Silver uMax versus Gold uMax.. comparison, worth extra cost?

[ddbowdoin]

I am looking to purchase my first machine and the silver uMax was highly recommended by some members here. My question is about the performance difference versus cost difference. I want something well built and the best bang for my buck. Living in Boston, I want something versatile so that I can hunt inland and along the costline. I probably will be a casual user but I know I'll likely spend more and more time as I become more itrigued by the strange items I find, whether valuable or not.

Any opinions HIGHLY grateful!

Thanks guys

Dan

edit, also are these prices competitive? this is a local shop and I'd love to support a local business

http://www.metaldetector.cc/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=28

http://www.metaldetector.cc/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=24

My budget is around 400USD give or take a few here and there.

 

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[Smudge]

Never owned the Golden uMax but I own the Silver.

MichiganBadger has reported that the Silver with 12 x 10 concentric coil is a depth monster regardless of mineralization.

So you can have the Silver with all the discrimination you need and a coil that depth wise can compete with the best machines out there, all for a price within your budget. You also get that lifetime warranty.

Plus, the Silver is very user friendly. I only use the Silver right now and I have owned more expensive machines in the past.

So that's my vote.

Good luck to ya!

 

[mts]

I don't have a golden uMax so I can't comment on that one. But I'd really like to know what others think about it because I went through the same thought process that you are currently going through.

I ended up buying the Silver uMax and the Vaquero. I really like the Vaquero better and it is a much deeper detector in my opinion. But for the money, the Silver uMax is no slouch either.

When it's time to buy, you should consider contacting Mike (Member name: 4-H) out here on T-Net. He is a forum member and a downright good guy. He will give you a great price as well as great service.

 

[ok2raise]

i am also a dealer. i only sell & use Tesoro i have used both machines ,the golden u max get a little more depth on the all metal mode. both a excellant coin machines. the golden has more features.

 

[GibH]

My nod goes to the Golden. The tones save a lot of digging bottle caps on the beach. I bought mine used, so it wasn't a lot more than a new Silver µMax anyway.

 

[ddbowdoin]

Never owned the Golden uMax but I own the Silver.

MichiganBadger has reported that the Silver with 12 x 10 concentric coil is a depth monster regardless of mineralization.

So you can have the Silver with all the discrimination you need and a coil that depth wise can compete with the best machines out there, all for a price within your budget. You also get that lifetime warranty.

Plus, the Silver is very user friendly. I only use the Silver right now and I have owned more expensive machines in the past.

So that's my vote.

Good luck to ya!

so many shops and dealers all say different things... there is a local shop near me that didn't recommend the tesoro models as they "don't perform very well" on beaches. he said that minelab products have superior technology. are any of these made here in the states? thats an added bonus for me

 

[mts]

Never owned the Golden uMax but I own the Silver.

MichiganBadger has reported that the Silver with 12 x 10 concentric coil is a depth monster regardless of mineralization.

So you can have the Silver with all the discrimination you need and a coil that depth wise can compete with the best machines out there, all for a price within your budget. You also get that lifetime warranty.

Plus, the Silver is very user friendly. I only use the Silver right now and I have owned more expensive machines in the past.

So that's my vote.

Good luck to ya!

so many shops and dealers all say different things... there is a local shop near me that didn't recommend the tesoro models as they "don't perform very well" on beaches. he said that minelab products have superior technology. are any of these made here in the states? thats an added bonus for me

Well, I would probably agree that some minelab products ultimately have superior technology. But how much more superior for the price? There is always a "more superior product" out there. What you have to decide is if it is worth the additional cost.

I can also say that my Vaquero did great in the dry sand of the MD beaches. But it had some trouble in the wet sand and water. I had to turn the sensitivity way down and ground balancing was just about impossible. I know that many people who beach hunt swear by the minelab machines so if you are going to be doing a lot of wet sand hunting then you might want to consider a different machine. But if dry sand is all you intend to do then the tesoro machines are just fine and get great depth. Also, if you intend to do a bunch of wet sand and surf hunting you should probably get a water machine anyway. I came very close to loosing my machine and I was way out of the surf. It only takes one big wave splashing up on your detector to render it inoperable. So most people recommend that you don't even risk using a dry land machine anywhere near the water. But that is a decision you'll have to make for yourself.

Finally, the tesoro machines are made in the US and have a great lifetime warranty. They are also considerably cheaper than most competitors. They have great customer service as well. I don't want to start another brand war so I'll leave it at that. Tesoro and Minelab are both great companies with different strengths and weaknesses.