Interested in the Hobby

[Libralabsoldier]

When I was a kid growing up in Louisiana, my stepdad, brother and I used to go and poke around old "house spots" where antebellum slave quarters and sharecropper shacks were on our hunting lease. We found great things like old cobalt blue bottles, belt buckles, and other odds and ends. We always wished we could have had a metal detector to help us.

Now, I am 29. I am a US Army veteran, and have been getting interested in metal detecting. I am something of a coin collector, and would love to find some cool old coins to add to my daughters collection.

I have been put off by the high price of some of the detectors I have seen. I need some advice on new vs used, what brands, and what to check for when I get the thing.

If anyone has an old one laying around, I would gladly pay postage or drive within a hundred miles of 73006 to come and pick it up.

Feel free to give me any and all advice. I am a sponge.

 

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[Eu_citzen]

Congrats on that first post!

Mostly coin hunting or only doing that?
What's your budget?
Do you want a rather "rough" detector or a "fancy" new modern thing?

I would say much depends on your budget, but a new one is always great with warranty and all.
The GTI series should you look up made by Garrett, or an Explorer (made by Minelab),or an Infinium LS and you can go "everywhere" (water and land) also made by Garrett.

 

[warsawdaddy]

If your budget is 250-350--(1)Musketeer Advantage
(2)Ace250
(3)Cibola/Vaquero


All four are good deep units.

 

[Libralabsoldier]

Well, I am just researching the hobby right now. I dont need anything super fancy. After ten years in the Army, I appreciate rugged and user friendly (read: idiot proof) over fancy bells and whistles I wont ever use.

 

[West Jersey Detecting]

Without a doubt, the best value on the market today is the Garrett Ace series, especially the ACE 250(http://www.garrett.com/hobby/products/ace250.htm). This detector has almost all of the features found on more expensive machines, along with super depth ability..

Although I do not own one myself, I am hearing rave reviews by people in the forums.

 

[Gribnitz]

Well, I am just researching the hobby right now. I dont need anything super fancy. After ten years in the Army, I appreciate rugged and user friendly (read: idiot proof) over fancy bells and whistles I wont ever use.

Tesoro Cibola sounds like your machine then. A nice, deep relic machine without all the screen junk to have to worry about keeping an eye on. It has very good iron discrimination and does well in the parks for coins too if thats your thing. Lifetime warranty and easy to use. Not too expensive new, even cheaper used if you can find one.

 

[hollowpointred]

you really cant go wrong with any of the machines mentioned here so far. the only piece of generic advise i could give, would be to stick with the major manufacturers (Garrett, Minelab,Tesoro, Whites). i would personally stay away from fisher/ bounty hunter machines myself, but that is only my personal opinion and there are plenty of folks who love them. ( old fisher units are ok, i only suggest staying away from the newer ones). bounty hunter machines and now fisher machines are mass produced in china, and i am not convinced of their quality. if you stick with the big companies ,Whites, Garrett, Tesoro, Minelab, you really cant go wrong. they all make quality machines.

 

[TonyinCT]

I have an Ace 150 for sale if you're interested, great little starter detector. 8)

 

[Libralabsoldier]

I have an Ace 150 for sale if you're interested, great little starter detector. 8)

send me an email at [email protected] and we will make a deal. I also have an offer a la craigslist on the classifieds section of this forum.

 

[eathabs]

If you can spend the extra money get the 250!!

 

[RON (PA)]

Thank you for your service to our country.

Hollowpointred summed it up. Stick with the big 4 companies and you can't go wrong.

 

[Libralabsoldier]

Thank you for your service to our country.

Hollowpointred summed it up. Stick with the big 4 companies and you can't go wrong.

Thanks, but honestly, all I did in my time in the service was what I swore to do in my oath of enlistment, and have always honored my contracts. To me, that is just what you do. I havent done anything particularly heroic or noteworthy except provide the worlds best medical care to soldiers, their dependants and retirees for most of the last ten years. My first three years I was an artillery soldier...so I got to blow stuff up for fun.

 

[Sandman]

you really cant go wrong with any of the machines mentioned here so far. the only piece of generic advise i could give, would be to stick with the major manufacturers (Garrett, Minelab,Tesoro, Whites). i would personally stay away from fisher/ bounty hunter machines myself, but that is only my personal opinion and there are plenty of folks who love them. ( old fisher units are ok, i only suggest staying away from the newer ones). bounty hunter machines and now fisher machines are mass produced in china, and i am not convinced of their quality. if you stick with the big companies ,Whites, Garrett, Tesoro, Minelab, you really cant go wrong. they all make quality machines.

By HollowPointed

Buy from a dealer will also get you the most for your dollar. The Ace 150 is a nice turn on an go detector, but the step up to the Ace 250 is the best deal for the money.

HH,
Sandman