Just bought a used Viper Trident on ebay

[mattscards]

I am a collector of baseball cards, silver dollars, gold coins and have always had a lust of "the rare find". I have always thought of getting metal detector but finally did by buying a metal detector on ebay for $200 I bought a Viper Trident used and I must say...you guys rake this brand over the coals.... I read the posts on all the rare finds slave tags, gold rings and everything else and I guess these were all found with better name brands than the one I just bought. Is there anyone out there that has found anything more that a pepsi bottle cap or a beer can pull tab with the Viper Trident?

 

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[seas1to2]

its a shame theses things are for sale,I have never own 1 but know a few that have, some bought new an were able to send it back, buying used your problem stuck with it.Its a store brand not really a name brand, put out by a China company that lets store put there own name on the machine.E-bay is about the only place to sell these because most people buy on impulse an not really anybody to ask about the machines till they find a site like this but then its to late.

 

[mattscards]

I noticed seas1to2 that you are probably one of the biggest
inexpensive detector and Viper detector bashers on the board. I have since followed up on other boards and yes, this is not the top notch detector that will find Civil War metals in areas that have been swept hundreds of times that other detectors have missed. That is not what I want. I was not looking for a $1500 detector. I am a beginner. I have never even used one before. I am not paying the big bucks(and my wife wouldn't let me) for a brand suitable for this column. Perhaps if that is what this forum is all about I found the wrong place.
Thank you

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Seas is only telling you the truth. I have talked to a couple people who bought them and their opinion was the same as, if not lower then Seas. I can not remember reading more then one or two good posts on the Viper, most are very negative. I tested the viper when I was at kellyco looking to buy my first detector, after 10 mins I knew I did not want it.

If and when you want to upgrade, talk to some people on the detector boards before you go to Ebay, there are many great deals here and on some other boards that are reasonable. I bought a Troy Shadow X2, and a Tesoro Conquistador for about $225 each off the boards at different times and they are both good land detectors.

If you wanted to hunt water there are good used water detectors that would have only cost you a little more and would have been a major step up. I have seen Whites Beach Hunter IDs for $300-$400 and it is a good machine on both land and sea.

One of the biggest advantages to a mid level and higher end machine besides the obvious is the resale value of it. You can always upgrade, trade, or sell and get most of your investment back, you want be able to do that with a Viper. I recently sold one of my Excals I bought used for $75 less then I paid for it, and that does not take in to consideration the jewelry it found.

Now with all that said, hunt with your detector and see how you like detecting since you have bought the viper. I wish you all the luck, if you have questions ask, someone will help. If you become discouraged with the hobby, remember it may not mean there is nothing good there to find, it does make a difference with a higher end machine.

 

[Sandman]

Seas is only telling you the truth. I have talked to a couple people who bought them and their opinion was the same as, if not lower then Seas. I can not remember reading more then one or two good posts on the Viper, most are very negative. I tested the viper when I was at kellyco looking to buy my first detector, after 10 mins I knew I did not want it.

Treasure Hunter is also telling you the truth about this detector. I am sorry you were taken in by just the price, but you generally get what you pay for and this is very true with metal detectors. It is a great hobby and it is a waste to try to do it with a machine that isn't up to the task. Time is the only thing you don't get back.

What is with

I am not paying the big bucks(and my wife wouldn't let me) for a brand suitable for this column. Perhaps if that is what this forum is all about I found the wrong place.

Would you want us to lie to you? This forum is not about how much you paid for your detector, but how to use it well. With some detectors the quality just isn't there and newbies are always taken. Most of us have gotten robbed with poor service, cheap equipment, and what not. We just don't want others to suffer what we went through.

Good Luck,
Sandman

 

[seas1to2]

thanks (Treasure_Hunter ) &(Sandman I just figure if enough of these post were on here maybe it would save someone some money an a headace.Not sure were he got he needs to spend 1500.00 on a machine, I don't have that in the 2 I have an if I would have bought used it would have even cost me much less.I think if he stays on the forum he will find that 99.999999 of the people here will try an stir him in the right direction an give him some good info. to make it a great hobby.

 

[SJ]

I bought a Viper Trident about two months ago. I did not know about the forums at the time
so did not know better. Overall for all the bad things I have read about the Trident I have
been pleasantly surprised by how well it has operated. Over the past two months I
have hunted 2-3 times a week for about two hours each time. I have found over $40.00
in clad, a nice .925 silver ring, What I first thought was a diamond ring, but turned out
to be C Z. and a whole bunch of key chains, and assorted junk earings. Yes I do dig
alot of bottle caps and pull tabs as the unit does not discriminate very well. But for
the price it has found clad 6" deep in wet salty sand. As a regular user of a Trident,
I would have to say that for the money I have gotten a detector that is simple to
use and has gotten me a good start in the hobby.
SJ