I am a Newbie and I am so confused on what Garrett to buy. Looking for advice.

[southfloridabeachhunter]

Hello,

I am brand new at this and have spent the past week researching everything about what kind of metal detector to buy. I have talked to Metal detector.com and Kelly company on the phone. I have seen countless reviews, videos, manuals and etc. I have just purchased a condo right on the St. Pete Beach in Florida. I am basically retired at 48 and will be there mostly as a snow bird. I plan on metal detecting instead of golfing everyday. My wife and I will be doing this together. I plan on going no deeper than waist deep in the ocean. All I know is I want a waterproof metal detector with a warranty. Also I will be doing wet sand and dry white sand from Key West Atlantic Ocean and Miami to St. Pete Beach and Clearwater Gulf Beaches.

The consencious is Minelab Excalibur, Fisher CZ-21, Garrett AT Pro, Fisher 1280 and 5th place Garrett Sea Hunter Mark II. Now this is what I have been told in order basically by the "experts" for Salt Water submersion and beach combing. Not sure I want the Porsche (Excalibur). Kelly Company has a package if you buy a Garrett AT Pro or a Garrett Sea Hunter Mark II you can basically get a lower end Bounty Hunter Pro 505 (for my wife) for $119 or a MPX Multi Pro for $70.

So my question is do I purchase the Tank (Sea Hunter PI detector) and I understand do alot of digging or the AT Pro? I will have alot of time on my hands and I want to find the rings and gold jewelry buried deep that other detectors miss. I also like the idea of have a read out display with the AT Pro so I don't have to dig up every bottle top.

I can get either the Sea Hunter w/2 coils and Pro 505 for $869. Or the AT Pro and Pro 505 for $732. I am looking for ANY advice from anyone.

Thank You

 

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[Sandman]

There is no detector that handles all conditions. The pulse units like the Mark II have almost no disc so you will be digging deep holes for hairpins and it can't tell a bottle cap from a piece of foil from a gum wrapper. You will soon have arms like Popeye. The Excal and the CZ-21 are the best choice for the water and wet & dry sand. The AT PRO being a single freq detector might have trouble in the wet sand or surf. But it does have a screen that would be nice on the dry sand, but I don't like mine.

Forget the extra detector you might get from Kellyco as your wife would be better served with a ACE 250 unless she is going in the water too. The second detector is more like a junk add on. The king of the beach detectors is the Sov. GT as it is the land version of the Excal but with more features, you just can't get the box wet. There is also the White's Beach Hunter ID but I didn't like it only because the coil floated in water and was hard to control in the waves. Other wise I would put it in the same league as the Excal and CZ-21.

Try to visit a local dealer so you can handle the units and carry it home with you knowing it works right away.

 

[Bart@Big Boys Hobbies]

There is no detector that handles all conditions. The pulse units like the Mark II have almost no disc so you will be digging deep holes for hairpins and it can't tell a bottle cap from a piece of foil from a gum wrapper. You will soon have arms like Popeye. The Excal and the CZ-21 are the best choice for the water and wet & dry sand. The AT PRO being a single freq detector might have trouble in the wet sand or surf. But it does have a screen that would be nice on the dry sand, but I don't like mine.

Forget the extra detector you might get from Kellyco as your wife would be better served with a ACE 250 unless she is going in the water too. The second detector is more like a junk add on. The king of the beach detectors is the Sov. GT as it is the land version of the Excal but with more features, you just can't get the box wet. There is also the White's Beach Hunter ID but I didn't like it only because the coil floated in water and was hard to control in the waves. Other wise I would put it in the same league as the Excal and CZ-21.

Try to visit a local dealer so you can handle the units and carry it home with you knowing it works right away.

Great advice here! Feel free to give me a call for excellent deals not listed on my site. I can make you quality packages with name brand machines or skip all the freebies and just give you an excellent price on just machine. Not add in extras to "fluff" up the price.

Be glad to help answer any and all questions you may have. Thanks, Bart.

 

[southfloridabeachhunter]

I sure appreciate your insight and time. The more I research and read posts; the more confused I get. Two things I want for sure are 1.) warranty 2.) waterproof metal detector. I may buy 2 metal detectors, but that's even harder trying to figure out which two. What concerns me is if I buy the Excalibur as my Only unit what happens if it is a lemon or needs repair? I have read review after review saying that 2 out of 10 Excaliburs are broken or you need to modify this or that or send it back to the manufacturer and it takes months to get back. That's not where I want to be. To have a waterproof metal detector is a small list. The Sov GT will eventually get wet, sprayed or dropped in the water and that is the end of a not completely waterproof metal detector. I really want the best (Excalibur), but not sure I can buy 2 detectors, because of the expense of the Excalibur.
I keep thinking Garrett Sea Hunter and the Garrett AT Pro together is basically the same price as the Excalibur. And that is with two coils for the Sea Hunter. What I like about that is one's pulse and known for underwater and the AT Pro has readouts and lots of features and is water proof. Would a Garrett dealer give a good package for both detectors? I have talked to several dealers and they all are wanting to sell units now.
I keep hearing about the Tesor Tiger and Sand Shark one is pulse the other VLF? I like it that they both have lifetime warranties. I plan on metal detecting 3-5 hours a day 300 days a year at least. So what machines hold up?
The only machine I have had in my hands is the AT Pro and it feels good. I just don't understand how some reviews say not good in the salt water and some say great in salt water. Is the Garrett Sea Hunter dependable? It reminds me of a "Tank".

Thank You for any input.

 

[Bart@Big Boys Hobbies]

Any single frequency wont be as stable or get same depth as a multi frequency or PI machine. Will it work? Yes, but just not as good. You will have to manually ground balance it. The auto ground balance wont work.

 

[Adrian SS]

If you want VLF, Waterproof, the best depth capability in saltwater, excellent discrimination, and the smoothest stability in saltwater then it is hard to go past the Excal. Second to that I would place the AT Pro and the CZ21 while accepting that the AT Pro can only go to 10 feet in water.

The SOV GT is probably ahead of all of these detectors in capability but is not waterproof; Outside of these I think you would have to think PI. The Tiger Shark is good but not so hot in saltwater.

The BHID is very good and has basic three tone disc and is very stable in the salt but will start to loose detection depth capability as the iron mineralisation goes up as with black sand; That said , I have one of these and I like it because it is light weight , well balanced works great on the beach and can be used in the parks and gardens to good effect. The disc mode detection depth is not so flash but still better than average (whatever that means?).

Just my opinions

 

[Nuggetville]

southflorida, where are you in So. FL? We are in Ft. Myers right now and would be glad to meet up with you. We are full Garrett and Fisher dealers, so if we can help, let us know.

 

[lookindown]

Any single frequency wont be as stable or get same depth as a multi frequency or PI machine. Will it work? Yes, but just not as good. You will have to manually ground balance it. The auto ground balance wont work.

Why wont the auto ground balance work?

 

[Bart@Big Boys Hobbies]

Any extreme situation like that the machine won't properly gb. You gave to do it manually.

 

[lookindown]

My AT pro automatic ground balances between 11 and 14 everytime I use it in saltwater....in the wet sand and water...it takes about 3 seconds.