Goldmaster II question/s..Thanks!!

[Goldstrike]

Hi everyone!
This is a first for me posting on the Whites Forum and I hope someone can offer some set up tips for my recently purchased detector. This past week I was looking in the Craigslist listings under 'Metal Detectors' (I'm always watching for good deals)! and saw this Goldmaster II for sale at $40. It looked like an awesome deal if it was complete and so I ended buying it.
It was just missing the plastic 8AA battery holder which I replaced with one I found at a local Radio Shack for less than $3. BTW, they have filed for bankruptcy so most everything was 40%-70% off!
I put in 8 AA's and it fired up just fine but quickly realised this detector is not a switch on and go machine.
My request is would anyone be willing to give me a few simple steps for setting up and running this detector? I live in the foothills of the San Gabriel mountains in Southern California so knowing that there have been many gold mining camps and lot's of gold recovered through the 1800's in particular, I can really have some fun with this detector!
I have downloaded the lengthy operating manual for it but for now would like some simple set up steps to get me going and I aim to learn as I go as well.
Thanks in advance! Any info; would be appreciated!

 

[spaceman41]

Thats an awesome looking machine!! Ive never seen one of these !!.Sorry I dont know anything about them but try Monte as hes full of information on Whites his knowledge is extensive,best regards and happy hunting

 

[Goldstrike]

Thanks for responding spaceman41. Hopefully, Monte is viewing the posts and hopefully will respond to this one. I'm really looking forward to testing it in the field (or mountains where I live). It seems to be a well built metal detector and as I have been playing around with the controls, it seems really sensitive!
BTW, I usually swing a M.L. Safari and this G.M. will be a learning curve for me!

 

[Jimmy M]

Goldstrike, try the following settings; Iron ID toggle OFF; Mode switch: SAT ON. Tuner (threshold) barely audible. Sensitivity (power) START at 4, adjust as needed, Ground balance: get close with the coarse knob, closer with fine knob. For detailed ground balance procedure get a copy of "Advanced Nuggetshooting" Hope this helps; HH Jim

 

[spaceman41]

Im form the Uk so Nugget hunting is almost out of the question although not entirely as Ive heard Scotland and Wales and The Forest of Dean has some gold in it,but I love the look of that machine!! I love Whites stuff,such great quality!! Goodluck and happy hunting

 

[Goldstrike]

Thanks Jimmy and spaceman! great info; and feedback. I'm looking forward to taking it out and will be sure to use those settings! I'm attaching a specimen that came from my wife's great great grandfather that owned a goldmine in Death Valley in the 1800's. I also have lapis etc; from the mine and it's exciting to realise what else is still out there to detect!!I think nugget hunting may also be in my blood and now I have this Goldmaster, I'm ready to rock and roll!!!

 

[spaceman41]

Great Photo!! I love metal detecting but before i even started it I was out hunting crystals in Cornish Countryside in England,beautiful place!! used to find Ameathysts by the dozen,big peices too bigger than your hand but since the Clay mining has slowed down and the old ones are used up the security etc has been stepped up and very hard to get on those sites anymore!! even the old ones Happy hunting and hope you enjoy that Goldmaster,I still cant get over how cool that machine looks!!! I want one!! haha

 

[Goldstrike]

Spaceman41........that surprises me to know that you can find amethysts in England! Those large one's must be worth a bundle of money!!! I'm still very excited to take my Goldmaster up into the mountains and to see how it performs. Ive been up there before with my M.L. Safari detecting and have found quite a bit of old mining parts and pieces. Rusty bolts, brackets and such. Unfortunately, that detector is no good on small gold though but it is awesome detecting everything else! Where do you usually detect now that those sites are off limits?

 

[spaceman41]

Yes Cornwall has lots of Gems including Opal !! Ive not found Opal but have founds lots of beautiful quartz and Ameathyst yes worth a fair wack!! wish Id known back then what I know now!! I could have made thousands!! I gave one peice away the size of a large ashtray!!! massive chunk,would be worth about $180 or more now!! .Detect old coins in woods etc,have one permission on a farm and the rest is trips to the sea (over 100 miles) found some old coins oldest being 1795,there are some very old coins in Uk from the Romans,Saxons,Vikings,Celts etc,just look on ebay!!.If you ever visit the Uk look me up and we can hit some farms!! Happy hunting dude

 

[Goldstrike]

Thanks! I may take you up on that offer. Another place where I would love to go detecting is the River Thames when the tide goes out. There was a program on here some time ago that showed a couple of guy's, mudlarks? that were having a blast retrieving very old awesome relics after the tide went out epecially near the Tower of London section. I understand you have to get a special permit and there are strict rules i.e. no digging below 2 inches? or something crazy like that! It still would be loads of fun to do

 

[spaceman41]

No problem yes you need a permit for the Thames( Ive seen the episode with the American guy who comes over ) but Im not sure you couldnt go the other side of our country and do the Bristol Channel,Old merchant ships and pirate ships followed the channel up to Gloucester docks( take a look on the map of UK).Theres lots of old river banks here and legend has it that the celts etc used to throw stuff into streams!!.I need to get some more permissions on some old farms !! Happy hunting