New to the search! Would like some advice!

[evan2002]

Hi y'all! My name is Evan and I am looking for a little advice.

I will soon be traveling to a few beaches that have are virgin territory. I am on a budget and was thinking about purchasing the Garrett 350, but now have read a few reviews that are scaring me away. Any recommendations on a metal detector that will work adequately on a salt water beach, but are budget friendly?

Thank you for any and all advice!

-Evan

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Hi y'all! My name is Evan and I am looking for a little advice.

I will soon be traveling to a few beaches that have are virgin territory. I am on a budget and was thinking about purchasing the Garrett 350, but now have read a few reviews that are scaring me away. Any recommendations on a metal detector that will work adequately on a salt water beach, but are budget friendly?

Thank you for any and all advice!

-Evan

Evan what us your interpretation of budget friendly?.

Saltwater is made up of metal minerals, it takes certain types of detector to hunt salt beaches. Use to be you needed either pulse induction or multiple frequency detector, now there are a few other choices.

You have to decide if you want new or used, you get more bang for your buck used, but usually less or no warranty depending on age.

Check our classifieds forum and talk to our vendors..

 

[evan2002]

I'd like to stay under $400 if possible. I think I will eventually upgrade to something more powerful, but just can't afford it at this point. I have been looking at the classifieds, I just am not exactly sure what I am looking for. I'm just trying to research as much as possible. It looks like I should probably be looking for one with PI technology.

Thank you for your help.

 

[CincinnatiKid]

You may be able to find a Tesoro SandShark used within your budget.
Welcome evan2002. You will enjoy this site and defecting.
GL
Peace

 

[Sandigger2]

Evan, Not sure where your located but most any single frequency detector will work in dry sand.
Hunting in wet salt sand is easier with a multi frequency machine like a Minelab or Garrett, whites etc.
If you plan to hunt in the water, even wading, a waterproof machine is best because on most detectors
only the coil is waterproof. If you get the control box wet, most likely it is dead. And very expensive to repair.
At a modest budget, you get the most bang for the buck in the used market.
Many beaches have high mineral content and black sand making wet sand hunting difficult.
If you buy new check with vendors on this site and buy a detector at your price point to decide if you really enjoy MD.
Then upgrade later if you need a waterproof machine and keep the other for a spare or loaner. Single frequency machines work well inland
so HH and HTH.

 

[Sandman]

Treasure Hunter gave good advice. Wet saltwater sand throws single frequency detectors into fits. Add black sand and varying amounts of salt and they can sound off all the time when nothing is there. Pulse units don't have this problem but have very little disc and you will get tired of digging tiny hairpins at deep depths. But you can use ANY detector well in the DRY SAND.

 

[evan2002]

Thank you for all the responses. I am traveling to a deserted island with no tourism so I'm not exactly looking for loose change. There are a few shipwrecks that are pretty close to shore, and I would bet that many of the beaches have never been searched.

Do these detectors go deep enough to find something that maybe be buried a foot or two under the sand?

Would a whites work in wet ad dry sand? I'm thinking probably searching above the waterline, but still wet sand, as well as the dry sand on the beaches.

Maybe it would be better and more cost efficient to just buy a single frequency and stay out of the wet sand...

 

[DFX DAVE in M.D.]

Good luck on your Island, try and hit at low tide working the waters edge, that is a great place, the churning effect on the sand leaves nice finds. Make some good finds and post them with pictures in todays finds here at T-Net when you do make them.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Thank you for all the responses. I am traveling to a deserted island with no tourism so I'm not exactly looking for loose change. There are a few shipwrecks that are pretty close to shore, and I would bet that many of the beaches have never been searched.

Do these detectors go deep enough to find something that maybe be buried a foot or two under the sand?

Would a whites work in wet ad dry sand? I'm thinking probably searching above the waterline, but still wet sand, as well as the dry sand on the beaches.


Maybe it would be better and more cost efficient to just buy a single frequency and stay out of the wet sand...

Whites is the brand like Ford or Chevy you need to tell us the model. Your question is like asking is a Ford good in the snow..


When we say low tide we are talking going onto low tide not to start at the moment of low tide as then your really hunting on the incoming tide...

I like to start hunting at a minimum of 2 to 3 hours at the very least before low tide, but that also depends on how flat or steep your beach is, in other words how far is the distance from low tide line to high tide line.. ...

 

[Sandigger2]

Most budget priced single frequency detectors would not be effective beyond 6-10 inches in dry sand. Very few PI detectors are at peak penetration
beyond 18 inches except for those people who truly understand their machines weak signals. IMHO you'd have the best success in dry sand. Remember that
pulse machines are truly dig all signals and trash and rusty iron will drive you nuts sooner than later.

 

[evan2002]

I am going to continue to research as much as possible. I need to keep reading about the different models.

I believe there probably would be a lot of iron and trash so does a PI not distinguish between different medals? If so, maybe you would be correct that I should get a single frequency even though I really like the idea of going out a couple hours before low tide and working the waters edge. So much to learn!

Thanks again

 

[evan2002]

I am going to continue to research as much as possible. I need to keep reading about the different models.

I believe there probably would be a lot of iron and trash so does a PI not distinguish between different medals? If so, maybe you would be correct that I should get a single frequency even though I really like the idea of going out a couple hours before low tide and working the waters edge. So much to learn!

Thanks again

 

[Sandigger2]

A PI doesn't have a true discrimination capability. Those that advertise that they do are not real effective beyond 3-5 inches in the field and are out of your budget range costing north of 1000 dollars. Problem is that the conductivity of non ferrous materials also can be in the range of corroded iron trash. A rusty nail and gold or brass can seem similar to a detector due to "halo effect" from ground minerals. Detector swings speed,recovery rate, sensitivity and coil size and type of coil also need to be considered. With a PI it's dig it all or risk missing a reale, gold coin or ring.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

If you want to hunt beaches your going to really limit your ability and your finds hunting only dry sand... Look for either a PI ( they can't tell difference between cooper and silver or other metals), a Tesoro Sand Shark next a single freq a used AT Pro, multiple freqs a Beach Hunter ID or Beach Hunter 300... If you bump your budget a $100 you will open yourself up to a lot more choices and you will be a lot happier on your finds. Bump it $300 more opens up more options.

Here is something to consider and remember, a good used high dollar detector will hold it's value for many years to come and you can sell it years from now and get 80-100% of your money back...... Excal 1000 sold for $1000.00 to $1100.00 10 years ago and you can still them for $600-800 now.

 

[evan2002]

Thanks for the suggestions. I like what I have been reading about the Sand Shark and Beach Hunter.

I think I am going to try to get my hands on one of those. My budget keeps moving up as the day goes on...
I'm thinking the AT Pro wouldn't be helpful in salt water due to only having one frequency?

Maybe I'll be able to find a used Sand Shark until I can afford an Excalibur!

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Thanks for the suggestions. I like what I have been reading about the Sand Shark and Beach Hunter.

I think I am going to try to get my hands on one of those. My budget keeps moving up as the day goes on...
I'm thinking the AT Pro wouldn't be helpful in salt water due to only having one frequency?

Maybe I'll be able to find a used Sand Shark until I can afford an Excalibur!

Many members who water hunt and own ATPro make good finds and then some members hate them...

Whites Beach Hunter ID and Beach Hunter 300 are good water machines and have the ability to identify "some" metals and you will dig little iron. Tesoro Sand Shark is a good PI too...

 

[evan2002]

Thank you.. Now considering the ATPro. Beaches where I will be looking are free of black sand and I believe it may be better for me because of the digital read out. I am going to continue researching and reading. I appreciate all your time.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Thank you.. Now considering the ATPro. Beaches where I will be looking are free of black sand and I believe it may be better for me because of the digital read out. I am going to continue researching and reading. I appreciate all your time.

FYI, little advice, dont not base your digging on a digital readout, they can easily be fooled.

 

[Sandman]

My advice is to skip the AT PRO and take Treasure Hunters advice about the Whites Beach Hunter ID as this has disc and will work in the salt well. A CZ-20 or 21, EXCAL II Are great, but costly. But used are affordable. Then there are the PI's like the SAND SHARK which are very deep but lack good disc.

You would find this site to be of great use to you. http://web.archive.org/web/20080202045558/http://thegoldenolde.com/

 

[RustyGold]

A used Sovereign GT, with the straight shaft, would be an awesome beach detector as well! Not waterproof in the control box so it needs to be protected.