Local lake

[Schulace123]

Hey guys, new here and not sure where to post this. I live on a large local lake here in Minnesota (lake Minnetonka) there are a couple of islands/beaches that have had activity for about a 100 years or so and I have never heard or seen anyone metal detecting. I really think it would be a gold mine...I know of 3 rings just from friends that have fallen in ha. I'm not to familiar with metal detectors and would like some advice on purchasing a FW detector. I plan on MDing on the beach and Scuba diving. Any advice helps

thanks, Chris

 

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[helix-2000]

Chris sounds like nice pickings. There are many MD that can be used under water and on the shore. Many have the Minelab Excalibur 2, over a thousand dollars, there is the garrett sea hunter mark 2 for around $600 new; White's has a detector as well. I believe there are a few others and each will have these that love them. You an always find used ones on EBAY for from this list. Guess the bottom line is how much do you want to spend and how often will you use the MD. I am new to waster detecting so I am sure the experienced users will jump with recommendations as well. Good luck.

Carl

 

[COTTON]

I'm a big fan of the older cz-20.But in fresh water you have allot to chose from.Older Fisher 1280x,Tiger Shark but i am in Florida (paradise),If you have a lot of black sand then go with the Excal.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

How much iron is there, how much iron do you want to dig? If it is an old beach where a lot of boats have been, there may be a lot of iron there....What is your budget, that makes a big difference....Too many people think they can get a good water detector for $200 or less and that isn't going to happen....

Personally I would recommend the Minelab Excalibur, (big surprise, I know).....If you spend a little time looking you can find a good used one for $650-$750, sometimes even less. My last used Excal cost me $475....It arrived in perfect working order...

 

[Schulace123]

Thanks for the reply's...I really have no idea how much Iron would be down there ha. Just from doing some research its been pretty easy to tell that everyone loves the Excalibur. It is a little outta my price range though, I am pretty interested in the garrett sea hunter mark 2.

 

[Schulace123]

haha that is true..anyone reccomend a place to get a Excalibur?

 

[COTTON]

I got very lucky on my last one.$300.00 an it is like new.

My find the other night paid for it an maybe a new Excal.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

I got very lucky on my last one.$300.00 an it was like new.

You dog, you also got lucky using it.....................

 

[Sandman]

Thanks for the reply's...I really have no idea how much Iron would be down there ha. Just from doing some research its been pretty easy to tell that everyone loves the Excalibur. It is a little outta my price range though, I am pretty interested in the garrett sea hunter mark 2.

Forget the Sea Hunter Mk II for fresh water. It is a pulse and since hair pins and other small iron take decades to rust away in fresh water you will be constantly digging tiny pieces of iron that sounds like larger targets. Natch I recommend a Excal, but the Fisher 1280 is lots cheaper, extremely easy to us and built like a tank. The Tiger Shark is another great VLF but hard to find right now. The White's Beach Hunter ID 300 is the same price range as the Excal but nowhere near as good as a Fisher 1280 or CZ-20. Can't dive with this White's either.

Those lake swim areas may hold hundreds of rings an I kick myself for wasting so much time in saltwater where swimmers are spread outover miles of coast line.

Sell the wife, car and what ever to get the detector you decide on and a Sunspot scoop.

 

[seeker41]

to all my friends on this forum, if any of you ever see an excal for 350-450 please pm me and i will buy it!!!!!!!!!!!
............a question for you excal pros, are some of the older models too old and difficult to get repaired?? common problems with certain models?? blue headphones, red, yellow whats the difference??
Schulace123, as soon as you find a cheap excal do not hesitate, buy it!!!!! i have seen some go cheap on the forum classifieds but i have always seen them after they have sold.
i own a cz20 and there seems to be a consensus that the excal and cz20 are the top of the line!! if you go for a used cz20 you should know that if it needs repair you will have to upgrade to a cz21 since fisher no longer has the cz20 parts to repair the cz20.
tessorro has very good underwater detectors and you can change coils yourself, if you can find one but they are having a parts supply problem. good luck!!

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

The only Excal Minelab has said that there could be issues with parts on is the "Sword" Excal, it has a sword on the side the length of the control pod.....

The blue, and yellow headphone models are still being repaird, although you can't always go by the headphones as you can send in a blue headphone Excal and request the yellow headphons be put on....

You have to constantly be checking the for sale boards of the various detector sites, as well as craigslist and EBay. One night I saw an Excal Yellow headphones with WOT coil and a straight shaft for $500 on craigslist, at the time I wasn't really looking for one so I hesitated about 15 mins, then thought I will get it and sell my oldest Excal. When I contacted the buyer, he replied he had "just" replied to another buyer and agreed to sell it to him 5 mins before my email arrived....

My newest used Excal had been on the boards about an hour when I found it and replied I was interested.....My waterproofed Sovereign GT was on the for sale board on TN about 15 mins when I spotted it and replied I would buy it, the seller received at least a dozen offers to buy with in an hour of my reply......

You have to constantly be looking and be ready to jump when it comes up....

 

[Schulace123]

thanks a lot for all the reply's guys I really appreciate it... I have been looking at the fisher 1280x anyone have any experience with this?

 

[Schulace123]

Been doing a little more research...I gotta go back to school tomorrow but I will still keep looking. I have been looking at the tessorro water models to...what would you guys recommend a tessorro or the cz 20?

 

[Old Tom]

Schaluce123

I used a Fisher 1280X for many years. Mostly in bays and inland lakes. It is a very good quality detector that works very well in fresh water. It is stable and easy to use. What I like most about it, on a calm lake you can let go of it and dig your target while it floats right beside you.

Also the battery compartment and the electronics are separate, so little worry about water leaking into the main componets. It can be used in shallow water (wading) or diving. The main box can also be hip mounted for those big dry sand beach to lighten it up for a long hunt.

It will discriminate out the small iron targets. So no worry there. I bought mine in 1987 and it still works great. It leaked one time (because I did not put the cover on correctly) I easily replaced the battery pack and wires that connect that pack myself.

I am sure there are many detectors that will work well for your situation. I would recommend - Fisher 1280-X, CZ20, CZ21 Whites Beachhunter ID or 300, Minlab Excalibur I or II (which ever you can find at good price, all will find gold rings. Just my opinion.

 

[Schulace123]

yah I do like the fisher but I am diffidently interested in the tiger shark...From what I am getting the CZ20 is the older version right? I really like the idea of the lifetime warranty with the tiger shark ha.

 

[Sandman]

If you get the Tiger Shark, make sure you also get the larger 10 inch coil for it as you can change coils on this water detector. The Tiger Shark has one tone and is very sensitive. Many mess it up by cranking up the sens. control inside the box. Has a salt water mode switch.

The Fisher CZ-20 came first and later they came out with the CZ-21. The only difference is a different battery door and change of the pinpoint button. I never use the pinpoint myself, never need it in the water with that big scoop. The advantage of the CZ's is two frequencies to better id the target and 3 different sounding tones. I skip the low tones and high tones and only dig the MID tones which are pull tabs, nickels and 90% of the gold rings. By doing this I don't waste much time scooping Iron or coins. The 1280 has one tone so you need to dig everything above Iron.

 

[seeker41]

If you get the Tiger Shark, make sure you also get the larger 10 inch coil for it as you can change coils on this water detector. The Tiger Shark has one tone and is very sensitive. Many mess it up by cranking up the sens. control inside the box. Has a salt water mode switch.

The Fisher CZ-20 came first and later they came out with the CZ-21. The only difference is a different battery door and change of the pinpoint button. I never use the pinpoint myself, never need it in the water with that big scoop. The advantage of the CZ's is two frequencies to better id the target and 3 different sounding tones. I skip the low tones and high tones and only dig the MID tones which are pull tabs, nickels and 90% of the gold rings. By doing this I don't waste much time scooping Iron or coins. The 1280 has one tone so you need to dig everything above Iron./quote]

sandman, the front panel of the cz21 also had the leds removed. you are right about the pinpoint button and i did not think/ know they changed the battery door?

Schulace123....... the cz20 is the old version and you will be buying used with no warrenty! great detector but if and or when it fails you will have to upgrade to the new cz21(dont know the cost but its not full price), fisher will not replace the cz20 parts!!!!!!!

the tigershark is a good choice but they are having difficulties replacing connectors and from what i understand cannot even build new tigersharks right now? also you need to investigate further how well the tigershark handles saltwater beaches if that matters to you. /quote]

 

[seeker41]

hey Schulace123, there are two or three excals and a tigershark on ebay right now!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Schulace123]

Hey guys what do you think about this...http://cgi.ebay.com/Minelab-Excalib...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item20b03af4b1.

It says it doesn't have waterproof headphones...would this mean I would have to buy those?

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Hey guys what do you think about this...http://cgi.ebay.com/Minelab-Excalib...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item20b03af4b1.

It says it doesn't have waterproof headphones...would this mean I would have to buy those?

That is called the "sword" Excal, because of the picture of the sword (Excalibur) that runs down the entire side. It is one of the oldest of the Excals, and there are some parts for it that are hard to get and others could be impossible to get soon...Minelab originally said they would no longer repair them due to how hard it is to get the parts, but they have repaired some I know of that were shipped in.

The headphones not being waterproof isn't really a major issue unless you plan to dive with it on snorkel with it and go under to fan for targets... If waves hit you and rolls you head over heals too many times, it could become a problem. I have hunted with one water detector that the headphones are not waterproof, and it has not been an issue yet, and they have gone under water several times.....

It is strictly just my personal opinion, but personally I would stay away from them unless I could get one real cheap....Anything over $300 and I would save the money for a newer Excal, that one on auction is already over $380, and will most likely go higher when auction is about to close........

Again this is just my personal opinion....