Good well rounded detector

Skiddum

Sr. Member
Jan 29, 2015
264
128
Utah
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Hey all. my mom is looking into getting into some prospecting and stuff. she wants to get a metal detector and go out and hunt with me. But not just for gold. she lives in GA and wants to be able to find gold pickers and jewelry, coins to old war buttons. just whatever is there. now obviously if she gets a high dollar 1 it'll do the job. but anyway we where thinking the AT PRO.
so I wanna hear what you guys think and what your suggestions are. Obviously if she went the ATX it wouldn't matter but she's new to this and wants something to start out with and learn what she's doing. I think the at pro or the AT GOLD would be a great starter unit. anyways I leave the floor to you
 

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Shunkaha

Sr. Member
Apr 2, 2013
305
192
Helena, Montana
Detector(s) used
Xterra 705 Gold Pack, Garrett pro pointer
Primary Interest:
Other
If she is going to be doing any fresh water hunting then the AT pro or Gold is probably the way to go. If she is not planning on getting into the water.... I like the Minelab X-terra 705 better only because you have the option to buy other coils (3 different frequencies) to tailor to your detecting needs.
 

Fletch88

Silver Member
Mar 7, 2013
4,841
2,367
Valdosta, GA
Detector(s) used
Garrett ATPro- 8.5x11, 5x8, CORS Fotune 5.5x9.5
Tesoro Silver microMax- 8 donut, 8x11 RSD, 3x18 Cleansweep
Minelab Excalibur ll- 10" Tornado
Minelab CTX 3030
Minelab Xterra 305
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
ATGold, F-19, G2, Gold bug Pro, Xterra 705 are 5 newer machines that would be good choices. Unless your mom is a body builder, I wouldn't consider the ATX. Plus it is a PI machine with some ability to reject iron but nothing like a good VLF machine.
 

dieselram94

Gold Member
Jun 17, 2011
9,174
6,675
Mid Coast Maine
Detector(s) used
Xterra 705, Tesoro Sand Shark, Garrett Pro Pointer (mine). Fisher F2 my son's
Primary Interest:
Beach & Shallow Water Hunting
X-terra 705, she won't outgrow it in a year...


Sent from a empty soda can!
 

bigfoot1

Silver Member
Nov 1, 2011
3,765
3,399
so.cal.mtns.
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
garrett,minelab,fisher,,,atp current weapon of choice
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
at pro is easy learning curve,good all around,lightweight,several coil options,mid priced.While not the highest end it is very capable and versatile.Also easy to sell if hobby does not work out and waterproof(great when it rains too)the 5x8 dd makes it even lighter and works very well.

a lessor investment would be the fisher f2.very light,surprisingly capable,several coil options and super easy to learn and use.My wife has one,I have used it and really was pretty impressed.

weight is important for many.If its just not fun to hunt with the hobby has a limited future.Also,many new folks would like to turn on and go.Both these detectors fill those bills(at pro in std.mode)
 

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cudamark

Gold Member
Top Banner Poster
Mar 16, 2011
13,223
14,551
San Diego
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
3
Detector(s) used
XP Deus 2, Equinox 800/900, Fisher Impulse AQ, E-Trac, 3 Excal 1000's, White's TM808, VibraProbe, 15" NEL Attack, Mi6, Steath 920ix and 720i scoops, TRX, etc....
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Hey all. my mom is looking into getting into some prospecting and stuff. she wants to get a metal detector and go out and hunt with me. But not just for gold. she lives in GA and wants to be able to find gold pickers and jewelry, coins to old war buttons. just whatever is there. now obviously if she gets a high dollar 1 it'll do the job. but anyway we where thinking the AT PRO.
so I wanna hear what you guys think and what your suggestions are. Obviously if she went the ATX it wouldn't matter but she's new to this and wants something to start out with and learn what she's doing. I think the at pro or the AT GOLD would be a great starter unit. anyways I leave the floor to you
The AT Pro isn't going to find any small pickers. I don't know what your budget is, but, I'd get two detectors. On the low priced end, I'd get a Gold Bug for the nuggets, and an all around machine, like the AT Pro/Gold, Xterra's, F5. MXT Pro, etc, for the jewelry, coins, and relics. Moving higher on the price list, the Minelab PI detectors and the ATX are a big step up for deeper gold, and the higher end all around detectors, such as the E-trac, CTX, V3i, F75, Deus, etc, are more versatile and adjustable over the lower priced machines.
 

OP
OP
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Skiddum

Sr. Member
Jan 29, 2015
264
128
Utah
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
K so she wants to he Able to just go put treasure hunting or when we go out prospecting she can run the rivers with me and just tell me where to dig to find gold. she also wants to hunt the beaches so salt water is an issue.
Any suggestions. allot if people have been saying the exterra.
 

Charlie P. (NY)

Gold Member
Feb 3, 2006
13,004
17,108
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'm hearing very good things about the Fisher F-19. It's about equal to the Teknetics G2; though the G2 is more special purpose for gold. Fishers usually cater very well to gold prospecting and are good general purpose coin/jewelry detectors.

The F-75 is a great detector but a bit more to learn (I think - haven't played with a F-19 in person) and the F-19 is substantially less.
 

dirtscratcher

Bronze Member
Mar 18, 2009
1,877
1,350
Columbia falls Montana
Detector(s) used
Minelab Sov GT Explorer XS Tesoro Vaq t2se x705
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
One of my hunting buddies has a gold bug pro and it finds coins right with explorers and a etrac. I think it's part him being a very good with it but it is also quite the detector.
 

OP
OP
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Skiddum

Sr. Member
Jan 29, 2015
264
128
Utah
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I talked to Kelly Co and I told them what she needs he suggested the gold.bug pro said it's can find gold and is great for treasure hunting. not super expensive either looks like a great detector
 

OP
OP
S

Skiddum

Sr. Member
Jan 29, 2015
264
128
Utah
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
thanks for all the help everyone I'll let ya know how it turns out
 

cudamark

Gold Member
Top Banner Poster
Mar 16, 2011
13,223
14,551
San Diego
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
3
Detector(s) used
XP Deus 2, Equinox 800/900, Fisher Impulse AQ, E-Trac, 3 Excal 1000's, White's TM808, VibraProbe, 15" NEL Attack, Mi6, Steath 920ix and 720i scoops, TRX, etc....
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I talked to Kelly Co and I told them what she needs he suggested the gold.bug pro said it's can find gold and is great for treasure hunting. not super expensive either looks like a great detector
The Gold Bug Pro isn't as good with small nuggets as the Gold Bug or Gold Bug 2. The Pro would be better with coins and grass hunting however. They tried to make the Gold Bug Pro into an all around machine but there are trade-offs when you do that. Detectors made for specific purposes usually work a lot better for that purpose than a "do-it-all" machine.
 

OP
OP
S

Skiddum

Sr. Member
Jan 29, 2015
264
128
Utah
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Yeah but that's what my mom wants a good machine she can start with. you think the gold bug pro would be a good machine to start with?
 

Fletch88

Silver Member
Mar 7, 2013
4,841
2,367
Valdosta, GA
Detector(s) used
Garrett ATPro- 8.5x11, 5x8, CORS Fotune 5.5x9.5
Tesoro Silver microMax- 8 donut, 8x11 RSD, 3x18 Cleansweep
Minelab Excalibur ll- 10" Tornado
Minelab CTX 3030
Minelab Xterra 305
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting

Higgy

Bronze Member
Jul 21, 2014
1,415
1,264
NH
Detector(s) used
Xp Deus, Tesoro Tiger Shark, Garrett AT Pro, Garrett Pro-Pointer
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Suggestion: Get your mom a membership here.
 

cudamark

Gold Member
Top Banner Poster
Mar 16, 2011
13,223
14,551
San Diego
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
3
Detector(s) used
XP Deus 2, Equinox 800/900, Fisher Impulse AQ, E-Trac, 3 Excal 1000's, White's TM808, VibraProbe, 15" NEL Attack, Mi6, Steath 920ix and 720i scoops, TRX, etc....
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Yeah but that's what my mom wants a good machine she can start with. you think the gold bug pro would be a good machine to start with?
Probably as good as any. Just don't expect too much in the wet sand at a salt water beach.
 

MJH1971

Newbie
Mar 24, 2015
2
1
Warwick, Rhode Island
Detector(s) used
Garrett Ace 350
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Hi everybody. I'm very new to this, and this is my 1st day on the site. I'm just curious, because I didn't see mine mentioned. I picked up a Garrett Ace 350. I'm in Rhode Island and very eager to get started. Is my machine primitive compared to everybody else's? I'm just learning, and I'm hoping that's good enough to get me started. I'm looking forward to learning to use my new detector and learning from all of you. Happy hunting from Rhode Island.
 

Johnnoh

Sr. Member
Aug 30, 2008
302
120
RI
Detector(s) used
CTX, EQ-600
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Hi everybody. I'm very new to this, and this is my 1st day on the site. I'm just curious, because I didn't see mine mentioned. I picked up a Garrett Ace 350. I'm in Rhode Island and very eager to get started. Is my machine primitive compared to everybody else's? I'm just learning, and I'm hoping that's good enough to get me started. I'm looking forward to learning to use my new detector and learning from all of you. Happy hunting from Rhode Island.

Greetings from Cranston and welcome to Tnet! The ground is still frozen but I can't wait to get out an detect. I've been to the beach 2x this year and got two Mercs so I guess I'm off to a good start.

You've got a great machine to start with. I had a Bounty Hunter Pioneer 505 and after I got hooked, picked up my first White's machine - an M6. I mostly hunt with my V3i now. Give me a shout if you need any help - I've been metal detecting for about 5 years now. GL & HH!

Jon
 

here4themoney

Jr. Member
Mar 3, 2015
98
190
SE Michigan
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Garret AT Gold - White's Prizm IV - BountyHunter Quick Draw II - BountyHunter Pioneer 101 - Compass Judge
Garrett Pro Pointer - Gold Pans and Sluices
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Hi everybody. I'm very new to this, and this is my 1st day on the site. I'm just curious, because I didn't see mine mentioned. I picked up a Garrett Ace 350. I'm in Rhode Island and very eager to get started. Is my machine primitive compared to everybody else's? I'm just learning, and I'm hoping that's good enough to get me started. I'm looking forward to learning to use my new detector and learning from all of you. Happy hunting from Rhode Island.

Hi welcome .. The Ace 350 is a great machine to start off with, it's better than my first 3 machines. Use that for awhile and in the future if you really like this you will wanna upgrade, probably to an AT pro/gold and then you will still have the 350 as a nice backup/buddy machine.

OP , I was gonna suggest the AT gold for your mom until you mentioned salt water beaches. The AT gold doesent do well in salt water.. Good luck , hope you find a good all around machine for mom.
 

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