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i'm new and confused,little help please
ClosedLoop
Posts: 1,077 ✭✭✭
i'm over from the coin forum and have been lurking here for a couple of years. i want to buy a detector in the 3 to $400 price range. i'm looking on ebay and getting frustrated, PLEASE point me in the right direction. my primary finds will be coins.(i hope)-----------thanks
figglehorn
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I'd suggest the Garrett GTAx 550 for $338.65 or the Fisher F4 for $399.00 at Kellyco detectors on the web. The Garrett GTAx 550 comes with free accessories for the $338.65 at Kellyco. The Fisher F4 is $399.00 but comes with a 5 year warranty. I would also suggest checking detector reviews, field test and detector forums on the detctor you are interested in before buying it. I presently have a Garrett GTAx 500 that I've had for around 14 years. In the last four days I've dug over 100 coins including 2 silver quarters (1937 & 1943), two silver dimes (1920s & 1946) and 20 plus wheaties dating back to 1925. Garrett and Fisher detectors are built to last. I have a Garrett Freedom two I bought in 1988 that'll still find coins with no problems. Anyway welcome to a fun hobby!
De Tesoro Cazador
Several considerations when choosing a detector are 1) What are you looking for (you already know that, coins) 2) where will you be hunting (sand and ocean, inland, mineralized soil) 3) How fancy do you want to get. I started detecting about 1.5 yrs ago and wasn't sure I'd like it so I went inexpensive in case I decided not to pursue the hobby (the bug bit, I'm a lifer). I chose an Ace 250 from Garrett and for example, for the 4 days this weekend put in a total of about 8 hours and dug up 63 coins including 48 wheat pennies, 2 Mercury dimes, 4 silver Roosevelt dimes and a sterling silver heart pendant. Probably in the long run, more important that the detector you choose will be taking the time to really learn how to use it properly and most importantly, research in choosing a site that will give you a high probability of success (I knew where I was digging was an old bungalow colony from the 1950's, I knew exactly what to expect, where the playgrounds, etc were located and searched accordingly). You'll find that as the price range of the detectors increases you will get more manual setting options such as ground balancing, better discrimination and programs tailored to specific types of detecting (jewelry, relics, etc). The best advice - spend a lot of time researching your instruments, make some calls to suppliers to ask questions, most are very knowledgeable and willing to help, not just make the sale, and if you can, road test some loaner instruments - then choose. Kellyco is good, and so is Treasure Hut ( Chuck is very good - I can give you the link if you'd like) - It kind of depends where you are located.
Good luck and Happy hunting,
Joe
-Weinman Fan
Good luck, can't wait to see your finds...
Most of my best finds came up with these two machines.
Including this.
And these.
To name just a FEW of my older finds.
I have since graduated from the middle-of-the-line GTA-500 and GTAx-550 to the top-of-the-line GTI-2500, but I must say that my finds were better with the cheaper machines, if only because I got out a lot more often back then.
Getting out and using your machine and learning it inside-out and forwards and backwards, plus picking good sites, is what will make you successful, regardless of what kind of machine you are using. Once you get over about the $200 minimum required to buy a new detector that isn't a "toy", most of the rest of the equation comes down to user experience and persistence and luck. And the luck will happen, if you are persistent enough to let it come around in due time.
I totally agree with this statement. Persistence will eventually pay off for you. And the machines,no matter the maker, i suspect are all pretty good these days once you get beyond minimum $ amount as LM says.
You have the right idea seeking out a first detector in the 3-$400 range. You need to figure out if this hobby is for you. You want a decent machine to start with but why spend 2 to 3 times the money for it? i've heard some nice things about that Garrett detector that would set you back for $250 or less. My own detector these days is Bounty Hunter Landstar which i purchased used for $50.It was used little and works fine,rivaling the performance of my late '70's White's detector.
Another story from the distant past is in order here.
In the park while detecting, I was approached by an individual who had the latest White's detector and he wanted me to show him how to use it.It seems he was clueless on how to operate this machine, the best thing out there at this time.I knew he had spent around $500 for this model of White's detector.It had the "improved' discriminator or that's what White's claimed anyway.
I told this guy that yes i would show him how to operate his machine but any finds made with it while he was getting his instructions from me would be mine. He was okay with this. Well, in about 15 minutes,without moving to a different location in the park and without even going to discriminate mode,we found 45 cents in silver coin with his machine,1 Washington quarter and two dimes,both Mercuries.
The point here is that the good finds will come from getting some experience and knowledge.I like to think that the finds we made this day with his higher priced detector,albeit slightly higher priced than mine,were because of my experience and knowledge about the activity and machine capabilities.
Good luck whichever machine you get to get started with this fun hobby and by all means let us know how you do on your first outing.
Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.-Albert Einstein
there's an old parking lot up at the corner by me from the 1930's. i did a little research and even found pictures of it. and it's still not paved over yet!
i think this is where i will start, thanks CL