Minelab GPX 5000 Evolution

theseeker

Sr. Member
Mar 4, 2009
345
139
Detector(s) used
White's Surf PI Pro Dual Field/Minelab Sovereign Elite/Goldbug II/Goldbug Pro
Hello All, been a while since I have posted on the forum. I am looking at possibly purchasing an older 2011 Minelab GPX 5000. I would like to know if the 2011 detector has all of the capabilities of the current GPX 5000. Has it evolved from then to now with new technology and features designed by Minelab? I know there are after market mods being done by individuals not associated with Minelab. I'm mainly interested in any enhancements made by Minelab to the GPX 5000 over its lifespan. If anyone may have some information on this, I would really appreciate your thoughts and input. Thanks .

Pete (theseeker)
 

Upvote 0

leadnugget

Sr. Member
Jul 29, 2006
266
673
arizona
Detector(s) used
gpx6000
gp extreme
gold monster 1000
nokta simplex
as far as i know, an older 5k is the same as a newer one.
however, the coils have evolved a lot.
if you get it look into getting a nugget finder evolution coil.
if i still had my 5k i would have got one.
they are not cheap, but much more sensitive.
also if it needs a new battery. the old dome top, back pack style battery are easy to refurbish.
if you can solder, a new battery is about $45.
or complete new one is about $100.
just typing this reply made me think back to the old days with the gp extreme.
having to suit up with the heavy battery back pack
and wired head phones getting caught up in brush and trees.
the older stuff works but the newer stuff makes it so much easier and more enjoyable
to hunt with.
 

Last edited:

Reed Lukens

Silver Member
Jan 1, 2013
2,653
5,418
Congres, AZ/ former California Outlawed Gold Miner
Detector(s) used
Tesoro Vaquero, Whites MXT, Vsat, GMT, 5900Di Pro, Minelab GPX 5000, GPXtreme, 2200SD, Excalibur 1000!
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
There's one for sale here on the forum. People bought them back in the day and then bought a bunch of coils that would never get used, so there are some good deals out there. $2500 has been the upper price for a 5000 in great condition with the add ons like the machine mounted smaller batteries, signal booster and wireless headphones. They're great machines and if it doesn't have any upgrades, $1500 - $2000 depending on condition... You can buy them new for $4000 even on Amazon.

 

Last edited:
OP
OP
T

theseeker

Sr. Member
Mar 4, 2009
345
139
Detector(s) used
White's Surf PI Pro Dual Field/Minelab Sovereign Elite/Goldbug II/Goldbug Pro
as far as i know, an older 5k is the same as a newer one.
however, the coils have evolved a lot.
if you get it look into getting a nugget finder evolution coil.
if i still had my 5k i would have got one.
they are not cheap, but much more sensitive.
also if it needs a new battery. the old dome top, back pack style battery are easy to refurbish.
if you can solder, a new battery is about $45.
or complete new one is about $100.
just typing this reply made me think back to the old days with the gp extreme.
having to suit up with the heavy battery back pack
and wired head phones getting caught up in brush and trees.
the older stuff works but the newer stuff makes it so much easier and more enjoyable
to hunt with.
Hi leadnugget, appreciate you taking the time to respond. You are right about the older 5k's being the same as the current ones. I just spoke to John at Detector Center in Altoona, PA. He verified that they have not changed and have the same features. Haven't used one yet but it looks like I may be buying one soon to use out west this summer. Hope you get out there soon and find some nice nuggets! Thanks again.
 

OP
OP
T

theseeker

Sr. Member
Mar 4, 2009
345
139
Detector(s) used
White's Surf PI Pro Dual Field/Minelab Sovereign Elite/Goldbug II/Goldbug Pro
There's one for sale here on the forum. People bought them back in the day and then bought a bunch of coils that would never get used, so there are some good deals out there. $2500 has been the upper price for a 5000 in great condition with the add ons like the machine mounted smaller batteries, signal booster and wireless headphones. They're great machines and if it doesn't have any upgrades, $1500 - $2000 depending on condition... You can buy them new for $4000 even on Amazon.

Hi Reed, appreciate your response and feedback. I have to agree with you, for under $2k I would consider that a very reasonable price for the capabilities of the 5000 machine. It is at a price point that I can afford and will give me a machine I can be confident in. Thanks again Reed for reponding.
 

OP
OP
T

theseeker

Sr. Member
Mar 4, 2009
345
139
Detector(s) used
White's Surf PI Pro Dual Field/Minelab Sovereign Elite/Goldbug II/Goldbug Pro
as far as i know, an older 5k is the same as a newer one.
however, the coils have evolved a lot.
if you get it look into getting a nugget finder evolution coil.
if i still had my 5k i would have got one.
they are not cheap, but much more sensitive.
also if it needs a new battery. the old dome top, back pack style battery are easy to refurbish.
if you can solder, a new battery is about $45.
or complete new one is about $100.
just typing this reply made me think back to the old days with the gp extreme.
having to suit up with the heavy battery back pack
and wired head phones getting caught up in brush and trees.
the older stuff works but the newer stuff makes it so much easier and more enjoyable
to hunt with.
Just researched the reviews of the Nugget Finder Evolution coils. I'm impressed by what seasoned GPX 5000 users are saying about them. I will definitely look into them more and decide which one is best for me and the ground I will be working in. Thanks for chiming in with your suggestions. Much appreciated.
 

Lanny in AB

Gold Member
Apr 2, 2003
5,660
6,360
Alberta
Detector(s) used
Various Minelabs(5000, 2100, X-Terra 705, Equinox 800, Gold Monster), Falcon MD20, Tesoro Sand Shark, Gold Bug Pro, Makro Gold Racer.
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
The 5000 is a great machine, and I'm not aware of any upgrades to the model (as others have said). I still use it in concert with one of my light VLF's (can swing them all day, no problem) as the VLF's will hit the shallow stuff hard, but the 5000 (much heavier) will punch deep in severe soil to get the deeper gold the VLF's can't see through the mineralization. A one-two punch (VLF and a PI) is a great way to go.

All the best,

Lanny
 

OP
OP
T

theseeker

Sr. Member
Mar 4, 2009
345
139
Detector(s) used
White's Surf PI Pro Dual Field/Minelab Sovereign Elite/Goldbug II/Goldbug Pro
The 5000 is a great machine, and I'm not aware of any upgrades to the model (as others have said). I still use it in concert with one of my light VLF's (can swing them all day, no problem) as the VLF's will hit the shallow stuff hard, but the 5000 (much heavier) will punch deep in severe soil to get the deeper gold the VLF's can't see through the mineralization. A one-two punch (VLF and a PI) is a great way to go.

All the best,

Lanny
Hi Lanny, thanks for the input. You are correct in that there have not been any upgrades to the 5000. I just purchased one and already have a goldbug II and a goldbug pro. I used the goldbugs up in the Klamath and am itching to cover some deeper ground up there with the GPX. Thanks again.

Pete
 

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