need some advice

[mad.co.walker]

I am thinking about purchasing a metal detector. Ive never owned one or used one. Could someone please advise me on a brand that is dependable for a novice like myself. Thanks. STEVE.

 

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[Keppy]

I am thinking about purchasing a metal detector. Ive never owned one or used one. Could someone please advise me on a brand that is dependable for a novice like myself. Thanks. STEVE.

The one i would look at would be the Minelab Sovereign....... .. best beach detector there is and i have used one inland and to me one of the best inland detectors also .......... good for parks old home sites ect......... it is as deep as any detector out there easy learning curve........... don't have to be a ........electrontics engineer........ or geek.............And it will not take a year to learn it..... Of course i think all this big learning curve everyone talks about............And to me is overly exaggerated.............. just scares a lot of new ones from the detector they might want to buy......... The Sovereign is .....deep ... easy to learn...and a all around good detector... The only thing is it is heavy but so is the Explorers and Garrett GTI2500 so that is not a hold back to me....

 

[mad.co.walker]

I am thinking about purchasing a metal detector. Ive never owned one or used one. Could someone please advise me on a brand that is dependable for a novice like myself. Thanks. STEVE.

The one i would look at would be the Minelab Sovereign....... .. best beach detector there is and i have used one inland and to me one of the best inland detectors also .......... good for parks old home sites ect......... it is as deep as any detector out there easy learning curve........... don't have to be a ........electrontics engineer........ or geek.............And it will not take a year to learn it..... Of course i think all this big learning curve everyone talks about............And to me is overly exaggerated.............. just scares a lot of new ones from the detector they might want to buy......... The Sovereign is .....deep ... easy to learn...and a all around good detector... The only thing is it is heavy but so is the Explorers and Garrett GTI2500 so that is not a hold back to me.... I am 70 years of age now and can still swing that Sovereign for 3 or 4 hours a day.....

thank you and where is a good place to purchase one. i do alot of artifact hunting and have come across a few coins and i know theres more out there. are these brands expensive ?

 

[LM]

If you've never done it before, I'd suggest not starting out too big, before really being certain that your interest in the hobby will take, lest you wind up with a machine that you lose money on after it collects dust in a closet for a year and is eventually sold on craigslist.

I'm not a MD Guru, but I do know a great entry level machine is the Tesoro Compadre. I'm actually in the process of buying a second one to keep as a backup at home in FL. They are *dead simple* to use, have a lifetime warranty (which speaks to the fact that they're reliable as anvils), cost about $150 shipped and on small gold, perform as good as pretty much any machine, regardless of price.

If you buy one and decide that MD'ing is for you, you can step up to whatever you want, but really, you will still find find yourself using that simple and ultralight Tesoro, even when you own more expensive machines.

I liken my Compadre to this old Stevens 12 gauge side by side shotgun I had.
I owned a lot of other shotguns, including a couple over/unders that were pretty spendy, but when I found myself heading out into the woods to bust a few birds, I always seemed to grab that thing. Wasn't the most 'impressive' machine I owned, but it was the one I wound up using an awful lot.

 

[mad.co.walker]

If you've never done it before, I'd suggest not starting out too big, before really being certain that your interest in the hobby will take, lest you wind up with a machine that you lose money on after it collects dust in a closet for a year and is eventually sold on craigslist.

I'm not a MD Guru, but I do know a great entry level machine is the Tesoro Compadre. I'm actually in the process of buying a second one to keep as a backup at home in FL. They are *dead simple* to use, have a lifetime warranty (which speaks to the fact that they're reliable as anvils), cost about $150 shipped and on small gold, perform as good as pretty much any machine, regardless of price.

If you buy one and decide that MD'ing is for you, you can step up to whatever you want, but really, you will still find find yourself using that simple and ultralight Tesoro, even when you own more expensive machines.

I liken my Compadre to this old Stevens 12 gauge side by side shotgun I had.
I owned a lot of other shotguns, including a couple over/unders that were pretty spendy, but when I found myself heading out into the woods to bust a few birds, I always seemed to grab that thing. Wasn't the most 'impressive' machine I owned, but it was the one I wound up using an awful lot.

thank you sir and what about the WHITE BRANDS of detectors? are they worth the money?

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

All the major brands make excellent detectors. Detectors are like golf clubs, different one for different situtations.....

I favor Minelab, but I also own a Whites and a Fisher....I would suggest you check the for sale board here first and see what is available used from some respected members....You can save a lot of money, it is like driving a car off the lot, you lose value once it leaves the lot, on a good used detector you will lose very little if you decide the hobby is not for you.....Also easier to sell a good detector then a cheap detector....

Decide what your main interest will be and go from there.......

 

[treasurehound]

All the major brands make excellent detectors. Detectors are like golf clubs, different one for different situtations.....

I favor Minelab, but I also own a Whites and a Fisher....I would suggest you check the for sale board here first and see what is available used from some respected members....You can save a lot of money, it is like driving a car off the lot, you lose value once it leaves the lot, on a good used detector you will lose very little if you decide the hobby is not for you.....Also easier to sell a good detector then a cheap detector....

Decide what your main interest will be and go from there.......

Great advice. When asking what is the best machine for you is like asking what is the best car to buy. There are many styles of hunting. Some people like hunting beaches while others may like relic hunting. And others may like hunting parks for coins and jewelry. There are machines that work well for all types of hunting but then again there are machines that do better on beaches and some that are better for relics. Before you make your first purchase you should decide on how you are going to use it and what is your budget. Like they said before most brands have great machines. It really is like cars. Some people like Fords over Chevys. With metal detectors some like Whites over Minelabs and some like Fisher or Garrett. I know a lot of people recommend the Garrett Ace 250 as a starting machine. A couple suggestions would be to see if there is a local club in your area or any dealers that can show you machines. It may be to your advantage to start out with a less complicated machine and learn it and work you way up to a better machine. What ever you decide welcome to this great hobby.

 

[Willee]

Steve, my best advise to you is .... buy a used American made detector regardless what brand it is.
Buy it from someone that is well known here on the internet forums.

If you do this you can recover most if not all your investment if you prefer something else.
People are buying and selling detectors all the time trying them out to see what they prefer.

Also remember that a metal detector is unlike modt other hobbies in that every time you take it out and use it money is put back into your pocket.
It is not uncommon for people that hunt beaches to recover that investment in a few weeks time.
Any serious coin hunter should recover it in a year or two.

 

[CrazyBones]

I purchased my MD a year ago and although I haven't used it a ton, I have enjoyed my X-Terra 305. It's simple to use, light and it wasn't a huge investment to purchase.

If you have any local stores who carry MD's, I would recommend scouting them out and seeing if they can give you some demos.

 

[TerryC]

Please buy American. From a Tnet sponsor? Also, for the good of Tnet, will you consider becoming a charter member? ($20/yr) TTC

 

[Smudge]

Buying a common American name is a good idea. If you're looking for a good entry level detector, I'd recommend the following:

Tesoro Compadre ($150) (still my personal favorite)

Minelab X-Terra 305 ($400)

Garrett Ace 350 ($300) (a bit of an improvement over the 250 with easier pinpointing)

Teknetics Delta 4000 ($280)

Willie gives a lot of good advice, but I am personally a bit nervvous about buying used when you have no experience with detectors. Might want to consider new if you're just starting out and not sinking a ton of cash into it at first.

The other investment you want to make is in a pinpointer. I like the Garrett at $130. A good pinpointer will make your life lots easier!

 

[Cass]

Steve, whatever detector you decide on, first go to Tesoro Electronics website and order their Metal Detector Information (MDI) book. It will answer just about every question you will have about detectors and detecting. Read it , and when you are done , read it again. It is interesting and won't take long and you will be glad you did. Then you will have a much better idea about how to go about getting into detecting and what it will take to do right by yourself and make sure you keep any bad decisions to a minimum.You got some good advice from these folks so make sure you use it to your advantage. Lot's of folks get in a fired up rush and spend big money on a machine that is hyped to the max and nothing like what they really need. Buy used only if you can get a good deal on what you have decided on,check the Co. Warranty and Rep. for backing it up. Tesoro does have the best Warrantee that does cover most all 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc. owners, That is Fact! Most of all talk to others that detect in your area and see what works for them. Learn some about mineralized dirt. Your's may be mineralized and will be cause for some machines to be better in your area than others. Find out before you buy one that doesn't work for you. Good Luck, and HH Cass

 

[mad.co.walker]

thanks to all who have advised me and i will look into the forum site first. anyone out there has one they want to sell post or email me. thanks for your advice. and i will buy AMERICAN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[mad.co.walker]

Please buy American. From a Tnet sponsor? Also, for the good of Tnet, will you consider becoming a charter member? ($20/yr) TTC

I will become a member once i i get my detector and figure out what the heck im doing. !!!!!!!! really enjoy looking at all the stuff you pros are finding. take care and HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM MADISON COUNTY ILLINOIS !!!!!!!!!