Beginner advice tesoro sand shark vs minelab excalibur 1000

[Quiksilver2031]

Hi guys,
Looking to buy my first metal detector. I will be buying used. I intend to dive with it. I live in FL so I would like to use it in saltwater and freshwater. I dont mind digging. I know one is a PI and one is a VLF.
The Sand shark is $300
The Excalibur 1000 (blue older style) is $625 is this too much for an older used machine?
Which would be the better option. I worry about the excalibur and battery life since it's the older blue style.
Is there something else better out there that I have missed or havent considered

 

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[Treasure_Hunter]

Tesoro is all but out of business, they laid off all the staff in October 2018 so warranty work and any after warranty work is unknown.

Sand Sharp is a pulse detector, you will be digging a lot of tiny pieces of iron with it. The Excal is a multiple freq detector transmitting multiple frequencies at the same time. When it sees iron it does what is called "null" which is absent of threshold, when it sees iron your threshold disappears (nulls) till after the coil passes over it, when that happens you should always rotate 90 degrees and re-sweep the target, if it nulls from 2 different directions then it is iron and you can move on. When you re-sweep the target from a different direction and it nulls then gives you a quick tone it means there is a conductive target next to the iton and you should dig it.

$625 for a good working Excalibur is very reasonable, does it have the Sword down the side of the tube? As far as excal battery, it can be replaced, a new battery will run about $60.00, it is installed in the battery housing by removing the hex set screws under the rubber end cap. The rubber end cap is just to protect the o-ring from sun's UV rays.

 

[Terry Soloman]

Used Water Machines? NO, no, NO! You would be MUCH better off with a new machine no matter what brand you buy. Save your money and buy ONCE.

 

[Quiksilver2031]

Treasure hunter I pmd you