GARRETT ACE 250 REVIEW

[Hoggtyed]

The 250 just comes with the standard 6.5 x 9 coil the workhorse so to speak the 250 pro is the same thing they just include the larger 12 inch coil along with the 6.5x9. So you get 2 coils.

 

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[POPS]

Is it that the larger coild just allows you to cover more ground quicker, or are there other benefits?
Thanks for your help everyone. Pop

 

[Hoggtyed]

To my understanding it covers more ground and also should go a little deeper.

 

[hollowpointred]

yup

 

[SemoPreacher]

You guys and gals are making me shake in my boots, my Ace 250 pro, is sitting in a truck in Earth City Missouri, and tomorrow's forcast is sunny with temp at around mid 60's......and I have a dozen sites to go to, I have a White Classic II and a Tersoro Sabre, but I want to play with my new toy....thanks for the reviews, and I could use an extra prayer for patience.

 

[Hoggtyed]

OK, I have had enough time to come to some conclusions on The Ace 250. I had a couple frustrating 1st attempts with it. I made a couple posts, done some reading and realized it was me and not the machine. After some practice with the machine it is doing a great job! I still need to work on my pinpointing. I have found a pinpointer works wonders as an accessories while digging. HH All

 

[dredre7]

Received ACE 250 the other day after sending back the MPX I was not satisfied with. First impressions were good, seemed very solid, the housing wasn't bulky, which as a personal preference, I don't need the big screen. Took it to another school yard sandy play area, because I didn't wan't to dig holes and I'm still inexperienced in that arena.

Just used the coin mode which utilized the notch discrimination and used the full sensitivity with no problems. Found some aluminum junk, only because I wanted to, the signals were disappearing and I guessed they were junk in the first place, however the nickels had a solid sound to it. Found quite a bit of the aluminum parts to pencils that hold the erasers. Found that surprising, but again, I knew it was probably junk. This time I found pennys, the olders ones appeared to show up as dimes on the scale.

I came across one solid signal that showed a dime near the edge of the pit. I used my sand scoop and dug deep. I double checked and it was still in the ground. This time I figured I had a large piece of junk even though those seem to show up as 25 or 50 cents. So I dug again noticing I was cutting into a layer of decomposing grass and a old layer of sand. Checked again and had it in my scoop, turned out to be a clad dime, discolored. I was immediately impressed with the depth on this lower price machine, the dime was at least in the 6"-8" range. Over ten years ago I owned a Garrett GTA and do not recall finding any coin that deep, but I never learned to fully utilize that machine before I got rid of it.

Took it out in the back yard and found some pennies with it after being hit previously by the MPX and my son's Bounty Hunter. Pinpointing appeared to work fine especially after I used the tips I read here.

 

[Monty]

Quite a coincidence but I once had an MPX that I returned! Chinese machine that just wasn't up to par for me! I wonder if anyone who bouight one ever kept it or if they just kept selling the same one over and over again? Sorry I strayed off topic but I now have an ACE 250. Monty

 

[lionhrt9]

Waiting for my ace250. Just purchased for 199. will alot of trimmings. I am very new to this and met a friend that is THer and got me hooked. Going to spend alot of time learning the machine. It came with the sniper coil also, from what I know im going to use it in trashy areas to look between the pulltabs. I can not wait for delievery. Have already read the manual acouple of times and have used the "off" season to research hunting spots. Trying to get permission for private property as most public has been swept afew times. I really think this machine is going to be awesome. I had also heard of the problems with pinpointing but heck I will just spend extra time on it.

Stories about 8 in deep coins is amazing!!!

 

[hollowpointred]

congrats lionheart. youre going to love the ace. they are an unbelievable value!

 

[civilman1]

Hey thank's Hollowpoint and all for the info,believe it or not,started out with a cheapie radio shack model.I'm currently using a Whites Surf II with a amphibian coil(do alot of water/bank searching) that I got on loan from my brother.Anyway ,with the Canadian bear hunt this fall,new tree stand,new truck and X-mas I don't have alot of choice in price range(wife.........doghouse)and to me this sound's like my kinda toy.Wish i could afford to get something better but(doghouse)it's gonna have to do.I'll keep ya posted,thanks.

 

[johnny50]

I want to say thanks to everyone who was had input in this topic. I have been looking to buy a MD for a while, and this forum has led me to believe that the 250 is the one for me.

I have seen them for $200 on ebay, but would really like to support folks on the forum, so, if there is any one who is selling a 250 with the big coil, and will ship to an APO, please let me know so that I can send my money in that direction.

J50

 

[Willy]

You can get them for $200, brand new with freebies, from a number of internet dealers. ..Willy.

 

[pidjammies1]

8)I bought an Ace 250 last summer and I love all the features. The pinpointing took some getting used to but I have reached an agreement with it. I didn't understand the humming sound it made so I asked the dealer I bought it from to explain how it worked. Today I bought a Vibraprobe pinpointer. I am going to take it out tomorrow and see what it can do. Will keep you posted.

 

[NLINE SIXX]

I just received my Ace 250 today and after assembly took it out in the backyard to play around with it and get the feel of the digital read out. My other detector is of the analog type. Only having a short time to play with it before having to get ready to go somewhere. I do believe I'm going to really like it. I bought it as a second detector and also to have for those times my wife wants to go MD with me.Again from what I see and what others have posted you can not beat it for the price. Also received a free gift package consisting of five gifts. Right off the bat though I agree it really needs a volume control the light weight no volume control ace headphones about blew out my eardrums out, I'm glad I opted for the padded volume control earphones as one of the gifts but they will get hot as the weather warms up.

NL6

 

[Monty]

Radio Shack can fix you up with a set of light weight stereo headphones with a volume control for less than twenty bucks. They have several to choose from. Also,I don't necessarily think the ACE is a beginners detector. Sure it's easy to learn to operate, and a beginner can use it fairly easy, but it does so much more than just beep on a piece of metal at 4". I have heard and read that it has the same circuit board as the higher priced models with just fewer bells and whistles. I have one as well as it's granddaddy, the GTI 2500. I still use the ACE a lot! If it only had a volume control, a manual ground balance, and a salt elim feature, it would probably be all the detector most of us would ever need. If you don't hunt the seashore, or highyl mineralized ground you wouldn't even need the last two features! I went to my hunt clubs national hunt last year and and used my GTI 2500...didn't have my ACE yet. A 14 year old kid kicked my butt using his ACE 250. It is ideal for club hunts where speed is essential as it is light weight and you can actually whip it around if you need to. Pinpointing is important in club hunts also and mine is dead on , dead center, although others have had problems. I think most of the problem with pinpointing is just learning the machine first. If there is a better $200.00 machine out there I would certainly buy it! Monty

 

[NLINE SIXX]

Yeah! Monty I had read one of your post before about the Ace 250 headphones with no volume control. When I tried them out the first time, your post came to mind instantly.

I will be visiting Radio Shack real soon for the light-weight volume controlled summer time headphones in the very near future.

I went out this afternoon with the Ace 250 for a try out, also wanted to try out my new pinpointer. Even though I only found one clad coin and quite a bit of trash this was a getting to know and learning of a new machine for me outing.Both MD and Pinpointer seem to preform to my expectations.

NL6

 

[Ray-King]

Hiya ALL,
I have had my Ace250 for about 3 or 4 weeks now and i'm getting on fairly well with it too. it is a great machine to sstart out on.!!!
The only problem i have is that i wish i'd found this Forum before i bought it.
I live on an Island Called Tenerife, One of the Canary Isles Just off the NW Coast of Africa / Morroco.
I am surrounded by Beaches but that's about it. No real historic sites at all. But i just wish I'd known that the ACE250 Does'nt Like salty WET SAND before i bought it. I thought i had done alot of reading and research beforehand but i found this site too late. Oh well.!!! But it is GREAT in Dry sand.
I have already found 2 Silver rings and about the equivalent of $17 in Euro coins, which will go towards another machine that DOES like wet sand.!!! hehehe I've also found a load of ringpulls too, but i know a jeweler who, when i have enough will melt them down for me and make a nice Aluminium Ingot for me.
Am going to Ireland in May for 2 weeks and already have permision to search alot of fields and gardens with normal soil. Will keep you informed of my results. But i DO feel confident that my Ace will work wonders for me over there.!! Fingers crossed.!!!

As for the volume issue, I too find that it is loud enough to wake the dead, but i also have the lightweight, no volume headphones that came free with my machine. All i do is wear them just in front of my ears, NOT RIGHT OVER MY EARS. That way they are still really comfortable but are still perfectly loud enough to hear EVERY bleep. Maybe worth a try Before you go out and spend some more money on our hobby.!!

Apart from my bad luck with picking a machine that's no good in WET SAND, I am still very happy with it and i'll certainly get lots of practise and understanding about MDing in general. So it will be a good Training tool at the very least.!!
Hope this has helped someone but if it hasn't, I'm SORRY.!!! Sorry about the whinging too, but that how people learn eh.
Take care ALL and Happy Hunting too.
All the Best,
Ray.
P.S.
Thanks to everyone who have given me lots of helpful tips and advice since i got started in this GREAT hobby, Namely Hollowpointred for one. Thanks Bud.!!

 

[hollowpointred]

any time ray! im glad i could help!

 

[tmanfromtexas]

Good evening all,
I am so glad that I found this website and all the useful info that is posted in all of the sections. I have sat here and read for hours. lol. I have pretty much decided to buy a 250 but I do a lot of detecting on beaches. I have read one review regarding detecting in wet sand and it was pretty negative. If anyone else has had any experience with this please post it or IM me. If there is a better detector with similar features I would also like to know that is well. Thanks again. Tracy