best budget detector

gleaner1

Silver Member
Feb 1, 2009
4,495
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Gateway to the 1000 Islands
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Sometime(s)
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Wet salt beaches can be tricky and may need a mid to upper level machine to do good. If you are looking at fresh water, there are many good budget machines, but it wont really matter, just learn the machine you get. Decide if you want to upgrade after one year. If you are totally new to the game, find a good experienced detectorist to show you the ropes, this is the most important thing.
 

Sandman

Gold Member
Aug 6, 2005
13,398
3,992
In Michigan now.
Detector(s) used
Excal 1000, Excal II, Sovereign GT, CZ-20, Tiger Shark, Tejon, GTI 1500, Surfmaster Pulse, CZ6a, DFX, AT PRO, Fisher 1235, Surf PI Pro, 1280-X, many more because I enjoy learning them. New Garrett Ca
Primary Interest:
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A strong magnet is about the cheapest. As for detectors, you get what you pay for. More expensive ones are suited for more different locations and have more features just like options on cars. Beach detectors call for special units because of the saltwater and black sand. If you are only going to play in the dry sand about any land unit will work. The lower level detectors from Garrett, Whites, Tesoro and Minelab will bring you lots of fun while not spending an arm & a leg.
 

Treasure_Hunter

Administrator
Staff member
Jul 27, 2006
48,457
54,893
Florida
Detector(s) used
Minelab_Equinox_ 800 Minelab_CTX-3030 Minelab_Excal_1000 Minelab_Sovereign_GT Minelab_Safari Minelab_ETrac Whites_Beach_Hunter_ID Fisher_1235_X
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
andrew96 said:
What do you think is the best one for relics, and coins, but also, beachs, and gold?

Detectors are like golf clubs different ones for different circumstances...Land and salt water beaches totally different...Buy a detector for the style you will do most of your detecting at.

Good luck and Welcome to TreasureNet.. :hello:
 

Iron Patch

Gold Member
Sep 28, 2007
19,254
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Dirtyville
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Deus
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Most detectors priced for starting out will do all those things well enough to get you going. Deciding where you will be spending most of your time might help a little in choosing.

Also, a budget can mean $150 or $500, quite a difference.
 

sqwaby

Sr. Member
Apr 13, 2008
359
10
What ever you get be sure its easy to use, and use it, learn it. Get a ace 250 or a tesoro siler umax, or equivlent(turn on and go). Either one will do what you want, if on a salt beach you'll neeed to cut the sens way down, but they will work.
 

Woodland Detectors

Gold Member
Nov 23, 2008
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I'm telling you, a Tesoro Compadre keeps amazing me for under 200.00.

I had left my small coil for my etrac one day and had gotten into a trashy situation where the big coil wasn't cutting it.
It just so happened I had a Tesoro Compadre in the truck from a recent dig with the kids.
The coil comes with a round 4inch coil perfect for trash and debris lots.

I turned the compadre on and began plucking old coins , buttons and relics left and right...

This machine has more depth than what you can imagine....To this day, I continue to tote the compadre around and occasionally use it when my arm is tired from swinging the big coil/detector all day.

Once again, the Tesoro family come with a lifetime warranty so, when you ask about bargain....I have to point you to the Compadre
 

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andrew96

Jr. Member
Feb 7, 2010
30
2
Iron Patch said:
Most detectors priced for starting out will do all those things well enough to get you going. Deciding where you will be spending most of your time might help a little in choosing.

Also, a budget can mean $150 or $500, quite a difference.

I don't know, what is the point of diminishing return(the point in which, spending more, will not get you as much as it did before) on detectors.
 

John (Ma)

Silver Member
Jul 12, 2007
3,637
8
Western Massachusetts
Detector(s) used
Minelab Excal 1000, Tesoro Silver Umax, Tiger Shark and Whites MXT.
The Silver Umax is an excellent all around detector at a budget price. This detector is underated and fully capable of what ever you throw at it.
 

Iron Patch

Gold Member
Sep 28, 2007
19,254
8,730
Dirtyville
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3
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Deus
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All Treasure Hunting
andrew96 said:
Iron Patch said:
Most detectors priced for starting out will do all those things well enough to get you going. Deciding where you will be spending most of your time might help a little in choosing.

Also, a budget can mean $150 or $500, quite a difference.

I don't know, what is the point of diminishing return(the point in which, spending more, will not get you as much as it did before) on detectors.


I don't know, guess it's where you hunt, how you hunt, what you find, and what you want to believe. I'm certainly well ahead of the game with my explorers.
 

TXPIRATE

Sr. Member
Aug 21, 2003
353
106
S.E. TEXAS
Detector(s) used
" Bounty Hunter IV Tracker
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Under $200 the compadre. under 250 Tesoro silver sabre.
 

JohnnieWalker

Sr. Member
Nov 30, 2009
260
11
Zebulon NC
Detector(s) used
Minelab Safari Teknetics T2
andrew96 said:
What do you think is the best one for relics, and coins, but also, beachs, and gold?

When you say beaches, I assume you mean ocean beaches (salt water wet sand).
When you say gold, I assume you mean nugget hunting.

I would go with a used Minelab X-terra 70 as it will do all those with ease but a 18khz coil would need to go with it for the nugget hunting.

I am going relic hunting with a friend today who has the X-terra 70 as a matter a fact, it is an awesome detector.
 

Woodland Detectors

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Nov 23, 2008
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JohnnieWalker said:
andrew96 said:
What do you think is the best one for relics, and coins, but also, beachs, and gold?

When you say beaches, I assume you mean ocean beaches (salt water wet sand).
When you say gold, I assume you mean nugget hunting.

I would go with a used Minelab X-terra 70 as it will do all those with ease but a 18khz coil would need to go with it for the nugget hunting.

I am going relic hunting with a friend today who has the X-terra 70 as a matter a fact, it is an awesome detector.
Ooooh good choice!


This is the most popular detector for Law enforcement I sell in NC
 

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