metal detectors have come a long ways, what and when was your 1st one?

[dirtlooter]

Back in 1976, while stationed at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi Mississippi, I bought a Radio Shack metal detector kit and put it together. During the time that I was there, I found a lot of clad on base. It was a fun machine, a very cheap one at that but if found clad, at least shallow clad. I lost the directions on how to properly tune and adjust it and it finally went to the way side. Later on, I purchased yet another but slightly more expensive kit and used it around the house here in Arkansas.

Then I bought a much better model from radio shack which in turn led me to talking to a man that had an ACE 250 which I really liked. So I got an ACE 250 and found a lot of very good stuff with it. I wanted to do some water hunting and made a waterproof case for it and found my first class ring. That led me to get the AT GOLD, the wife got the 250.

But shoulder problems and other health issues had me wanting something even lighter and so I ended up with the XP Deus. The wife ended up with the AT GOLD and I sold the 250. Was pretty happy with all of that but then got the new HF coil and then set up the LF coil for the wife. We weren't using the AT GOLD anymore and so I got rid of it and got a 600 Nox. So we still have a water machine and it is what I believe to be a upgrade from the AT. The weight difference is crazy better now, as are the batteries. I believe that the options or abilities of the newer machines are mind boggling.

 

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[Tom_in_CA]

A used Whites 66TR, in about 1975 or '76-ish. It was already a few year-old-technology at that point. Which, at the time, anything "a few years old" was a dinosaur. Doh!

 

[mikefromIllinois]

A Frontiersman by Relco in 1972 for my 16th. birthday. Still have it in the closet.

 

[GB1]

A bounty hunter jr. when i was 8 years old

 

[lairmo]

Coinmaster...heavy, heavy, heavy...lol

 

[SusanMN]

About 1981, a Bounty Hunter. It pretty much only found things no more than an inch deep and since metal soda and beer caps were just everywhere, that is pretty much all I dug.

 

[Older The Better]

RadioShack I stole from my dads garage in the early 2000’s

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Some ancient Archer kit from Radio Shack. Christmas present in maybe 1973(?)

Had a square coil with exposed printed metal "winding" (single spiral). Darned thing did work but no discrimination. Had gain and volume as I recall. I actually did find coins and yard oddities with it.

 

[CorgiDoom1881]

My first was a Bounty Hunter Discovery 3000 my grandpa got at a garage sale for $25 when I was about 11. It was enough to get me hooked and I upgraded to an Ace 150, then got an AT Pro after a few years.

 

[teleprospector]

I started using my Dad's surveyor's magnetic locator around 1970 when he took me out on jobs. That led to acquiring various models of radio shack (science fair/micronta). Had a bfo around 1975 or '76 then got into a white's coinmaster.
Here's a link to radio shack models
Radio Shack Metal Detectors by Bounty Hunter
Jon

 

[sprailroad]

Late 80's I think, I bought a used Garrett A3B United States Gold Hunter. Ten turn everything on it, had not a clue, been hooked ever since.

 

[RobNC]

The Radio Shack Micronta 3001 was my first one. After seeing teleprospector's post and the link to vintage detectors, that 3001 is the exact model that first introduced me to metal detecting. I know it had to be 1981 or so. That would have made me around 10 yrs old. So yeah, that's when the madness started. I originally only had a couple places. Our yard and there was an "American Legion Hut" next door. I'd go over there a lot. Found coins, lots of foil, bottlecaps, old rusty iron, etc. I detected every single inch of that ground with that detector. That stem adjustable pole was quite flimsy on the detector. Had a bad habit of going back in the stem. So I eventually taped it to keep it extended. Fiddling with the 3 knobs to get the right adjustment was fun too. You'd get it set just right and then it would "drift" so you had to mess around with it some more. Then we have the battery compartment. hahaha. Eventually my cover holding pieces snapped off. The only way to fix it was.. you guessed it! MORE TAPE! Some really good times with that thing.

 

[GopherDaGold]

I started with a Radio Shack MICRONTA 3001, then a Bounty Hunter Land Star, then a Tesoro Vaquero, then a Teknetics Delta 4000, then another Vaquero because I pawned the first one, then a Garrett AT Pro which should be delivered on Saturday.
I still have the Delta 4000 and the second Vaquero.

 

[eyemustdigtreasure]

My first and still my best is a Tesoro Cibola.
I borrowed one on a Passport In Time project in 2007,
and liked it very much, for the weight and sensitivity -
and, the Discrimination was super...!
Lifetime warranty is largely unheard of in the industry, too...!

 

[sataro]

I started out with a compass detector in 1976. Age has caused me to forget the model but I remember I bought it in Durango Colorado. Had a lot of fun with it. Sold it while living in Okinawa Japan. Late 80’s me & a friend each bought a Whites 2500 detector. Upgraded later to a Fisher 1266x. Then updated to a Whites XLT. This was a great detector that I used for years...I quit hunting in late 90’s or early 2000. Came back to the hobby in 2017. In the last 2 1/2 years I have tried out mumerous detectors. Currently using an XP Deus...

 

[fistfulladirt]

Jetco Mustang about 1972-73.
Coin had to be visible on top of ground to find it.

 

[xr7ator]

Told my dad I wanted a metal detector for Christmas when I was in grade school in the mid 70's. He bought a radio shack kit that I built. It would detect a can way before you got anywhere near it. To find a coin it had to be very shallow. I gave up. The machine ended up getting flood damage and I threw it away.
Mid 80's I was out of the house and living with my girlfriend and had a decent job. Bought a used Garrett master hunter 7 from Hunter Pritchard. He lived up above Boulder. I spent several hours talking with him listening to his success as a true treasure hunter. He showed me lots of finds as well and had stuff all over the walls, etc. He had me stoked and I used that machine for years with good success on finding older coins which is what excited me about the hobby.
Life got in the way, new career, etc and I barely ever went tectin any more.
In 2009 a sweet spot opened up and I went out there with my dinosaur of a machine and was finding stuff. One Saturday, early in the action, there were over 200 detectorists working the area. many of them razzed me about my old machine but then I'd find a goodie and they'd shut up. The old thing uses 6 9 volt batteries or 4 9V chargeables that would work for about 4 hours and then need 16 hours charging. I decided I needed to upgrade and liked the idea of waterproof and being a Garret fan, bought the AT pro. Found five gold rings 5 days after I bought it which were worth more than the cost of the machine in gold melt. I was hooked again!
My sig shows all my machines except I just bought an EQ800. (and a whites 6000di that i bought in the 80's and hated it but it's still laying around collecting dust)

 

[smokeythecat]

One of the old White's 6000 series back about 1986, then a Tesoro big box one, El Dorado maybe, then a Tesoro Lobo, the old one. Both Tesoros were beasts!

 

[dirtlooter]

I showed my old friend that used to detect back in the 60s and early 70s my Deus. He held it and asked, "Will it find anything? There is nothing there. How long will it work without a battery pack?" He shook his head and told me that you really had to want to detect back then. Also said that chewing gum wrappers, foil and pull rings used to drive him nuts. I told him that they still do LOL. He told me about having to use harnesses etc, he is a little scrawny guy. Then I showed him the Nox and he told me that we were spoiled rotten now

 

[moreb]

My Grandpa thought we should have one in the late 60's. It was a Jetco. We ordered it out of Popular Mechanics. Less than $20.00 Either $9.99 or $19.99 can't remember for sure we dug every thing but coins or valuable stuff! Then I bought a A.H. Pro in 1975 ...WOW it could find some coins! Used it till 1977 then I got a Garrett Ground Hog. A whole lot of machines later and now a CTX3030.