If u were to buy detector under $1000 which would u buy

gold hound

Jr. Member
Mar 16, 2014
71
36
Kansas City
Detector(s) used
Garrett atx, bgt 24" sniper,jobe45, cascade mini high banker, gold buddy vibra-lite colt drywasher, homemade gold vac, keene 140 drywasher
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
I have a Garrett, (I believe scorpion) that looks like a Fischer gold bug but can almost guarantee it doesn't function like 1!!! Not a knock on Garrett! Read a review and they said it looked like a gold bug. Knew gold bug has its followers as a VLF had good reviews for prospecting finding smaller gold, so I bought Garrett unit.
During field tests in hot zones with hot rocks everywhere it was completely useless. Could not get ground balance to work and cancel. Could have just been a bad unit, but probably more suited for finding bullet casings, license plates, and soda cans. So, for $1000 or less which detector would u buy strictly for prospecting? Keeping in mind some of these hills I'll be prospecting might as well be iron dumps. Thanks for any input!!! & again I'm not bad mouthing Garrett or its products! Gold bug may have same issues for the spot I was trying to work... I'll admit I'm a noob detector operator
 

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Ocean7

Bronze Member
Apr 15, 2004
1,751
1,327
SE, PA
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Minelab Equinox 800
Minelab Explorer II
Garrett MASTER HUNTER 7
Garrett ADS DEEPSEEKER
Compass X100
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
might check Minelab Eureka Gold Metal Detector @ Kellyco but ask the gold bugs what they have best success. Don't forget the Aussies - lots of gold being found there. Minelab should ignore hot rocks.
 

cudamark

Gold Member
Top Banner Poster
Mar 16, 2011
13,198
14,506
San Diego
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
3
Detector(s) used
XP Deus 2, Equinox 800/900, Fisher Impulse AQ, E-Trac, 3 Excal 1000's, White's TM808, VibraProbe, 15" NEL Attack, Mi6, Steath 920ix and 720i scoops, TRX, etc....
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I'd get the Gold Bug 2.
 

TerryC

Gold Member
Jun 26, 2008
7,735
10,996
Yarnell, AZ
Detector(s) used
Ace 250 (2), Ace 300, Gold Bug 2, Tesoro Cortes, Garrett Sea Hunter, Whites TDI SL SE, Fisher Impulse 8, Minelab Monster 1000, Minelab CTX3030, Falcon MD20, Garrett Pro-pointer, Calvin Bunker digger.
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I owned a Garrett Scorpion. Ho hum. It does not come CLOSE to the performance of the Gold Bug 2. I own the Gold Bug 2 and the Whites GMT. Search my archives for a comparison of the two. Admittedly, I have not been prospecting for a year, but for about 850, you cannot go wrong with the GB2. Of course, this is a personal preference... I believe, for the money, the GB2 is hard to beat. I have heard, mostly from my buddy Terry Soloman, that the Tesoros are good. If he says they are, they are. Your choice. TTC
 

Frankn

Gold Member
Mar 21, 2010
8,711
2,989
Maryland
Detector(s) used
XLT , surfmaster PI , HAYS 2Box , VIBRA-TECTOR
About 16 or so years ago I was looking at the original gold bug and then the gold bug II came out. I got one and it was good finding small nuggets. What was special about it was that you could tell the hot rocks from gold without even bending over. You just put the coil over the signal at about 2" high. If you lowered it and the signal got louder it was gold. If you raised it and it got loude, it was a hot rock. Hot rocks are on the negative side of the null point, so they react backwards on this detector. Lost that detector in a fire or it would still be in my stable. Frank...- five star.png
 

RvPrepper

Jr. Member
Feb 9, 2013
70
25
Deming,NM
Detector(s) used
White's V3i Had a Fisher as a kid but can't recall which one. Vulcan 360 Pinpointer
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I am going with the White's Spectra V3i Metal Detector so we shall see. I have been studying the list below.

1= White's Spectra V3i Metal Detector
2= Fisher CZ-21 Quicksilver
3= White's Surf PI Dual Field Metal Detector
4= Minelab Eureka Gold
5= Minelab Sovereign GT Metal Detector
 

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gold hound

Jr. Member
Mar 16, 2014
71
36
Kansas City
Detector(s) used
Garrett atx, bgt 24" sniper,jobe45, cascade mini high banker, gold buddy vibra-lite colt drywasher, homemade gold vac, keene 140 drywasher
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Wish I would have joined tnet before waisting $750... Lesson learned... Would still like some more input before I make my decision. I appreciated everybody's feed back. Thank u
 

adamBomb

Hero Member
May 30, 2014
645
551
Wilmington NC
Detector(s) used
Nox 700;
Past: Nox 600; CTX; CZ21; Excal II; White's DF;
920i Stealth Scoop
Primary Interest:
Beach & Shallow Water Hunting
Wish I would have joined tnet before waisting $750... Lesson learned... Would still like some more input before I make my decision. I appreciated everybody's feed back. Thank u

I am not sure what works in your area so you might want to check with local people...but If I only had $1000 to buy an all around machine - I would go Fisher CZ3D or Minelab Soviergn GT. Both work on land and at the beach in wetsand. And both have great reviews. Neither is water proof though.
 

penzfan

Bronze Member
Apr 12, 2014
1,417
994
Detector(s) used
CTX 3030 - Excal 1000 - Excal II - Sovereign GT - RTG/Oleg Scoops - XPointer
Primary Interest:
Beach & Shallow Water Hunting
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gold hound

Jr. Member
Mar 16, 2014
71
36
Kansas City
Detector(s) used
Garrett atx, bgt 24" sniper,jobe45, cascade mini high banker, gold buddy vibra-lite colt drywasher, homemade gold vac, keene 140 drywasher
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Discontinued the sovgt. Did see a minelab on eBay for $350.
 

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gold hound

Jr. Member
Mar 16, 2014
71
36
Kansas City
Detector(s) used
Garrett atx, bgt 24" sniper,jobe45, cascade mini high banker, gold buddy vibra-lite colt drywasher, homemade gold vac, keene 140 drywasher
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
How does the sovgt rate for prospecting and being able to cancel out hot rocks
 

Phantasman

Gold Member
Nov 24, 2006
15,824
23,913
NE Tennessee
Detector(s) used
Nokta Simplex, Land Ranger Pro, Quick Draw Pro, Deteknix XPointer
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I haven't found anything made in the past or new that I would change my Fisher F5 for. I'm not a big deeeeep digger fan. I like having the best info of whats in the ground, from mineralization to targets. I'm satisfied with 8" clarity over 14" confusion. I can go AM if I want 10" depth though (coins). The F5 does use GB coils.

The F5, 11"DD and 5"DD, a Lesche 85, a Deteknix XPointer. Under $1000 with enough left over for a bottle of Jim Beam at the pub to celebrate, for me.

The GB can fit in there as a substitute with the 5X10 and 6.5 DD as well.
 

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penzfan

Bronze Member
Apr 12, 2014
1,417
994
Detector(s) used
CTX 3030 - Excal 1000 - Excal II - Sovereign GT - RTG/Oleg Scoops - XPointer
Primary Interest:
Beach & Shallow Water Hunting
Dealers on this forum still have new ones available for around $900 or you can find them used on CL and EB. The SovGT is one of the best in high mineralized soils but not sure about hot rocks as I don't usually run across that issue in the ocean.
Discontinued the sovgt. Did see a minelab on eBay for $350.
 

Fletch88

Silver Member
Mar 7, 2013
4,841
2,367
Valdosta, GA
Detector(s) used
Garrett ATPro- 8.5x11, 5x8, CORS Fotune 5.5x9.5
Tesoro Silver microMax- 8 donut, 8x11 RSD, 3x18 Cleansweep
Minelab Excalibur ll- 10" Tornado
Minelab CTX 3030
Minelab Xterra 305
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I have a new in box gold bug 2 I no longer need after transferring jobs. Pm me an offer.
 

penzfan

Bronze Member
Apr 12, 2014
1,417
994
Detector(s) used
CTX 3030 - Excal 1000 - Excal II - Sovereign GT - RTG/Oleg Scoops - XPointer
Primary Interest:
Beach & Shallow Water Hunting
Hey Fletch,

How's it going in Loosiana?

T
 

hammer0419

Full Member
Aug 20, 2014
175
65
OC NY
Detector(s) used
Minelab Equinox 600
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
V3i is serious detector. Lots to learn. The MXT All Pro is an incredible detector. Super easy, deep, produces. Can be had for $730.
 

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