Old Amateur - Seeking new detector advice

bocash3

New Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2013
Messages
8
Location
McDowell County NC
Howdy.

Had a high-end Garrett from mid-80's and later purchased a White's XLT Spectrum in 1999. Am still using the latter for mainly hunting coins and relics around old campsites and home sites. Detecting for me amounts lately to about 20 hours a year.

Because of many hobbies, I'm still an amateur but disability dictates that
I use a detector more because I can't enjoy hiking and fly fishing in rough terrain.

So.......... took up gold panning to help take (partial) place of my first loves.

So considering a new detector, maybe not? to take place of the XLT Spectrum, but to mostly supplement it. OR a detector that is Gold and coin/relic capable. Am looking to spend up to $750.

Using gold panning in mind, I'm considering a Fisher Gold Bug Pro and a Garrett AT Gold.

Looks to me like the Fisher is gold specific but the G. AT Gold is gold specific plus can be used as a general detector like my old White's????

IF I get the Fisher Gold Bug, am I limiting myself?

IF I get the Garrett AT Gold, could it take the place of the White's XLT AND be a placer gold machine too ?

While I am seeing to find placer deposits of gold in creeks by detection and panning, should I target the Garrett for more versatility or is the Gold Bug "THE" machine to own?

Seeking patient advice here and I appreciate any and all in advance.

"Bo" Cash, western NC
 
Howdy.

Had a high-end Garrett from mid-80's and later purchased a White's XLT Spectrum in 1999. Am still using the latter for mainly hunting coins and relics around old campsites and home sites. Detecting for me amounts lately to about 20 hours a year.

Because of many hobbies, I'm still an amateur but disability dictates that
I use a detector more because I can't enjoy hiking and fly fishing in rough terrain.

So.......... took up gold panning to help take (partial) place of my first loves.

So considering a new detector, maybe not? to take place of the XLT Spectrum, but to mostly supplement it. OR a detector that is Gold and coin/relic capable. Am looking to spend up to $750.

Using gold panning in mind, I'm considering a Fisher Gold Bug Pro and a Garrett AT Gold.

Looks to me like the Fisher is gold specific but the G. AT Gold is gold specific plus can be used as a general detector like my old White's????

IF I get the Fisher Gold Bug, am I limiting myself?

IF I get the Garrett AT Gold, could it take the place of the White's XLT AND be a placer gold machine too ?

While I am seeing to find placer deposits of gold in creeks by detection and panning, should I target the Garrett for more versatility or is the Gold Bug "THE" machine to own?

Seeking patient advice here and I appreciate any and all in advance.

"Bo" Cash, western NC

Only you can answer your own question about whether you want a all around detector that will find gold, coins and relics

the gold bug is a gold specific detector from my understanding I myself was in the same situation as far as looking for a gold specific detector a couple years ago, I went with a GM 1000 (Gold Monster) simply because I did not want to have to be constantly adjusting things to keep my gold VLF stable and that is what you will be doing with a gold bug constantly messing with it where as the GM 1000 is pretty much a turn on and detect gold detector a lot of the gold prospectors have since went away from the gold bug because the GM 1000 is a better detector from my under standing, as for the AT Gold I cannot answer your questions about it at all as I have never used one the closest detector the the AT Gold I have used is a AT Pro which I hated I have always felt the ATP was way over hyped and still feel that way today, I still have my AT Pro which I purchased new in 2009 but it has been used very little

a great source of information is Bill Southerns nugget shooter forum and his you tube channel
 
$750 will get you a Legend and a good pinpointer and or digger. I had the 800 and now the Legend. I much prefer the Legend . Its performance is equal the the 800, better balanced, tougher and is most likely more waterproof. The only thing I like better on the 800 is the tones. Hopefully you can somehow try the detectors out before buying. HH
 
$750 will get you a Legend and a good pinpointer and or digger. I had the 800 and now the Legend. I much prefer the Legend . Its performance is equal the the 800, better balanced, tougher and is most likely more waterproof. The only thing I like better on the 800 is the tones. Hopefully you can somehow try the detectors out before buying. HH

I paid $680 for my Legend pro pack. 11" and 6" coils, hand digger, spare battery, wireless headphones, pulse dive pinpointer, 2 pouches and 2 hats. Can't beat that deal.

Steve
 
Thanks Fellers!! Always good to get help from forum members, no matter what kind of forum!!

WELL........................... I got no more notices of replies on email from this forum, but just now checked the Forum itself to find several answers.

But I already Ordered a new Garrett AT Gold. Am keeping the Whites Spectrum XLT (for now).

What I am hoping is that the AT Gold might help in finding placer deposits in local (small) creeks PLUS using it as a coin shooter and occasional iron relics with gold and coins as a priority. I will not be submerging it. Plus, I think the AT Gold is lighter and more simple to operate??, but I did love the center hole in XLT coil and pin-point trigger and sound options. Am figuring the AT Gold will be a whole new learning curve from the XLT?

BUT:::::::::Having shared that, I'm still willing to look at another machine that might work better for my situation........ so still Open to suggestions.

THANKS so much !!!! "Bo"
 
I was a longtime owner of the Garrett AT Gold and the Fisher Gold Bug/F19 (Gold Bug ll is gold specific)

They got replaced by the Equinox 800 which does everything they can do but with much better tech, features and performance/results. Equinox 800 is a great coin/jewelry/relic/gold prospecting/ saltwater beach detector from my experience.

The newly released Nokta Makro Legend has everything on it to equal the Equinox 800 but at a price tag that is within your budget. I would pick the Legend every second of every day over the Garrett AT Gold for any type of detecting including black sand and pay streak detecting underwater.
 
Thanks again to all. You are a great bunch.

Jmclen: You really narrowed it down .

PLEASE bare with me:

1. I have a perfectly good White's XLT Spectrum, keeping it
for now. I set several custom programs on it years ago but prefer
to get something "not so advanced" where owner has to set many manual
settings.

2. I have a Garrett's AT Gold on the way. It can be returned. But I'm looking for something to "possibly" replace the XLT that can not only do it all but detect small gold deposits.

3. Nokta Legend. Listed as "Advanced" machine. 2 rechargable battery packs. Wireless headphone. None of this appeals to me. I don't mind a wired headphone. AND the XLT is still a machine with so many variable settings that I choose not to change what I programmed over the years. I have had bad luck with a company's proprietary batterys and rechargable batteries in general. My White's battery packs finally died and are no longer available, so run AA batteries and am much happier with throw aways. And THINK: How does one "Plug in" a charger when in deep woods? Carrying extra AA batteries is a no-brainer. However, 2 pluses for the Legend are backlit and audio tones. AA batteries are one big plus for ordering the Garrett AT Gold.

4. Moving to Equinox 800: Praised for its pin-pointer (I love the XLT pin-pointer). Top reviews are many. BUT.........lithium ion rechargable and only ONE battery comes with it at that. I see "Beginner" friendly. That appeals to me because I truly don't want to go through the arduous learning curve the XLT presented to me 23 years ago when new.

So decisions, decisions. my plans were to run the AT Gold and sell the Spectrum IF the AT Gold "might" take it's place and be a better choice for small nugget shooting.

OR................ keep either the AT Gold OR XLT and maybe get the Equinox 800 too. I just don't want to get stuck in deep woods overnight with a dead detector battery.

AND: I see the Minelab GoldMonster uses my preferred AA batteries, and is listed as "Gold" and Beginner friendly. Would it detect coins too? I won't rule it out as if it will fits for a purpose, I'm willing to go to $950 it sells for.
I could keep one all purpose machine and one which specializes in gold??

IF I have not totally scrambled your brains as I have my own, what would you do?

Thanks for putting up with me, "Bo"
 
Last edited:
OK 50% of decision(s) made:

THANKS to all for well thought opinions.


So have the Garrett AT Gold coming to basically replace the Spectrum XLT.

Narrowed down a 2nd new "Gold Specific" detector to fit budget that allows 2 new detectors.

WAS ready to pull trigger on Fisher Gold Bug Pro and spotted the Nokta Macro Gold Racer.

I know this sounds stupid to many, but I truly want all detectors to use either AA or 9 volt batteries. Am done with anything that uses their own proprietary batteries and that is why I turned down the Equinox 800 and Nokta Legend. Don't want anything that might be discontinued and the battery along with it. My Spectrum is an example, but at
least I can use AA battery packs. I have cameras, etc. that are useless because of planned obsolescence.

I am in an area where the first (NC) gold rush took place in 1830's and would like to piddle in several local creeks with a gold machine using a small coil.

Any opinion between the above Nokta and Fisher GB? THANKS SO MUCH!! "Bo"
 
UPDATE:

Got antsy after 3 days of reading/studying reviews until cross-eyed.

Just placed order for: Nokta Macro Gold Racer w/ 2 coils. I especially wanted the smaller 5" coil so went for a package deal. I saw some advantages to this machine over the Fisher Gold Bug, but probably would have been happy with either one.

Y'all take care, Bo
 
I'm a bit late, but just to let you know Bo that detectors have changed from the good old Whites/Garrett stable days. Think Fisher now. These new detectors are great but they all seem to run on the threshold of stability. Noisy is what I call it. Not like the good old XLT that was steady as a rock until you got something under the coil, they almost always seem like they have EMI with popping & crackling.

To me, it seems instead of setting the default sensitivity to a stable level, to gain more depth, they have cranked the sensitivity up in the default programs. You can always calm them down by turning the sensitivity down, but then you haven't really gained anything.
 
When I got my new detector, I asked for recommendations, and in my price range, the Nokta Legend and Equinox 600 were the options. I went with the 600 because at the time, the Legend was still having software updates.

--Tom
 
I hate to say it but I too used to love the XLT.

Once you try just about any new modern metal detector made currently, That old XLT will become a wall hanger or put away back into the closet.

It is slow, eats batteries like candy, heavy and cumbersome.

It will null out when a good target is near iron.

The AT gold and that Nokta Gold Racer will run circles around your old XLT.

I imagine you will probably favor that Gold Racer over the AT Gold once you get used to it.

Anyways, good luck and happy hunting.
 
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