Whites Goldmaster GMT or Fisher Gold Bug 2?

[rocmoc]

White's Goldmaster GMT or Fisher Gold Bug 2?

I will be purchasing my detector next week and have narrowed my selection down, a White's Goldmaster GMT or Fisher Gold Bug 2.

First some background:
Will be used primarily in Arizona & Utah. Looking for Gold 99% of the time with a little meteorite hunting. Looking more for at least small nuggets at depth than flakes but will take anything if I find it, LOL. Concerns are the weight of the machine as it is swung by my old arm and difficulty of use for a newbie. I do have a greater understanding of electronics than the average guy. This will be a new detector. I plan to follow up with a used Lobo Super Traq for general detecting. Trying to complete an item on the bucket list!!!!


Thanks for any help.
rocmoc n AZ/Mexico

 

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[Jim in Idaho]

Both are great units for finding small gold. The Fisher GB2 has a very slight edge, due to it's higher frequency, but it is strictly a manual ground balance machine. The GMT can be operated either in Auto-trac mode, which automatically keeps the unit in ground balance, or it can be operated in manual mode. The GMT would be easier to use. The Fisher has a great rep around the world. Can't go wrong with either one. The GMT also has a"follow the black sand" indicator to help when prospecting.
Jim

 

[Terry Soloman]

Goldbug II gets my vote between the two. Awesome on small gold and meteorites!

 

[Sandman]

Goldbug II also gets my vote.

 

[LuckyLarry]

GB2 between the two, but GB Pro is better than either because it runs smoother, but the GB2 will find slightly tinier gold 1-2" deep (if) you scrub the ground with a 6" coil. On half gram or larger, the GB Pro will have the edge in depth. The GMT is a bit on the noisy side..

 

[liftloop]

white's will smoke-m-all... what are you's talking about
but never tried ether one of them....

 

[LuckyLarry]

Well folks, I live within walking distance of Whites main plant, and more GB's, GB2's, GB Pro's, and G2's are bought by gold nugget hunters from the multi-brand shop here than any other gold machine. GMT's simply don't compare to the Teks and Fishers for nugget hunters here. Unfortunately, the writing is on the wall, the Teks and Fishers work better/smoother in this high mineral old gold bust area. MXT's aren't very popular here, neither are GMT's, and eventually wind up cheap in pawn shops often too, as do Minelab's small nugget hunters. I've seen only one old-style GB in a pawn shop 50 miles N of here. The old Goldscanner Compasses bring HIGH DOLLAR here, and I mean BIG MONEY, $600-$1200! Fisher CZ's work the best on our high-magnetite salt beaches, and I haven't seen a Garret here in the last 30 years. I have never seen a Minelab in Oregon anywhere except for my own, and only two MXT's that both had a horrible time handling the black sand. The one sure did find a lot of pulltabs though on the ocean beach, and the other made so much noise on a school playground that it reminded me of an old popcorn machine. More Whites are sold here to (tourists) passing through, but Fishers are the most popular among locals, Teknetics 2nd, Bounty Hunter 3rd.

 

[rocmoc]

Test swung both detectors today. For ME the Gold Bug 2 is my choice. The ability to remove the box from the shaft, mount on a belt and swing just the shaft & coil made all the difference in the world for me. (Even more so than the easier learning curve of the GMT.) Now a coil question I will put in another thread.

Thanks again,
rocmoc n AZ/Mexico