Best Newbie Metal Detector

[Geobound]

Thanks all for your input. A very tough call but I've made a decision and ordered the 300i. Scoured tons of comments, reviews and videos. The 300i has lots of nice features, improved separation and recovery over the older ACE models, high marks for build quality.. maybe not the top performer, but my slightly twisted rationale that tipped the scale into going for with this one was resale value/ease. I'll most likely sell this unit down the road - either because I don't embrace the hobby or I do. If I don't, I'll likely sell it and be done. If I do, I'll (maybe) sell it and upgrade. I think as a brand, Garrett will have a good resale and be easy to move locally.

Ordered a couple of other items for the kit bag to get me started: Garrett pro-pointer AT and this cool looking garden knife: MIJ Tomita Nisaku No.830 Hori Hori
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The weather here in southern Ontario is taking a turn for the better, so I'll be out in the yard next week getting used to my new toys.

That's awesome to hear!

You will have to let me know the details later.

I've used a hori hori knife for 5+ years now, and never a lick of problems with it.

 

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[rdlammons]

i would strongly recommend an older White's XLT. a high end machine that has turn on and go hunt abilities. also it allows you to save i think 9 separate custom hunting programs and with experience you can change the pro options. so this machine will grow with you as you get better and no need for another upgrade. the detector is not plastic and very durable. last for ever. love the hell out of mine.

 

[PortCreditGuy]

Thanks for the suggestion. I'm sure it's a great detector but it's no longer in production (I tend to avoid electronics that are no longer produced as repair can be an issue) and even in the used market, appear to be well outside my budget. Down the road I'll certainly look at the Whites brand!

 

[Xraywolf]

I would not recommend a detector with no display for a beginner [Mojave].
Almost as bad, no pinpointing function, really not for beginners.

Too much to be learned about targets from the display [which later can be somewhat ignored once you gravitate more to sound].

I would go with an Ace, not a depth monster but a metal magnet with pinpointing and decent ID. Batteries last forever and is easy to swing. Coils are upgradeable and is a decent wading machine in water up to 2" or so.

 

[PortCreditGuy]

I would go with an Ace, not a depth monster but a metal magnet with pinpointing and decent ID. Batteries last forever and is easy to swing. Coils are upgradeable and is a decent wading machine in water up to 2" or so.

Not sure if you've read this whole thread, but I did buy an ACE, the 300i (Canada). So far, I've got about 5 hours of stick time with it in my city lot back yard and along with the carrot, I've located a boat load of nails, bits of foil and aluminum (eves trough trimmings), misc. junk and lead sinkers (go figure, I guess somebody was practicing their casting in my back yard at some point). No treasure yet, but I'm learning the machine and beginning to hone my technique of identifying, pinpointing, digging and restoring the site. I'm quite pleased with the ACE 300i. If I continue with this hobby, I'm pretty sure I'll upgrade to a more serious detector, but I'm enjoying my current kit in the mean time and expect to get a lot of mileage out of this basic rig.

 

[Xraywolf]

Not sure if you've read this whole thread, but I did buy an ACE, the 300i (Canada). So far, I've got about 5 hours of stick time with it in my city lot back yard and along with the carrot, I've located a boat load of nails, bits of foil and aluminum (eves trough trimmings), misc. junk and lead sinkers (go figure, I guess somebody was practicing their casting in my back yard at some point). No treasure yet, but I'm learning the machine and beginning to hone my technique of identifying, pinpointing, digging and restoring the site. I'm quite pleased with the ACE 300i. If I continue with this hobby, I'm pretty sure I'll upgrade to a more serious detector, but I'm enjoying my current kit in the mean time and expect to get a lot of mileage out of this basic rig.

I replied before you pulled the trigger.
I have multiple detectors including a $1,500 Deus, but I still use my 400 most of all, and the 250 for years before that.
Thats because I always have it with me in my truck and can detect any time on impulse, whereas I wouldn't feel comfortable leaving a $1K detector in my truck full time.
When I find a spot with it that is producing, then I can come back with a more capable machine and hammer it.
I also detect kiddy lots alot, you'd be surprised how much jewelry some of these kids lose. Not much worry about depth there, the Aces suck up any metal in sight. Once you get tuned in these can tell you more that meets the eye [or ear] about a target.

If you care to read, here is my technique for finding coins at maximum depth with this machine [around 6" for a quarter].
Basically, look for ratty, broken signals [a small metal target at depth will not give a proper ding, will be broken and often non repeating]. Confirm its size and location with pinpoint [can tell an awful lot with this feature besides location. If its screaming, its either not very deep or larger than a coin ,, Of course, still can be a good target, just not a deep coin. If the pinpoint is weak but there, its almost always a deep coin].
Hard for a beginner to grasp this maybe, you are looking for good, repeatable and strong signals. But after a while you will wonder why you never seen to find anything deeper than 3", and this is why. A coin over 3" deep will simply never not give you a good, repeatable or strong signal with this machine, and if you don't tune yourself to the broken signals, you won't find them. Obviously, not every location has deep coins to find either and not every broken signal is a deep coin, so its a matter of patience and persistence.

Of course alot of guys will say "6" is deep ? haha" But you work with what you got, an old coin doesn't have to be buried 10", I have found dozens and dozens of old coins under 6"

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/today-s-finds/531199-4-silva-dimes-2.html#post5355456

 

[Vern2]

Do yourself a huge favor and buy a Tesoro DeLeon. All your searching will be over. Nothing but sweet bliss.
It's the only MD out there (imo) that doesn't lie (mott). Hugely accurate visuals. "Trust me, and keep the cards and letters (with checks) coming in."

 

[vferrari]

Do yourself a huge favor and buy a Tesoro DeLeon. All your searching will be over. Nothing but sweet bliss.
It's the only MD out there (imo) that doesn't lie (mott). Hugely accurate visuals. "Trust me, and keep the cards and letters (with checks) coming in."

I guess he'll do himself that favor if the 300i he already bought doesn't work out. What is that address again?

 

[HighVDI]

I know the decision has been made already......but I have been watching some footage of the new patriot in action. With a coupon code you can snatch one up for $400, and free shipping. The air tests on the machine are f75 ish. Same with target seperation. Just seems like a crazy deal for 400

 

[pinenut]

I would not recommend a detector with no display for a beginner [Mojave].
Almost as bad, no pinpointing function, really not for beginners.

Too much to be learned about targets from the display [which later can be somewhat ignored once you gravitate more to sound]....

I disagree with this. With a small concentric coil (like Mojave has), you can pinpoint a target with a couple of sweeps. Why would you want or need a button to push that says "pinpoint"? Discrimination works so well with Mojave, you just set it where you want and swing. If you can't quickly learn how typical trash targets sound when the discrimination starts breaking them up, you just aren't paying attention. I think Mojave is a great beginner detector.

 

[Xraywolf]

I disagree with this. With a small concentric coil (like Mojave has), you can pinpoint a target with a couple of sweeps. Why would you want or need a button to push that says "pinpoint"? Discrimination works so well with Mojave, you just set it where you want and swing. If you can't quickly learn how typical trash targets sound when the discrimination starts breaking them up, you just aren't paying attention. I think Mojave is a great beginner detector.

I'm a 15 year veteran and I was digging trenches with the mojave, so much so that I had to stop.
Not everyone is going to take to waggling and wiggling, pinpoint to me is so much more precise and quick.

A beginner should not get a detector likely to lead to frustration, IMO a majority of cases, this one would.

 

[pinenut]

I'm a 15 year veteran and I was digging trenches with the mojave, so much so that I had to stop.
Not everyone is going to take to waggling and wiggling, pinpoint to me is so much more precise and quick.

A beginner should not get a detector likely to lead to frustration, IMO a majority of cases, this one would.

Wow..really? "waggling and wiggling"?
That's kind of funny, but I don't ever see that happening with a small concentric coil. A DD, yes, but never a concentric. Sounds to me like something was wrong with your Mojave or that coil. Mine pinpoints dead nuts with a couple of X's over the target. It's a keeper.

 

[Brianfromsyr]

I'm a 15 year veteran and I was digging trenches with the mojave, so much so that I had to stop.
Not everyone is going to take to waggling and wiggling, pinpoint to me is so much more precise and quick.

A beginner should not get a detector likely to lead to frustration, IMO a majority of cases, this one would.

I probably have a lifetime total of 30 hours using various metal detectors.
It takes me no effort to pinpoint with the Tesoro Mojave.