What type of detector?

Hi,
I am new to all of this and in my initial reading/research of gold detectors ( as with every other new area)
has left me mired in sales / techno babble and I know somewhere in there is good advice.

I would like buy a gold detector but am unsure of models
or what would be good to learn on... but not grow out of too soon.
I saw the 5000s and others but not sure if it is just overkill for me.(yikes they are pricey.. but not outside of my options)
ie a good solid performer with basic presets and options to tweak but easily reset.(the doomsday button -> cancel button-lol)


I go camping a lot mostly crownland /forestry areas and plan to do a around the block extended trip.
so it would get a lot of use for about 1 year travelling and weekends holidays after that).

If you have some advice on particular models I would appreciate it
Thanks Owen

Perhap hire a 4500 or a 5000 for a week and see if you like detecting first off. If your pretty sure that you are going to like it, buy what you can afford. The later the model, generally the better your odds at finding some yellow. Well looked after detectors hold their price very well so after 12 months, if you pack it in, you won't have lost too much but hopefully you will have found some gold in the meantime and be bitten like the rest of us.

Personally, I like the 4500. I would prefer a 5000 but the price is still a bit too steep for me. I found the 4500 reasonably easy to get proficient with and found gold on my first trip out with it. A mate bought a 3500 around the same time and he is quite happy with that having found enough gold to keep him interested.

After 12 months I know I could get almost what I payed for my set up if I wanted to sell it.

Hope this helps.

Thanks
could not seem to find a source for the 4500?
is that just 2nd hand ?

Some great advice given there Toad
Owen, the 45k is now only available as a s/handy

Pete

Thanks everyone
I saw a few ads for the 4500 but they seems to be about $5000
and wonder whether the 5000 is just a better choice if a bit more
being a newbie... It seems like they are well regarded and appreciate
you blokes giving me the "lay of the land". Will have to give this some thought as it is a bit of money... love my hiking and going bush and sometimes the fishing sucks ( no bloody rivers).
I have a terrier mutt who loves to dig so this could be the ideal combo-lol

In the end Owen it just boils down to Budget mate, both the 45 and 5k are good machines with the 5k being the better of the two.
With your plans of wanting to make a quid at it and supliment the pension there is only one real choice, the 5k.
No need for extra after market coils initially, just stick with the supplied 11" Mono
until you get used to the machine.
The 11" Mono will get you gold off ANY flogged area and keep the $$ rolling in.

The 5k will keep the gold ticking over faster than the 45 could, easy as that cob.

Pete

Thanks Pete,
its seems a fun hobby...
I was looking at places that bought gold and they seemed as tight-lipped
about prices as fossickers are about good places-lol.
Glad I found this site...

I have a freind who has the 4500 and he said he just gets nails and stuff lol...(so hard not to laugh).
Is there a 4500 for dummies kind of guide?

whatsa welcome to the forum,
i don't own a detector but have hired a 4500 twice now.
result: 1 sub gram nuggie, and lost count off the junk must be well over 50 piece's off crap.
most memorable piece off junk was what looked like half a staple[thin wire bout 4-5mm long] about a good 8inch's under the surface.
thought for sure was me 1st nuggie but no such luck on that occasion.
morale off the story the 4500 are a v.good machine but ya gunna walk over a lot off junk compared to gold.
tell ya mate to hang in there as long as he is in gold bearing ground he will start picking up nuggie's plus heaps more junk.
me 1st nugget came the morning after finding a old horse shoe, gunna be taking that out with me every trip now
jase

The GP extreme is a good machine....ive used it with great success in recent weeks
if there is gold there,you will find it.