Edge Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 I'm pulling the trigger soon on a detector. Need one capable of finding those dinky chunks. I detect in central and southern AZ mostly. Not going to spend $4500 so let's not go there. At this point it's looking like Tesoro or Fisher. Gimme your opinions, gentleman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Furness Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 Neither ... Minelab GM1000 will blow both of those away. Call Bill Southern or me and we can set you up. The machine is simple to operate especially after a short lesson which comes free with the purchase of the detector. I can be reached on my cell listed below or call Bill at the shop also listed below. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 For gold, lightweight portability, just get a VLF......Fisher Gold Bug II or if you like , for the same cost a Minelab Gold Monster ......I would edge toward the Gold Monster for its ability to handle warmer ground better. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 2 minutes ago, Mike Furness said: Minelab GM1000 will blow both of those away Mike, the Gold Monster does not Blow the Gold Bug II away ......It definitely has an edge on it though 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Furness Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 Perhaps not blow it away in the minds of long time users such as yourself ... but it certainly has replaced a few as seen by the number of folks who have switched and sold their trusty GB2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knifemaker84 Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 I own both. Never will i sell the bug. I feel people are down playing a good detector that has more to offer than is talked about. The monster can't be hip mounted. The monsters "shaft" is longer than i need it, Nice armpit scatcher though. Again, i own both. And both are used weekly. I wont side with either machine. They both have their own place imo. On the plus side of the monster is: Easy to use Small break down size Two coils included Light weight High sensitivity to small gold "Sliding" adjustment for height/length Plus side of Gold bug 2: Manual ground balance (good or bad depending on skill) 1/4 audio plug ( most have had issues adapting their favorite headphones to the monster) Threshold adjustment Long coil cable. Multiple height adjusments I may be missing stuff, please add it if you think of it. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wes Posted March 3, 2018 Share Posted March 3, 2018 If you strip bedrock, or hunt shallow ground, a vlf is ok in non mineralized grounds, but if you plan to free range hunt for nuggets in deeper grounds, go GPX all the way. You can get em used for reasonable cost. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
middleforkminer2 Posted March 3, 2018 Share Posted March 3, 2018 The Gold Bug 2 has been used for a looong time and is the "gold" detector all the others are compared to....you might want to think about that....for a half second or so...I don't know anything about the "monster" and have never had the opportunity to swing one... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edge Posted March 3, 2018 Author Share Posted March 3, 2018 22 hours ago, Mike Furness said: Neither ... Minelab GM1000 will blow both of those away. Call Bill Southern or me and we can set you up. The machine is simple to operate especially after a short lesson which comes free with the purchase of the detector. I can be reached on my cell listed below or call Bill at the shop also listed below. Maybe you can give me an idea on price, new or used... Pm me if need be Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azdigger Posted March 3, 2018 Share Posted March 3, 2018 Don't forget to ask about Vets discount if you qualify...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edge Posted March 4, 2018 Author Share Posted March 4, 2018 8 hours ago, azdigger said: Don't forget to ask about Vets discount if you qualify...... I am a vet... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nugget Shooter Posted March 4, 2018 Share Posted March 4, 2018 799.00 normal cost, 679.15 with your ID and thank you for your service from me and Minelab.... 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DOC Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 You can get a Gold Bug and then be frustrated with constantly having to ground balance it. Oh and be prepared to spend more money to buy a coil cover because a GB doesn't come with a coil cover. Not a big deal but it is sort of irritating that a company can't throw in a $3 piece of plastic. Oh, and if you get a Gold Bug with a big coil, you will spend a couple hundred more to get a little coil. Or if you get it with the little coil, you will have to spend money to get the big coil. OR, you can get a Gold Monster from Bill and have a machine that kicks ass, has auto ground balance, a visual reference for whether the target is ferrous or non-ferrous, and not 1 but 2 coils included and both of them have coil covers. This machine is so easy to use and is so sensitive. I really waited to see how the Gold Monster would compare to the Gold Bug. The story that tells the tale is "Balderdash" (spelling?) this guy is a wizard with the Gold Bug. 25 to 30 little pieces of gold a day. Hard to beat that. So last outing I asked him if he was still using the Gold Bug. He said he was using the Gold Monster 1000 and he has never looked back. Good Luck with your decision! Doc 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 For what it's worth being an experience GB2 user. In my opinion, I don't believe that Docs opinion is informed enough to have any unbias weight on this subject. I hunted with a guy today that ran the Monster without headphones so I could hear him throughout the day. I took him to a spot that has produced many pieces of gold with the GB2. I heard him gound balancing that machine constantly all day. And yes, he had training from Bill. I have owned my GB2 for over 12 years and have never used or needed a coil cover. My coil has no real signs of wear. In my opinion, a coil cover just puts you that much further from the target. Once balanced, I gound Balance my GB2 very few times during the course the day checking periodically with only fine adjustments. He threw me some of the hot rocks that were screaming on the Gold Monster that barely broke the threshold on the GB2. While the hot rocks he detected sounded just like gold (lead, Iron, BB's Etc.) on the monster. It seemed like he literally chased hot rocks all day. I noticed that there is no distinction of sound on the Monster. No round sound of hot rocks, slightly sharper on iron and the sharp-peaked sound of birdshot or gold. He found a few BB's which might be promising. I had him run the Gold Monster over proven ground where I have taken many nuggets. The monster found no gold. While the GB2 was able to pick off a couple of pieces of gold just feet away. This may mean nothing to anyone. To me, it means I would purchase another GB2 before Purchasing a Gold Monster. Maybe it is the experienced detector vs a new machine but the hype sometimes over promises and under delivers. I challenge you to find a well-kept GB2 for less than 75% of what someone paid for it new even 12 years ago. Just my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nugget Shooter Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 I think perhaps he should stop in for another short lesson as he should not be having the issues you describe.... Simple as that. I used a Gold Bug 2 for well over 20 years and the GM 1000 is the first detector that when used properly that I have found that will out do it period and yes I sold the GB2 I have used alongside my PI detectors for small stuff in shallow ground and mine dumps. I found pounds of gold with that GB2 and gave it up in favor of the GM 1000 because it simply works better. The GB2 will always be a great VLF, but it's 30+ year old technology has now been surpassed. Not being argumentative here either, but if you do not ground balance your detector (any detector) more than just a few times during a hunt you are missing targets. I kept my trusty GB2 balanced every few swings in most areas I hunted with it simply because the ground changes so much it is necessary and this holds true for PI as well as any other detector in the hot goldfield soils I hunt. Sounds to me as though you have no experience running a Gold Monster as yet for any period of time or your honest opinion would be a bit different. Please tell your friend to give me a call so I can get him smoothed out on operating the GM 1000, it is a very different technology with the 24 bit micro processor and will indeed be a bit noisy and hear hot rocks etc. if not balanced properly and I deal with it quite often with new customers simply because it is such a new technology. A few minutes on the phone or in the field and I will be able to end that frustration very quickly for him OK? It is very important to me to help him fully understand his beeper We are also doing a training video that will be out soon for folks to help them understand the ground balance procedure as it is very different than the average VLF as the micro processor needs a larger averaging of the ground as opposed to pumping in one spot and instead must be moved around over a 2 foot area to "see" the ground better. Simple as that and as far as bias goes with me I am a multi line dealer and can sell or use any model detector I choose and I pick the ones that work best at finding gold nuggets as well as recommend the one that is best in my opinion. So when I recommend something I honestly have used it enough to feel it is the best option for my customers and friends.... Cheers. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fredmason Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 I used a gb2 for several years and found many tiny nuggets with it. However, my fingers was constantly adjusting the ground-balance to suit the situation... My buddy Jeff bought a gm1000 and is much happier with it....I think it is a great detector and better than Minelab hoped for... In defense of opinions, I think Doc and Bill have the experience to speak on either detector-or both! fred 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LipCa Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 13 hours ago, fishing8046 said: I have owned my GB2 for over 12 years and have never used or needed a coil cover. My coil has no real signs of wear. If your GB 2 coil has hardly any signs of wear after 12 years with no coil cover, I would say that you are missing more gold than if you had used a coil cover!! If you are not scrubbing the ground at times throughout the hunt, you are not getting to all the gold... period. I have used the GB 2 since it first came out in the 90's and I go through probably 3 coil covers a year. But, then I may use mine a lot more than you. Mine hits the ground at least 3 or 4 days a week. If not more. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Furness Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 Edge ... I work with Bill Southern ... he beat me to the prices and that is OK ... I've been away from the computer a couple days. I will add since you asked about used GM1000's ... not likely to find many if any ... perhaps rarely ... as they are really that good that folks are happy with them once they get a lesson in their PROPER use! They are different from other VLF detectors. The technology is easy to learn and very intuitive once an 'experienced' hand has shown you how to use it. Give us a call at Nugget Shooter and we will take good care of you. And finally as one former serviceman to another ... Thank You For Your Service! 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nugget108 Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 Does the Monster pick up the speci gold like the Bug? Like hardrock gold from tailings? Dan 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nugget Shooter Posted March 6, 2018 Share Posted March 6, 2018 2 hours ago, nugget108 said: Does the Monster pick up the speci gold like the Bug? Like hardrock gold from tailings? Dan Yes it does Dan and good question because before now it was one of the main reasons I carried a high frequency VLF like the GB2. I just feel Minelab's GM 1000 does a bit better job and for me it is about the gold not the brand, seriously. I will hunt with what works best period no matter the brand right now Minelab covers all my bases quite well.... Trust me if and when something else comes along that finds nuggets better than what I am using I will buy it 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nugget108 Posted March 6, 2018 Share Posted March 6, 2018 Thanks Bill. Thats just one subject nobody's covered on the Monster. Thats my main reasoning for having the GB in my arsenal just for that reason. Because thats where it really shined. Thanks for the reply Bill. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nugget Shooter Posted March 6, 2018 Share Posted March 6, 2018 We reason alike..... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edge Posted March 6, 2018 Author Share Posted March 6, 2018 On 3/4/2018 at 3:20 PM, Bill Southern said: 799.00 normal cost, 679.15 with your ID and thank you for your service from me and Minelab.... That's a great savings thanks for honoring our vets! I have no ID, just good ol DD214 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Soloman Posted March 6, 2018 Share Posted March 6, 2018 A HUGE Thank You Bill Southern! Some small businesses "Talk the talk," but you "Walk the walk," with your Veterans Discount my friend - and this veteran thanks you! 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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