Need help picking higher end detector

[scavenger]

Ok, so a few years back (around 2003/4) I picked up a tesero compadre as per reccomendation from this forum. Well it has found me a lot of stuff but I have grown more impatient with it's lack of response to deeper silver. I feel I may be missing a lot of stuff because I've hit some really good looking/sounding virgin spots with little success. In fact I've yet to find a silver coin. Upon testing, it won't pick up a silver dime any deeper than 3-4". Anyway, after finding this out I slacked on detecting for quite some time (the past couple years). Well I've got the bug again and want to upgrade my machine to increase my efficiency. I'd like something that will pick up deeper silver. I am currently living in a mid-late 1700's house with access to a lot of good virgin spots. I'm looking for the best machine I can get for under $800 . I'd like to hear what you would buy based on your experience and what I can expect from the reccomended machine. I'd like to get a new machine. A few years back I was going to upgrade to an XLT but I see now they have stopped making them. I'd like something with a digital readout similar to the XLT. I would prefer not to buy a used machine since I have had some bad experiences with them in the past.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[bazinga]

White's V3i all the way. No questions asked. Best machine out there.

Oh, I see you posted a $600 limit. There are no higher end machines in that range unless you buy used.

You should redo your thread title to say... Need help picking average end detector

 

[scavenger]

You should redo your thread title to say... Need help picking average end detector

My point was higher end than the entry machine I've been using

 

[George (MN)]

The Garrett AT Pro is $595 MAP price. I have one & really like it. I didn't find deep coins the first few hours. Then I started using manual ground balance, STD mode, coins program, iron totally rejected, sensitivity 7.

It was very quiet until I got the quarter reading & it was 4"+ & very tilted. Next, more silence until another loud signal. It read ID #s 80-85 (dime) & indicated about 8" deep. It gave a high tone on every sweep. Down 7" I found a clad dime. This was in hard (dry) dirt that has some mineralization. 7" ties my lifetime record depth for a coin as I only dig a signal that is probably a coin.

In my soil, most detectors can only ID a dime correctly to 3 to 5 inches.

The 7" dime was in a park detected hundreds of times & that dime probably sat there 20-30+ years. Most prefer the Pro mode that makes deeper signals weaker, but allows some special tricks like detecting a coin under a nail. Has 40 levels of iron rejection. Iron audio on or off.

Either mode offers good separation with the DD coil, which is I think 8.5"x11.5". Weight just over 3 lbs. Uses 4 AAs. AT Pro can go under water to 10' & waist deep water is where hands shrivel & rings slide off.

In an air test, STD mode, coins program, it gets a dime to 10", 11" on a quarter, 12" on a nickel, with pretty loud beep. Gets small gold, too.

The other detector I have & like near your price range is the Teknetics G2, which has same innards as Fisher Gold Bug DP. 11" DD coil is very good at separating. Also a very stable detector, sensitivity at max of 100 can probably be used some places. IDs my 5"+ slightly tilted dime OK, it goes back & forth between dime & zinc. Dime still IDed at sens of 12.

I raised the detector with DD coil 2"-3" & still got the dime with good signal. Even lighter than AT Pro, uses 1 9 volt. Numerical ID larger than AT Pro, & has ground phase readout to let you know when you should redo the ground balance.

Has proportional audio, so 10" dime in air test is a whisper. High frequency makes it excellent on tiny gold. Very easy to use. Rejected items give a soft beep & show a tiny number. Best wishes, George (MN)

 

[ryaan21]

With an $800 dollar limit you could get a really nice machine. Dealers on this site will often quote you a great price well below what they have listed.

I have dealt with Big Boys Hobbies and had very good service.

Check out:

Garrett AT Pro.
Garrett 1350
Garrett 1500

Fisher F70
Fisher F2, F4, F5

Teknetics Greek series and T2 and G2.

Tesoro, Lifetime warranty.

Minelab 305, 505, 705.

Whites I refuse to deal with Whites. They don't allow their prices to be printed. Never bought one, never will.


You can get a whale of a machine with $800. Do your research. Watch videos on youtube. read read read.


I went with a dealer from this site and got a wonderful price on a T2. I refuse to order from kellyco and believe in supporting the smaller dealers.


Good luck in your search.

 

[Woodland Detectors]

Good comments.. I have a great deal for you. My friend Quindy (Tnet handle VOL1266-X) is selling his personal T2 LTD SE. He bought it from me to see if he could get better results than his F75 LTD. He noticed the same performance, and hasn't a need for the new T2. The machine was used literally one day, and you might be able to work something out with him on a price. That machine will do everything you are inquiring about. If you decide to go another avenue, give me a call toll free 855-966-3563 to see what we can get you into.

Mike

 

[smcdmc]

Beens your already familiar with Tesoro and the beep and dig of the Compadre why not just upgrade within the Tesoro family? In the 400-600 range you could add some serious depth while keeping the features that you have become familiar with over the years. I've used a few different brands over the years and currently have a Tesoro Cortes which is definitely my favorite so far.

 

[dale68]

3 to 4 in on a dime makes me suspect your machine is out of calabration, call tesoro (the machine is guarenteed for life). Most the major manufacturers have good machines in your price range. Call a dealer and talk to him. From a dealer i'd also consider used. good luck.

 

[cammobunker]

I've found things stupid deep with my Compadre so I'll agree yours might be ready for a tune-up. Honestly, a lot of people get wrapped up in the digital displays and other gee-gaws that manufacturers like to incorporate to make us think we are getting more for our money. I'll grant you that the Compadre has it's limitations; the coil is small and you can't change it out, and the range of adjustment is fairly basic. A machine that allows you a greater range of adjustment and the option to change coils can really open your horizons.
However, I'll caution you that the digital displays, meters, flashy lights and such can be more of a distraction than a help.
A good, quality machine backed with proper technique, patience, and persistence is tough to beat.

I tell you what though; hang on to your Compadre. The power and abilities packed into such a small light package make it my weapon of choice for tot lots and the like.

 

[scavenger]

well, since posting this I decided to dig my little compadre out and give it another go. It's still crackly on any coins deeper than about 5" on any setting, (silent if they are deeper than 7") but after digging a lot of junk out of the yard over the past 2 days I did manage my first silver; a 1834 half dime (3") last night and an 18K plated ring today(4"). Some clad among it but most of my finds were shreds of cans, shell casings, and expended bullets. Anything smaller than a mason jar lid it won't give a clear signal if it's deeper than 5". Anything I dig that is over 5" is as big or bigger than a mason jar lid. I'll definitely keep the little machine for hitting small parks and such where new stuff is generally shallow but I'm primarily after older stuff (jewelry too) which seems to be deeper than my detectors reading ability most of the time so I'd like to upgrade. I am liking what I hear and read about the T2 so I may go that route, still not quite sure. There is a local detectorist my dad knows, who has been doing it for many years and I intend to stop by one day (when I can catch him home!) and see what he uses. Last I seen of him I think he was using a DFX. That was about 10 or 11 years ago so he may have something new by now.

I do remember in the first month I had the compadre I dug a '54 nickel at 14". I was so tired of digging with my hand spade I almost quit and filled the hole back in LOL. I wasn't used to the machine yet and all the funny sounds I wasn't sure if it was lying to me or not haha.

 

[Smudge]

I agree, don't get rid of the Compadre.

At $800, you are at the threshold of the mid-level detectors before going high end.

If I had $800 to spend on a detector today that focuses on deeper targets, I would seriously consider either the Tesoro Tejon or the Garrett AT Pro, both less than $800.00.

Above that, I would save my money until I could afford a White's V3i.

 

[birdman]

You can get a used explorer for that price. I have seen them go for 600. Killer machine.

 

[Hosensack]

Hopefully you took Mike up on his suggestion.

 

[goldentruth]

With an $800 dollar limit you could get a really nice machine. Dealers on this site will often quote you a great price well below what they have listed.

I have dealt with Big Boys Hobbies and had very good service.

Check out:

Garrett AT Pro.
Garrett 1350
Garrett 1500

Fisher F70
Fisher F2, F4, F5

Teknetics Greek series and T2 and G2.

Tesoro, Lifetime warranty.

Minelab 305, 505, 705.

Whites I refuse to deal with Whites. They don't allow their prices to be printed. Never bought one, never will.


You can get a whale of a machine with $800. Do your research. Watch videos on youtube. read read read.


I went with a dealer from this site and got a wonderful price on a T2. I refuse to order from kellyco and believe in supporting the smaller dealers.


Good luck in your search.

Thats Funny, I always go to Kellyco Detectors for all going rate/Prices on whites MD's.
You have to understand many Companys who make MD's Don't sell them,They have distributors. Tesoro, Whites to name a few.(Why should the Company who require dealers to carry a minimum of investments take their business by selling direct out the back door. You have to understand business agreements which does not make them bad, they have to be fair to the dealers.

 

[chukers]

Just because the XLT isn't being made any more don't mean a thing... its a great coin hunting machine... and if something goes wrong they can still fix it... just as they did my older Eagle Spectrum... and you can pick a good used one up for under 500 I bet.


Chukers