Im thinking on selling my silver umax to get a nugget detector. Im planning on going to a gold claim near a creek. Which detector will help me find even the small panning nuggets. Which ones do you guys recommend. Oh and a good budget one of course I'm still new to the hobby. I'm planning in buying my detector after the holidays. new if cheap or used.
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gold nugget detectors
- Thread starter msand951
- Start date
If you are looking for a budget gold detector. then get a Compadre. Spend a little more and get a used Diablo. This is a very good gold unit.
The Garrett Gold Stinger is OK and comes in around $40 . It has a problematic battery set up. I have heard it can make you pull your hair out.
But, I warn you, after you start going up from there, you may not get that much for your money until you get to top of the line.
For instance, a Compadre will hold it's own with the $800 plus Fisher Gold Bug II, until you get into very harsh ground, then the Diablo will beat the pants off of the Gold Bug.
I assume there are other alternatives, but do not under-estimate the lowly Compadre. HH crs
The Garrett Gold Stinger is OK and comes in around $40 . It has a problematic battery set up. I have heard it can make you pull your hair out.
But, I warn you, after you start going up from there, you may not get that much for your money until you get to top of the line.
For instance, a Compadre will hold it's own with the $800 plus Fisher Gold Bug II, until you get into very harsh ground, then the Diablo will beat the pants off of the Gold Bug.
I assume there are other alternatives, but do not under-estimate the lowly Compadre. HH crs
I would recommend you get a multi use detector such as a MXT or a Tesoro Lobo ST or maybe check out the new Fisher Gold Bug 3 ( suppose to be out next month). With that type of detector you can use it for nugget hunting and coins. While any detector can find gold under the right conditions, one with a pre set, non adjustable GB is not going to be able to handle the mineralization and gold mostly occurs in that type of ground.. I would not recommend the Diablo (old technology) its very limited in its use. The Compadre is not even close in comparison to the Gold Bug II , the Compadre has a pre set G.B. and can't handle the ground an does not have a threshold based all metal mode. The Stinger is a fair nugget hunter if you can afford to buy batteries for it ( 9 V). If you want a detector just for nugget hunting and don't want to spend much money, look for a original gold Bug or a Whites Gold Master. I have found lots of gold with both of them. JMO
PS I currently have or have had every detector mentioned above
PS I currently have or have had every detector mentioned above
AUDuke said:I would recommend you get a multi use detector such as a MXT or a Tesoro Lobo ST or maybe check out the new Fisher Gold Bug 3 ( suppose to be out next month). With that type of detector you can use it for nugget hunting and coins. While any detector can find gold under the right conditions, one with a pre set, non adjustable GB is not going to be able to handle the mineralization and gold mostly occurs in that type of ground.. I would not recommend the Diablo (old technology) its very limited in its use. The Compadre is not even close in comparison to the Gold Bug II , the Compadre has a pre set G.B. and can't handle the ground an does not have a threshold based all metal mode. The Stinger is a fair nugget hunter if you can afford to buy batteries for it ( 9 V). If you want a detector just for nugget hunting and don't want to spend much money, look for a original gold Bug or a Whites Gold Master. I have found lots of gold with both of them. JMO
PS I currently have or have had every detector mentioned above
You got a big budget.
I think he said he had a small one.
The Compadre will out do the Gold Bug II in mild soil. People say they know all about the Compadre. Then talk about it like they got tired of it right quick. I mean, would they really learn it when they had all that other stuff to play with? Few do. It will go deeper than a Gold Bug with most sizes of gold.
But, as you said it is not a Gold machine.
With the budget he was talking the Gold Stinger would be a strain at $470. Gold Bug is not a bad all around machine, if it were not for the battery design. I like some of the Tesoroes better.
HH, crs
IMO - I'd hang on the Silver then would add another machine myself. I did some gold detecting, more like a few times a year for a few years. I didn't know if I was going to get into it more, or less. I started out the the GoldMaster-2, then added the GoldMaster-3 and then the GoldMaster-4B. Out of those, I liked the GM-3 the best. Looking around and and not in a hurry, they can be found for a very reasonable price. I kept a small gold piece laminated in card stock for testing purposes when considering a purchase. They can be sensitive enough that just the salt content from waving the hand over the coil would cause a reaction to the audio. And of course always took headphones too. The GoldBug was also popular back then.
It took me a number of trips before I found my 1st nugget. There are some real spiffy machines out there nowadays but I'm not into it enough anymore to get all those fancy things. I also kept my all my pans and a nice Keene sluice, plus all the shovels, picks, hammers etc. I just have a couple spots I go to once or so a year with the wife, dogs, and take a couple tag along kids. Mainly just to get out for old time sake and sometimes see some color. Kids can really enjoy it as they can get all wet and dirty. When working a pan, always keep an eye for stones too.
As far as detecting, and can go for hours for only junk. Here in California, I'd sometimes find the old boot tacks etc, looking for spots where they were. Other times I would swing up around the hills away from the creeks as hours of panning isn't always kind to my back.
I few fella I went with then all gave it up. It just wasn't enough for them I guess. I guess they expected hits and finds as often as coin shooting.
I have a few other machines that aren't dedicated gold machines. The thought has crossed my mind to sometime maybe give them a shot. Example, my Vision has a prospecting mode. Others really like the MXT. I guess it's all in what a person wants.
Look around, read up, check into the prospecting section - but myself, I would keep the Silver for purposes other than nugget shooting.
I know some don't, but I always had to use quality headphones.
And to be honest, I spent more time panning and sluicing than swinging a gold detector - so others would be way more up on this stuff.
It took me a number of trips before I found my 1st nugget. There are some real spiffy machines out there nowadays but I'm not into it enough anymore to get all those fancy things. I also kept my all my pans and a nice Keene sluice, plus all the shovels, picks, hammers etc. I just have a couple spots I go to once or so a year with the wife, dogs, and take a couple tag along kids. Mainly just to get out for old time sake and sometimes see some color. Kids can really enjoy it as they can get all wet and dirty. When working a pan, always keep an eye for stones too.
As far as detecting, and can go for hours for only junk. Here in California, I'd sometimes find the old boot tacks etc, looking for spots where they were. Other times I would swing up around the hills away from the creeks as hours of panning isn't always kind to my back.
I few fella I went with then all gave it up. It just wasn't enough for them I guess. I guess they expected hits and finds as often as coin shooting.
I have a few other machines that aren't dedicated gold machines. The thought has crossed my mind to sometime maybe give them a shot. Example, my Vision has a prospecting mode. Others really like the MXT. I guess it's all in what a person wants.
Look around, read up, check into the prospecting section - but myself, I would keep the Silver for purposes other than nugget shooting.
I know some don't, but I always had to use quality headphones.
And to be honest, I spent more time panning and sluicing than swinging a gold detector - so others would be way more up on this stuff.
Nugget Hunter Smith
New member
As a dealer and metal detector user for over 24 years, if you want to hunt gold nuggets get a detector designed for that purpose. In new that means spending at a minimum $500. That will get you a Garrett Scorpian, White's GMZ or the Fisher Gold Bug (new version due out 1st of Nov). The Garrett and Fisher will allow you to pick up down to rice grain size nuggets from 3 or 4". The White's will get even smaller sizes because of it frequency. The higher the freq the smaller the peice.
From there you end up in the $800 to $1000 range for the Tesoro Lobo ST, White's GMT, White's MXT, Fisher Gold Bug II or a Minelab Eureka. They are all great detectors but each has it's give and takes.
You might find a used Fisher Gold Bug, Whites Goldmaster II or 3 or a Minelab Goldstrike in the $200 to $300 price range. If in good shape they are worth the price. But with any detector you get you will need to practice and with nugget hunting you will need patientance.
From there you end up in the $800 to $1000 range for the Tesoro Lobo ST, White's GMT, White's MXT, Fisher Gold Bug II or a Minelab Eureka. They are all great detectors but each has it's give and takes.
You might find a used Fisher Gold Bug, Whites Goldmaster II or 3 or a Minelab Goldstrike in the $200 to $300 price range. If in good shape they are worth the price. But with any detector you get you will need to practice and with nugget hunting you will need patientance.
Jackpine Savage
Active member
for the small stuff the Gold Bug II at 71 Khz is tops but it will not handle mineralized ground as well as a lower frequency detector. Next in line sensitivity wise on the really small stuff are the White's Goldmasters at around 50 Khz. A good used Bug II or White's GM3 are what you need.
For more info on these two detectors do a search for posts by Steve Hershbach, he is our resident Au guy.
HH Tom
For more info on these two detectors do a search for posts by Steve Hershbach, he is our resident Au guy.
HH Tom
AUDuke said:My compadre is a good detector, but the only way it will out preform my GB2 on nuggets in field conditions is if I take the batteries out of the GB.
Gold Bug ones and Whites Gold Masters can be bought for around $200.
PS I do not own a Gold Bug 3
Now your getting there.
It is better to respond to the thread than to toot your own horn.
Besides we all ready know what a detecting guru you are.... lol,,,, crs