Old tech vs new tech detectors

CRAZY-TEXICAN

Full Member
Jun 15, 2009
179
2
Carrollton Texas
Detector(s) used
Minelab Quattro MP , Minelab Musketeer modified , Tesoro Bandido II micromax , Garrett Groundhog , D-Tex Koin King BFO
I decided to switch back to old school detectors , i have tried many of the current units and can't seem to get used to them so i decided to get me a few oldies, what do you guys think about older detectors vs the newer ones?? Other than LCD displays and multi tone notching what else is there to gain ?? I got out my old Garrett Master hunter ADSII and wend back to the park , needless to say i had to dig deeper and got a few more coins in the 2 hours i was there , i have gone trough this spot every time i get a new detector and they kept missing these targets and this old school monster got them loud and clear.. any of you guys use these older detectors???
 

mlayers

Gold Member
Oct 29, 2007
5,576
429
Northern, OH
Detector(s) used
DFX, White PI, Bounty Hunter, Whites Surfmaster II and Excalibur II
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I still have a bounty hunter and a old whites PI machine that I use regularly.....Matt
 

Tom_in_CA

Gold Member
Mar 23, 2007
13,837
10,360
Salinas, CA
🥇 Banner finds
2
Detector(s) used
Explorer II, Compass 77b, Tesoro shadow X2
crazy texican, it would depend on which "old" tech. verses which "new" tech. And also depends on the user's skill at each. There are a lot of guys using the latest bells and whistles, who don't know how to get as much out of it, as a guy using an older machine, at the same site. And also, keep in mind, that depending on the site, you can't discount that you might have found those same "few more coins" EVEN if you had been using your newer, or a different machine. Like, who's to say you just didn't have your coil in just the right sweep angle, spot, etc... earlier? The only way to know, is to flag signals, try them with each machine, and honestly ask yourself "would I have heard that?" or "would I have interpretted that as junk or back-ground flutter, etc...?"

But as for your specific, in this case, the ADS II, I can tell you for certain that this vintage 1982 -ish machine, would lack in depth, compared to today's power-houses, and would also not be as good in the target separation or averaging department. They were good for their day, but I have a hard time believing that a modern machine, especially in the hands of a good user, couldn't do better. Their depth was about 6" max, IMHO, when in disc. mode, w/the standard 7.5" coil. A bit deeper with the larger coil. I used to get so frustrated on the wet salt beach with ADSII (because Whites 6000d guys always kicked my b*tt), so I learned to hunt in all-metal instead on the wet salt. I had to keep a constant finger on the ground control (whenever moving closer too, or further away from the water's edge), but it did quite nicely for that. Naturally all-metal isn't an option on most land sites though ::)
 

S.S.Tupperware

Hero Member
Jul 18, 2009
798
51
Orlando
Detector(s) used
PI Dual/Coinmaster 5500d/DFX/BHID
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
My neighbor fixed my old 5500/d... in the mean time I borrowed a friends ace 250, found lots, but I still like the oldies... I like the manual adjustments, kinda like fine tuning an old tube radio. :thumbsup:
 

Newt

Bronze Member
Dec 10, 2007
1,221
14
Georgia
Detector(s) used
1265X and Tejon
1265X fisher works great. I've owned it for about 20 years now.
Newt
 

RGINN

Gold Member
Oct 16, 2007
8,613
10,764
Summit County, CO
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
White's DFX, White's Classic 1 Coinmaster, Nokta Pointer
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Oye, tejano loco, my White's Classic 1 Coinmaster, with one knob, is as old tech as I have and I do real well with it, better than with my DFX at times. However, I used the Classic 1 so much that it's use just came naturally. I don't get to metal detect as much now, so I haven't really learned the DFX. I see the potential in it and understand its capabilities, and I think that when I get to where I can get it out everyday and learn it like second nature, I'll be dangerous. I'll still take the Classic 1 to tot lots. It's like everything else, practice, practice, practice.
 

Joe(TX)

Hero Member
Aug 21, 2008
612
39
Georgia
Detector(s) used
Old School
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
.........CRAZY-TEXICAN......YOU HAVE THE RIGHT IDEA JUST THE WRONG DETECTOR.........LOL.....Geta Compass Goldstar 1000, X100, X70 etc.........I like the Compass X70 and the Wilson R&C 4 and the A.H.Pro2.............the Pro2 is my super duper back up detector ..........if packing space is a problem.......it always goes.......it is very liteweight and compacks down to a very small area!!...........batteries last forever......haven't changed them since last year.......the rotary dial for the retune is mounted on the end of the handle so it is very easy to compensate for changing ground........actually I prefer this now than the push button retune switch...........due to the small 6 inch coil it has very good target separation.............and due to 1000's of hours on this detector ......i can basicly tone hunt.......that is leave most of the junk in the ground and just dig the very weak and very loud signals.............this method works good for me ........I feel that the average detectorist takes his TID detector for granted and does not dig a lot of the iffy and a lot of the pulltab and screwcap signals which a lot of times wind up being gold rings...............there is also a modification of this method that I use when swinging the R&C4...........all of these detectors are very sensitive.......I find a lot of the small beaver tails off the pulltabs which can be hard to see these days......and a lot of the bent and the larger older pulltabs.............I feel that if these items can be found then a gold ring can be found too........................HH...........Joe
 

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CRAZY-TEXICAN

CRAZY-TEXICAN

Full Member
Jun 15, 2009
179
2
Carrollton Texas
Detector(s) used
Minelab Quattro MP , Minelab Musketeer modified , Tesoro Bandido II micromax , Garrett Groundhog , D-Tex Koin King BFO
I actually do have a goldstar 1000 , also a Teknetics Mark 1 , Garrett Master Hunter ADS 7 , Tesoro Golden Sabre , and a few others , i am also trying to get a Compass X100 from my uncle as we speak ;D
 

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Nov 8, 2004
14,582
11,942
Alamos,Sonora,Mexico
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Evening: That depends upon what you are looking for, coins or caches. For caches, the oldies can hold their own. Especially the Garrett master hunter series with the depth inctreasing coil, the Hound dog or it's equivelent. Trere is a reason that they still make them.

Don Jose de La Mancha
 

OP
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CRAZY-TEXICAN

CRAZY-TEXICAN

Full Member
Jun 15, 2009
179
2
Carrollton Texas
Detector(s) used
Minelab Quattro MP , Minelab Musketeer modified , Tesoro Bandido II micromax , Garrett Groundhog , D-Tex Koin King BFO
I have been curious about how deep this "bloodhound" unit will go with the Master Hunter ASD 7 , I have messed with it but just in my back yard LOL! I have been wanting to take it out a farm owned by a friend of mine , he has found a couple of mid size meteorites and thinks there is a large one a few feet under beyond the reach of his Tesoro Amigo II , It just sounds really faint even after digging a big hole a few feet in diameter and a couple of feet deep , the signal does not even increase. I hope its a large meteorite , we are splitting it 50/50 so the larger the better ;D :headbang: ...
 

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