Metal detecting for the noob in 18 easy steps

[Flounder]

Step one - Get hankering to buy detector.

Step two - Google for where to buy locally in my area, come up with nothing.

Step three - Decide to pop into a local chain sporting goods store "in hopes of", and find (with no research or insight on product) the Bounty Hunter brands are sold here. Take a stab and buy "middle" machine, Tracker II.

Step Four - Take it home, search local beach, find a few coins and lots of metal junk. Feel self getting hooked and wanting more.

Step five - Start research over, find forums and tons of conflicting advice. Go detecting.

Step six - Stop in local hardware store in search of beach scoop (as digging with hands isn't great). Get pointed to other local store that sells scoops (and White's and Fisher MD'ers). Ponder store's unGoogleabilty. Go detecting.

Step seven - Make trip to store, find it closed even though sign lists hours as hours it's open. Go detecting.

Step eight - Go back again, find store open. Find hidden amazing MD museum and knowledgeable dealer. Get advice that conflicts with forums and internet. Go detecting.

Step nine - Ask forum about White's three beginner units. Get conflicting information, consensus says if purchasing (crappy) beginner unit, get the GT.

Step ten - Realize family member has mid priced White's beginner series model that I can borrow. Borrow. Go detecting.

Step eleven - Agonize over buying used or buying new, have fun in mean time with borrowed unit. Find more coins on beach, get more hooked.

Step twelve - Rationalize buying GT, buy GT. Take out and find nothing. Take out again, find nothing. Take out again, find nothing.

Step thirteen - Draw on basic life experience and realize something is wrong with new unit. Swap coil from old unit to confirm.
Confirmed, new unit has issue not related to coil. Won't pinpoint or read anything in middle of coil. Preform beach test by burying already found coins of differing denominations. BH finds nothing. Borrowed mid level beginner White's finds all. New GT finds only quarter and it's very reluctant to do so.

Step fourteen - Take new purchase back to store that has no return policy. They graciously agree to refund as the unit just doesn't work after they test and confirm. Feel great relief as I realize that even if it had worked, it was the wrong machine for me. Ask dealer about PI, get told "don't do it". Also ponder CZ21 and Excalibur II. Intrigued by all, PI the most. Go detecting in rain and high wind.

Step fifteen - Think about things, realize I have a little bit more knowledge as I have been participating in forum and researching like mad. Begin to really ponder PI machine for my particular usage (beach and water).

Step sixteen - Come home, confirm via PM with PI enthusiast on forum the merits of PI for my area. Read other posters PI endorsement of certain brand, read all PI threads and discover pissing match and argument over certain brand, depth claims and Pulse Delay feature. More confusion than ever.

Step seventeen - Feel like PI (yet still unsure of brand/model) plus base level White's might be a great combo for me and my areas of hunting. See logic and fun in hot rod PI for beach that finds it all, and deep, as well as base White's for dry sand and other areas.

Step eighteen - Sit and write thread outlining in numerical order, experiences to date. Sit and ponder if I should go decent PI and lower level non PI like I think I maybe should, agonize of general lack of info on all things MD in relation to other hobbies. Wait for more insight. Have nagging feeling in back of mind about CZ21 and Excalibur II but cannot deny current PI interest. Look forward to going detecting where I can think clearly and have some fun.

That's it fellow noobs, 18 easy steps to all the answers to all things metal detecting.

 

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[discn]

Just get a CTX already!

 

[Flounder]

Just get a CTX already!

Excalibur II is at the very top of the price point I could conceivably pay. My current inner debate is PI vs non PI. Really fascinated by the concept of the PI machines, and at the moment I am leaning towards that. Used or new is another debate I am having with myself on that front.

 

[discn]

If you don't mind digging everything that beeps then a PI machine is great. It all depends on what you want.

 

[bigfoot1]

errrr....uhhhh....just grab what machine you have....take time to learn its language....and clobber.I know you know this....but for the noobs.....just friggin hunt...again and again...dig it all till you are right 60% of the time....then buy the machine your buddy says you have to have and start over.make sure you can stand its accent.
my humble three cents

 

[Terry Soloman]

If you are on a beach 90-percent of the time in Wet saltwater sand and IN the saltwater, get a Tesoro Sand Shark and a Tesoro Compadre. Use the Sand Shark in the wet and the Compadre in the dry. Problem and pondering solved!

 

[liftloop]

stay away from tesoro their free warranty isn't in place for nothing
a white's pi will give some discretion more than any other P.I on the market

compadre what is terry of his meds again

 

[liftloop]

stay away from tesoro their free warranty isn't in place for nothing a white's pi will give some discretion more than any other P.I on the market compadre what is terry of his meds again

go to you tube and look up "dirt fishing" he has a lot of vid on detectors more than eny buddy else he like the white's tdi pro on the beach the best because it is deep.....

 

[SusanMN]

stay away from tesoro their free warranty isn't in place for nothing a white's pi will give some discretion more than any other P.I on the market compadre what is terry of his meds again

i strongly disagree Liftloop. I love my Tesoros and the only things that have gone wrong have been of my own doing. Tesoro was kind enough to give me a new coil for free after I seriously trashed it hunting rocks, and they replaced my headphones after I yanked the wires loose, also for free. They are well built, and quality machines and Tesoros customer service is outstanding.

 

[Flounder]

errrr....uhhhh....just grab what machine you have....take time to learn its language....and clobber.I know you know this....but for the noobs.....just friggin hunt...again and again...dig it all till you are right 60% of the time....then buy the machine your buddy says you have to have and start over.make sure you can stand its accent.
my humble three cents

I do, I go everyday with the borrowed White's. It isn't great in wet sand though, I do need to find "my" machine relatively soon so I can hunt the waterline.

 

[Flounder]

If you are on a beach 90-percent of the time in Wet saltwater sand and IN the saltwater, get a Tesoro Sand Shark and a Tesoro Compadre. Use the Sand Shark in the wet and the Compadre in the dry. Problem and pondering solved!

Well, to be honest, step sixteen was in reference to threads I have seen you argue with another poster in great length and detail over the SS. I don't really know what to think after reading everything I could find on the SS here. I am considering the SS, no doubt, but I don't know if it's better than the White's, or maybe other brands/models. Still trying to figure that one out.

 

[Terry Soloman]

Well, to be honest, step sixteen was in reference to threads I have seen you argue with another poster in great length and detail over the SS. I don't really know what to think after reading everything I could find on the SS here. I am considering the SS, no doubt, but I don't know if it's better than the White's, or maybe other brands/models. Still trying to figure that one out.

Yeah, I know. Do what you feel, and feel what you do!

 

[Flounder]

Terry, I have seen those pictures in your prior SS threads (still very nice though!). I don't know what to make of the "controversy" in the prior threads about the reality of the SS - in relation to other PI detectors and their functions and pulse rate, etc. The dealer I bought the faulty White's CM GT is a seller of (and not a shocker) a fan of the two brands he sells. He might be right and 100% spot on though in his assessment, I honestly don't know.

I have found that for the noob, it's hard to separate the bias from the facts. The dealer told me a story about why he doesn't sell Minelab (when I asked him about Minelab). He told me they wanted him to post glowing reviews of the free unit they sent him, even if he didn't use it. He said he wouldn't do it as he doesn't operate that way. He seems like a good guy and I have no reason to doubt him I suppose, but I don't know what to make of that story really. It leaves me wondering (in addition to other research, including the threads and accusations made on this forum) who to trust for brand advice. I read the heated argument between you and the guy who was pissed about buying the SS on your recommendation. I don't know what to make of that, but at any rate it's why forum flame wars are ultimately bad for the forum (it leaves the new people with doubt about believing either party).

I dodged a bullet with the GT, and I feel lucky to have gotten a refund. I doubt I'll get a second chance to fix a second mistake. I am still figuring out how I should go. It may take awhile it appears..

 

[Terry Soloman]

As I said, do what you feel. I don't sell equipment, never have. I HAVE been detecting for more than 35-years, and run a gold prospecting school in Arizona Arizona gold prospecting, gold prospecting, gold panning I have used Whites; Garrett; Minelab: Fisher; Tesoro; Teknetics; Bounty Hunter; and several other brands through the years. I stand by everything I type. Only you can make up your mind, and in truth, I don't care what you buy and use as long as you're happy.

There are many reasons dealers say what they say. They make more money on a brand or model when they sell it; they have been denied by a brand for one reason or another; they only know how to use one brand; they honestly prefer one brand over another. In my experience it almost always boils down to money. If you can make twice the commission selling a Whites machine, why would you recommend a Minelab or Tesoro?

Do your research and make YOU happy. Good luck and Big Gold!

 

[Flounder]

What are your thoughts on the White's vs the SS as of today? I do appreciate your insight, you are clearly finding awesome stuff

 

[Terry Soloman]

The Whites Dual Field is a great PI. It is overpriced, and I don't like the floating coil, but it is a very capable machine. I prefer the Sand Shark because the coil cuts through the water much easier, all the controls are on the faceplate, it's cheaper and has a better warranty.

 

[Flounder]

If I may ask more, when you beach detect with the SS, how much trash do you actually dig? I was told by a poster here via PM (who also has great finds) that our beaches aren't really that trashy at the waterline and wet sand (OC MD, DE area). I guess my concern is being totally overloaded by digging ever two seconds, but honestly so far, I haven't found much trash by the water (in line with what the poster I mentioned said).

My thoughts on digging are "dig it all", but I realize there are practical limits to this. I am strongly leaning towards PI for the power factor, specialized beach (waterline and below) hunting opportunities afforded to me (as I live on the sand, literally), and ease of handling the mineralization (they do handle the mineralization a lot better than non PI, correct?). In my specific case, I feel like I can "cross" my other hobby of surfing into this one and have a slight leg up on other hunters in the area, as I already own a wetsuit that lets me go out in upper 30's water and single digit air temps (I surf all year). I can get wet all year and wade when there is snow on the beach. For these reasons I am leaning heavily PI, do you think I am on the right track? Do yo see any holes in my theories I may be overlooking?

 

[Terry Soloman]

There is not as much garbage in the wet sand and in the water. If you plan on being in the water and on the wet sand, a PI unit is the way to go - period (in my opinion). For the money, ease of use and depth, a Sand Shark cannot be beat on a saltwater beach.

 

[Flounder]

Thanks for humoring my questions Terry, much appreciated!

 

[discn]

Yes terry I would never knock a Tesoro , I love my sand shark in the salt water, and I love the tiger in the fresh water. but the CTX is a breed of it's own.