Newbie !!!!

Timbuk3

I would like to purchase my first
metal detector. What would be
a good brand to buy and approximate
cost ?

pcgs69

The cost is up to you. You pick an amount you're willing to spend and there are probably several detectors in that price range. Some of the brands to check are whites, minelab, Garrett and fisher. Some people use technetics (spelling?) which I believe is made in the same building as fishers. If you have a price in mind we can give you some models. You can check them out on YouTube.

You'll also need a pinpointer, digging tool, etc.

You'll need to define what your main focus will be... Gold nuggets, beach, land, etc.

ricko

What type of MD'ing you will be doing - i.e. beach, water, clay, cache, parks etc.... commitment will help determine price range.... I am a White's fan, but Garrett's are great as well...we need more information to be of much help. Cheers, RickO

Timbuk3

Thanks for the advise guys. I plan
on doing my MD on land and at the
beach. Does $500 get me something
decent ?

pcgs69

Around that price range the first detector I can think of is the Garrett AT Pro. I'm not too familiar with it but I believe a lot of people use it. It can go something like 10 feet underwater too.

Jinx86

I would call local shops and see what they have for used models. We take in alot of older machines 1-30 year old detectors in trade towards a new one. To get rid of the older ones we sometimes sell them for what we have into it. Also they make nice starters till you get experienced enough to handle a fancier machine. Here we actually teach the person buying it how to run it properly, cant get that online....

LochNESS

Hey guys, have there been any new technological developments in recent years? or are the good old brands still the best?

We see a lot of these threads on this board and I feel like the answers are often the same ole same ole

andrew79

New and old are mostly based on the same technology.
I'd recommend to get used as a first metal detector.
But looking into new one, i am agreed Garrett AT Pro is a good choice.

ricko

White's and Garrett are usually the most advanced technology -my preference is White's.... superb customer service and great reliability...I am sure other's feel that way about Garrett's... Good luck and let us know what you get and how you are doing...Cheers, RickO

cwazzy

I'm looking to purchase my first metal detector as well. I'll mostly be looking on land for coins but wouldn't mind taking it to look for gold nuggets as well. Will one metal detector work for both or do I need specialized detectors for both? I'll be looking to spend about $300 on one (I'm cheap LOL). Thanks in advance.

AUandAG

<< <i>I'm looking to purchase my first metal detector as well. I'll mostly be looking on land for coins but wouldn't mind taking it to look for gold nuggets as well. Will one metal detector work for both or do I need specialized detectors for both? I'll be looking to spend about $300 on one (I'm cheap LOL). Thanks in advance. >>




Metal is metal, one detector will probably be all you need. Well, maybe not if you are in the water!

bob

Zot

White's, Garrett, Minelab.. you'll be OK with any of them.

Your skill in using it and the effort you put in to find and gain access to good locations will matter much more than which exact detector model you pick.

You can detect for gold nuggets with a "standard" machine too. High end specialized gold detectors are much more sensitive but are also pricey ($5k+)

lordmarcovan

<< <i>Does $500 get me something >>

Yes. In fact, that's a good pricerange for a starter machine. It puts you a cut above the cheaper, more "basic" machines, but not up into the expensive stuff. You don't wanna buy too expensive a machine when you're just starting, or it could end up being a waste of money if you decide the hobby is not for you. (And lots of people do decide this. I came perilously close to giving up after a month.)

That's a nice midrange price. Go with a known brand and read up on their features. These days, you can download owner's manuals right to your PC, and read 'em ahead of time.