Fingerhut Detectors-Do you get what you pay for?

uglymailman

Bronze Member
Feb 3, 2010
1,266
1,463
I see Fingerhut Catalog has Bounty Hunter detectors for sale with easy payment plans. A "Gold Digger" for 100 bucks and a "Something?IV for 180 bucks.
Do you get what you pay for? I have read many posts on here about different detectors. Some say you need to start at about 350 and some suggest a figure of 600 is more like it.
I have to say I never found a silver coin or IH penny with my old whites. What say you?
 

Lester Olive

Jr. Member
Aug 18, 2013
52
5
Perry, Florida
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I see Fingerhut Catalog has Bounty Hunter detectors for sale with easy payment plans. A "Gold Digger" for 100 bucks and a "Something?IV for 180 bucks.
Do you get what you pay for? I have read many posts on here about different detectors. Some say you need to start at about 350 and some suggest a figure of 600 is more like it.
I have to say I never found a silver coin or IH penny with my old whites. What say you?

I have used a bounty hunter for the last 15 years. When others jeered me while bragging on their brand , i have come out on top many days. Whichever you, choose, just pay attention to what sounds items make with it, and use it often and you'll be fine.
 

justdon

Bronze Member
Aug 6, 2013
1,819
347
Florida
Detector(s) used
Teknetics delta4000/Tesoro compadre/Garrett ace 250/Garrett propointer/Garrett at pro/Tesoro silver umax
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Just my opinion.I think bounty hunter is a good brand.Basicly no matter what you decide on they all locate stuff.I have to say many are a lot better than others.Whatever you get just learn how to use it and you should be ok.Good luck and good hunting..
 

AnnieF

Full Member
Jul 26, 2012
248
75
Western NC
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
I agree with most of the posters so far. I started with a BH IV and it's what we call a "beep and dig" machine, which means, basically, if it's metal, it'll beep, and you dig it! I've since upgraded to an AT Pro which has a whole range of "beep" voices telling me what's under there but it's still a crap shoot since wedding rings beep like pull tabs so you never know what you might not dig if you think you're smarter than your machine... It takes years and YEARS of experience to know your machine's "voice" and even then, hard core "dirt fishers" will tell you IF IT BEEPS, DIG IT, which brings us back to the BH IV... Why spent $550 for an AT Pro when you can spend $180 for a BH IV if you're going to dig everything anyway????

I say go for it.

It's a blast. This hobby is SERIOUSLY addicting, though. BEWARE!
,
 

grimwolf2003

Newbie
Dec 16, 2012
3
0
I bought one this past spring and it works great. The others are right when they say you have to learn your detectors voice cause after you've used it for a length of time you can speak its language fluently. Takes a lot of practice but its worth it and so is the detector from fingerhut
 

Tnmountains

Super Moderator
Staff member
Jan 27, 2009
18,701
11,665
South East Tennessee on Ga, Ala line
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Tesoro Conquistador freq shift
Fisher F75
Garrett AT-Pro
Garet carrot
Neodymium magnets
5' Probe
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I agree with most of the posters so far. I started with a BH IV and it's what we call a "beep and dig" machine, which means, basically, if it's metal, it'll beep, and you dig it! I've since upgraded to an AT Pro which has a whole range of "beep" voices telling me what's under there but it's still a crap shoot since wedding rings beep like pull tabs so you never know what you might not dig if you think you're smarter than your machine... It takes years and YEARS of experience to know your machine's "voice" and even then, hard core "dirt fishers" will tell you IF IT BEEPS, DIG IT, which brings us back to the BH IV... Why spent $550 for an AT Pro when you can spend $180 for a BH IV if you're going to dig everything anyway????

I say go for it.

It's a blast. This hobby is SERIOUSLY addicting, though. BEWARE!
,


I say get what you can afford and have fun. I have great luck discriminating trashy areas with the AT-pro and am currently digging civil war relics out of 1920 bottle trash pit on top of them. I hunted with a guy and he used a bounty hunter and dug bob wire nails and pull tabs all day long. I felt if he had of swung over a relic he would have dug a relic but he did not maybe because he was digging every target and I was cherry picking. Will it beep over a target.. you bet.
I say get it learn it and have fun. Many nice finds are made with them. It it equal to an At -Pro or even a tesoro. No. I would buy the Tesoro compadre if I was buying my first machine. $ 160 bucks great discrimination,deep and life time warranty.Plus it is simple :)
HH
 

jeff of pa

Super Moderator
Staff member
Dec 19, 2003
85,463
59,223
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Fingerhut = JUNK

I see they have Fisher F75's too

I would tend to agree Fingerhut does not inspire confidence.

back at the beginning of the Century, while hunting a drained lake, a bunch of
teens driving around being teens, laughing loudly, Dropped a young lady (16, 17 ) off with her grandmothers
detector from a catalog Company, maybe Fingerhut, but it looked like
a 60's version. it actually looked like it was put together wrong.
The meter was pointed sideways. no name brand other then
the catalog company. After talking to her a Little, & Laughing & crying under my breath,
I told her just go slow & dig all signals. Surprisingly she Listened to me :o
she actually Placed a plastic bucket beside her & went to detecting.
all of a sudden she's screaming and doing like young girls do when happy and need attention,
& I walk over to see a ton of trash in her bucket and a cool old Gold ring :laughing7:
needless to say when her friends showed back up the laugh at her more,
I think they were surprised for her too.

Point being, it's not what you have, it's your Mind set, and how you use what you have.
 

Last edited:
Aug 20, 2009
12,824
7,899
New Hampshire
Detector(s) used
Garret Master hunter Cx Plus
Primary Interest:
Other
I remember my mother buying a VCR out of fingerhut for around 300 bucks.When it arrived I set it up for her,put a movie in that she was waiting to see.The movie started then the VCR promptly ate the tape and died.300 bucks and not even 10 minutes use out of it.Fingerhut can take their crap and stick it.Buy your detector from a dealer who stands behind what they sell.You'll be better off in the long run.
 

jeff of pa

Super Moderator
Staff member
Dec 19, 2003
85,463
59,223
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I remember my mother buying a VCR out of fingerhut for around 300 bucks.When it arrived I set it up for her,put a movie in that she was waiting to see.The movie started then the VCR promptly ate the tape and died.300 bucks and not even 10 minutes use out of it.Fingerhut can take their crap and stick it.Buy your detector from a dealer who stands behind what they sell.You'll be better off in the long run.

am I thinking of a different Catalog ?
but doesn't Fingerhut deal in "Refurbished" products ?

in the pre-Computer days, I used to get a catalog of electronics,
and everything said factory Refurbished.
 

Last edited:

RGINN

Gold Member
Oct 16, 2007
8,586
10,649
Summit County, CO
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
White's DFX, White's Classic 1 Coinmaster, Nokta Pointer
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I use White's but have nothin against other brands. It's pretty much how well you can learn the machine. I would caution against purchasing the Shurfine or Sam's Choice brand detector.
 

jeff of pa

Super Moderator
Staff member
Dec 19, 2003
85,463
59,223
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I use White's but have nothin against other brands. It's pretty much how well you can learn the machine. I would caution against purchasing the Shurfine or Sam's Choice brand detector.

BEEP ! BEEP !

acme-wilee.coyotesbrandofchoice.jpg

Did you Know ?

http://www.acmeapproved.com/e-trac-metal-detector.html
 

Last edited:

Tnmountains

Super Moderator
Staff member
Jan 27, 2009
18,701
11,665
South East Tennessee on Ga, Ala line
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Tesoro Conquistador freq shift
Fisher F75
Garrett AT-Pro
Garet carrot
Neodymium magnets
5' Probe
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting

mrjfb37

Newbie
May 30, 2012
1
1
I bought my first detector from Fingerhut, a Bounty Hunter. Found a few items with it then the knob broke! I sent it back for a refund and bought a better brand from somewhere else!
 

CoilyGirl

Gold Member
Nov 8, 2012
6,424
5,155
Nashville
🥇 Banner finds
2
Detector(s) used
Minelab x-Terra 505
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
Can't you get fake vomit from Fingerhut too?
 

elgatodelnoche

Sr. Member
Aug 21, 2013
333
119
East Mesa, Arizona
Detector(s) used
Garrett Deepseeker ADS
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
You pay far more than what something is worth when you buy it from Fingerhut. They make their money selling to folks with marginal credit who have been turned down everywhere else. The item is not only overpriced to begin with, but the credit terms on top of it are also unusually high. I have bought quality stuff from Fingerhut, but I payed too much money for it.
 

austin

Gold Member
Jul 9, 2012
5,360
3,501
San Antonio, Texas
Detector(s) used
Garrett 250
Primary Interest:
Other
I'm sending for a catalog cause now I'm curious. CoilyGirl, give me a P.O. box and if they sell fake vomit, you're getting it for Christmas...
 

Hawk'n Dirt

Full Member
Sep 6, 2013
217
200
Humble, Tx
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
2
Detector(s) used
AT Pro
Ace 250
TC3X
BH Texas Pilot
Pro Pointer
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
elgatodelnoche Is right....you pay about 2 - 2.5 times for what you buy..their BH Quicksilver is $259 but at Kellyco its $139.
 

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Top