A NEW C & G Tech Inc Metal Detector "VLF Wildcat"?

[Goose-0]

I was in a pawn shop today and saw what looks like a new C & G Tech metal detector. I've only been detecting for 20 yrs now, so this detector is before I started.

The detector has a large blue metal control box with 6 knobs on the left side of the box. A handle curves up over the box with a button at the end of the handle to press to balance the detector when all of the knobs are set. It uses (2) 9 volt batteries. The coil is 8" and is approx 3-1/2" thick, with the top of the coil overlapping a lower section. There is a sticker on the coil --'VLF Wildcat'. It comes with a LARGE set of headphones (Looks new....very nice!) and a leather carrying bag, which looks like it was made for this detector. The price looks right $60....($64.42 w/tax). It did work when I was there. Do I buy it for an antique, or......? How old is it? (I'm using a DFX --- 10 yrs now)

[U.K. Brian]

Its really, really old. I'm talking pre Tesoro starting in business up as the "G" in "C & G" standards for Gifford the founder of Tesoro.

The plus is that its an off resonance design so anomaly free discrimination. The negative is its an off-resonance design so lacks depth.

If it was me and it works I would grab it as a collectors item.

[Adrian SS]

Yep I agree, grab it for a collecter item or use it, either way you will not find these detectors in new condition very often these days; A bit of a classic is the ole Wild cat.

[Sandman]

I had a C & G Bobcat which was the smaller one. It was a VLF/TR and I found a ton of coins with it. I remember you would set it and then drop the coil to the ground where you slid it along till you got a buzz. It would pinpoint to half an inch as it detuned great. Never found anything over 4".

[U.K. Brian]

Just had a moment of doubt whether this was one of the early off-resonance machines or not. The depth of the coil was due to the stacked design which was similar to the J.S. Eliminator coil in that you could work much nearer to metal such as the "legs" of swings/slides etc.
"Insta-Tune" push button retuning was a plus and I liked the design having the knobs protected by being recessed into the side of the control box but off-resonant ?? Anyone who knows for certain do post.

[Adrian SS]

The Wildcat is an Induction balance VLF GB Tr Discriminator and was supplied with an Co-Planar search coil with one winding stacked on top of the other, this made it a fairly thick coil housing. The coil was not sensitive from the top or sides. If you were doing air tests you had to pass the target in front of the coil; If you passed the target over the top the response was weak. The result of this is that it was possible to get the coil in close to metal pipes and playground structures and still be able to find targets.