Hello I am just getting into this hobby and I don't know much about the equipment. There is a guy selling a Whites GMZ for $160. Is this a good used price for the equipment? Thanks for your help in advance.
Printable View
Hello I am just getting into this hobby and I don't know much about the equipment. There is a guy selling a Whites GMZ for $160. Is this a good used price for the equipment? Thanks for your help in advance.
I believe that is a gold or prospecting type of detector , is that what you are using it for ? nugget shooting ??
Welcome to the forum by the way "T.E.P."
Dan
I am actually looking at both nugget prospecting, relic hunting, going into public areas to look for coins and jewlery. So I guess kind of an all purpose detector. Is $160 a fair price for this particular model? I wanted to get in cheaply in case I find out it isn't for me. Later if I enjoy it I will invest the money.
Sorry I forgot to say thank you for the response and the warm welcome.
from what i can tell (as you can see I'm not very familiar with this machine) its an entry level prospecting detector with limited discrimination capabilities with only tonal response . it will hit gold well (when its present) but you will hear all the other metal in the ground (like trashy parks) . so it sounds like it is a good choice for hitting dry washes or creek beds , gold fields or tailing piles but anywhere else you will need a lot of experience and patience to hear the subtle nuances of the tones to tell whether to dig or not . these parks , school yards and even some lawns could be frustrating to use a machine like this until your very proficient with but the price don't sound bad at all.
Dan
Is it a good price for that detector? Yes.
Is the Whites GMZ a good all-around detector? Not in my opinion. It was designed specifically for gold prospecting. I agree with everything del said.
Welcome to the forum, by the way!
Thank you for the advice. What detector would you suggest as a reasonably priced, easy to use, multipurpose, beginners detector? The guy was throwing in pans, sifters and digging tools so I was immediately drawn to the deal (you know simple minded and lots of bright shiny things lol). I just couldn't find any sites with a valuation of the detector to determine if it was a good buy.
for the price its not bad (especially with the freebies) , no detector does it all well , some can come close . Most guys have a few machines for special sites or specific type of detecting like beach combing or water hunting. if you were serious about getting into nugget hunting/panning i would snatch that machine up fast. Heck for that price you cold also get a park/school/lawn machine too or just stick to a inexpensive starter machine like an ace 250 , atpro , coinmaster , or entry minelab.
Dan
Good to know. I talked to the guy and offered $130 and he agreed. I figured worst case scenario I could sell it or maybe even trade it if someone was looking for a nugget hunting machine. Then get a model that better fit the activities I want to do. I will give it a whirl and update you on what I think of the machine and hunting. Hopefully I get lucky and find something quickly. I am picking up the machine today and will be taking it out tomorrow. Now I just need to do a little research on decent places to go in El Paso. The excitement is building...
You live in El Paso and didn't get a Teknetics?! :lol: I wish you well with your new machine and look forward to some posts!
Lol Drew, I'm just an ignorant newbee to all of this. Just trying to get my feet wet and with all the stuff this unit is coming with I didn't think I could beat the deal. If I don't like the unit but love treasure hunting I will sell or trade the unit for one better suited for me. Thank you all for your responses. Please check back as I have no idea what I am doing and will probably have many question (I know high maintenance right). I welcome any input, tips, tricks from some of you seasoned veterans. Any help is greatly appreciated!
Don't worry about the questioning , sharing advice , tips and experiences is what this forum is for .:yes: just make sure you get as much of the original equipment that came with the machine (any accessories , original box , operating manual ,ect.) this will help and add to the resale value if you choose to trade or upgrade it. keep us updated as to where and what experiences you are having with it but more importantly get out with it take it slow and have fun , the finds will come.
Dan
That gmz was specifically built for personal use by a whites employee originally, he built it to specs to use in the alkali flats of nevada. So its a niche detector, best used in areas with little trash, there is no iron grunt so it would be a hard one to use in trashy areas for gold nuggets or anything else.