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Detector specifications
Best for
Highlighted icons show the targets, ground and experience level this detector is built for.
- Coin & Relic — not suited to this detector
- Gold — shop all
- Beach & Water — not suited to this detector
- Kids — not suited to this detector
- Beginner / Intermediate — not suited to this detector
- Advanced / Expert — shop all
The Fisher Gold Bug 2 is a 71 kHz VLF gold detector for prospectors chasing small nuggets in mineralized ground, here as an open box unit with the 6.5 inch elliptical waterproof search coil. 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 (1.3 kg) 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.
| Configuration | |
|---|---|
| Detector | Fisher Gold Bug 2, 71 kHz VLF |
| Coil(s) | 6.5 inch elliptical waterproof search coil |
| Headphones | 1/4 inch jack for wired headphones |
What is in the box with the Fisher Gold Bug 2 (open box)
Fisher's standard contents for the Gold Bug 2 with 6.5 inch coil
- Fisher Gold Bug 2 detector with control box, adjustable stem, padded armrest and foam grip
- 6.5 inch elliptical waterproof search coil
- Two 9V alkaline batteries
Who the Fisher Gold Bug 2 is for
We like the Gold Bug 2 for extremely small natural gold in shallow ground and confined spots, and recommend it to prospectors chasing tiny nuggets, flakes and specimens on exposed bedrock, in narrow crevices and at known gold-bearing locations.
About the Fisher Gold Bug 2
Fisher's owner's manual gives the Gold Bug 2 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.
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. A Mineralization button sets Low, Normal or High in Normal and Boost modes. Learn manual ground balancing thoroughly first, start sensitivity at a stable setting rather than maximum, listen for subtle threshold changes, and learn how the Mineralization selections change stability. Use Disc mode cautiously, since Fisher notes that small gold may be missed in it. The Gold Bug 2 instruction manual is worth reading before the first outing.
The 6.5 inch coil
Fisher's Gold Bug 2 coils are shielded against static and run on a 7 foot cable. The 6.5 inch coil on this detector fits into bedrock cracks, between boulders and into brushy, trashy patches. We work it slowly, close to the surface. For open washes and tailings, the Gold Bug 2 with the 10 inch coil covers more ground per sweep.
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 coil can go into a creek while the control box stays dry. At 71 kHz it is a gold machine rather than a coin and relic detector. We would not choose it for big, deep nuggets across large areas of extremely mineralized ground; the Fisher Gold Bug DP is a more general-purpose gold and relic option, but it is also VLF and does not replace a pulse induction detector there. For relics and coins, our Gold Bug Pro vs Gold Bug 2 comparison walks through the Gold Bug Pro. For deep nuggets in very hot goldfields, compare the pulse induction options in our gold detectors collection.
| Feature | Gold Bug | Gold Bug Pro | Gold Bug 2 This detector |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequency | 19 kHz | 19 kHz | 71 kHz |
| Search modes | All Metal, Discrimination | All Metal, Discrimination | Normal, Boost, Disc |
| Ground balance | Ground Grab | Ground Grab plus manual | Manual (Ground Reject knob) |
| Target ID | 2 digit | 2 digit | None (audio only) |
| Ground phase and Fe3O4 readout | Yes | Yes | No |
| Fisher coil options | 5 inch DD round, 10 inch and 11 inch DD elliptical | 5 inch DD round, 10 inch and 11 inch DD elliptical | 6.5, 10 and 14 inch elliptical |
| Battery | 1 x 9V, about 15 to 20 hours | 1 x 9V, about 15 to 20 hours | 2 x 9V, 25 to 35 hours (alkaline) |
| Weight | 2.5 lb (1.13 kg) | 2 lb 8 oz (1.13 kg) with 5 inch coil | 2.9 lb (1.3 kg) |
| Warranty | 2 years | 2 years | 2 years |
A common Gold Bug 2 mistake
Assuming 71 kHz finds every nugget deeper than lower-frequency machines. High frequency favors small targets, not depth on every target.
Our recommendation on the Fisher Gold Bug 2
Choose the Gold Bug 2 for dedicated tiny-gold prospecting. Its biggest advantage is its exceptionally high 71 kHz operating frequency.
Fisher Gold Bug 2 specifications
| Specification | Fisher Gold Bug 2 |
|---|---|
| Technology | VLF, 71 kHz |
| Search modes | Normal, Boost, Disc (iron and hot rock rejection) |
| Ground balance | Manual, Ground Reject knob (fine or coarse) |
| Mineralization setting | Low, Normal, High |
| Audio | VCO with adjustable threshold |
| Target ID | None |
| Search coil | 6.5 inch elliptical waterproof search coil |
| Coil options | 6.5, 10 and 14 inch elliptical |
| Waterproof | Search coils waterproof; control box dust and moisture resistant |
| Mounting | Handle or hip mount |
| Headphones | 1/4 inch jack |
| Batteries | 2 x 9V; 25 to 35 hours alkaline |
| Weight | 2.9 lb (1.3 kg) |
| Warranty | 2 years |
Fisher covers the Gold Bug 2 with a 2 year warranty. The same configuration new is the Fisher Gold Bug 2 with 6.5 inch coil.
Serious Detecting is a family-owned, authorized Fisher dealer with a showroom in Ypsilanti, Michigan, and our staff help by phone or email.
More open box units are in our open box metal detectors collection.
Customer Questions & Expert Answers
Is the Fisher Gold Bug 2 waterproof?
Does an open-box Fisher Gold Bug 2 come with the full Fisher warranty?
Which coil should I choose for the Fisher Gold Bug 2, the 6.5 in or the 10 in?
Customer Reviews & Field Feedback
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