Fisher Gold Bug 2 Metal Detector with 6.5 and 10 Inch Coils (Open Box)

The Fisher Gold Bug 2 is a 71 kHz VLF gold detector for prospectors chasing small nuggets in mineralized ground, here with both the 6.5 inch and 10 inch elliptical waterproof search coils. It has manual ground balance, Normal, Boost and Disc modes, VCO audio and a control box that can ride on the handle or on your hip, at 2.9 lb on two 9V batteries.

Open Box: Metal detectors with damaged or opened packaging, offered at a reduced price. Full manufacturer’s warranty included. Questions about a specific unit? Call us.

What is in the box with the Fisher Gold Bug 2 (open box)

Fisher's standard contents for this Gold Bug 2 package

• Fisher Gold Bug 2 detector with control box, adjustable stem, padded armrest and foam grip
• 6.5 inch elliptical waterproof search coil
• 10 inch elliptical waterproof search coil
• Two 9V alkaline batteries

About the Fisher Gold Bug 2

The Fisher Gold Bug 2 is a VLF gold detector that runs at 71 kHz, a frequency Fisher chose for small gold nuggets in mineralized ground. Fisher's owner's manual gives it three modes: Normal, an all metal mode with normal sensitivity and fast retune; Boost, which makes faint signals louder while strong signals stay at the same level; and Disc, which ignores hot rocks and ferrous objects. Audio is VCO, so the tone climbs in pitch and volume as the coil nears a target, and a threshold control sets the faint background hum you listen against. The detector weighs 2.9 lb with its cushioned armrest and foam grip, runs on two 9V batteries and takes headphones with a 1/4 inch plug.

Ground balance and mineralization on the Gold Bug 2

Ground balance on the Gold Bug 2 is manual. Fisher's manual has you bob the coil from about 6 inches above the ground to within an inch of it while you turn the Ground Reject knob, until the threshold stays the same as the coil moves; turning the knob quickly makes a coarse change and turning it slowly a fine one, and the LCD shows the setting. A Mineralization button sets Low, Normal or High in Normal and Boost modes: Low gives the most sensitivity for mild ground with little trash, Normal suits most gold bearing soils, and High reduces sensitivity for extremely mineralized ground. We would rebalance every time the soil color changes, because hot ground can shift within a few steps.

We would use Disc mode as a check, not a search mode. Fisher notes that it ignores hot rocks and ferrous objects and that small gold may be missed in it, so we would hunt in Normal or Boost, then switch to Disc over a signal: gold and other non-ferrous metal gives a solid beep, while some iron chirps or clicks. There is no numeric target ID, so dig decisions come from the sound. To pinpoint, Fisher's manual has you narrow the sweep, stop over the strongest response and look under the bull's eye hot spot marked on the coil.

Gold Bug 2 search coils

Fisher's Gold Bug 2 manual lists interchangeable elliptical search coils in 6.5, 10 and 14 inch sizes, all waterproof and shielded against static, on a 7 foot cable. Both of the first two come in this package. We would use the 6.5 inch coil in bedrock cracks, between boulders and in trashy patches, and the 10 inch coil for gridding open washes, benches and tailings, where each sweep covers more ground. Fisher's manual asks you to hand tighten the coil connector only, never with tools.

Where the Gold Bug 2 fits, and its limits

The Gold Bug 2 belongs in gold country: dry washes, bedrock, benches, tailings and worked patches where the gold that is left is small. The searchcoils are waterproof, while the control box is dust and moisture resistant rather than waterproof; Fisher's manual suggests a plastic bag or the optional rain cover in rain, so the coil can go into a creek while the control box stays dry. The control box converts from handle mount to hip mount with belt loops on its underside, which takes weight off the arm on long days. Its limits come with its focus: there is no target ID screen, ground balance is manual and takes practice, and at 71 kHz it is a gold machine rather than a coin and relic detector. For relics and coins, the 19 kHz Fisher Gold Bug Pro gives you a 2 digit target ID and Ground Grab; for deep nuggets in very hot goldfields, compare the pulse induction options in our gold detectors collection.

Fisher Gold Bug 2 specifications

Fisher covers the Gold Bug 2 with a 2 year warranty.

Authorized Fisher dealer with a showroom in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Full manufacturer warranty, help from our staff by phone or email, free US shipping on orders over $99.

For more on the Fisher Gold Bug 2, settings advice and the coils that fit, see the Fisher Gold Bug 2 collection.

More open box units are in our open box metal detectors collection.