which was new for White's at the time. I believe White's introduced a DD coil when the Goldmaster 3 came online but need to research that a bit more as my memory is fuzzy on that now. White's called it a "Twin D" coil. It was initially an option and now comes stock on the GMT.

The Sierra white plastic 14" elliptical coils are concentric and the newer black plastic ones are DD coils.

Bottom line is concentric performs best in low mineral ground and DD best in high mineral ground and somewhere in the middle they are about the same. For hottest performance on small gold in low mineral ground I prefer a concentric. Most people probably do not know but the Gold Bug 2 can only be had with concentric coils, there are no DD coils for it. They work quite well as most GB2 owners will attest. Concentric coils get a bad rap these days mainly because of myths like the knife edge DD coil search pattern promoted by marketing pictures that bear little relation to reality.

With coils, it is all about the ground mineralization and the nature of the gold. I use a DD or a concentric depending on what works best for the conditions. I use both and rely on neither exclusively, except when given no other option, as in the case of the Gold Bug 2. Again, rough rule of thumb concentric for low mineral and DD for high mineral conditions.

I will say the 10" coils are best over all on the Goldmasters. The 14" coils are heavy and rarely stay on long, but again, it depends on what you are doing. Instead of going big I use the small 4" x 6" Shooter DD coil more often than not chasing tiny gold.

Steve,

Thanks for all the information and help as well as taking the time away from your other projects to post here on TNnet! I guess in a way, I will never know how my' Goldmaster II's Longscan coil will work for the areas I prospect, unless I try it. I know that the ground is highly mineralized in the areas in North Carolina where I prospect but I wonder if it is as highly mineralized as the grounds in the Gold rich areas of Arizona or California and other locations out West. I did not even mention Alaska as I will probably only ever see the grounds there in video and in my dreams.

The best of luck to you on all of your current and future ventures and adventures!


Frank

 

[marknie]

I have a Goldmaster 3 with accessories for sale if anyone is interested? email me at markn at gmail dot com.

 

[2cmorau]

Hunts sell all your detectors you have listed below your Avatar, well maybe keep a couple, see some redundancy, then maybe will have enough for the ML

I enjoyed using all of the GM series from the II to now current GMT, your familiar with detector's, MHO go for the GMT by far the shorter learning curve, and get a shooter coil

what Steve Said, I do miss the ability to chest or hip mount with the older GM, sure made for a fun day swingin just a couple of ounces of detecting Rod

 

[Goldwasher]

All the goldmasters were top shelf in the field upon their release to the market.....and stay high on the list even when their little brothers were born with more refined capabilities......Having said that they get easier to learn and use with each model.....
They are hot machines....I would personally get the "newest" model I could.