Newb seeks advice. 1st metal detector for beaches.

[lidigger]

Hello All,

I am new to this forum and want to start metal detecting. This is something I've wanted to do since I was a child, (I am now 42), but have never done. I'd like a hobby that can get me out more and I enjoy the beach. Aside from surfing, I think this would be a great opportunity to get some exercise and start a new hobby.

I live on Long Island (NY) and will primarily be metal detecting along beaches since LI is so built up. I'm not sure what I want to look for yet, having fun is my main goal. Wish I lived in Europe where you could find some items from the Middle Ages, but...

Anyway, I'm not sure where to begin. I've been familiar with Whites for years, but by name only. I am just now finding out how many other manufacturers there is. So with that in mind, I turn to you for help. I've been reading the forums for ideas, but I'm sure that certain detectors are better suited for a particular purpose. In this case I need one for the beach.

Since I am starting out on a new journey, and since I have other bills and would have to justify this purchase to my wife, I am going to budget $300 for the purchase of my first metal detector. If you had to start out on beaches (for now) and only had $300, would you go new or preowned? With that in mind, which model would you look for preowned and why? And which new model should I consider for $300?

Finally, if there is another model that I should consider for an additional $100 because it is leaps and bounds better than one I can get for $300, I would consider that as well. If it is not that much better, I am best staying at that $300 mark.

Anyway, thank you in advance all for any helpful advice you can pass along. I am looking forward to this and hopefully meeting other diggers on Long Island.

I will let you all know which model I get and will update you after my first outing.

Hopefully I will see you out there.

Chris

 

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[UncleVinnys]

Surprised no one has jumped in yet to help you.

That I think is because beach detecting is often considered a "specialty" and beginning detectors
simply do not do salty environments very well.

A good beach detector often has to see past the electrical problems encountered
with salt and minerals, and I'm not up on that.

Certainly the best beginning detectors for under $300, I would say, are
the Garret Ace 250 ($212) , the Fisher F2, and maybe the White's Classic ID.

I would definitely read the reviews for these at http://metaldetectorreviews.net/
and see what they say about salt water.

You might want to consider an older, proven detector, and buy used, and you can
get some of the advanced features you might need, say with an older
Minelab (Sovereign or Explorer).

I'd toy with the land detector first. Don't buy a dedicated underwater detector
(Yet anyway) as they are much more expensive. Most land detectors allow you
to get the coil wet, so you can do the surf as long as you keep the control box dry.

 

[Iron Patch]

For salt water on a budget of $300, definitely a used Fisher CZ. Look into what works well, and what you can get for your money.

 

[Iron Patch]

Thank you for the advice. I had contacted a member privately and asked about a more advanced detector (Garrett GTI 2500 - since he used it) and he suggested holding back for now and getting the ACE 250 until I am sure I love the hobby. That was good advice. i often jump in to things and the 2500 was more than I wanted to go.

Here's what I've decided to do. After reading several posts to the forum here and on another MD site, I am going for the Garrett ACE 250. If I do fall in love with the hobby, I will keep the ACE 250 so my kids or my wife can join me.

I should have been a bit more clear on my original post. I plan to go primarily to beaches now, since Long Island has an abundance of them, but I do not plan on going into the water. I just want to do sand. I'm just starting out - just getting my feet wet (so to speak) and was not planning on doing anything more advanced than land.

I will let you all know when I get the 250 and how my first outing goes. Thank you all again. I do hope to be an active member of this forum. I have been spending quite a lot of time these past few days reading all the posts for the 'What I Found Today" section. What fun and it even stokes the fire more.

Chris

You'll regret not having bought something that can handle the wet salt sand, because that's where the majority of the keepers are. You will however get lots of practice in the sand, but maybe not quite the type of practice you would prefer. If you already did the deal any detector can be used around salt water, just doesn't handle it well, and is like a knife at a gun fight. (but will find stuff) If you haven't done the deal... wait to hear more advice, because anyone who has been there and done that, will agree with me.

PS... The GTI would be just as bad on the salt water sand. (had one)

 

[Woodland Detectors]

Thank you for the advice. I had contacted a member privately and asked about a more advanced detector (Garrett GTI 2500 - since he used it) and he suggested holding back for now and getting the ACE 250 until I am sure I love the hobby. That was good advice. i often jump in to things and the 2500 was more than I wanted to go.

Here's what I've decided to do. After reading several posts to the forum here and on another MD site, I am going for the Garrett ACE 250. If I do fall in love with the hobby, I will keep the ACE 250 so my kids or my wife can join me.

I should have been a bit more clear on my original post. I plan to go primarily to beaches now, since Long Island has an abundance of them, but I do not plan on going into the water. I just want to do sand. I'm just starting out - just getting my feet wet (so to speak) and was not planning on doing anything more advanced than land.

I will let you all know when I get the 250 and how my first outing goes. Thank you all again. I do hope to be an active member of this forum. I have been spending quite a lot of time these past few days reading all the posts for the 'What I Found Today" section. What fun and it even stokes the fire more.

Chris

You'll regret not having bought something that can handle the wet salt sand, because that's where the majority of the keepers are. You will however get lots of practice in the sand, but maybe not quite the type of practice you would prefer. If you already did the deal any detector can be used around salt water, just doesn't handle it well, and is like a knife at a gun fight. (but will find stuff) If you haven't done the deal... wait to hear more advice, because anyone who has been there and done that, will agree with me.

PS... The GTI would be just as bad on the salt water sand. (had one)

I hate to reiterate my answer with this guy, but he's right again. LOL

 

[UncleVinnys]

Thank you for the advice. I had contacted a member privately and asked about a more advanced detector (Garrett GTI 2500 - since he used it) and he suggested holding back for now and getting the ACE 250 until I am sure I love the hobby. That was good advice. i often jump in to things and the 2500 was more than I wanted to go.

Here's what I've decided to do. After reading several posts to the forum here and on another MD site, I am going for the Garrett ACE 250. If I do fall in love with the hobby, I will keep the ACE 250 so my kids or my wife can join me.

I should have been a bit more clear on my original post. I plan to go primarily to beaches now, since Long Island has an abundance of them, but I do not plan on going into the water. I just want to do sand. I'm just starting out - just getting my feet wet (so to speak) and was not planning on doing anything more advanced than land.

I will let you all know when I get the 250 and how my first outing goes. Thank you all again. I do hope to be an active member of this forum. I have been spending quite a lot of time these past few days reading all the posts for the 'What I Found Today" section. What fun and it even stokes the fire more.

Chris

I think you did the right thing.
You can't go wrong with the ACE, AND you can still find things at the beach,
even if it's not a dedicated machine.
Even if/when you upgrade, that little ACE will always come in handy as a backup.

UV

 

[Tennessee Treasure Hunter]

Thank you for the advice. I had contacted a member privately and asked about a more advanced detector (Garrett GTI 2500 - since he used it) and he suggested holding back for now and getting the ACE 250 until I am sure I love the hobby. That was good advice. i often jump in to things and the 2500 was more than I wanted to go.

Here's what I've decided to do. After reading several posts to the forum here and on another MD site, I am going for the Garrett ACE 250. If I do fall in love with the hobby, I will keep the ACE 250 so my kids or my wife can join me.

I should have been a bit more clear on my original post. I plan to go primarily to beaches now, since Long Island has an abundance of them, but I do not plan on going into the water. I just want to do sand. I'm just starting out - just getting my feet wet (so to speak) and was not planning on doing anything more advanced than land.

I will let you all know when I get the 250 and how my first outing goes. Thank you all again. I do hope to be an active member of this forum. I have been spending quite a lot of time these past few days reading all the posts for the 'What I Found Today" section. What fun and it even stokes the fire more.

Chris

You'll regret not having bought something that can handle the wet salt sand, because that's where the majority of the keepers are. You will however get lots of practice in the sand, but maybe not quite the type of practice you would prefer. If you already did the deal any detector can be used around salt water, just doesn't handle it well, and is like a knife at a gun fight. (but will find stuff) If you haven't done the deal... wait to hear more advice, because anyone who has been there and done that, will agree with me.

PS... The GTI would be just as bad on the salt water sand. (had one)

the question asked to me! was about detecting in general with no mention of the "beach".
I was just telling my ""opinion"" on the Garrett brand and cost factors. I have detected in Gulf shores, Al and Daytona Beach, Florida areas and never had a problem with my 2500 , detected up to were water was rolling up the rod about quarter the way up. I found allot of nice jewelry and clad and a big bag of trash. It is not the best by far for "Beach water ways" but it was good enough for me. TTH

 

[Iron Patch]

Thank you for the advice. I had contacted a member privately and asked about a more advanced detector (Garrett GTI 2500 - since he used it) and he suggested holding back for now and getting the ACE 250 until I am sure I love the hobby. That was good advice. i often jump in to things and the 2500 was more than I wanted to go.

Here's what I've decided to do. After reading several posts to the forum here and on another MD site, I am going for the Garrett ACE 250. If I do fall in love with the hobby, I will keep the ACE 250 so my kids or my wife can join me.

I should have been a bit more clear on my original post. I plan to go primarily to beaches now, since Long Island has an abundance of them, but I do not plan on going into the water. I just want to do sand. I'm just starting out - just getting my feet wet (so to speak) and was not planning on doing anything more advanced than land.

I will let you all know when I get the 250 and how my first outing goes. Thank you all again. I do hope to be an active member of this forum. I have been spending quite a lot of time these past few days reading all the posts for the 'What I Found Today" section. What fun and it even stokes the fire more.

Chris

You'll regret not having bought something that can handle the wet salt sand, because that's where the majority of the keepers are. You will however get lots of practice in the sand, but maybe not quite the type of practice you would prefer. If you already did the deal any detector can be used around salt water, just doesn't handle it well, and is like a knife at a gun fight. (but will find stuff) If you haven't done the deal... wait to hear more advice, because anyone who has been there and done that, will agree with me.

PS... The GTI would be just as bad on the salt water sand. (had one)

the question asked to me! was about detecting in general with no mention of the "beach".
I was just telling my ""opinion"" on the Garrett brand and cost factors. I have detected in Gulf shores, Al and Daytona Beach, Florida areas and never had a problem with my 2500 , detected up to were water was rolling up the rod about quarter the way up. I found allot of nice jewelry and clad and a big bag of trash. It is not the best by far for "Beach water ways" but it was good enough for me. TTH

And for about a year it was good enough for my fields too, still have some of my best memories from days using it. The wet salt sand on the other hand was not where I would want to be.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

The others are right: the ace 250 is not a good wet salt beach machine, particularly when you start adding minerals into the wet salt. You can tell by the color of the wet sand: If it's very white in color, then it's no - or low, minerals. If it's cinnimon brown or tannish in color, that is mid way. If it's grey-ish metalic color looking, that's getting pretty nasty. And I've even seen it jet-black (like in gully-washes where culverts empty into the ocean) where nothing but a pulse can cut through it.

The Ace 250 bodes poorly (when compared to other units) on our central CA beaches. And that even includes a particular beach that isn't particularly mineralized. The Explorers, Sovereigns, excalibers, etc.... will spank them in depth and coverage. The CZ is an ok route to go (as it has no problems with salt and moderate minerals), but you'll have to get used to the silent search (no threshold). Also, some might debate that their TID is weak. Nonetheless, I've seen guys do good with these on wet salt. They've been out awhile, so you can probably pick up a used one for $300 or less. And they're easy to learn

Another option is a 6000 Di pro (make sure it says "DI pro", and not the earlier 6000s). They are good on wet salt, and quite versatile (ie.: good on land too).

 

[White Feather]

Ahoy & Welcome Newby,
Many years ago I bought a White's Surfmaster. It's over 20 years old and is still going. Back then it was around $900 or a bit more but it has paid for it's self many times over. I saw this morning that White's has their "Spectra V3i" on sale for $299. I figure that White's is a good bet but would prefere the beach model because of mineral interference in wet sand. Still, at $299 the V3i is a good bet for a beginner. That's new and under a warrentee that is very good. My Surfmaster has been back in only three times in over 20 years. I have dove with it to over 70 feet and never had a leak. It's just a good machine.

There will be as many opinions here as there are detectors so go rent a few and see what you like. Most shops have rentals and it only takes a little while to know if you like a machine or feel like throwing it into a dumpster. Another thought is a pawn shop. They always have several at pretty good prices. Take a look.

Good hunting and welcome to the fold.
White Feather