GoldBug 2 or Whites GMT?

[Peejay]

I'm completly new to metal detecting and to be honest have never even held on to one.

We own a block of land in an old gold mining area and a couple of years back an old fellow called in and asked if he could use a metal detector to try to find some gold for his grand daughters wedding ring. He worked away for about 3 hours and came back with half a matchbox full of very small flakey gold. Never saw him again and now understand that he died a few months later.

It got me thinking at the time so I've decided to purchase a metal detector and spend some time on my own block and the large sheep station next door.

I've spent hours going through the forum and seems that most of you guys prefer either a Gold Bug2 or a Whites GMT (Minelab a little expensive for me). What are the best and worst features of each model? and please convince me which would be my best option for quite small nuggets or flakes?

 

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[Jim Hemmingway]

Hi Peejay,

You've made a fine choice with the GMT.

There are some good headphones around that are hard to go wrong using. I prefer the "NuggetBuster NDT" headphones. Can't recall exactly what I paid, but I recollect its somewhere in the neighbourhood of $125 dollars. A quality product.

Features include an extra snap-on coiled line/with jack, in case you should damage the original line. The volume controls on either side are calibrated with sharp "clicks" so you know precisely the setting for either control, comes with a stereo/mono switch, they're lightweight, comfy and feel good.

Most important, the sound quality exceeds anything I've used over 25 years. It makes targets and other sound nuances "come alive" by contrast to other phones I've used.

I won't bother with electrical technical details...as you will see all this when you check 'em out online.

Good luck with your decision, welcome to a great hobby/interest, hope to see more of you here on TNet.

Jim.

 

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[arizonaames]

The GMT and the mxt are not the same ,they operate at different frequency's, the GMT has a much higher freq, which is better for small gold.

Frequency is 14 kHz and the MXT has a supersat feature that allows it to purr in the worst ground conditions. The lower frequency allows the MXT to find small nuggets deeper than a GB2. Another prospector that I was detecting with in NV had a GMT and was not finding the nuggets that I was. We both had identical coils. For an all around detector, the MXT is hard to beat. It is a gold magnet. When I got back to MI, I found a solitair diamond ring with a 14k gold band.....

 

[nuggetshooter323]

If you all notice you all have different opinions about all the different detectors mentioned. Also, everybody has different skill levels and different soil conditions where they detect. If several of us went out nugget hunting with different detectors, and some people found nuggets, and some didn't, and then we switched detectors, I think that the same people would still be finding the majority of the nuggets. In other words, using a any high quality nugget detector, actually finding nuggets is more about skill level of the user than the bells and whistles of the machine. I would go as far to say you could call nugget hunting more of an art, because success depends on perception and experience. What I might dig might sound like nothing to you, but it could be a boot tack or a 2 ounce nugget.

I use a GMT and a LST, both are great, the GMT will find smaller pieces because of the operating frequency(50khz compared to 17.3khz), but the LST is much lighter and the search coil selection is beyond compare(currently eight). Whites needs to make two new coils, one in the 7"-9" range, and one in the 12" range for the GMT.

 

[AUDuke]

All of the modern dedicated gold detectors will find gold , some may be a little better for smaller nuggets and some go a tad* deeper on a little larger ones. PIs go several tads deeper than VLFs but are not as sensitive to smaller pieces of gold. It depend on the kind of prospecting a person wants to do. IMO the GBII is the most sensitive to really small pieces of gold, ( grain size or less) altho it takes a lot of those pieces to add up to anything. With the Whites auto gb tracking it is possible to tune out weak signals if a person is not careful. That is one reason to use manual GB, also when I hunt I prefer to "run" a little positive on the GB. I am not knocking the MXT, I found a 3/4 oz with one last year. I currently own 2 vlf gold detectors, GMT,and A GBII . Plus 2 that I use for gold hunting a MXT and a Tesoro Vaquero, they are all good,
.
.*Tad A very small amount

 

[AUDuke]

For GMT users. you can enhance the performance of your unit by adding audio booster amplier to your headphone jack. It will out perform GB2.

I Respectfully disagree,that a stock GMTwill out preform a GBII

 

[Steve Herschbach]

Hi,

I've used both units extensively and still own both.

If I want to hit the smallest gold possible, I'll be using the Gold Bug 2 with a 6" coil. The GMT is close but the GB2 has the edge for small gold.

However, the GMT gets much better depth in hot ground on large nuggets than the GB2. For overall performance I think the GMT has a better balance of both small and large gold performance. I'm generally willing to pass on sub-grain gold to get better depth on larger gold. I'm not saying the GMT will not hit sub-grain gold as it will quite easily. I'm just saying the stuff I can get with the GB2 that the GMT can't is very tiny indeed.

I guess which raises the question of why I'd care to use the GB2. Well, when checking hardrock quartz samples even a flyspeck can indicate rich gold ore. And when using the detector as a replacement for a gold pan, again, even a flyspeck can tell me I might want to set up a highbanker. The GB2 excels at these uses.

They both have dramatically different iron rejection capabilities, both with pluses and minuses. The GB2 uses a iron rejection system that basically ignores iron targets. The GMT always signals iron, but indicates via a meter the probability the item may be ferrous. If the probability is high enough, you also get an audio indication.

The issue is that in many soils a very small or very deep nugget at the edge of detection depth will often signal as iron. If you have the iron disc engaged on the GB2 and pass over such a nugget, the machine will ignore it, and you'll never know anything was under the coil. So the smart way to hunt with the Gb2 is to hunt in all metal, then engage the disc to check the target. If it reads iron, knock off some soil and try again. If it still reads iron, it probably is. But in some rare cases the target that initially read as iron will now read as non-ferrous.

The problem in really trashy sites though is that it is tempting to just hunt in iron disc mode. I've done it myself. But there is the risk of passing on nuggets when you do that.

The GMT will always tell you there is a target. Its meter is honest in reflecting probability as you never get a 100% iron or 100% gold reading. The machine always tells you there is doubt. If it reads 50%, well, I'm willing to take a 50-50 chance on digging a nugget. With the GMT the thing to do on questionable targets is again remove some soil. If the iron probability increases, you are closing in on iron. If it decreases, things are looking better that it is non-ferrous. For most uses the GMT system is the superior system.

But when you get into intense hot rocks the GMT can drive you nuts. The rocks often read iron and register with the audio iron "grunt". But try listening to grunt-grunt-grunt every swing while waiting for a beep. Tiring. With the GB2 you kick it into iron disc, and most hot rocks are simply ignored leading to much quieter operation. Again, a nugget may read ferrous and be ignored. But I still find the GB2 preferable in this type of circumstance.

I not only use detectors but I used to be a multi-line dealer. I get to talk to lots of users. And ease of use is a big factor. The fact is the Gold Bug 2 must be mastered to be of use. There are lots of people that simply have trouble with manual ground balance detectors like the GB2. I have found that the GMT is the safer bet for most beginners as it offers both automatic and manual ground balance. The automatic GB is a safety net for the new user and even a pro will find it of use in wilding varying ground conditions. But as the machine is mastered the option still exists to manually fine tune the ground balance. This one thing alone would lead me to recommend the GMT if the unit is a persons first gold machine.

But like I said, I have to have both. Another thing I like about the Gold Bug 2 is that it can be hip or chest mounted. Great for long hours or working in deep water.

Many people do not know that the same engineer worked on both units. Dave Johnson was at Fisher when he had the major hand in designing the Gold Bug 2. And he was hired by White's many years later to work on the GMT, which is the newer of the two designs. The way I look at it one is not a Fisher and the other a White's - they are both Dave Johnson detectors. As is the Tesoro Lobo ST. Which is why I get a chuckle out of people doing the this brand versus that brand thing. They are more similar than they are different and in good hands you can't go wrong with any of them.

 

[Peejay]

Re: GoldBug 2 or Whites GMT? - Steves H's reply

Thanks Steve, that's great information and much appreciated for the time you spent. Great reference from an expert and someone who's done the hard yards. Should be kept somewhere for future newbies like me.

I did end up buying a GMT and after reading your advice, I'm glad I did.

 

[Steve Herschbach]

Hi,

The GMT and GB2 are pretty close on small gold. What coil were you using? I'm guessing the stock coil. You will get much better depth on very small gold (under 5 grains) running the 6" elliptical coil. See the chart at http://www.detectorprospector.com/g...steves-guide-metal-detecting-gold-nuggets.htm

Steve Herschbach

 

[arizonaames]

Hi,

The GMT and GB2 are pretty close on small gold. What coil were you using? I'm guessing the stock coil. You will get much better depth on very small gold (under 5 grains) running the 6" elliptical coil. See the chart at http://www.akmining.com/mine/detgold.htm

Steve Herschbach

I found this out to be true in NV a few months ago. I found that the 6x10 dd coil outperformed the 10 inch dd coil. I also discovered that the MXT, with the aprox. 14 khz freq, found targets deeper than the GMT my partner was using. I also found a 1/4 grain 'picker' at 3 to 4 inches. The superSAT worked better than expected and I never...never....had to worry about bad mineralized ground conditions. It sure was better than my old Goldmaster VSAT. The MXT proved to be a gold machine and when I got back to MI, within a week, I found a diamond solitair with a 14k gold band.

 

[AUDuke]

Hi,

The GMT and GB2 are pretty close on small gold. What coil were you using? I'm guessing the stock coil. You will get much better depth on very small gold (under 5 grains) running the 6" elliptical coil. See the chart at http://www.akmining.com/mine/detgold.htm

Steve Herschbach

I found this out to be true in NV a few months ago. I found that the 6x10 dd coil outperformed the 10 inch dd coil. I also discovered that the MXT, with the aprox. 14 khz freq, found targets deeper than the GMT my partner was using. I also found a 1/4 grain 'picker' at 3 to 4 inches. The superSAT worked better than expected and I never...never....had to worry about bad mineralized ground conditions. It sure was better than my old Goldmaster VSAT. The MXT proved to be a gold machine and when I got back to MI, within a week, I found a diamond solitair with a 14k gold band.

With its higher freq a GMT with the same size coil will be a little better than the MXT on the very small stuff. ( I own both)

 

[arizonaames]

Hi,

The GMT and GB2 are pretty close on small gold. What coil were you using? I'm guessing the stock coil. You will get much better depth on very small gold (under 5 grains) running the 6" elliptical coil. See the chart at http://www.akmining.com/mine/detgold.htm

Steve Herschbach

I found this out to be true in NV a few months ago. I found that the 6x10 dd coil outperformed the 10 inch dd coil. I also discovered that the MXT, with the aprox. 14 khz freq, found targets deeper than the GMT my partner was using. I also found a 1/4 grain 'picker' at 3 to 4 inches. The superSAT worked better than expected and I never...never....had to worry about bad mineralized ground conditions. It sure was better than my old Goldmaster VSAT. The MXT proved to be a gold machine and when I got back to MI, within a week, I found a diamond solitair with a 14k gold band.

With its higher freq a GMT with the same size coil will be a little better than the MXT on the very small stuff. ( I own both)

Yes, close to the surface.

 

[Skywola]

I just got a Whites TDI, this thing seems to be a very powerful detector, but I'm still learning to use it, so far there are two problems I've had, I have not learned how to discriminate iron, so far I have just dug up a bunch of nails and such, and, I find the detector to be a bit heavy. The weight I can remedy, once I get a more sturdy belt, I can put the box part of the detector on the belt. I was using an Ace 250 before and there is a wolrd of difference . . . This Whites will go deep! I have a feeling that once I learn it, it will do the job in a serious way . . .

 

[AUDuke]

I just got a Whites TDI, this thing seems to be a very powerful detector, but I'm still learning to use it, so far there are two problems I've had, I have not learned how to discriminate iron, so far I have just dug up a bunch of nails and such, and, I find the detector to be a bit heavy. The weight I can remedy, once I get a more sturdy belt, I can put the box part of the detector on the belt. I was using an Ace 250 before and there is a wolrd of difference . . . This Whites will go deep! I have a feeling that once I learn it, it will do the job in a serious way . . .

I too own a TDI but it is not nearly as sensitive on small gold as a VLf gold detector. I would not try to discriminate with the TDI while using it for prospecting, nuggets can be both low and high conductors.

 

[Steve Herschbach]

Hi,

There are only three coils available for the Gold Bug 2 and all are concentric.

4" x 6" elliptical

5" x 10" elliptical

8" x 14" elliptical

The 5x10 is usually stock but it is also offered with the 4x6 as stock.

Steve Herschbach

 

[goldfever1978]

GMT!

 

[Steve Herschbach]

Hi,

I'm a cheater - I have a Gold Bug 2 and a GMT. Both are very good detectors. The Gold Bug 2 has the edge for the smallest gold, the GMT gets better depth on larger gold.

Steve Herschbach

 

[kiwi jw]

That sounds all very harsh. Maybe you just need to go through the learning curve of operating it properly for your conditions. There is a learning curve with all detectors as no two are alike as I am sure you would have picked up by all the post & info that are all over this site. Keep at it & I am sure you will master it.
Good luck & happy golding.

Kiwi JW

 

[Peejay]

Hi,
i should had bought goldbug 2 instead of Gmt. The gold here in the Philippines are very small, I'm not happy at present with my Gmt. The sad thing i cannot pay my bank loan for this mistake.

Well, I met up with a guy in the weekend who was swinging a GB2 and he was a lot more versed in MDs than me (I'm very much a beginner).

We were in an old creek bed and he already had a couple of very small gold flakes. He asked to use the GMT which I was more than happy to let him. He buried his flakes about 2 inches and the GMT picked them easily. He had never used a GMT before and I think he was reasonably impressed although he wasn't all that keen on what he called the GMT chatter but reckoned it equalled his GB2.

I've arranged to go out with him in a few weeks so he can show me a few tips.

 

[lperry3]

There's nothing better for a beginner than getting some first-hand, in-the-field training from an experienced nugget detectorist.

I went a year of getting skunked before I went on one of Gerry McMullen's (Boise, Id) field training adventures. He hooked me up with a double ear phone jack on the machine. I followed him around like a dog on a leash, watching every move, listening to every sound as I was tethered to the jack. When we found our first nugget, I was to say the least, an excited puppy. I found my first nugget on my old stomping grounds the following weekend.

 

[Got_4by4]

Thanks everybody for their advice very much appreciated.

I've ended up buying a GMT (before I knew the GMZ existed!) and have had it out a couple of times- so far only findind lead shot - it's amazing how it picks up tiny shreds of lead.

Haven't really been into the main gold areas around home yet as I'm only using a set of music type headphones and think I most probably need a decent set before hunting in earnest.

Any recommends on a good set?

Hi Peejay,

I have associated myself with a local GPAA chapter, Route 66 Gold Miners, here in Brea, Ca (North Orange County).

We have monthly meetings and usually a guest speaker. Most recently, Oct., Our speaker was James A. McCulloch who has written a book, Advanced Nuggetshooting, A great resource to have and refer back to often.

The two things you say here stand out to me: If you are finding very small bird shot and shards of lead that is great! Lead is in the same discriminating range as gold and your MD unit seems to be tuned in pretty well. But you have to calculate in the number of shot per shell, the number of shots taken, how many hunts have taken place on your land, ect.. So keep on digging those beeps because you never know when one will be a nugget. And as far as headphones go...if they come with the larger plug that is used with high end stereo systems then they are probably good enough. If you want to look up the number values of your current set or are looking to buy new, the higher the better. He recommends at least 60 ohm impedance and 95 dB (decibels) output.

Our club just recently acquired 3 new claims and I am itching to get out there and refine MY techniques. Since you own your own property, and if you are not too far away, we might get together some time. Just drop me a PM or email.

Happy Hunting,
Steve George