Advice on detector

[pappastratos]

Guys, need some advice on another detector. I found a Tesoro Vaquero locally at a decent price. Thoughts? I am old school, don't mind a analog device. I do live close to the beach, I stay in the dry sand. some sites suggest the Garrett ACE 400, Bounty hunter platinum. Looking to stay close to $300. thanks in advance !

 

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[Tahts-a-dats-ago]

The Vaquero is an excellent machine. Make sure it is in good working condition before you buy it (Tesoro is closed so repairs are a bit more difficult now).

Other machines that you may wish to consider (in your price range):

Nokta Simplex

Minelab Vanquish 440

Also visit the Teknetics website - the Liberator and the Eurotek Pro are both within your price range.

 

[Southern Creek]

I give Garrett ace 400 a thumbs up.

Guys, need some advice on another detector. I found a Tesoro Vaquero locally at a decent price. Thoughts? I am old school, don't mind a analog device. I do live close to the beach, I stay in the dry sand. some sites suggest the Garrett ACE 400, Bounty hunter platinum. Looking to stay close to $300. thanks in advance !

I started out with a Garrett Ace 400 it's an amazing machine for the price. it does really good on the beach as well.

 

[xr7ator]

If you go Garrett, go with a used AT Pro for around $300.

 

[pappastratos]

Well, the tesoro sold, buyer paid too much, looking at the Garrett Ace 300

 

[xr7ator]

Here's an example on ebay;https://www.ebay.com/itm/Garrett-AT...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

 

[Xraywolf]

Fresh water or salt ?
Makes a difference in what detector you select, most detectors including every one mentioned here don't do well in salt environment.

 

[xr7ator]

You mean fresh or salt dry sand?

 

[pappastratos]

Salt water, I just detect in the dry sand. I live about 15 miles from the beach

 

[Xraywolf]

Ok most any detector should be fine away from salt, though you may be giving up alot not going to wet sand and wading for that matter.

Ace 400 is a ring/coin vacuum, very simple to operate, once you get to know it tells you more than you think between VDI and sound - Numerous times I have called out rings before I scoop them, after dozens of non ring hits. Does lack on depth, you can expect an alert down to about 7" or so on a nice fat ring, thats about it. Lack of depth never bothered me at the beach, not looking to dig trenches anyhow. AT is a nice machine, is all I use in the water, I wouldn't pay the extra premium if you have no plans to submerge.

Simplex is nice, bit more of a learning curve than the 400, bit more depth, lots of extra features most of which you won't be using. What I don't like about it, and most modern detectors including the Vanquish and Nox, is sub-par recovery speed, which means you have to swing reaaaalllll slow or you'll miss targets, a big handicap at the beach. Some might tell you ok tweak this setting and adjust that, turn this one up, switch modes and notch that one down and you have good recovery speed, just lose a little depth in return ! May be true but I don't like jumping through hoops to make something function, with the 400 recovery speed not a factor, it alerts every time without fuss and without compromise, which actually is what I like about it the most.
Things I don't like about it, no backlight, sound volume not adjustable.