Dry land detector

[mtsheron]

I was looking at a Garrett ACE250 for dry land as a beginner. What do you fine folks think? This would be my first detector.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

How to Research for Treasure Hunting and Metal Detecting From Lead Generation to Vetting - Grab it through Amazon!

[acehunter]

I have one and love it. perfect for a beginner hunter. not expensive, although you will want to get a more powerfull one later, like i did. no regrets.
this machine will get you (hooked) in no time. simple to use. do it.

 

[gleaner1]

Well that's a good choice. And you can take it in the water too to boot!

 

[fella]

I have several hours on Ace's and I'm NOT a fan. Soooo many better options at that price today!

 

[signal]

I have seen a lot of positive things about the Ace 250 for a beginner detector. Some have made some impressive finds with it and stay pretty busy digging up all kinds of stuff. If you ever outgrow it, it would make a fine backup detector as well.

 

[mtsheron]

I have several hours on Ace's and I'm NOT a fan. Soooo many better options at that price today!

fella your the only one here to not like it.............can you tell me your experience and why you don't? I just want something to get into it and that is easy to use and interpret.

 

[CladGrabber]

I know this is the garrett section of the forum and i have time on the ace350 now using the at pro.
With that said you are looking at the 250, in that price range many will suggest a fisher f2 or a eurotek pro.
Do all your homework and go with what has the features you like.

 

[fella]

fella your the only one here to not like it.............can you tell me your experience and why you don't? I just want something to get into it and that is easy to use and interpret.

Being that it is a Garrett section you'll probably get a little more positive feedback on the Ace than negatives. Since I'm not on the Garrett payroll & am not a fanboy (of any brand) I'll give you my honest opinion! That said, I've owned or used many many detectors in that price range and the Ace 250 is pretty weak in overall performance compared to some others. The Ace series is like a decade old and may have been a fine detector when it came out but the competition has blow past it in a BIG way in recent years!
My problems with the Aces are …1) Falsing 2) Horrible bell tone 3) screen is in uber dated 4) Falsing 5) working trashy sites is a bloody joke 6) did I mention falsing? It's simply one of the least impressive detectors I've ever used. Depth isn't bad on the Ace so it's got one thing going for it.

For the money, You can get into a Fisher F2 w/two coils (8" & 4") or even better, the EuroTek Pro. Either one of those machines will smoke the 250 in every way every day! The EuroTek Pro (ETP) runs on one 9v battery w/great battery life, simple easy to read two digit display, great iron res for it's price, even lighter and nicer to swing than the 250, it's super sensitive to smaller items, gets good depth.

The F2 w/two coils is another great option. It does run on twice as many batteries (2 9v), easy to read two digit screen w/notch feature, has better tones than the ETP imo. I think it makes a better starting detector than the ETP but I think the ETP is the better overall performer. If I were taking a noob out I'd give em the F2, if I were taking someone that has some experience, I'd opt for the ETP. Either one will destroy an Ace 250!

I recently picked up an ETP for my mother who's been swinging an Ace 250 for the last couple of seasons and she hasn't even looked at the 250 since. There's a reason for that. It flat out buries the 250 in every regard!
Prior to ordering her the ETP, I was letting her use my F2 and she really took to it in a big way and didn't wanna use her 250 anymore. That's why I took the chance on the ETP for her & told her if she didn't like it I'd trade her for my F2. She's keeping the ETP!

 

[mtsheron]

Well I did more research and looked at consumer feedback on a few other units including those mentioned here. I took into account simplicity and screen readout < ease of knowing what your looking at and what the unit is indicating. I also took into account being a first the money dropped on this hobby in case I am not a fan but I cannot see that being that this will afford fun and exercise.

So in the end due to ease of use; ease of programming or eliminating certain items; cost; and overall feedback I went with a Garrett ACE350 rather than the 250.

Bigger coil and when I am ready to upgrade this will be a fine secondary or even sell to make funds toward a better unit.

So looked used but the one I could find the guy never answered back so I went through Kellyco to get it. I look forward to getting this unit and beginning the hunt!

 

[Kodiak43351]

I had the 350 for a little bit and it is a good machine. The DD coil is good at separating trash. It gets deep also. The bad is once you get going it won't be long and you will want an upgrade. I think I lasted 4 months then I bought the at pro. Good luck and if you decide to upgrade you won't have any problem selling the ace 350.

 

[CladGrabber]

The 350s a solid performer, I used mine for a couple of years, found lots of good coins and jewelry. Congratulations on your purchase and happy hunting out there!

 

[mtsheron]

Ok. The detector came today and the packaging was good and no damage. Easy to put together but I have one complaint to Kellyco..............please please do not put batteries in the unit and leave them!!!! Mine were corroded a bit and could have been a disaster if they sat much longer before being shipped out. Not sure this is done by Garrett or Kellyco. Either way it ended up okay but I would change my way doing this to prevent corrossion in the future to units.

So I have no coins right now to do a bench test. Hopefully I can get a representative sample soon to do the bench test.

The unit like I stated was easily put together and very light. I bought the Option 2 package and like the headphones better than the included ones. Nice simple starter tools also. Overall very pleased.

Can't wait to watch the DVD then try her out after doing the bench test and getting use to the tones!

Thanks to all that commented and were helpful!

 

[CladGrabber]

Christmas morning

 

[RobRieman]

I have never heard of a retailer or a manufacture putting batteries in a detector before they ship it. Are you sure it wasn't returned?

 

[CladGrabber]

I have never heard of a retailer or a manufacture putting batteries in a detector before they ship it. Are you sure it wasn't returned?

Interesting point brought up here.
My 350 and At Pro both arrived with batteries installed, purchased from two separate vendors.
It will be interesting to hear other's that have purchased recently chime in.

 

[Sandman]

Garrett does this installing batteries. This is fine if the detector is sold right away, but sometimes it sits on a shelf for a long time before being shipped. When you buy from a local dealer with a store front, you can see it put together an tested right there. If you bought from Bart of Big Boy's Hobbies, you can ask to have it tested for you and he'll do it.

 

[TheCaribbeanDigger]

I had the 350 for a little bit and it is a good machine. The DD coil is good at separating trash. It gets deep also. The bad is once you get going it won't be long and you will want an upgrade. I think I lasted 4 months then I bought the at pro. Good luck and if you decide to upgrade you won't have any problem selling the ace 350.

Same thing happened to me but my first detector was the F2! Great machine for beginners and the expirienced ones as a back up machine. Well that's what happened to my F2. It's the detector that my 8 year old uses when we go out together or one of my friends wants to go md with me. The Ace 350 is a great detector too.

 

[TheCaribbeanDigger]

Well I bought my AT Pro from Bart and it did came with the batteries already installed. I thought the same thing. Why?

 

[mtsheron]

Well I bought my AT Pro from Bart and it did came with the batteries already installed. I thought the same thing. Why?

I guess it is a Garrett thing from the company that I believe they should not do anymore. I think I will contact them to give my 2 cents. I would rather buy the cheap AA's then have a battery housing ruined by alkaline batteries that sit for a extended period of time!

 

[mtsheron]

Apparently Garrett does this and not Kellyco. But if were Kellyco I would take them out immediately. But all is well.