Changed my mind - anyone want a 5000?

by David Gough
(Dunolly, Vic)

When this page first came out I submitted a comment praising the 5000.

I have since changed my mind. It cannot be denied that the 5000 is a leap forward in many areas, giving the operator many many choices of settings.

With effort and experience it can be optimised to suit all situations.

In reality most 5000 owners will use no more than five or six combinations and a fair few operators will set it up and leave it there. I have a 5000 a 4500 and a Eureka Gold (don't waste your hard earned money on the eureka, it is a kids toy).

Having used the 5000 for several years I had to return it to Minelab as it had developed an echo,

Minelab returned it saying it was fine in normal settings. In my opinion it should be fine in all setting combinations otherwise why have them.

All of the above is well and good but the real test is how much gold you get with the machine and I would have to say that I am getting a lot less gold with the 5000.

Whilst my 5000 was away I borrowed a 4500 from Coiltek. Within five minutes of starting the machine Same place as where the 5000 went loopy I went over a boot scrape and got a clear signal that had to be a big bit down a fair way.

I dug down a bit and the signal inverted. I pulled out a 5oz nugget (and a 5g piece I had cut of the big bit) at just under a metre down. That week in the same paddock I pulled out two more pieces weighing 33g and 45g. I went back to Coiltek and bought the 4500 from them.

This year I travelled to WA with a friend who used my 4500 and I used the 5000. Every place we found gold he found more than me. Not just some of the time, all of the time.

My friend had to go back to Victoria so I put the 5000 away and used the 4500.

I went back over an area I had chained and got two bits of about a gram each and a specimen with about 25 grams of gold in it. I am using the same coil, same batteries and pretty much the same settings as well.

I will now sell my 5000, as I am as sure as I need to be that the 4500 will find more gold and when all is said and done, that is what I need my machine to do. Anyone want a 5000?

Comments for Changed my mind - anyone want a 5000?

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Mar 31, 2014
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Best machine for the money
by: David Gough

Karina This is my opinion built on many years prospecting. Firstly the best machines by far are Minelab, nothing else comes close. It has long been my opinion that the latest detector is the best and the latest is the 5000.
Recently I have changed my opinion and have sold my 5000 and now use my 4500 as have many of the full time detector operators I talk to. Opinion is split on this with both sides of the discussion holding a strong belief that their machine is superior. Logically if opinion is this split why pay for the 5000 if a significant number of people believe they do just as well or even better with the 4500. Consensus opinion is that the 4800 is a dumbed down 5000 and I could not recommend it. More important than the 4500/5000 discussion is getting good advice from someone who uses a detector for a living. If you buy your machine from Coiltek in Victoria they will give you a free days instruction as well as the free day that Minelab will provide. If you are in Victoria then you are welcome to come detecting with me. Udo and Bill have my telephone and email and they can provide that to you. Best of luck. David
Mar 26, 2014
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Best Beginner's Model
by: Karina

Dear David,
Thank you very much for your comments. I appreciate having been able to read about your views regarding the GPX 5000.
I'm a fledgling prospector in Victoria. As you have extensive experience, I wanted to make contact with you to tentatively inquire about what model you would advise I purchase as a beginner.
Maybe the GPX 4800 instead of the 5000?
I appreciate any advice you may be able to provide. Very best regards, Karina
Feb 10, 2014
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		I'm interested in your 5000
by: Antony

you can text me at 978 894 4441 if you interested in selling your 5000.
Jan 08, 2014
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		5000 settings
by: David Gough

Bob
I generally used enhance on the 5000 as it seemed the most effective. Since going back to the 4500 I have had more successful outings. I target the old, well known patches around Dunolly and Maryborough, listening for the quietest of calls, often no more than a break in the threshold. It would have been interesting to have the 5000 with me to see which detector gave the best call but selling the 5000 allowed me to fence my block.

All in all, I believe the most important element in detecting is having confidence in your machine and your ability to use it. I have that confidence in my 4500.
Happy new year to all prospectors and may all your signals be gold
Dec 22, 2013
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		5000 v 4500
by: David Gough

BILL

I am glad you are happy with your 5000,

In my opinion having faith in the machine you are using is vital for success.

Perhaps my settings were wrong as I used enhance most of the time.

I use an old test patch outside Dunolly to test my machines, settings and coils(targets placed at different depths in the ground in 2001 and left to settle in).

I then adopt the most successful settings for each coil/detector combination.

I must say that changing back to the 4500 was initially very difficult as I had to re-learn how to change setting for different coils/ground.

I am now very confident that the 4500 and I are in synchronicity and I have full confidence.


Best of luck out there and may all your deep signals be gold.

David
Dec 22, 2013
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		clarification
by: David Gough

ANONYMOUS
Firstly may I say that hiding behind the 'anonymous' name is going to detract from your message.

Secondly I did not say that I found the 5gm piece from the surface, I said I found it in the same hole I found the big bit and that I had cut it off the larger piece during extraction.

I always check the hole after finding and extracting a nugget, usually by putting a smaller coil down the hole.

As for asking a professional prospector, I am a professional prospector (recreational since 1995 and full time since 2010) as are most of the people I prospect with.

I do not understand your comment on the 2100.

Happy hunting
Dec 21, 2013
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		5000
by: Anonymous

It is almost impossible to not use enhanced in west. aust.

A 5g piece from a metre,pull the other one.

If you had prospected ,detected,well, with a 2100, you will be lucky to find any missed gold in average wa ground, ask a good pro.

The 4500,5000 come into their own in very noisy ground,[hot rocks.hot ground.[why would you not run in enhanced]
Aug 19, 2013
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Re 5000
by: Bob Broadbent

Sorry to hear about your experiences with 5000s mine is still working flawelessly and my experience is quite the reverse.

Maybe your settings are very different to mine. I have noticed however that some sensitivity is lost if the enhance key is used but I hardly ever use it anyway.

I found a lot of gold with my old 4500 and I definitely think that the 5000 is a better machine because, like you , I am still using all my old coils so the comparison is real.

Good luck with the prospecting....regards Bob

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