good beginner detector?

[nuclearwhiskey]

I'm 100% green to metal detecting and was wondering if some of you guys wanted to post up models that you liked. You know, the good the bad and the ugly. Keep in mind I know nothing about detecting so a beginners model, if such a thing exists, would be ideal.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

A History of Mining on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska - Grab it through Amazon!

[heymirth]

Ace250 or ace350. I bought a used ace350 and in 4 times using it, I can dig coin after coin easily by sound. Perfect for the beginner. I was in your shoes last summer

 

[adamBomb]

Where do you plan to detect? Do you need it to be waterproof? What are you trying to find?

for example, if you are trying to detect streams/lakes none of the detectors mentioned so far would work...so give us some more info.

 

[Loco-Digger]

I see on Craigslist that there is a Garrett 400 for a great price $255 (Brighton NY) almost $90 less than a new one. It gives you VDI numbers that the Ace 250 nor 350 provide. All manufacturers have good entry level, mid level and advanced )high end) detectors. I recommend you watch some videos or go to a Metal Detector store and touch them, get the feeling of them, their weight and balance. Listen to their tones. I'm not much for the Garrett sound, but they are a great brand.

 

[sugarcreek]

I have been very impressed with my Vaquero.

 

[Kwillie]

My tecknetics D 4000 is super light, one 9 volt battery great for discrimination and coin shooting.

 

[kcm]

EDIT: Based on a recent inquiry who had a $400 budget:

Depends on a number of things. First, what are you going to be looking for? In the Dallas area, I'd say probably coins and jewelry mostly. However, you might want to travel and look for relics? Nuggets? There are no beaches near Dallas, so am assuming you want a dry-land unit for now. Does it need to be water resistant or will you not be out in the rain? If in the rain on occasion, will a rain cover be sufficient for you?

Next question is, what kind of person are you? Some people here like the new-fangled detectors with digital displays, multi-tones or both. I happen to be an old fart who likes to keep things simple, so I have a Tesoro with no display and single tone.

A VERY AWESOME detector just slightly above your price range would be the Tesoro Vaquero. This is a legendary detector with a VERY long history!! You might want to try a Fisher F44 @ $350. This one you can hunt in the rain all day long without worry - just don't drop it into a water hole. Oh, Tesoro machines have a lifetime warranty. Some other machines have very good warranties also.

There are many others, but in the end only you can make the best choice - all we can do is offer possible suggestions.

Regardless of which detector you go with, do not expect to be able to turn it on and be proficient from the get-go. It will take many hours of use before you really start to reach the potential for your machine.

Happy Hunting!


PS - Don't forget to consider the possibility of a used machine. You can often find good machines with little wear for MUCH less than retail, often due to the owner wanting to upgrade. The downside is there may be no warranty.


....Had to look up this recent post. Think I'll save it for future use.

 

[bowwinkles]

Western NY I see as your location. The first consideration would be to know the soil types that you are going to be operating in. If your soil tends to run on the sweet side then most of the entry level machines will do. If by chance that the soil is medium to bad then you need to look for something that has ground balancing. My choice for most areas is the Land Ranger Pro. Good luck on your adventure.

 

[Terry Soloman]

These are all Entry Level Machines - Good Luck!

 

[Scott2373]

Welcome from Williamson! Originally from Rochester. Where in WNY are you? I too am brand new to the hobby and researched detectors for quite a while before deciding on the Whites Treasure Pro. It's a pretty basic machine with some advanced features and it has room to grow into. Talk to me if you decide to go this route and I'll hook you up with a great dealer and forum sponsor!

 

[enamel7]

I suggest just go back thru the forum and read. This question is asked at least once a week and the answers will be the same. Everyone likes the detector they have.

 

[kcm]

I suggest just go back thru the forum and read. This question is asked at least once a week and the answers will be the same. Everyone likes the detector they have.

AT LEAST!!

 

[DeepseekerADS]

Entry level detectors will be beep & dig. They work, and some of them work really well. But the limitation is that they are beep & dig.

There's a great deal of available science to be had in this hobby. It all depends on where you wish to go in the future.

You can get into some very good ground balancing detectors. There's a world of difference between the ground balancing and beep & dig detectors. If your long term goal is to get very serious in the hobby, get a ground balancing detector. If you're just looking for a new hobby, go with the beep & dig = the Ace series from Garrett. If you're looking to get serious, there's some learning you'll have to do with ground balancing detectors - there's intelligence in the sound you hear, not just a "Beep". There are quality detectors available from several manufacturers for equal or less than a regular entry level detector. As this thread continues and you decide how serious you are about the hobby, there will be numerous recommendations to come.

Just know that if you choose a serious machine, it'll take you a bit more time to "learn the language' it speaks. And that language tells you secrets!

 

[Loco-Digger]

I am a big fan of the DD coil. Many detectors now come with them as an option. The coil you choose will have a big impact on how one hunts, if you want to grid an area.

 

[CoilToTheSoil]

To go cheap while still retaining features. Eurotek pro with the dd coil.
If money is less of an option your choices open up more and more as your budget increases.

 

[Garrett424]

I'm 100% green to metal detecting and was wondering if some of you guys wanted to post up models that you liked. You know, the good the bad and the ugly. Keep in mind I know nothing about detecting so a beginners model, if such a thing exists, would be ideal.

As stated above, the question is asked all the time and everyone here has an opinion based on their own experience and preferences.

I started off with a cheap Bounty Hunter Tracker IV from Craigslist. That's a basic beep and dig beginner machine that does what it's designed to do. I outgrew that one in a matter of weeks and have long since moved on. Now I'm a Teknetics guy. I started with the Teknetics Delta 4000 (which I LOVE) and upgraded to the Omega 8000 (which I LOVE even more). These two units were truly game changers for me and kicked me into a whole new level of hunting. I got both of them used at ridiculously great prices.

I definitely recommend taking a good look at the Teknetics machines because they're all good. But, if I was starting out and had a fairly decent budget, I would also take a serious look at the Bounty Hunter Land Ranger Pro. I've never used one but I've heard many great things about it. Bounty Hunter and Teknetics are made by the same people and the pro series BH units have a very similar platform as the Teknetics machines. For the money the Land Ranger Pro is definitely loaded with features and comes with a DD coil stock.

If your budget isn't limited you may just want to go all in and look at a high end unit like the Teknetics T2 Classic. That's a classic that comes highly recommended and was recently reissued at a new lower price of around 500 bucks.

It really depends on how serious you are about this hobby and what you intend to do. Keep in mind that if you plan on hunting salt water beaches you'll want a machine that's designed to hunt salt water beaches and the ones I mention are NOT salt water machines. They're great in the dry sand but not so great in the wet sand. With fresh water they're just fine but salt water is highly mineralized and that changes everything.

If you intend to hunt once in a while on mostly dry land then you probably won't want to break the bank. If you intend to do this seriously for the long term, you can start off cheap and upgrade later or save money in the long run and start off higher. The fact is, if you buy a cheap detector and find that you really love the hobby you'll outgrow the cheap detector sooner or later (probably sooner). On the upside you'll have a backup and can always sell it if you find you no longer use it.

Oh and don't discount buying a nice used detector. Craigslist is usually loaded with them and it can save you hundreds. Many people buy detectors but when they realize there is actual worked involved in the hobby, they tend to not use them and eventually sell them on the cheap. Others are just upgrading and selling the machines they've outgrown.

Ultimately you should get the one that is right for you, your hunting style and one that you REALLY, REALLY like. If you really like your detector you'll use it WAY more than one that you don't or have buyers remorse with. The really good thing is that any detector will also eventually pay for itself IF you remain persistent and use it. How long that takes depends on you as well as the quality of the sites you hunt and a little luck. Keep in mind that the more you dig the "luckier" you'll get.

In the end it's s numbers game. If you first just show up, then keep digging and refuse to get discouraged on those occasions when nothing good shows up, you'll ultimately come out ahead. It's like throwing mud at a wall. If you throw enough some of it is bound to stick. The real goal is to ENJOY the hobby and enjoy your hunts.


Oh; I might as well warn you that this is a VERY addicting hobby. When you dig that first silver coin or gold ring you'll want to go out and find the next great target. If you have an addictive personality and lots of passion like I do you should do very well.

I hope this helps more than it confuses you. Whatever you choose, good luck and HAPPY hunting......

 

[Disd123]

What is a good "newbie" detector for use in FL with salt water?

 

[kcm]

Hello Disd and welcome to Tnet. While I, personally, cannot answer your question, I invite you to do a forum search while you're waiting. If you'll look in the upper right corner, there is a search box. Type the words salt water detector and you'll end up with TONS of previous posts on the subject.

 

[cudamark]

What is a good "newbie" detector for use in FL with salt water?

Like all requests of this sort, we need to know your budget, where you plan to search, and what you're trying to find.

 

[Disd123]

Kcm and coda mark - thank you! I've been reading the forums, but got a little confused. I want to buy my husband a gift. He's interested in beginning to use an MD. We live in FL so it would be sand, wet sand and very shallow water. I saw lots of responses about land vs. water, but I wondered if there was a good entry level model (under $400-$500) that would work for sand and shallow salt water. I really appreciate the help!