Metal Detector Nostalgia!

buscadero · Oct 10, 2006

Picked up a 1968 Copy of True West! Looking thru the Ads, Seeing how many MD Co'd have gone bye bye! And some 1968 Prices!

D-Tex Electronics, Rayscope, Roth Industries, Relco $19.95- 129.50, Detectron, Treasureprobe, Whites Goldmaster $169.50, Goldmaster66T TR

$269.50, Columbus House FJ5-TR $77, Gardiner Electronics, Metrotech, Garrett Playmate $99.

The Good Old Days?

Joe

Night Stalker · Oct 10, 2006

I like flicking through old mags, some of the ad are funny compared with what we're used to seeing today.

bk · Oct 10, 2006

Ahh yes, the old Coinmaster 66 TR. It was about the size of a Mac truck, and almost as heavy.
I always liked the add from AH Pro. "This tinfoil killer is for real".

PBK · Oct 10, 2006

The White's Goldmaster 66TR was my first detector, a gift from my dad.

The A. H. Pro (as modified by Ken Lehman) was my first discriminator... a real miracle machine, or so it seemed at the time!

You bet I'm nostalgic about those days!

I still enjoy looking through old magazines, catalogs, and books from the late 60's and early 70's, such as E. S. "Rocky" LeGaye's Electronic Metal Detector Handbook— a true classic, and even today "must" reading for anyone seriously interested in the subject.

bakergeol · Oct 10, 2006

My first BFO was a kit which was $45. I don't remember the name except it had square green coils. My second was the "Little Monster" which was custom made by Whites. It sold for the incredible high price of $90 in the mid 60's. I do remember using the A.H. Pro (Backpacker) about 10 years later which was mid-70's which I believe was an early TR machine. Then on to Whites VLF detectors. I still have my Series 3 from Whites in the back of my closet somewhere with a couple of earlier Whites machines.

George

buscadero · Oct 10, 2006

You mentioned "Rocky" LeGaye, In 1970, I stopped in Houston to buy a Garrett MD from Jim Alexander. They told me their Club was Meeting that night, so I stopped by. Rocky LeGaye was a member & we got to talking. I ended up spending the night at his house. He did his own Book
Printing & had about a 25' long Printing set-up in his house. I remember helping him with it. I think it was 5000 Civil War Battle Sites or something like that. You brought it all back.

Joe

lumbercamp · Oct 10, 2006

My first detector was a Jetco. It was a piece of junk from day one. The tone kept rising in pitch and I had to constantly re-adjust it. Trashed it, picked up a Garrett and have been satisfied ever since.

dave-enc · Oct 12, 2006

I still have my uncles true treasures, treasure world magazines 60's-70's at my moms house in florida, he was the one who got me started in this lifelong obcession. My first detector in 73 was bounty hunter III, first tr machine was a whites beachcomber. I still peruse ebay on occasion looking for some of the oldies. I have c+g bobcat here in the closet now that i need to send to keith willis to get him to fix I picked up on ebay few years ago.
hh
dave+bobbie

Sandman · Oct 12, 2006

My first detector was a BFO also and I don't even remember the name. I do remember the C & G Bobcat, a fine TR detector. I wonder if the one Dave-enc has now was mine. If you'd like to sell it, email me.

Sandman

Night Stalker · Oct 16, 2006

I saw a very old detector in a local pawn shop recently, by the time I thought about and went back to buy it, someone else had taken it home. It looked early to mid 70's...next time, I'll not hesitate.

Michigan Badger · Oct 16, 2006

I like to think back to before Ken White started to mass-produce his machines. Those were the 1950's and those with electronic know-how were building coin shooting detectors.

Many today know nothing of the pre-treasure magazine (detector sales propaganda) era. See after WWII, many understood the metal detector concept due to having used the old mine detectors. Starting in 1946 or so guys were trying to use the surplus minesweepers to find treasure. Some even built mini-mine sleepers which were still very heavy and not very sensitive to tiny objects. Along about the mid-50's some had machines that were much smaller and deeper. In the late 50's early 60's the availability of low-cost transistors really changed the whole picture.

I happen to own one of the very first coin shooting BFO metal detectors. The rod and coil frame are made of wood and it's definitely NOT waterproof

The maker left a note inside dated 1956 (as I recall).

The machine doesn't work at this time but I think it would with a new earphone. The person who made this unit was brilliant.

I posted pictures of this unit on TreasureNet about a year ago but there was almost no interest in it so I packed it away in storage.

Maybe some day I'll get it out and get it running again. I'll bet its maker found his share of awesome stuff with it.

Badger

snorton750 · Oct 16, 2006

First real machine was a White's Beachcomber 3, still have it although it had the front of the plastic case broken many years ago. I repaired it with fiberglass. Very poor repair job, but the machine still works. Now have a Classic ID. It's quietness is sometimes unnerving. I bump the switch just to hear a tone so I know it's still on. Love it. Lots of finds with the Beachcomber, including a 1906 V nickle. My Dad's birth year. Wouldn't let that nickle go for anything. Stan...