The New Gold Bug(GB3)

nuggetshooter323 · Oct 23, 2009

I just read my copy of W&E Treasures, and I noticed an advertisment for the new Gold Bug(GB3). It has a 0-99 TID, continous ground phase and mineralization readout, running depth and signal strength, all-metal and discriminate modes, 19khz operating freq., threshold and gain adjustments, ground grab and manual GB options, no-motion pin point, 2 tone VCO, Power= 1, 9 volt battery, MSRP= $549.00 (pg.39)

If this thing performs, all the other companys in the low to middle price point in the VLF market are going to have to upgrade their gold machines. The price, and the features of the GB3 seems pretty fantastic. I know that the upgrade to the ground grab feature along with the manual GB is pretty cool just by itself. The difficulty for novices in ground balancing the GB2 has been why they usually go to an auto-tracking type detector. I can't wait to see the first user opinions.

lperry3 · Oct 23, 2009

only 19khz? are you sure you saw that right?

Hoser John · Oct 24, 2009

Sounds like they put lipstick on the goldstrike flop and are killing the only good detector to come outta fisher in years --GB2?? New owners=new games-bummer-John :dontknow:

golddigger14s · Oct 24, 2009

Went to their web site and the GB3 doesn't exist.

golddredgergold · Oct 24, 2009

golddigger14s said:
Went to their web site and the GB3 doesn't exist.

It does exist. Just not on Fishers site yet. Here is the link to see it.
http://www.akmining.com/mine/fisher04.htm

AUDuke · Oct 24, 2009

lperry3 said:
only 19khz? are you sure you saw that right?

Whats wrong with 19Khz ? I think around 20 khz is the best compromise between sensitivity and depth, its what the original Gold Bug used, the Tesoro Lobo ST and the Minelab Xterra 705 both use that freq.

Wildcat · Oct 25, 2009

I believe that 19khz will produce better depth particularly where I live. Thats the only reason I sold my GB2. It just couldn't produce the depth. Brilliant otherwise.

The Cat

AUDuke · Oct 25, 2009

I agree, IMO The original GB had better depth than the GBII. I sold my GBII yesterday. If they would put the gb2 disc. on the gb1 thats what i would have.

Steve Herschbach · Oct 25, 2009

Hi,

The new Gold Bug does not replace the Gold Bug 2! It is not a repackaged Gold Strike. It is a 19 kHz detector at a much lower price point than the Gold Bug 2 and it does raise the bar for what can be had for under $500. As people here have noted the Gold Bug 2 gets poor depth due to its super high operating frequency. The new Gold Bug, at the same 19 kHz frequency as the original Gold Bug, just may get better depth on large nuggets in mineralized ground. I'd have kept my old Gold Bug but for the fact it lacks iron disc. Anyway, we won't know until we get our hands on one to test. I'm first in line! Don't forget, Dave Johnson, the guy behind the Gold Bug and Gold Bug 2 is working on this.

The unit is getting good buzz on some other forums as people speculate that because it has a full range discrimination it might have some applications for jewelry or relic hunting.

Just an FYI - I tested a Fisher F75 against my Gold Bug 2 on a 1/2 ounce nugget in hot ground and the 13 kHz F75 picked the nugget up deeper than the Gold Bug 2 The Gold Bug 2 did better in an air test but once the nugget was in the ground the F75 was the clear winner. I'm going to pick up a F75 Ltd for use next summer.

Don't hold your breath though on the new Gold Bug. Fisher has a habit these days of announcing detectors way before they are available. Also, I do think there will be a Gold Bug 3 someday, but this is not it.

Steve Herschbach

goldbug2 · Oct 25, 2009

It is a thing that I noticed in the fields of northern NV, also. My MXT, with just under 15 khertz, was finding nuggets as small as 1/2 grain deeper than a comparable GB2. The higher frequency will find smaller nugget but they will be shallower.

AUDuke · Oct 25, 2009

I have about 10 targets buried in my test garden. I use nickles, 1/2 nickles and 1/4 nickles (nickles have appox. the same conductivity as gold) plus i have buried small pieces of lead flattened to various diamaters ( 3mm to 12mm). They are buried at depths ranging from 1" to 12". Of all my detectors only 2 detect all of my targets, The Fisher F75 and the Tesoro Vaquero with the 5.75 coil will. The GBII will NOT, GMT will NOT. The TDI will except for a 2 grain piece of lead 1" deep.

Hoser John · Oct 26, 2009

Thanx for the skinny on the newbie unit Steve-tons a au 2 u 2-John

nuggetshooter323 · Oct 30, 2009

AUDuke said:
I have about 10 targets buried in my test garden. I use nickles, 1/2 nickles and 1/4 nickles (nickles have appox. the same conductivity as gold) plus i have buried small pieces of lead flattened to various diamaters ( 3mm to 12mm). They are buried at depths ranging from 1" to 12". Of all my detectors only 2 detect all of my targets, The Fisher F75 and the Tesoro Vaquero with the 5.75 coil will. The GBII will NOT, GMT will NOT. The TDI will except for a 2 grain piece of lead 1" deep.

Intresting conclusions, I used to have a Vaquero,but I traded it for my Tejon. I should have kept the Vaq, because it works a lot better here in Colorado. I detect nuggets mainly in tailing piles, and because of the looseness of the material the GMT does pretty good on depth. My LST better on depth, and the coil selection is like no other, but the auto tracking GB on the GMT is one the best in minerlized ground.

AUDuke · Oct 30, 2009

nuggetshooter323 said:
AUDuke said:

I have about 10 targets buried in my test garden. I use nickles, 1/2 nickles and 1/4 nickles (nickles have appox. the same conductivity as gold) plus i have buried small pieces of lead flattened to various diamaters ( 3mm to 12mm). They are buried at depths ranging from 1" to 12". Of all my detectors only 2 detect all of my targets, The Fisher F75 and the Tesoro Vaquero with the 5.75 coil will. The GBII will NOT, GMT will NOT. The TDI will except for a 2 grain piece of lead 1" deep.

Click to expand...

Intresting conclusions, I used to have a Vaquero,but I traded it for my Tejon. I should have kept the Vaq, because it works a lot better here in Colorado. I detect nuggets mainly in tailing piles, and because of the looseness of the material the GMT does pretty good on depth. My LST better on depth, and the coil selection is like no other, but the auto tracking GB on the GMT is one the best in minerlized ground.

I do not currently have a Lobo ST so I don't know how it would do. I put a 10 turn GB in my Vaq. makes it not so "touchy" to ground bal.

Tank69 · Nov 15, 2009

Fisher Gold Bug Gold Nugget Detector .. is what the header reads

sadly it just appears to be another do it all machine not a gold only machine .I'm learning gold machines so tell me what am I missing ?

Powerful 19 kHz operation for sensitivity to small gold nuggets (taken from the new GB specs)

I thought the high the freq the better for finding gold

POWERFUL 71 kHz Operation for Extreme Sensitivity (taken from the GB2 specs)

AUDuke · Nov 20, 2009

Tank69 said:
Fisher Gold Bug Gold Nugget Detector .. is what the header reads

sadly it just appears to be another do it all machine not a gold only machine .I'm learning gold machines so tell me what am I missing ?

Powerful 19 kHz operation for sensitivity to small gold nuggets (taken from the new GB specs)

I thought the high the freq the better for finding gold

POWERFUL 71 kHz Operation for Extreme Sensitivity (taken from the GB2 specs)

Higher freqs better for finding small gold, lower freqs. for finding deep gold, everthings a comprise. I prefer a freq of around 20 kz., Im not too intrested in fly spec sized gold.

extractor · Nov 21, 2009

good thread :coffee2:

patches63 · Nov 21, 2009

hello all, sold my gmt other day,strictly gpx with small mono coils now.next time i find good hardrock will have to replace it tho.those high freq. vlf machines really find the foamy looking specie gold.might add a lobo tracker for a backup utility,as it has decent coin/jewelry ability.gotta love this hobby/biz