best first pi detector

[Ahorton10]

Hey guys, im starting to set cash aside to get a used pi detector. I would like to spend right around 1000$. Which models should I look for and why? I intend to use it for only nugget shooting and plan to keep a vlf detector too for the tiny stuff. Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Adam

[grubstake]

I wood look around for a minelab used 2200sd, I found a bunch of gold with mine, and you should be able to find one in that price range. Grubstake

[Ahorton10]

Thanks grubstake, its definately at the top of my list so far.

[Nugget Shooter]

Minelab....

[frank c]

I RUN WITH GRUBBY A 2200 should be able to be found in that range.
yOU MAY FIND A v2 bLUEBOX 2200
Ya know sometimes you might find a 3000 for a bit more so save up a bit more ya just gotta be lucky and find one.
Hapy Huntn

Edited May 29, 2014 by frank c

[Ahorton10]

Thanks guys, it seems minelab is the way to go. If I were buying new I would be interested in the atx based on price but it seems the older sd or 3000 would probably suit me well. My old mscope struggles with the hot rocks, or perhaps I do lol. Im not gonna put it down till I get it over Some nuggets But im ready to start saving for a better unit.

[grubstake]

The 2200sd was the first unit with ground tracking, and was a darned good unit. And with the new battery system that is out, they are worth the $1000.00 bucks you might have to pay, who knows you might find one for around $800.00. Grubstake

[AzNuggetBob]

I RUN WITH GRUBBY A 2200 should be able to be found in that range.

yOU MAY FIND A v2 bLUEBOX 2200

Ya know sometimes you might find a 3000 for a bit more so save up a bit more ya just gotta be lucky and find one.

Hapy Huntn

I agree guys should be able to find a 2200V2 for around that price. would be my choice. AzNuggetBob

[Alwaysdirty]

Like a couple guys said, keep your eyes peeled for an SD2200V2 and an 8" coil. They pop up every once in awhile and should be right around that price.

Another guy named Adam here finds yellow stuff often with his

[adam]

Be very confident with a Minelab. The early models are powerful and affordable. If you can get a SD2200V2, GP3000,GP Extreme,GP3500,GP4000 in your price range , buy it and you wont ever regret it......

[Reno Chris]

Unfortunately PIs for gold tend to be expensive and so your choices at $1000 are used detectors only with one exception, the Sierra Super Pulse, a stripped down version of the TDI for $995.

I'd try to get a GP Extreme or newer - the SDs are older and ML is saying some of the parts for repairs are the SDs are getting hard to purchase. The Extreme and newer are more sensitive to smaller nuggets.

[AzNuggetBob]

Chris as you know Iv'e been running Minelab 2000,2100's 2200's for years. I tryed Whites TDI and didn't like it. JMHO

So why would I want a stripped down TDI? when I can get

a 2200v2 for about the same price, but I do agree about the warranty on them is somthing to think about. but for a few more bucks I really think the Minelab 2300 may fill that gap. AzNuggetBob

[Reno Chris]

A little misunderstanding there.

I am not recommending the SSP TDI over the minelab choices. I am saying it is the only new gold oriented PI detector available for $1000.

In my post I recommend trying to get a GP Extreme or newer. These are sometimes available for around $1000.

The down side of the SDs is that some of the old electronic parts are no longer available. So if parts that are replaceable break, you are fine, but if in the future a part breaks where a new one cannot be purchased by ML, you may face a situation of owning a broken SD that cannot be repaired.

The SDC 2300 will be a great detector, but will not be sold at a price anywhere near $1000. The minimum advertised price (the lowest a seller can advertise he is selling it for) is going to be $3,750.

[Alwaysdirty]

You may not be able to get an SD repaired through Minelab or buy parts from them for it. But a resourceful guy could find an electronics guru to repair it and the analog electronics parts are all availble and maybe even better quality then what Minelab used to use. It's not that the parts don't exist they are just not stamped by Minelab. There is a couple guys doing mods down in Australia and one of the things they do when they mod is buy higher quality parts and swap them out making the machines run a little smoother. Could probably send it to one of them for repair.

I've read that the old Sd's when modded will go deeper than any of the new digital models, and guys down there in the goldfields still swear by those old analog machines, could be BS too though.

[frank c]

Theres NO BS about them analog machines, its all in the "USER".

[H-2 Charlie]

$3,750 is over the top , most will settle for the ATX at almost half the dough.

[frank c]

I think Charlie is on the money. Untill some hands on in the field to prove its qualities are that much better.
Also the coil changes on the Garrett and not the ML
I DON'T THINK THERES MUCH IF ANY WEIGHT DIFFERENCE.
Lets see what comes of these 2 machines,...............But DON'T rule out Fisher on the horizon with all that's happn
in the industry they may be conjuring up another alternative.

Edited May 29, 2014 by frank c

[Ahorton10]

I wouldn't mind seeing something from Fisher, I don't have much experience but it seems like people don't like to part with their gold bugs, that says a lot to me.

[Au Seeker]

I think Charlie is on the money. Untill some hands on in the field to prove its qualities are that much better.

Also the coil changes on the Garrett and not the ML

I DON'T THINK THERES MUCH IF ANY WEIGHT DIFFERENCE.

Lets see what comes of these 2 machines,...............But DON'T rule out Fisher on the horizon with all that's happn

in the industry they may be conjuring up another alternative.

Frank,

The ATX weights 6.9 lbs, the SDC weights 5.1 lbs.

[frank c]

Au Seeker did you see if both the weights include batteries ??

[Au Seeker]

I would believe that it would be with batteries, but it didn't say so.

[frank c]

Well until we can weigh the goose ourselves we won't know !!

[AzNuggetBob]

A little misunderstanding there.

I am not recommending the SSP TDI over the minelab choices. I am saying it is the only new gold oriented PI detector available for $1000.

In my post I recommend trying to get a GP Extreme or newer. These are sometimes available for around $1000.

The down side of the SDs is that some of the old electronic parts are no longer available. So if parts that are replaceable break, you are fine, but if in the future a part breaks where a new one cannot be purchased by ML, you may face a situation of owning a broken SD that cannot be repaired.

The SDC 2300 will be a great detector, but will not be sold at a price anywhere near $1000. The minimum advertised price (the lowest a seller can advertise he is selling it for) is going to be $3,750.

Chris if your correct on the map price, I think its a bit much. and I think its going to turn

a lot of people off to the 2300 considering the other opitions availble out there. but

at this point without having one in hand its hard to tell its real true value.

sorry about the misunderstanding on my part. but I do dissagree on the availible parts for SD'S.

unfortunately Minelab says origninal parts, that's a spin. the parts are available, better than the old "original" ones.

The only real problem is finding someone to install them.

AzNuggetBob

[snakejim]

Chris if your correct on the map price, I think its a bit much. and I think its going to turn

a lot of people off to the 2300 considering the other opitions availble out there. but

at this point without having one in hand its hard to tell its real true value.

sorry about the misunderstanding on my part. but I do dissagree on the availible parts for SD'S.

unfortunately Minelab says origninal parts, that's a spin. the parts are available, better than the old "original" ones.

The only real problem is finding someone to install them.

AzNuggetBob

This fellow can do the repairs on the older Minelab SD's'

http://www.detectormods.com/

[AzNuggetBob]

Think Im kidding here is some photo's of a mod I did about 15 years ago on a Minelab 2100.

The mod allows the use of all four availible (with mod) frequency options. AzNuggetBob

http://

http://

Edited May 30, 2014 by AzNuggetBob