Need some advice

[SouthernEMT]

Hey everyone, I am very new at this and I'm looking to purchase my first MD sometime in the near future. The thing is I have no idea what I need to be looking for in one. I live by the ocean and I believe beaches will be my primary "hunting grounds", I also do some diving so I would like something that would work both on the beach and underwater. My second concern is money, I don't want to break the bank with my first MD but I also want it to last for a couple of years. If anyone can help me out I would truly appreciate it.

 

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[zenman]

I was asking same question. Most replied Garrett infinium ls or minelab ctx 3030. Garrett alot cheaper, can go to 200feet depth in water, ctx I'd state of art but $$$$ and only 10 feet depth in water.

 

[Mzjavert]

For the quality, price, and lifetime warranty you really can't beat Tesoro. I've never used my Sidewinder in salt water, but have used it on ocean beaches and had good luck. Even found a needle and syringe on a California beach. The needle was an insulin needle so it was tiny, tiny, tiny and I got a good signal on it. Anyway you should be very happy with a Sand Shark or Tiger Shark.

 

[U.K. Brian]

Never seen such bad advice before. You really need to see whats being used in your area, or rather see whats being used sucessfully. Is there a local club ? Even then don't take it as gospel that they are using the best.

All metal detectors should last for years unless you go for the unknown name cheapies on E-Bay so you should consider secondhand though its best to see what your getting. A pre owned in good condition will allow you to keep up with the competition your going to find on any beach nowdays. With the CTX your not buying state of the art your buying a new detector that will have the niggles worked out in time and paying a premium for the fact its the new kid on the block and has bells and whistles that don't add anything to the performance.

Though I prefer pulse machines for the beach and a FEW other sites they are the last thing I would recommend to someone starting out. If you take the twin or multifrequency route you at least know you will be able to detect anywhere and you may find inland sites you would want to work in the future which would not be very pleasent with any pulse machine, even those that claim a degree of discrimination.

It would be easy to suggest a detector if you didn't want to dive but as you do your going to be very limited as to choice. Minelab Excaliber, Fisher CZ 20 or 21 or Whites Beach Hunter ID. Then as most U/W detectors have the coil hardwired on you would have to decide to opt for a larger or smaller coil. Weight is always more than with the average non waterproof detector so that has to be considered but you can't just read the weights off a dealers site and go for the lightest as balance is just as important. You see why its best to try before you buy.
The other option is to go for a cheap but waterproof P.I. secondhand and get a VLF detector for dry sand and land use. You should be able to get both for about a quarter of the price of a CTX. The land detector will enable you to use the best headphones (underwater ones are never as good) and purchase larger or smaller coils when you need them. Repairs for a land machine are always cheaper (no seals to replace), the detector will be lighter so you will be able to detect longer and in most cases you will be able to detect faster allowing more finds to be made in a set time.

Best of luck

 

[gleaner1]

If you are going to do diving detecting, you need a deep bullet-proof water-proof machine. Get your big fat wallet out to the tune of 1200 beans minimum. The last machine you want for your first machine is a big fat expensive water machine.

 

[SouthernEMT]

Okay so if I opt not to take it diving, are there MDs that I can use both in the surf on the beach and over dry land?

 

[Sandman]

Okay so if I opt not to take it diving, are there MDs that I can use both in the surf on the beach and over dry land?

The thing is detectors that can be used in the surf should be multi frequencies or Pulse MD's to be stable in the salt and black sand envirement. If you just hunted the dry sand you could use any MD. Doing the wet sand most land detectors are unstable and to use them most need to be reduced in sensitivity so much they only go couple inches deep. The Garrett AT Pro is as close as you can get to something useful. It can be used in the water up to ten feet ( they say). It has a meter but beach hunters dig everything anyway. I don't consider the AT Pro a good saltwater detector and use the higher priced CZ20/21 or Excal as I dive too. Pulse detectors are very deep but after digging hairpins at almost two feet, you get tired quickly.