Good and "cheap" nugget finder?

[lsdig]

Good and "cheap" nugget finder?

Well... i am looking for a detector that will be able to detect small gold nuggets and it can't be much expensive. In my researchs i'd found some models into a range of price between $450 - $600 (that's what i want):

Tesoro Golden uMax
Tesoro Vaquero
Fisher Gold Bug 2
Fisher F-70
Garrett Scorpion Gold Stringer

I'll prospect in mountains and little rivers areas, as well semi-arid-like (both have high levels of mineralization).

QUESTIONS: What would be the best for me? There are any better option??

 

[Willy]

Re: Good and "cheap" nugget finder?

Hey there Jeff. No problem.. this whole subject turned into a rather silly exercise in futility. I try to be as truthful as possible when talking detectors and when told I'm not being so.. wellll. It also doesn't help being cooped up and suffering from cabin fever. As for the All metal hunting of coins/relics, I stand by my assertion that a person has to have a whole lotta experience with a particular machine to be able to 'disc.' with it with any reliability. I've heard of people being able to do it, just never seen it. Yup the GB2 can be considered to have disc. since it has an 'iron disc.' setting, but I found it to be rather unreliable (along with the ID function on the GMT, MXT) when going over really bad ground. Regardless, anyone new to detecting, or even to searching in AM mode, just isn't going to be able to cruise past the garbage and get the goodies unless they've got a brain the size of a pumpkin. Well, that's it for now. ..Willy.

 

[RPG]

Re: Good and "cheap" nugget finder?

I agree. This has become rather silly. I'm sorry if I have affended you Willy. I value your input and have read many of your posts on here. As for Ant, he's probably laughing too hard to respond. Hope you can get out of the house soon. I would go crazy if I couldn't get out. But, since you are cooped up and can't get out, go to my iron ore post in this forum and give me some advice. Now that this thread is back on track, yall find this guy a detector.
Randy

 

[Willy]

Re: Good and "cheap" nugget finder?

Yup, totally cooped up Randy. Loath being in the city with a passion but had to watch the place while the parents went on a 3 week cruise. Doesn't help having an incredibly active dog and no place to exercise her. Lousy mutt chewed a hole in some underwear I had lying around a few days ago.. fit only for wearing in the summer now. I think, from what correspondence I've had with Rodrigo, that he's thinking about getting something along the lines of an MXT or XTerra 70. He originally wanted to buy the Diablo uMax I have listed, but I advised him not to. Right now I'll be getting another MXT. Having used a number of different detectors for prospecting, I've found the MXT to be the best when hunting extremely variable ground that's also highly mineralised (84-86 on the VDI). One nice thing is that, in disc. mode and set to zero disc., it gives up very little sensitivity to small gold vs. the prospecting mode. This is unlike the XTerra 70 where there was a noticeable difference. The Vaquero showed an even greater disparity between the 2 modes; ED 180 disc. my hairy white behind. Monte on Find's, I believe, commented on the Vaquero not having full range acceptance in disc. mode and such seems to be the case according to my tests. A pity, since it's a nice & light detector. ..Willy.

 

[arizonaames]

Re: Good and "cheap" nugget finder?

Yup, totally cooped up Randy. Loath being in the city with a passion but had to watch the place while the parents went on a 3 week cruise. Doesn't help having an incredibly active dog and no place to exercise her. Lousy mutt chewed a hole in some underwear I had lying around a few days ago.. fit only for wearing in the summer now. I think, from what correspondence I've had with Rodrigo, that he's thinking about getting something along the lines of an MXT or XTerra 70. He originally wanted to buy the Diablo uMax I have listed, but I advised him not to. Right now I'll be getting another MXT. Having used a number of different detectors for prospecting, I've found the MXT to be the best when hunting extremely variable ground that's also highly mineralised (84-86 on the VDI). One nice thing is that, in disc. mode and set to zero disc., it gives up very little sensitivity to small gold vs. the prospecting mode. This is unlike the XTerra 70 where there was a noticeable difference. The Vaquero showed an even greater disparity between the 2 modes; ED 180 disc. my hairy white behind. Monte on Find's, I believe, commented on the Vaquero not having full range acceptance in disc. mode and such seems to be the case according to my tests. A pity, since it's a nice & light detector. ..Willy.

I love my MXT!!!!!!! It is the greatest and offers the versatility for coins, relics and prospecting with the 3 separate programs!

 

[Willy]

Re: Good and "cheap" nugget finder?

Not to mention big manly coils. 18" DD's and 3' pits.. as long as someone else does the diggin'; I'll sip on a manly brew and.. supervise, yeah, that's the ticket.. supervise.
All kiddin' aside, it's really nice having those big coils when there's a lot of ground to cover and I'm not interested in fly-specks. Don't have an 18 incher though, just a 14". ..Willy.

 

[fortunate]

Re: Good and "cheap" nugget finder?

WHITES GMT...'ROCKS'...EVERYTHING ELSE IS A 'WANNA BE'

 

[fortunate]

Re: Good and "cheap" nugget finder?

HEY, ISDIG..ARE YOU LIVING IN S.P. NOW?
I GO DOWN THERE EVERY WINTER TO'CHILL' WITH MY GIRLFRIEND FOR A FEW MONTHS IN FORTALEZA. ARE YOU UP FOR A LITTLE GOLD DETECTING ADVENTURE TOGETHER IN BRAZIL? E SIM..EU FALA PORTUGUESE MUITO BEM...MEU NAMORADA ENSINAR MIM EN CAMA..KKK
FORTUNATE FROM ALASKA

 

[Treasure finder]

Re: Good and "cheap" nugget finder?

Two more thoughts.
1. A used Compass Gold Scanner, Gold Scanner Pro (with meter) or a Compass
AU 52 or AU 2000. You may get a good used one cheap and they are very
effective for nuggets, relics and coins. I have the Gold Scanner Pro. Downside
they are no longer made, but they will find tiny nuggets to large targets.
2. If you get much rain or get into the rivers at all, a waterproof detector might
be what you really need. Though expensive, ($1062.50 at many dealers), it
is waterproof, PI (mineralization doesn't bother it) and is a very good gold
detector and goes very deep. If you have good gold bearing streams it could
pay off quickly.
Good luck,
Rich

 

[Treasure finder]

Re: Good and "cheap" nugget finder?

OOPS
On my 2nd choice I was suggesting a Garrett Infinium as a waterproof PI for nuggets.