NEED ADVICE ON BACKUP DETECTOR

red fox bob

Jr. Member
Feb 23, 2016
93
71
Apollo,Pa
Detector(s) used
XP Deus,Garrett Pro Pointer,Custom Made Sand Scoop,Garrett AT Pinpointer, Whites MX Sport , Eqauinox 800
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I currently have a Whites V3, I am looking for a good machine to use as a backup.We are planning a 6 to 8 week trip from Pennsylvania to parts South & East of the Mississippi.No destination,no plans were to land.I think this is what you call getting out & see the good old USA.Thanks ahead of time for any feedback.Good Luck & Happy Hunting.
 

SusanMN

Silver Member
Jun 1, 2007
4,534
4,098
Minnesota
Detector(s) used
Tiger Shark, Xterra 705, Makro Legend
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
An Xterra 705 is a fun machine and would be a great backup detector. Easy to learn, lots of features and light to swing.
 

drenalin11

Jr. Member
Nov 23, 2016
69
95
Greenville, MS
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT Pro
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
CTX 3030 would be a great backup! What kind of money for a backup? That's probably going to help narrow it down.


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DeepseekerADS

Gold Member
Mar 3, 2013
14,880
21,725
SW, VA - Bull Mountain
Detector(s) used
CTX, Excal II, EQ800, Fisher 1260X, Tesoro Royal Sabre, Tejon, Garrett ADSIII, Carrot, Stealth 920iX, Keene A52
Primary Interest:
Other
CTX 3030 would be a great backup!

That's a fact! Actually, his existing detector would probably become the backup.

One thing I'd note, rather than picking up a new machine for back up, you could get twice the machine for the money by just watching the For Sale forum here and picking up a used machine. Some of those old machines are actually better than many of the new machines. Just scan the ads every few days and if you see something within your desired price range, read up on it and jump on it.

I didn't like my ACE250, so I gave it to my cousin. His jewelry finds last season tallied 6 pieces of gold.
 

Oct 5, 2014
31,886
35,425
Massachusetts
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Garrett: AT Pro, AT Gold & Infinium; Minelab: Explorer SE, II; Simplex; Tesoro: Tejon & Outlaw; White's: V3i
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
Hello Red fox bob,

There are lots of good machines out there to use to back-up your V3. IMHO, for the money the Minelab 705 is a very good machine. The AT pro is also very good for the money. I use them both along with the Whites V3i and feel confident that I'm not missing many keepers.

Enjoy your vacation trip!

GL & HH

Doc
 

MrMikeJackie

Bronze Member
Nov 3, 2013
1,751
2,258
Long Island
🥇 Banner finds
2
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
CTX 3030,
Xp Deus,
That's it, I'm done.
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Teknetics T2 classic. I'm falling in love with this little machine.
 

G.I.B.

Gold Member
Feb 23, 2007
7,187
8,537
North Central Florida
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
CTX 3030 / GTI 2500 / Infinium LS / Tesoro Sand Shark / 1 Garrett Pro-pointer / 1 Carrot / Vibra Probe 580 (out on loan) / Lesche M85 / Mark1 MOD1 EyeBall
Primary Interest:
Other
Get a new one.

Current one serves as a back up.

-ooooor- use your second machine you have listed as the back up.
 

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red fox bob

Jr. Member
Feb 23, 2016
93
71
Apollo,Pa
Detector(s) used
XP Deus,Garrett Pro Pointer,Custom Made Sand Scoop,Garrett AT Pinpointer, Whites MX Sport , Eqauinox 800
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
G.I.B. I thought about doing that,but I just wanted to see what kind of advise was out there.From all the feedback I received so far ,there is alot to think about.I also was kicking the tires on a new XP DUSE,just haven't pulled the trigger as of yet.
 

Charlie P. (NY)

Gold Member
Feb 3, 2006
13,004
17,107
South Central Upstate NY in the foothills of the h
Detector(s) used
Minelab Musketeer Advantage Pro w/8" & 10" DD coils/Fisher F75se(Upgraded to LTD2) w/11" DD, 6.5" concentric & 9.5" NEL Sharpshooter DD coils/Sunray FX-1 Probe & F-Point/Black Widows/Rattler headphone
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I am with G.I.B. Current becomes back-up. I'm a fan of Fisher but am not married to the brand. My back-up is a Minelab Musketeer Advantage.

If I was looking for a back-up and didn't have one there are two that come to mind. Not just for back-up/loaners but as perhaps better suited to different areas.

The DetectorPro Pirate. A relative unknown but a great concept. The electronics are all in the headset. The shaft and coil are fully submersible in fresh or salt water.

Or a Tesoro Cibola. Simple and effective.

You didn't give us a price range.
 

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red fox bob

Jr. Member
Feb 23, 2016
93
71
Apollo,Pa
Detector(s) used
XP Deus,Garrett Pro Pointer,Custom Made Sand Scoop,Garrett AT Pinpointer, Whites MX Sport , Eqauinox 800
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Price range 1000 to1500
 

against the wind

Gold Member
Jul 27, 2015
24,797
24,977
Port Allegheny, Pennsylvania
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
E-trac, Excalibur, XP Deus, & CTX 3030.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Well, depending on what kind of hunting you're going to do, I would suggest making sure you get something that will allow you to go in the water. A submersible machine like the CTX 3030 or the AT PRO will give you the luxury of hunting shallow water as well as in the rain. I found the learning curve on the PRO to be relatively easy but the CTX takes a little more time.
 

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red fox bob

Jr. Member
Feb 23, 2016
93
71
Apollo,Pa
Detector(s) used
XP Deus,Garrett Pro Pointer,Custom Made Sand Scoop,Garrett AT Pinpointer, Whites MX Sport , Eqauinox 800
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Does anyone have any thoughts on the XP DUES? The AT PRO was another machine I was thinking about.I don't know if I want to invest $2500 in the CTX3030.If I would make the investment then I would make my V3 my backup.I want to thank all you guys & girls for all the advice I have already received.GH &GL
 

Charlie P. (NY)

Gold Member
Feb 3, 2006
13,004
17,107
South Central Upstate NY in the foothills of the h
Detector(s) used
Minelab Musketeer Advantage Pro w/8" & 10" DD coils/Fisher F75se(Upgraded to LTD2) w/11" DD, 6.5" concentric & 9.5" NEL Sharpshooter DD coils/Sunray FX-1 Probe & F-Point/Black Widows/Rattler headphone
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Price range 1000 to1500

Fisher F75 LTD 2 plus a 6.5" elliptical coil for coin sniping in trashy sites. (I'm a coin shooter).

I've been using that as my primary for 9 years (returned to factory for the upgrade a few years back).
 

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Tpmetal

Silver Member
Jan 4, 2017
4,437
7,560
Western ny
Detector(s) used
equinox 800, Whites mx sport, Garrot carrot, bounty hunter time ranger
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
The whites mx sport is a great machine for the money and well under your budget. I really recommend that you check it out. Water proof, Fresh and salt water abilities, hunts deep, great sorting in trashy areas, backlit screen, up to 20 different tones, battery life is great I got over 30 hours on my first set and still going strong, on top of that whites will make anything right if something goes wrong, the customer service is exemplary.
 

beerguy

Bronze Member
May 6, 2004
1,138
1,174
Camano Island, WA
Detector(s) used
CTX3030,
Many more on a rotating basis.
Park Ranger and Pack Mule pouches by Freeloader!
I have a CTX, Excal, Xterra 705, Garrett 350, and a few others.

I am thinking of getting a Tesoro Vaquero as a unit to keep in my car.
 

Deft Tones

Bronze Member
Mar 24, 2016
1,547
2,352
Hawkeye State - Area 515
Detector(s) used
Whites V3i, XP Deus, Minelab Sovereign GT, Garrett AT Pro, Whites TRX (2), Predator Raven, Predator Raptor, Lesche Sampson
Primary Interest:
Other
You want to, and budget reflects it, so this might shock some, but get the Deus. That's if you insist on new. It will be useful to fill a few gaps left by the V3i.

I would have suggested getting a used Minelab Sov. but see you have the Excal. Pretty good back up right there.

What do you want from a back up that you don't already have in the V3i? That answer will make things easier to identify the unit for your needs.

Perhaps all you really need are a few more coils to round out the V3i a bit more. :dontknow:

Something to think about.
 

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red fox bob

Jr. Member
Feb 23, 2016
93
71
Apollo,Pa
Detector(s) used
XP Deus,Garrett Pro Pointer,Custom Made Sand Scoop,Garrett AT Pinpointer, Whites MX Sport , Eqauinox 800
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I am taking the advise from G.I.B. & Deft Tones, today I made myself a hip mount for my Excal ll to eliminate some of the weight. After thinking about the Excal I really have everything I need right there in that machine.Thanks to those two guys they saved me a bunch of money.Thanks to all who took the time to express their opinions,I weight in on everyone of them.GH , HH , & to all a banner find.
 

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