detector for a beginner

[ezrider2]

Hello fellow AU detectors!
I have been thinking about getting a detector and have no idea where to begin. What would you recommend for a beginner? Is it worth trying to find a used one and where? Gold bug, whites, garrets, to many choices? How much do you really need to spend?
I want to use it for primarily gold (99%) but will be at the beach sometimes also. Find the occasional lost ring while the kids a playing!
Thank you in advance for any help and input!

 

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[beekbuster]

i would look for used gold bug pro #1 choice, gb2 #2 choice, whites gmt#3 choice. you can fing them on craigs list 500$ +/- a few bucks, youll pay more for a gb pro but its worth it from what ive gathered.

 

[Hard Prospector]

A simple to use yet effective entry level gold machine for less than $400./used;
*Gold Bug
*GMZ
These are the machines I keep around for friends and family who want to come along with me prospecting yet have little or no experience.

 

[TrinityBigfoot]

My first detector was going to be a Whites TDI. I was talked into a Whites V3i. As I do like the V3i, I now look back and wish I bought the TDI. I did find a used Gold Bug 2 at a pawn shop for $200 and trade of a $60 gold pendant. I agree that the Gold Bug pro would be a great starter detector. If you have a little bit more to spend I have been hearing great things about the Nokta Fors Gold. However, try to find a way to get the metal detectors that you want in your hands before buying them. If you are in Northern California I have a Gold Bug 2 and a Whites V3i we can take out.

 

[Hoser John]

FIRST join a club or go to your local prospecting,gem/mineral or detector shop and check for rentals. Plenty of folks in small local clubs will help you through the horrendous learning curve. Starting out trying to hunt for gold is the worst way to start as most expensive detectors, dangerous,travel mandatory,least rewarding and a extreme majority of EXPERIENCED folks quit real quick. Learn first--then procede-John

 

[Lores]

I picked up a Garret 250 on Craigslist for $100. Nice little machine. I know have a Garrett ATP. I recommend that you pick up a nice pinpointer at the same time. The pinpointer will save you a lot of aggravation.

 

[Hard Prospector]

FIRST join a club or go to your local prospecting,gem/mineral or detector shop and check for rentals. Plenty of folks in small local clubs will help you through the horrendous learning curve. Starting out trying to hunt for gold is the worst way to start as most expensive detectors, dangerous,travel mandatory,least rewarding and a extreme majority of EXPERIENCED folks quit real quick. Learn first--then procede-John

Great advice John

 

[G-bone]

I'm in (or was in) the same boat ezrider2...

i was down to the X-Terra 705 and the Goldbug Pro.
But I feel my true passion is nugget hunting first and foremost. And after much reading of reviews and comparisons, I will be getting the Gold Bug Pro and get the 5x10 elliptical Coil or look into the NEL Sharpshuter Coil.

Nugget Hunting out of the gate, But it will also be used for searching potential Sniping spots as well as looking for those hot beds to comeback and drywash later (as well as used for checking tailings while drywashing)

I think it will easy enough to use that even my wife may get interested in joining me sometimes,
or one of my boys even.

I will still have the 705 on my list as I do have some very interesting areas around home that show promise of good relic hunting. And when we camp on the beach, having the 705 would be great as well.
PLUS it can also be used for sniffing out the nug's.

My other inkling was a used Gold Bug II, but after hearing of all the upgrades in the newer Pro and a new one for darn near what a used II goes for....the PRO wins.

Good luck to you.


Cheers

G

 

[Featherdfishead]

Get the Nel coil if you get the GB PRO also check out Nokt Fors Gold - very good deal.

 

[Gold Itch]

You say you want a detector for 99% gold detecting and for Beach work, So any of the Higher KHz machine will be too noisy on the beach.

A detector that is made for 99% Gold Detection will be useless on the beach, Unless you buy A PI Machine Like the TDI SL or Garret Infinium, Your other choices are the MXT Series running At 14khz or the Garret AT Pro, NOT The AT Gold Because that wont work to well at the Beach,

The GMT, GMZ and the Goldbug II are proper Gold Machines and having a high KHZ will have Noise Issues on the beach, An your wants being 99% Gold and beach s Like wanting A Vehicle to haul Logs and Run NASCAR, So The Closest thing that Fits your Wishes would be A Whites MXT, The Goldbug Pro is Not A Deep Machine and as a lot of people detect you need depth in Order to find the Targets that others have missed, The Goldbug Pro is A Very Good Machine but the MXTs are the ones to beat for good all round performance and to date have found more Gold In Alaska than any other Machine In History,

I hope this helps, I have Bought the All singing and Dancing Machines But none can match the Straight out Performance of the MXT.

 

[NeoTokyo]

What is your budget right now?

The Nokta FORS Gold is one of the hottest VLF detectors available right now.
It is an awesome machine that has been optimized for gold but can easily find all the other cool buried things.

It runs well at the beach too as it is a lower frequency coming in at 15kHz.

I have had the GB Pro and the GB II and while both machines are awesome in their own ways, I feel that the Nokta FORS Gold is a superior machine overall.
I am so confident of that that I sold my GB II to another member on our forums.

Ease of use is also spectacular, when it starts it is already operating in an optimized gold hunting mode for mineralized soils.
Once you feel more comfortable you can start playing with the settings and pre-loaded configurations.

You can also check out a couple video's that I have of it on my YouTube channel.
www.YouTube.com/CrainRacing

I hope this helped a little bit.

 

[NeoTokyo]

Here are some other video's from another member on our forums that swings the FORS Gold.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPQQmGMtFSVVBw_7p3aqrPw/videos

 

[Armchair prospector]

Neo is right. I've had mine for a couple months. Have about 6 hours total of detecting. I get discouraged when I don't find gold but know I will eventually. I get targets as deep as 10 to 12 inches only to sift the dirt to a very small amount of dirt and get a piece of metal so small like the size of a sliver. I know I'm running the machine correctly, but as anything ventured it takes time. Those type of targets is what keeps me going out again. Carry a gold pan with you as some of those targets indicate where flour gold may be and won't get detected. Always follow where the heavy material is found. Oh yea carry knee pads you'll need 'em.

 

[meMiner]

Welcome the crazy world of "what detector should I buy"? Be prepared to drive yourself nuts, because there is no single right answer. It is like looking at a menu at a good restaurant and trying to find the ideal meal. The people all around you will have opinions regarding cost, quality and other factors. In the end, you will have to decide for yourself what you think will make you happy and be best for you. Good luck with your search.

 

[ezrider2]

My first detector was going to be a Whites TDI. I was talked into a Whites V3i. As I do like the V3i, I now look back and wish I bought the TDI. I did find a used Gold Bug 2 at a pawn shop for $200 and trade of a $60 gold pendant. I agree that the Gold Bug pro would be a great starter detector. If you have a little bit more to spend I have been hearing great things about the Nokta Fors Gold. However, try to find a way to get the metal detectors that you want in your hands before buying them. If you are in Northern California I have a Gold Bug 2 and a Whites V3i we can take out.

I will probably be up north next month. I will keep in touch, thanks for the offer. Trying to recover, my partners gear got stolen of his claim!So the trip has been postponed!

 

[ezrider2]

FIRST join a club or go to your local prospecting,gem/mineral or detector shop and check for rentals. Plenty of folks in small local clubs will help you through the horrendous learning curve. Starting out trying to hunt for gold is the worst way to start as most expensive detectors, dangerous,travel mandatory,least rewarding and a extreme majority of EXPERIENCED folks quit real quick. Learn first--then procede-John

Thanks, great idea!

 

[ezrider2]

You say you want a detector for 99% gold detecting and for Beach work, So any of the Higher KHz machine will be too noisy on the beach.

A detector that is made for 99% Gold Detection will be useless on the beach, Unless you buy A PI Machine Like the TDI SL or Garret Infinium, Your other choices are the MXT Series running At 14khz or the Garret AT Pro, NOT The AT Gold Because that wont work to well at the Beach,

The GMT, GMZ and the Goldbug II are proper Gold Machines and having a high KHZ will have Noise Issues on the beach, An your wants being 99% Gold and beach s Like wanting A Vehicle to haul Logs and Run NASCAR, So The Closest thing that Fits your Wishes would be A Whites MXT, The Goldbug Pro is Not A Deep Machine and as a lot of people detect you need depth in Order to find the Targets that others have missed, The Goldbug Pro is A Very Good Machine but the MXTs are the ones to beat for good all round performance and to date have found more Gold In Alaska than any other Machine In History,

I hope this helps, I have Bought the All singing and Dancing Machines But none can match the Straight out Performance of the MXT.

I just want to use it at the beach when my wife and daughter are playing. Thanks for your help.

 

[NeoTokyo]

be careful about the beach's that you hunt, read their rules to make sure that you can detect.
A lot are closed to detecting, some have rules about relics and it can be a big mess.