Pro Metal Detectors?

[TheCaribbeanDigger]

Hi folks, just wanted to start a new thread asking everybody who's willing to give their honest opinions and facts on which MD's are considered Pro Grade. Why I ask? I continually see and read on different threads people saying: That is a good mid range detector. Or that is not a pro quality MD. What does make or compose the quality of a MD? Price, build quality, specs, ect.

 

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[Loco-Digger]

There are many mid range detectors that can compete with the top of the line detectors. For example my mid range F4 was a great machine and could go deep. Just did not have all the bells and whistles like my F75 LTD SE. Boost process on the F75 gets me a little deeper than the F4 and I can read the VDI in all modes, as well as it has ground grab capability. The F4 could be ground balanced in all metal mode, but as I understand when you went to disc mode it used a preset GB. the VDi was inop when in all metal mode.

I have only been dirt fishing for a little over a year now. I hunted with an el cheapo detector, moved up to the F4, then to the F75 LTD SE. I have also used a few white's detectors. As you can see I am a fisher guy and what I wrote is my humble opinion. I'd like to think the F75 LTD SE is a pro model

If this was just a hobby of mine I would have stayed with the F4, but it has grown into an obsession, thus I am using a top of the line detector.

 

[TheCaribbeanDigger]

Well said! I started with a Fisher F2 great machine for the price! I gave my trusty F2 to my kid. Now I have an ATP and I love it. Bought it because it's water proof. I like how it works in iron infested sites and trashy places. I have the stock coil and NEL snake coil. Works great!!

 

[Loco-Digger]

Well said! I started with a Fisher F2 great machine for the price! I gave my trusty F2 to my kid. Now I have an ATP and I love it. Bought it because it's water proof. I like how it works in iron infested sites and trashy places. I have the stock coil and NEL snake coil. Works great!!

Depending on how astute the child is, he will give you a run for the money using the F2 (as long as it had the DD coil).

 

[TheCaribbeanDigger]

Depending on how astute the child is, he will give you a run for the money using the F2 (as long as it had the DD coil).

Yes it does have the DD coil. He likes using the small 4" sniper coil. He says it's the lightest Md he's used...then again it's the only one he's used...lol!

 

[TheRingFinder]

IMHO - Minelab makes the "Pro Detectors" such as the E-Trac and Excalibur and various off shoots of those. All other brands in my experience are lesser. I've been doing this for 30 years now and have tried most detectors out there. I know this post will make some people mad, but it's what I have experienced over the years.

 

[TheCaribbeanDigger]

I have been reading a lot of stuff, articles, reviews and threads. I'm starting to believe the same thing. I'm not saying that other brands don't do right but Minelab is simply a great brand. They offer beginners to intermidiate to pros alike! If I buy another MD I strongly believe it would be a Minelab. E trac or CTX!

 

[bigfoot1]

a "pro" machine is the machine you speak the language of,fluently.I have owned several ml machines,they were great machines.NOT the holy grail,none are.
If a machine has less than perfect balance then you will cover less sq.footage in a hunt.If weather or wave action is a concern....again less sq.footage hunted.If hunting is an ocassional thing,learning curve becomes SUPER important.

If your hunting grounds are highly mineralised or trashy...bam...a major concern and a machine choice very important(coils too)

sooooo....do you want it deep,super fast,excellent target id,weather/water proof,excellent discrimination,light and balanced properly,intuitive?well....just like the rest of us,you gonna have to wait.they workin on that.

A "pro"machine is any machine in the hands of a"pro"who speaks its language.Its not now nor will it likely ever be that simple a question.

The machine that comes the closest to your expectations and soil conditions is a pro machine.I should mention that I am in NO way a brand guy.never was.I would pay top buck for the new"dog crap"brand if they nailed a combo that would work for me in all the places I hunt.NONE have pulled that off.

My advice...go with what you already like and master it...have a machine that you like the sound of(you gonna hear it alot)swing a machine that feels balanced to you.NEVER become brand specific...even if you really want too.I swing an atp most of the time now(5x8 coil)and hell yes its a pro machine.Just sold off an etrac and hell yes a pro machine(just horribly balanced with my trick elbow)loved my soverign gt...I wanted water capability.It never ends,welcome to the grand illusion my friend

good luck and have some amazing hunts !!!

 

[bzbadger]

Just because a machine has a ton of bells and whistles on it doesn't make it a pro machine..sure minelab makes good detectors and they demand a couple thousand plus for some machines but I have seen Garrett AT pros keep up with them. The ctx 3030 is a machine a lot of minelab ppl use and I personally wouldn't have one ever again..for all the stuff its supposed to do it has to be one of the slowest recovery machines I've ever swung, the processor speed of it's computer is less than my smart phone so you will have to excuse me for the rant because I cant see it being worth $2500 which people automatically think price makes the machine pro. You want to get into high dollar stuff that actually reads what's in the ground go pick up a $20k Nokta machine that uses a laptop hung around your neck and is able to show you the shape etc of what is in the ground, that is a pro's pro machine.
If you are to base things off of quality and ability as a pro machine like you should then machines like the Deus, F75, Nokta Fors, minelab etrac would be a few to be considered strongly as pro models.
Personally I think if you are happy with what you have and you are doing well with it don't let others bother you with it unless you are looking for advice on your next machine.

 

[Randyg12]

Any good detector in the hands of someone that has learned its language is a top end detector. Do the extra bells and whistles give you an edge if you learn how to use them, in my opinion the answer is yes. Do you have to have them, no you don't. It's up to each of us to decide what we like and don't like.

In my opinion it all comes down to putting in the hours to learn your detector and it's going to take you a long time to learn what the tones are telling you. This happens by digging a ton of targets and experimenting with your detector. Once you understand what to listen for then you can start using the bells and whistles to help you determine if you want to dig a target or not. You should always go by tones first.
In tandem with learning your machine your detecting technique plays a huge role in detecting. I once mentioned to a guy detecting on the beach that he was lifting his coil a foot off the sand at the end of his swings. I was promptly told that he had been detecting for 20 years and he's done just fine. That's the last time I ever gave out any advice that wasn't asked of me.
Let's say that two people were detecting a park. One is using a lower end detector and the other guy is using a high priced detector. If the guy with the lower end detector knows his detector like the back of his hand, uses good detecting technique and the other guy with the expensive detector doesn't know his detector well and rushes around with his coil 6 inches off the ground. I'd bet a dime to a dollar that the guy with the lower end detector will out detect the other guy.

 

[jeff of pa]

any detector that has the word Pro in the Tile

Example : Sovereign XS-2 Pro, Explorer SE Pro , White's MXT All-Pro Metal Detector Etc.

Of course to a professional whatever detector he knows & Comfortable with will be right for him.

add to that I Doubt too many pros use or pay attention to Discrimination
& other bells & Whistles.

I think a Professional would want Raw Power

 

[Olegrumpy]

Well any detector is as pro as the person who swings it.

An experienced detectorist will think twice before buying a very expensive top of the line metal detector, asking himself what would be the benefits and if it suits the type of hunting he's doing.

In other words, you don't buy a CTX to hunt tot lots.

Buying a pro detector doesn't make you a pro.

Being very successful with even a humble detector, that's what's making you a pro in the branch of this hobby you've chosen to swing it.

Grumpy

 

[cudamark]

Good responses here. I've always felt it was as much to do with the person as the machine. Sure, you need a good quality detector. Nobody wants one that breaks down all the time. You also need one that will do the job well. Can you us a big Crescent wrench as a hammer? Sure. Will it work and/or hold up to that use? Maybe for a while. Do you, or anyone else look "professional" using it like that? Nope. Has nothing to do with it being a Crescent wrench or it's quality as such. A professional will use the correct tool for the job at hand and buy what he thinks will work the best within his budget. Most of the major detector companies build a decent product or they wouldn't be in business. Buy the best you can afford and the one that is designed to do the type of detecting you need it to do. For a specific recommendation, you'll have to give us more info on what you want to hunt and where, along with your price range.

 

[McClod]

I've only been detecting a little over 2 years now, and have only had 2 machines. An AT Pro 1st, with which I hunted long and often for 8 months, being retired gave me the time I needed to learn it, never found a silver coin, but that really doesn't mean anything, can't find it if you don't get over it right!
After 8 months my sweet wife bought me a CTX as a retirement gift, took 2 more months before I found my 1st silver coin, much less time for my 1st gold ring. Since then I've found many more silver coins and rings. But there are others out there with far less expensive machines that find far more silver than I do!

I've come to believe that detectorist and musicians have a lot in common. I played guitar, wasn't great but had fun, but someone else could pick up my guitar and plug it into my amp and that player could make such sweet sounds as I've never heard come through my guitar and amp. Same thing with a cheapo beat up guitar and amp, put one in the hands of your favorite musician, and he/she will still sound great!!!

The CTX has increased and improved my finds, so great equipment DOES help, but, it can only do its part, we have to do our part in learning the language/music. HH and good luck with your choice!

 

[TheCaribbeanDigger]

Great answers! For now I'm not looking to buy another MD. It's just that I wanted to see what other people had to say on the subject. Like I said, I currently have the Garrett ATP with stock big coil and the new released NEL Snake coil and they work great! In my own experience IF I wanted to get another MD I would get an Etrac. But I would definitely keep my Garrett! I love it! I have more than 100 hours of expirience with it! It's been real interesting reading all your comments. Actually surprised with some comments and what people had to say! So thank you all for your answers! Like always, Happy Hunting and God bless!

 

[jeff of pa]

although they rarely act professional, I would consider the "Diggers" KG & Ringy" Pros,
as they are being paid & had their show renewed a few times.

Add to that the detectors they use can now be considered professional. as they use them .

 

[basque-man]

My son lately has held his own using his AT Pro against me using the E-Trac. Of course having used it now for about 5 years gives me a slight advantage, it really depends on the user; how well you know how to read it and "listen". If I had money I would have more than these but its what we have for now. Were happy. I have been watching those with the Dues and wonder. Just don't have the money to pull the trigger. Looks like it might do well in very trashy areas which we have around here. I just don't know!!!!

 

[Garrett424]

I've only been detecting a little over 2 years now, and have only had 2 machines. An AT Pro 1st, with which I hunted long and often for 8 months, being retired gave me the time I needed to learn it, never found a silver coin, but that really doesn't mean anything, can't find it if you don't get over it right!
After 8 months my sweet wife bought me a CTX as a retirement gift, took 2 more months before I found my 1st silver coin, much less time for my 1st gold ring. Since then I've found many more silver coins and rings. But there are others out there with far less expensive machines that find far more silver than I do!

I've come to believe that detectorist and musicians have a lot in common. I played guitar, wasn't great but had fun, but someone else could pick up my guitar and plug it into my amp and that player could make such sweet sounds as I've never heard come through my guitar and amp. Same thing with a cheapo beat up guitar and amp, put one in the hands of your favorite musician, and he/she will still sound great!!!

The CTX has increased and improved my finds, so great equipment DOES help, but, it can only do its part, we have to do our part in learning the language/music. HH and good luck with your choice!

I love that post.
Being a musician myself (not "great" but pretty damn good), I'm actually known for making "cheap" gear sound good. It's been a long running joke among my musician friends and one I love living up to.
Does a Beautiful high end, $3000.00 Gibson Les Paul sound and play better than a $200.00 Squire Strat?? Yup. Of course it does, in the right hands.

All things are relative and that goes for any hunter and whatever detector they happen to have.

I'm 100% convinced that just showing up for the hunt is well over half the battle with this hobby. IMO, if you love your detector and what it does in your hands, whatever it is, you'll do well with it; especially if it makes you happy using it. The same definitely applies to whatever guitar or piano I (or anyone else) happen to be using regardless of how any critics may rate the instrument in question.

Just like music, it's ALL about passion and getting into "the zone". I believe that applies to living in general.

 

[rainyday101]

I don't disagree that Minelab makes some amazing detectors, but from what I have read their customer service is lacking and repairs take forever. Again, that's just what I have read. My only problem with Minelab is that they drop all support for detectors models at some point in time. At this point your "pro" detector is just an expensive place to hang you hat.

 

[rainyday101]

although they rarely act professional, I would consider the "Diggers" KG & Ringy" Pros,
as they are being paid & had their show renewed a few times.

Add to that the detectors they use can now be considered professional. as they use them .

Well said! The real answer then is that anyone that is getting paid to use their detector is using a pro detector! Also as noted earlier, if the detector has the word pro in the title, it would be hard to argue that it is not a pro detector.

Seriously though, I have seen the Fisher F2's make some really incredible finds. Tons of people using them, tons of great finds with them. As noted above though they are not officially Pro detectors because these yahoo's are not getting paid to use them. I would go with what them guys on Diggers use. They get paid the most and that makes their detectors the most pro!