How to buy a nugget hunting detector

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Advances in metal detector technology in the past 25 years or so has revolutionized the way many people prospect for gold. Two major advances that have allowed prospectors to take advantage of hand held detectors in the search for placer gold have been the advent of VLF (very low frequency) detectors and later, the PI (pulse induction) machines.

The most common question that beginners tend to have is: What metal detector should I buy? It's a good question and a common one that comes up on the forums about once a week in one form or another. So, in order to help you make a decision, let's learn a little bit about detectors.

"Should I buy a VLF or a PI machine?"

That depends on a lot of factors and you'll have to ask yourself some questions prior to making that decision.

Fisher Gold Bug Detector How often do I plan to detect?

Am I planning to detect ore dumps and old mines?

What are the ground conditions in the areas I want to hunt?

How much money am I willing to spend to get into the hobby?

Am I even going to like this hobby once I get started?

Take these questions into consideration before making your choice.

For most people, it seems to come down to budget. I know for myself, that was a major factor. I didn't even have a job when I started nuggetshooting. My partner, Rod Fitzhugh, generously offered me the use of his VLF, a White's GMT, because I couldn't even consider purchasing a detector at the time. I was really lucky because I was able to go nuggetshooting while I was saving my money to buy a cheap VLF and I did find my first nugget with that machine. Borrowing a machine is a great way to find out how much you like detecting. If you can't borrow, check with a local mining supply. They often rent machines and will give basic advice about operation and locations. Other than that, you have to buy. A lot of people will plug the idea that you must have a PI machine in order to succeed, but if you plan on detecting old mines and their ore dumps, the PI isn't even the right tool for the job. For that, you will need some sort of discriminating VLF that can detect lode gold species.

Here's another question: What if I can afford both a VLF and a PI?

If you can afford both forms of detector technology then by all means, THAT is the way to go. Most serious detectorists own both types of machines or even several detectors. Why is that? Well, it's no secret that while the discrimination capabilities of the Minelab PI units have improved at least somewhat significantly from the SD series through to the GP series, it cannot be relied upon. If discrimination is wanted, one needs to look to a Whites GMT or a Minelab Xterra-70. Also, it's well known that the Fisher Goldbug and Goldbug 2 can pick up tiny crumbs of gold that the Minelabs cannot hear. Speaking of gold that Minelab detectors can't hear, did you know that there are so called "invisible nuggets"? There are some nuggets that due to various charactaristics cannot be heard by a PI machine. These nuggets which are sometimes spongy or delicate specimens will scream on a good VLF machine but won't make a sound on a PI. This also goes for lode gold specimens found on mine dumps. Hand cobbled piles of ore are great places to find gold, but you'll need a good VLF to do it with any efficiency. So, if you can get both a VLF and a PI, more power to you.

So, how much does it cost?

Well, you can get into a VLF machine from between $150 for an older, used model such as a Minelab American Goldstriker or Fisher Goldbug to about $850 for the latest Minelab VLF, the Eureka Gold. You can get into a PI machine from between $650 to $1000 for a used Minelab SD2100 to about $4500 for the latest Minelab PI, the Minelab GPX 4500. If your budget is closer to the upper end of the VLF range, I would strongly suggest that you consider a used Minelab SD2100 or SD2200. For as little $100 over the price of the most expensive vlf machine, you can enjoy the superior performance of a Minelab PI. At time, deals crop up that one wouldn't even expect. I've seen early model SD2200's go for UNDER $700! Prices on older Minelab PI's have become so low, what with the release of the newer machines such as the GP3500 and GPX4000, that unless you need discrimination or other features for coin or relic hunting, it's pretty hard to even justify a VLF that costs more than $600.

Don't forget that certain perks come from buying a new machine if you can afford it. Most of the time a local dealer will be more than willing to forge a long term relationship with you that can help if something goes wrong. Warranties go a long way. Initial perks like field instruction and so on are good as well. The main point is, if you cannot afford a new PI machine, that does not necessarily prevent you from getting into the hobby.

Check out our SD2100 users forum!

"Will my coin machine find nuggets?"

No, it won't. Not unless it's a multiple use machine like the Minelab X-terra 70. Yes, a nugget will make a sound (hopefully) if you pass it under a coin machine. You might even be able to find it if it's buried in your back yard. The problem with most coin machines is that they were designed to work in different circumstances than the heavily mineralized locations where gold is normally found. A goldfield is much different than a city park. The ground is often composed of a variety of heavy minerals such as magnetite, hematite and perhaps oxidized iron, among other possibilities. These minerals, being metallic in composition will sometimes challenge even the most advanced gold detector.

Now, there are all around machines for coins, relics and gold. Machines like the White's MXT, Tesoro Lobo SuperTrac and now the new Minelab Xterra 70 are designed to find gold as well as coins and relics. These machines are a good choice for those who can't afford or can't jusify the cost of two machines. They might be a great choice for someone who nuggetshoots 1 week out of the year at Rich Hill and maybe relic hunts once a year. In my opinion, these types of machines are not a first choice for the serious gold nugget hunter.

Unlike coin machines, gold machines are designed specifically with the mineralized ground of the goldfields in mind. If you plan on finding nuggets with a detector, it's absolutely essential that you use a machine designed to find nuggets. There are a few machines that are made with both tasks in mind but generally speaking, if you are planning on heading out with a sporting goods store model detector, my advice is to save the gas money and apply it towards something that will actually work.

"But, I can't afford a Minelab"

Yes you can. And, if you can't, then I'm sorry but you cannot afford to be in this hobby. I've seen used Minelab gold machines sold for as little as $150. I've very often heard people say things like, "I need to keep my budget under $200." If that is the case, then an older, used vlf is the way to go. Like most things, in this hobby, you get what you pay for so I am not suggesting that you will be able to get a top of the line PI machine at that price point. What you will get is a very old, very used Minelab VLF that will work, with patience, in medium to low mineralization such as an American Gold Striker. Great deals under $200 don't come very often. Don't make the mistake of buying a cheap Bounty Hunter because you couldn't find a gold machine right away. IT WON'T WORK! A lot of folks make this mistake. They normally end up pitching the damn thing off a cliff where it belongs because those machines cannot handle the mineralization in a gold field.

"What about other machines?"

A lot of companies make machines that will find gold. They all work with certain advantages and disadvantages. If you know that you are serious about this hobby, PI technology is the only way to go if you live in an area with heavily mineralized soil and so far, Minelab is the only company to have really proven itself for really hot ground. Recently a few new machines have cropped up. Eric Foster recently put out the Goldscan 5, a PI machine with an iron tone ID. Preliminary field reports suggest that this machine might be a good alternative to a Minelab as the discrimination circuitry on SD and GP detectors is either non-existant or worthless, especially prior to the Minelab GP3500. Other machines are currently in one stage of development, hype or otherwise, the GD1000, the mythical Finder's Titan and perhaps others. Only time will tell if these machines will prove their worth in the rough conditions in the goldfields of the American cordillera. Until then, Minelab is the ticket for PI technology.