Fisher F-75, Whites MXT or DFX for gold?

[M3R1IN]

Hey im looking into getting a new detector
I hunt primarily for gold but dabble a bit in coins and relics
Ive used a garrett goldstinger and i didnt like it and ive tried an MXT and found it simple and easy to use...
Ive also had the F-75 reccomended by an oldtimer i know knows his stuff
so my question is what detector should i get for gold of the three above?
thanks

 

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[Sandman]

I would suggest neither of the above for gold only. One of the dedicated gold detectors like the GMT, Super Lobo Traq, or Minelabs would do a super job. For hunting for the other stuff like coins, and relics, in different locations, you may need a few other detectors to do the job well.

Time is the most valuable thing you have, why waste it using a tool that isn't suited for the job?

 

[Willy]

I'm kinda digging up an old topic, but it's still relevant. In regards to the MXT, it's basically a dedicated prospecting detector AND a coin machine; sharing the same basic electronic guts with the GMT.. only at a lower frequency. I've had both the GMT and MXT and found that, while the GMT can generally find smaller stuff than the MXT, it's not that much smaller and the size advantage disappears rapidly in bad ground and at any real depth. In some ground the MXT can actually find smaller stuff insofar as it can be dialed up to a higher sensitivity (with max hypersat) whereas the GMT can be too greatly affected by mineralization to hunt at the high settings required to find the really small stuff. As an aside, I haven't owned the F 75, but wonder if it might not exhibit the same problem as my XTerra 70 does in really bad ground; the SAT speed being non-adjustable (though still reasonably fast) is just not fast enough to cope. The Hypersat really makes for a big difference on the MXT/GMT. ..Willy.

 

[rjw4law]

I lived in CA for a while, no one used the DFX for gold, I took my DFX to the dealer ....bought a small nugget...was hard to detect with the DFX

 

[sniper19612003]

I have to agree with Willys response. Well said willy.

Sniper

 

[LuckyLarry]

Well, let me add a little info to it too..


Willy is right, but there is one thing that people may have forgotten. If you get into REALLY high ore country, meaning ores that would cause the detectors to have troubles ground balancing, BOTH of those White's detectors will yell like a $5 Ho glad to get outa de church fast enough to meet a $10 customer waiting outside. Neither are the best nugget hunters when the ground gets really tough up in the gold country. And the MXT loves hotrocks! When comparing it to the GB2 for coin hunting in high iron ground the GB2 runs like a new Caddy while the MXT seems like a crippled Yugo with bad shocks. The GMT sits somewhere in the middle of those two.

The MXT and GMT will not find much fine wire gold, but the GB-2 and Compass R&C and GoldScanner Pro will and can find much of it.

That's why the Fisher GB-2 comes into play, not the f-75.. Our ground here (and in most ore mining country) is not real nice to work in and neither is it in Arizona. Both States have lots of gold to find, but the local multi-brand owner/dealers we have here in the detector sales shop use GB2's in both Oregon and Arizona, but other machines much, MUCH less, end of statement. And yes they carry Minelabs, Tesoros, and once in awhile a cheap Garrett too but don't seem to favor them at all for nugget hunting, but they may be using the new White's TDI 300 by now for the larger nuggets. Even at 71Khz though, the Fisher GB-2 is a real honey to find tiny nuggets with. It's the most bought and most used nugget hunter sold in the world.

Call this number and see what these Pros have to say;

Rita's Relics & Oregon Prospecting Supplies
541-367-2237

 

[Detector Wars]

What about the GMTs ability to give a reading on the quantity of mineralisation, they call it "follow the paystreak reading"...?

 

[LuckyLarry]

D Wars, that which you speak of is no more than a discrimination reading (AKA fine ground-balance control) reading, very similar to the older analog D-Arsenval variable capacitance/voltage meters found on the older analog TID machines. You will see an even greater enhanced type on some detectors that have an expanded range of iron discrimination. Some older Fishers have a seperate iron setting, and that is no differennt. It's just a manufacturer's ploy to get someone to buy something with a cool name instead of expanding the range of the potentiometer, nothing more.

They are all one and the same, with the exception that in some detector's cases they have a graph for you to see rather than a dial to turn or a setting to set or a switch to switch. Detectors that have a salt setting are also the same thing except that they administer "negative voltage output" instead of "positive voltage output" as in normal positively charged ground.

LL

 

[Detector Wars]

Thanks for the info LL.
In your oppinion, could you use a detector to find "paystreaks"? I mean, theoretically, you're looking for black sand deposits which are mineralised, so you could use a VLF/noisy detector and look for pockets/streaks of certain types of ground noise?

 

[Detector Wars]

Lucky Larry, thanks for such a detailed post, I don't think anyone should leave their opinions out of their writings. It's not like you're forcing anyone to believe your opinion

When I used to detect in the goldfields, I always thought how usefull it would be to know whether the ground is noisy or not (in it's essence), sice the 3000 is fairly quiet as is. Now with the 4500, you can turn the auto ground balance off, which to me, is a common sense function and should have been included a long time ago.

Those detectors you mentioned is exactly the type of info I'm looking for, I am willing to try new things! They should be cheap...

 

[LuckyLarry]

Remember DW that if you "turn the auto ground balance off" and it still runs smoothly, not changing in audible or silent magnitude or pitch - that the auto ground balance is still running in the background. With silent search detectors the only way you may prove or test that is to hook up an oscilloscope to the thing while it's running.

Remember too that A-L-L metal detectors currently made today (including Minelabs, etc) A-L-W-A-Y-S have automatic ground balance running at all times, with no exceptions, including the 4500. The so-called "manual" ground balance is little more than an add-on for people who think they have something that they really do not. Their automatic gb running silently or audibly in the background still superceeds and overrides the so-called "manual" adjustment. This is why detectors with that little add-on usually have a b - t - h of a time staying balanced in bad soil. It's a lot like the way Norton Antivirus is notorious for wanting to take over your computer and run it by itself. If anybody doubts that try running a Tejon in true, high mineral mining country in upper elevation Utah, for example.

Automatic return-to-threshhold or "SAT" is [part of and parallel to] the auto ground balance circuit.

LL

 

[Detector Wars]

Thanks LL, interesting as always. I'm sorry to readers if we have gone off topic but I suppose this applies to the detectors in question: Fisher F-75, Whites MXT or DFX for gold?

LL, I assume you're familiar with geotech forums?

Now explain to me in layman's terms how to build a detector !

 

[TreasureGrabber]

if we consider for gold minelab explorer too, how much will be difference between DFX end Explorer II or SE on gold nuggets of 1-2 gram?

 

[Willy]

Well, I'm back again (been a while) and have more info. Had both the F75 and F70, tested them out, and can say that they both have a greater sensitivity to really small gold than the MXT but... get them into wildly variable (and highly mineralised) ground and the MXT still comes out the overall winner. Despite what has been previously posted re. ground tracking, there's a noticeable difference between having the tracking on and when it's off. Even the fact that a detector HAS ground tracking isn't necessarily enough; ended up selling the XTerra 705 because it couldn't track fast enough and suffered from wild overshoots over some particularly bad ground. It too had a greater sensitivity to small gold than the MXT, but was rendered almost inoperable when trying to hunt over said ground. This same ground the MXT handled with aplomb. The GB 2, strangely enough, did somewhat better than the XT 70, but still suffered from having to be constantly re-ground balanced. Also, it exhibited a lesser sensitivity to small gold due to the lowered settings needed to run over said ground. I must mention that the testing was using actual gold 'nuggets' (some bits so small that I hesitate to actually call them 'nuggets') and often with up to 3 detectors being tested, side to side, over the same targets. They were also turned off when not in use to prevent interference with the detector being tested.
One strange thing that I noticed when playing around with the MXT is that the coin/relic modes sacrifice very little depth/sensitivity when compared to the AM mode. Other detectors have shown a very noticeable difference between the 2 (or 3).
Lest I be accused of being merely a White's fanboy, I'd like to mention that, when it comes to nugget hunting, all that interests me is PERFORMANCE over my specific ground. If something doesn't measure up it OUTTA HERE! If a detector was 'better' than the MXT I'd use it in a red-hot second. I also use a couple of Garrett detectors (not for nugget hunting.. though the GMH III could be used in an emergency) which I find to be more enjoyable to hunt with when looking for coins/jewelry.
One thing I almost forgot to mention is that the F75 when run with the trigger held forward exhibits ground tracking that seem s the equal to that of the MXT. Jim, to the East (I think Ontario) has done some testing and basically confirms this. Too bad full time ground tracking wasn't implemented on the F75 or F70. Might have been an issue of manufacturing rights between White's and First Texas.
That's it for now.. Willy.

 

[TreasureGrabber]

Can anybody tell how good is Explorer II on nuggets and gold jewelry?

 

[Jim Hemmingway]

Willy you have a way of getting down to the nitty-gritty with detectors. Nice report, I see things the same. So, where the heck have you been lately? I miss seeing you stirring up some sh!t.

BTW, I did write to DJ about a year ago encouraging him to incorporate autotracking on his next flagship / prospect unit, but no dice. I suppose he's never nugget hunted in really bad variable ground where the ground phase can shift dramatically in a few yards. Still, in a pinch you can push the trigger forward on F75, it works fine but there is a very slight sensitivity loss here. Same holds true for MXT unless you lock it. Absolute best depth performance sometimes takes a back seat to dealing with ground first, and MXT goes to the front of the class in that department.

We can expect these two units will surpass one another either depending on different search objectives, or over different ground conditions. Thats why I own both, plus a back-up is a good idea. I've made up a depth chart for some of my prospecting units including F75, MXT, Goldbug2 and Goldstinger over my ground... and may get around to posting it under the gold detecting forum...haven't decided yet. I really like what the small 6" elliptical does for sens to small stuff on the F75...a dramatic improvement.

Jim.

 

[Willy]

Hey there Jim.
Been laid up for a while with a ruptured disc (L4-L5). Taking a buncha drugs for the sciatica and they make me tres sleepy. Would be interesting to see that depth chart and it looks like we're in agreement re. ground tracking. I really wish that some of these engineers would get out of the office and out to try their products (prototypes) over REAL ground.. not just 'test beds'. I can think up a number of places where a non-autotracking detector just dies. It really is too bad re. the F75/F70 'cause they'd supplant my MXT if they would track; a definite increase in small gold sensitivity too.
Despite my physical travails, it's prospecting for Willy this summer. Doctor sez, in no uncertain terms, that I'm not to work in any form. Fark that! I'm gettin' out and doing something! Won't work cuz, if injured in any way, compo would nail my hide to the wall.. but enjoying my HOBBY (metal detecting), well, that's an entirely different matter. Turns out we've got a mining clup (like the GPAA but better) in B.C. with some hot claims. Gonna join and have at 'er. At least the pooch will be happy; she's driving me nuts at the moment 'cause she wants to run run RUN! ..Willy.

 

[Jim Hemmingway]

Willy, very sorry to hear about your back injury. That explains your absence lately, don't go risking your long term mobility / health over anything. Give it some time to heal properly, ya hear?

Hey, if you have a link or websit or email address to a club in BC could you PM it to me or something please? I'd like to head west within a year or so and take a good run at it.

I'll see about posting the depth chart, but you know sparks will fly from somewhere. I'll have to include a bit of an explanation so as not to get shot.

Jim.

 

[AUDuke]

I like the F75 with the 6" elliptical coil for small "nugget" hunting. In most conditions I prefer it to the GBll, I think it has a little more depth on the small stuff, A rubber band can be used to hold the trigger sw in the forward position on the F75. I like the weight advantage of the F75 as compared to the MXT Wish the would put the MXT in a lighter package,at my age the extra weight makes a difference.
Of the three detectors you mentioned, I would choose either the MXT or the F75. IMO they are better gold hunters than the GBII and way more versatile.