Help Me Pick a Cheap Detector

[Furismo]

I am looking to buy a metal detector for around $250 or less. My last detector was a Fisher F-70 but I found it very difficult to use so I sold it. I also had a Bounty Hunter (Quickdraw?) years ago but it started giving off a lot of false positive's after awhile. I live in North Carolina so I plan on finding relics, coins and using it to help find gold or other metals when im rockhounding.

I plan on using the detector once in awhile, maybe twice a month unless I really get into detecting again.

 

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[Sandman]

Well for that low price you won't be able to touch the mid level jobs, but the Garrett ACE 250 is in your range and is a decent detector but not really deep ins most soils. For ground balancing you need to go up in price. However since you don't know how serious you are going to be you should keep a look out for good used ones. Start reading now on the manufacturers websites to learn about them. Stick with the major brands like Garrett, Minelab, Tesoro or White's. Don't buy that silly China junk.

 

[mlayers]

I have a Bounty Hunter Sharp Shooter we get up to 7 inches with it on coins. Then the Ace 250 is also in your price range. But I have not used the Ace so I can not help with that one....Matt

 

[Furismo]

What about the Tesoro Compadre? As far as being easy to use I would think one without a screen would be the best.

Im considering either getting the Ace 250, White's Coinmaster or the Tesoro Compadre.

Most important needs:

Easy to use! (The F-70 was a nightmare for me to figure out!)
Budget
Multi-purpose (Coins, Rings and such and relics. Gold prospecting would be a plus.)

 

[THing4CSA]

Hi There My Fellow TH'er
OK You asked for a 'cheap detector' do a search for a Jetco Mustang. This is a BFO type detector that will beep on anything metal, it will go down a foot for a British One Penny and uses either 1 or 2 9-volt batteries. I had great luck with it in Germany back in the mid to late 1970s but it sure found a load of stuff. You do have to be willing to dig everything as this does not have much of a discriminator but it will find stuff and for the price you really can't go wrong. As was said earlier if you want to have a better detector then you need to go up in what you plan to pay. Now you might get lucky with some used detector on E-BAAAE but watch that you don't get a piece of junk that is beyond repair. If you stick with the name brands you can even down load a users manual for some of the units but for really old units there is no guarantees. You can check with a local dealer and see if they have any used units for sale. I know that some will even lease one to you for a weekend try and if you don't like it you are only out the lease amount. Some dealers will allow you to bring a unit back to them and upgrade to something better and give you some of what you paid as credit but ask first. You might also go to a local Treasure Hunting Club meeting and ask if anyone has any used unit for sale. Do your homework first to see if what they want to sell you is worth the price they are asking. Talk with other TH'ers and see if anyone is willing to take you out for a day to try out one of their spare detectors to find out if the hobby is for you. Try to cover all bases before you commit to anything final. Ask a lot of questions about anything you want information about. Be prepared for a lot of 'No Responses' as many TH'ers just are not willing to give up a site to take someone that they do not know to a site where lots of good items are being found. I can't even guess how many TH'ers I have taken out that have requested assistance.
Best of luck.
Dave
'Digger-Dave'
THing4CSA
PS: Remember; Don't leave it in the ground!

 

[SeaninNH]

(Sorry about the long post, but I figure I would share my thoughts)

I recently did a lot of research on detectors in your price range, as I was looking for one in the same range for my first detector.

I came to the conclusion of the Ace 250 or the Bounty Hunter Land Star. Land star is much higher suggested price, but they are selling for around the same as the Ace 250.

I went with the land star and I'm glad I did. I found one on eBay for $160 still in the box and when it came it was never opened or used. Average price I was finding them for was in the $200 area.

Why I like it: I love the 3 tone ID (Ace only has one bong sound that would drive me nuts) and I love the auto and manual ground balance. It's easy to tune out false signals due to ground minerals.

It also has an all metal no motion mode that you can use to pinpoint. This emits the typical Waaaa sound as you get over a target.

I've found quite a bit of stuff with it already and I am really impressed with the depth. I've dug out stuff over a foot deep. I've also found a tiny little boot lace eyelet around 8". Look at your boot and look at how small the lace eyelet is. TINY for 8". I was shocked. It was a repeatable signal and I was able to pinpoint it in no motion mode once I located it in motion mode.

I'm really glad I made the choice that I did.

You can notch out targets and it also has an auto notch that has most trash already notched out.

I prefer to hunt in all metal motion mode though and dig everything. I locate in all metal motion mode then switch to no motion to pinpoint.

On beaches I can hunt dry or wet sand. I don't false on the dry, but in wet sand in all metal mode sometimes I have to turn the ground balance down and sensitivity down a little bit, but not to where I lose much depth.

In notch mode even if you don't notch out anything you lose iron. I sometimes use that mode when on a beach in wet sand.

Damp sand and dry sand are just fine. Wet sand is the only time I get false signals and that can be tuned out and is usually only when I hunt in all metal motion mode. Hunting in notch mode or all metal no motion mode I can turn the sensitivity up and don't false. You can also hunt in no motion mode while swinging you just have to slow down or you miss the signal.

I also like the 1/4" headphone jack.

I've only hunted 1 park before the snow covered us with 2+ feet and I found a bunch of coins.

I also found an old button at a cellar hole.

I can't wait until the parks thaw! It's going to be a fun summer!

 

[Furismo]

I ended up buying an Ace 250 from a local dealer for $212.99+ tax.

 

[CheathamHill]

Good call on the Ace 250....can't go wrong

I got the Ace 350 and from day 1 it's been a metal machine...

 

[ok2raise]

also the Tesoro Silver Umax it runs around $239.00