My first post is sad! dont kill me.

[kool007]

My first post is sad! don't kill me.

Okay, I bought my first detector about 3 months ago. It's a Bounty Hunter 101 :cry: I jumped into this hobby without much research aobut anything. I really thought this was a good detector due to it always would detect metal. It has a discriminator, and a tone. 2 tones I think.

One good thing is that I was invited to detect a battle field in south Texas. Palo Alto battlefield to be exact. The park was going to build a short road to a look-out post and they wasnted volunteers to search for relics. My daughter was invited due to the "community service" it represents for college. Anyway, she found a bullet. A modern day bullet from pre 1960's. There were 5 TH'ers, and only 1 other guy found a grape shot. This is after about 3 hours of detecting. Not too bad.

I have yet to find a penny. I invested an additional $40.00 for a larger coil. I have been reading this forum and one other besides the news-group, and have asked a few questions in the news-group. I tried an excersize where you bury coins at known clean place, at known depths and locations. I also added a gold bracelet to the equation. I will never find gold unless I always dig at any signal. I can rule out nails and stuff, but pull-tabs and nickels are the same, and when I detect nickels and bottle caps, I will miss gold.

I am absolutley stuck on this hobby. I am thinking that I need a new machine. I can't justify anything over $350.00. Am I stuck with using non-working machines, or is there a something that can be had for less? Is there any machines as good as an entry level Garrett, Whites, Tesoro, Minelab, or Fisher? I think these are the top 5, not in any particular order.

I guess what I am saying is, is there any not-well-known manufacturer of metal detectors that may be just as good as the top five, but at a really reasonable price? I know, I know, my reasonable price is not the same as your resonable price. We all want something for nothing. I am really more disappointed with myself. There is a wealth of information in the net, and I stummbled onto this forum by chance. I really didn't want to get on the "minelab forum" or the "fisher forum".

Sorry for typing so much, I am really just "blowing off steam".

I will continue to MD with my P-O-S, till I come across the deal of a lifetime and get a real detector. Not sure which one at this time, but if anyone who reads this, lives or is miraculously in DeeeeeeeP south Texas with a really descent metal detector they are willing to trade for a really good 9mm pistol, let me know.

I feel better now. Thanks.

 

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[Rich in Texas]

My first post is sad! don't kill me.

Hey Kool007, I am in San Antonio, where in South Texas are ya? I wouldn't mind working with you a little on your hunting. I can also let you try a detector that is in your price range and see what ya think.

Rich

 

[kool007]

My first post is sad! don't kill me.

Weslaco. Throw a rock south and you might hit someone. Ever been to Progresso? Nice Mexican town, beer is cheap and the food is good. About an hours drive to the Beach. Thanks.

 

[MDnoob]

My first post is sad! don't kill me.

I sort of had the same problem as you; I started out too fast and didn't reasearch the detector I bought first, which was a Bounty Hunter Landstar. I found a goodly amount of stuff with it, but I just coundn't convince it to go deep enough to get the old stuff. Besides, I knew all along that eventually I would have to have the absolute best detector to find all that which I was missing.

So, thru eBay I got my hooks onto a Minelab Explorer II, which I hope will satisfy my lust for old coins. You may want to look on ebay as well, there are some pretty good deals on there. Cross reference the prices on there with some other sites just to be sure.

Also, someone on here once said, "Figure out how much you want to spend on a detector, and then add 300$ to that." I think that is good advice. For the most part, I think you get what you pay for with MD's. And of course the first thing that anyone on here will tell you: "It's not the detector, but who is swinging it." Still, there is alot to be said for having a good one to start with.......

 

[kool007]

My first post is sad! don't kill me.

Thanks for that piece of advice MDnoob. Although I can't agree with the notion of adding an additional $300.00 to a self set limit. At first it sounded pretty promissing.........

Start with $350.00. Looking for MD's shows some pretty good entry level ones. But add another $300.00 and now you're looking at a nicer model. Reality sets in, you really only have $350.00.

Another example is: you set your amount to $500.00, and look at pretty damn good units, then add an additional $300.00 and start looking at really neat units, but then reality sets in again, and you can only afford tohe original damn good unit.

It's like anything else, get what you want;. If you can't afford it now, save till you can.

BTW, today is my 16 year anniversary. Wow! I have been married 16 years to the same woman. :lol:

I have started doing research, and am reading a lot of posts, so thanks guys for posting their opinions on and sometimes features about specific models.

 

[MDnoob]

My first post is sad! don't kill me.

Congratulations on your anniversary!

Good luck on your research, I'm sure you will find a kick butt detector for whatever price eventually.

 

[bulltab]

My first post is sad! don't kill me.

sir: i have had the same detector for 14 yrs.at the time i bought it i knew we couldnt afford.but that lasts only so long.when buyin a detector make 100% sure thats what YOU want. Not what others tell ya. MARK

 

[kool007]

My first post is sad! don't kill me.

Thanks for the advice Wudce.

Bulltab, Thanks for the pep talk.

MDnoob, my wife is expecting, so I gotta wait 18 years and some months before I can divorce her. j/k.

People, I will continue to serach with this MD, till I get the one I want. I wish there was a comparrison like the one on Tesoros web site, with little stars and dots showing which one is good at what. The problem I have seen with like Minelab's web site is that is does'nt have a side X side comparrison.

Among all the Tesoro detectors, I wish I could get the Eldorado.

Among Fisher, I would wish for the cz-20, due to all the reviews from the net. I know there are prolly good "less than" models, but without all the specs in one place, i can't make a good judgement.

Among minelab, I would wish for the explorer II, but the model below it would be good also. Then there was the post about all the freqs. not really being used, but it would seem like mis-leading info.

Not sure about Garrett yet.

As for all the specs of all models on a web site, I will find it soon, unless someone knows where they are at, please let me know.

Also, about buying a used model, like, I don't know.....but a model that is ,made by Tesoro for instance, but discontinued, I think would not be a bargain due to not knowing what the specs are. I think i need to stick to modern.

Whites, I am not sure yet either.

I am hoping to buy a new one one day, I think I will wait for income tax season which is just around the corner.

will post some more questions later.

ejf

 

[rjb]

My first post is sad! don't kill me.

Consider a used machine. There is a fellow in KCity that I have bought used Tesoros and Whites from, he is reliable. My preference for ease of use are the Tesoro models. I am in Thailand without a machine but will bring back my Tesoro next trip.

 

[kool007]

My first post is sad! don't kill me.

rjb, I am skeptical at getting a used machine, but if it's the one I want from the begining, and is in pretty good condition, I just might do that. I guess I would save lots of mula.

thanks.

 

[rjb]

My first post is sad! don't kill me.

understand the doubts on a used machine. I am not sure I should use the name Clevenger but I and other friends in when I lived in Colorado have purchased used machines from him and were well satisfied as well as saving some money. rjb

 

[warthog steve]

My first post is sad! don't kill me.

I purchased a Whites 5900 DiPro metal detector from Kellyco about 2 years ago;paid 425.00for it;have found pennies6-8"deep,have also found single piecesof#6birdshot(about the size of a BB) at6"deep,this machine is very sensitive,goes deep into the ground,well worth the money;only drawback is all the controls and their adjustments take some time to get used to;its still close to your 350.00 limit!!!!!