Detector for nuggets?

[Rebel73153]

So, you want to try nugget hunting with a detector. Which one should you buy? If you had a choice between a Nokta Fors Gold, Whites MXT, or a Fisher Gold Bug Pro, which would You choose and why? Would be hunting in N.E. Oregon with highly mineralized ground.

 

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[Terry Soloman]

Fisher Gold Bug Pro

 

[bcfromfl]

I also vote the Gold Bug Pro. A few other gold detector manufacturers have settled upon the 19kHz frequency as the best balance between mineralization while retaining the capability of detecting small nuggets. I can also attest to the phenomenal service from the Fisher team. I had an issue with a new machine I purchased, and they e-mailed me an RMA and replaced immediately with another.

Nokta is interesting, but reliability, as well as satisfactory servicing, is an unknown. White's is proven and reliable, but the heavier weight of the unit reduces the convenience and practicality out in the field.

 

[californiagold]

Gold bug pro is good. Nokta fors plus is better. Or makro gold racer. Both have isat setting which really smooths out blanking of the threshold, like gb pro can get in highly mineralized soil. And they are alittle deeper on any gold. They brighten up the gold that is almost out of range. Nokta has excellent customer service. They are very quick and repair in usa. I used a gb pro for few years. But the nokta makro detectors are my main arsenal now. I have some videos on youtube under fors gold adventures. Good luck.

 

[bcfromfl]

It was interesting in a discussion on another forum, Steve H. was asked to compare the Gold Racer and the FORS Gold Plus. He knew the person asking the question also had an MXT and a GB2. His opinion was that the two new detectors would not add anything substantially in capability to what the person already had.

On the other hand, also interesting was a long review posted by TRINITY/AU about the Gold Plus, and he noted that a flake missed by his GBP (perhaps because it was standing on end?) was picked up by the Gold Plus. Good to have more field experience added by californiagold, because not as many folks are using this brand as others.

My guess would be that the Gold Racer would not be appropriate (like other high-frequency machines) for ground with high mineralization. Others may disagree with me, but it's tough to beat the GBP for switch-on and go, especially if you lack experience.

 

[Hoser John]

More important is the man behind the machine, his tenacity to work HARD to learn any units abilities and quirks. There are VERY many good units out now for amazingly low or absurdly high prices and they ALL work just fine. Opinions are just that opinions and they help a lot BUT....one mans great machine may be your ungodly nightmare. Whenever humanly possible use a machine for at least 10 hours or so in a couple of outings to prevent regret/buyers remorse. I have turned down , for free, some units that I tried but just not my style. Lotsa luck as nuggetshooting is the hardest, most travel intensive, most expensive and dangerous also, rattlers/bears and cats are out and about now also-John

 

[rivets]

Lotsa luck as nuggetshooting is the hardest, most travel intensive, most expensive and dangerous also, rattlers/bears and cats are out and about now also-John


(removed by mod, only charter members can sell)


Had no intention of selling ... but what I wrote was an attempt at humor ... and the fact this was lost to you ... is for me even funnier

 

[Lanny in AB]

I like what John has said, and I like the input from californiagold as well: both sets of input are invaluable. However, that doesn't help you make up your mind. Personally, I love the GB Pro for its flat out ease of use, and for its lightness in operation that lets me swing it all day, no problem. It's a proven gold finder with proven features that work. I feel competent to comment on it as a machine that will truly find the gold as I've recovered multiple ounces with mine.

I can't comment on the Nokta or Fors machines, so I will not. Nevertheless, what I like about their companies (corporate twins?) from listening to users in the field is that they do listen to the prospectors that are actually on the ground working, and they integrate suggestions from working nugget shooters into their designs which is fantastic! (And, long, long overdue in the detector industry.) Other detector companies had better learn from this or risk going the way of the dinosaur, much as American car manufacturers quit listening to consumers/ignored their consumers and lost a huge market share to the Japanese (and nearly went the way of the dinosaur), and now are losing sales to the Koreans as well, but they've changed their game because they started to listen. So, lesson learned by the car companies, people want quality, and they want it in a package they like.

(I keep waiting for someone to take on Minelab's PI market share by listening to nugget hunters to reduce the weight of the machines a lot, to put in a decent Iron I.D. or discrimination, to make their PI machines available at fairer prices [I notice they've dropped the price of the GPZ, but not sure exactly why], etc.)

In reference to which detector is better, which cell phone is better right now? Which laptop or tablet? Which car or truck? All of the manufacturers are cranking out quality devices or products, so that makes the choice a tough one, rather than easy, and when it comes to detectors, the good detectors are very close in quality right now.

Californiagold's input on the isat feature sounds fascinating, so I may just have to try one out to see how much difference it makes in my area. I mean, why not? If something is genuinely better, it makes sense. I'm always trying for an edge, but I detect a lot when the season is on: I'm out there actively chasing the gold whereas a lot of weekend warriors only play at it. That's why I tried out the Gold Bug Pro after all. Having said that, with the launch of any new machine, there will be teething problems, and I've been reading about those teething problems affecting the new machines on other forums as well, but that's to be expected. What really counts is how the company addresses those problems, and caligold seems very impressed with the resolution of his issues so far by the company.

So, what to do. There's not a huge price difference in a variety of machines that are very close in features and capabilities right now, and as John stated, there are a lot of very good machines out there, but the critical aspect that he just can't overemphasize is that it boils down to what the person with the machine does: "The man behind the machine" is critical as John says so well. There are lots of detectors resigned to a life of darkness and non-production that waste their days in storage, detectors that would indeed find gold if the operator developed the necessary skills and tenacity to refine the art of nugget hunting.

All the best,

Lanny

 

[Hoser John]

Amen Lanny as they don't find nuttn' sittn' playn' closet Queen gathering dust because of hasty decisions. You will be spending many 1,000s of hours swinging it so better be a friendly unit to YOUR wants, needs, abilities and desires. John

 

[Relichunter1]

John is right on .....it's nice to have an edge..BUT...the reality is when your in the gold fields...where ever they may be you have to put in a lot of effort. i detect almost ever day and the biggest challenge is not weather the gold is there, because it is. The challenge is not giving up ....the more targets you dig, the better odds of you finding that nugget. Just recently I found a beauty of a nugget 5.5 grams with my old Tesoro silver u max. I put the disc to 2 and swung it until I heard a nice consistent non ferrous signal and dug it, walla !! I do have to admit....having a name brand nuggethunting vlf and a PI are nice, but hunting tailings all you need is your choice of a good ole vlf and your in business, to me it's a metal challenge. Sometimes I call it a day when I can't beat it, cause there is always another day. Saying all this I am also considering buying one of these new vlf machines. After researching and reading reviews on various forums, I am pretty sure the Makro Gold Racer 2 is the one I will choose because of its notch filtering abilities and sharp response to deeper smaller targets. But than again i am sure i would do just fine with a GB Pro also because like I stated before...dig all the targets and never give up.

 

[californiagold]

Hey Relic. I assume you are talking about the makro racer 2. That just came out. I was interested also. But I know a guy that just got his and according to him it is really noisy in the gold fields. He said it doesn't handle the mineralization as well as one of the gold detectors from nokta/makro. I guess even the disc modes with notch is even pretty noisy. Unless you turn down the sensitivity from default. I have ran both Fors plus and Gold racer in a few different gold patches with tough mineralization and they both did well. Even the stronger 56khz gold racer did great in strong mineralization. It kinda reminds me of a hopped up gb pro. I favor the gold racer over the Fors plus by a little. Mostly because of design. We will have to see how the new racer 2 does with other users; to see if it does good. It might be better for mellower soil instead of gold fields.

 

[motohed]

Hey californiagold , do you have any idea when the wireless headphones will be available for the makro gold racer ?

 

[californiagold]

I just heard soon. I think they are working on it. Good luck

 

[Relichunter1]

Californiagold,

That's to bad, I was hoping it was a nice quite machine. I am in no rush but I am getting pretty tired of trash and other crap in the gold fields. Although I am in a need of a good unit, I am willing to wait it out if I have to. I am not like some who just buy and try and sell...and get another unit. Just got back from another hunt with my PI in some nasty trashy spots and I can say I am tired of it...lol...took out the Tesoro Lobo, but just does not do it for me. I should have kept my MXT at least it had a lcd display and vdi so I could at least look at the information and decide to dig or not. I know you have had some good results with your Nokta Forsgold, so that one is still on my list. If that Racer 2 is nosy its out, for me at least.

 

[motohed]

I've been doing research on Gold Specific detectors and it seems like the Makro gold racer is wining the race for the price point , I have found the Macro gold racer with coils headphone ,etc for 899.00 with free shipping . I know there are more expensive detectors out there , but for this price point it seems to be the best out there .

 

[Relichunter1]

Yes the Makro gold racer may be a good choice also, its light and I do like the large lcd screen for a quick glance at the numbers. Not a bad price, must be for the pro package with extra coil.

 

[motohed]

Yes the Makro gold racer may be a good choice also, its light and I do like the large lcd screen for a quick glance at the numbers. Not a bad price, must be for the pro package with extra coil.

Yes , extra coils , shaft , headphones , rechargable batteries , car charger and a case . I thought that was a good deal !

 

[motohed]

Hopefully the wireless headphones will be out soon . I wish more manufacturers would offer wireless headphones .

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

Gold Racer

My suggestion, after buying the Gold Racer Pro package is to buy the standard package, then add the extra coil and shaft to your order.

I would personally spend a little more money on better quality headphones, batteries/charger, and carry bag.

Yes , extra coils , shaft , headphones , rechargable batteries , car charger and a case . I thought that was a good deal !