"that detector is only a good back-up"

Viddy · Nov 6, 2012

Friend who just got an ACE350 a few months ago was told, by another detectorist who has been hunting for a long time and has some of the tops of the line machine, "YOUR ACE350 IS ONLY A GOOD BACK-UP DETECTOR, THAT IS ALL IT'S WORTH"....

He was actually more concerned than upset, luckily. It kinda made me mad because he is really getting into the hobby, trying to learn his detector, and was very proud of it, cleaning it up all the time, trying different settings, and was so proud of the ACE every time he made a find, even if it was a clad dime.

I asked him this question..."what would win in a 1/4 mile race.... an auto-shift 2012 Ford Focus or a manual-shift 2012 Chevy Corvette ZR1... and neither driver knew how to drive a manual shift or even knew what a clutch was?.?.?.?"

My $money would be on the Ford Focus!....

I have seen so many people with some lower to mid level machines SMOKE people with a brand new shiney Etrac, V3i, DEUS, etc. top of the line machine, and they have no idea what they are doing with all those features or how to set it up.

I use an Etrac and have thought about the CTX3030 upgrade. I just know my Etrac so well, and I have an AT Pro as a rainy day detector and have a great GPS phone app that it negates a few features that I would upgrade to the CTX for. Nothing against the CTX, as I am a huge Minelab fan!

I have a friend I hunt with that has had an AT Pro since the day it came out. He hunts pretty much every day with that thing that it is so scratched up, arm foam gone, coil cover cracked/chipped all over, duct-taped poles, etc. BUT!.... he is a BEAST with that thing! he runs it in Pro-Mode, in all metal, with the Iron Audio = ON, and can hear even the slighest chirp or warble in tones through all the chatter. It's impressive! but it's just from using it hour after hour, day after day, month after month, and almost being PART of that detector....

I told my friend that the "ACE350 is a great detector! It's light, fast response, can notch stuff out, has good depth, and the 8 1/2x11" DD coil is amazing in our PA soil!"

There will always be a bigger-better-faster-more option detector, as well as PC, TV, cell phone, or any other electronic. In my opinion, it comes down to 'how well you know your machine'... plain and simple....

I just thought I would throw this out there for the people who just started detecting and are learning a new entry level machine, or the person who got a mid-level machine because it is what they can afford. TRUST ME!... LEARN YOUR MACHINE AND YOU WILL FIND TREASURE! ! ! ! !

I hope some of the other seasoned detectorists chime in on this one.... agree or disagree with me, because someone out there seems to think he is the judge of 'back-up machines only'......

bill from lachine · Nov 6, 2012

Viddy,

Well said.....I've detected for about 20 years now and use 5 different machines by 3 different companies....2 of the machines are high end but for my everyday unit I pretty much stick to the Tesoro DeLeon....single tone beep and dig machine....

No bells and whistles but it does the job at my trashy picked over sites....tell your buddy not to pay any attention....to the wiseacre.....lol.

And he'll be digging targets like these in no time....

Regards + HH

Bill

TNGUNS · Nov 6, 2012

May not be as qualified as some of these folks but agree 100%. In most cases I truly believe that a well seasoned hunter with his or her favorite mid-priced machine will thoroughly spank a hunter with a very high end machine and only a few hours, days, or even weeks on it. And as common sense would dictate, the more bells and whistles the longer it takes to learn a machine. :icon_thumright:

releventchair · Nov 6, 2012

There are some great detectors available today.
But and i,m repeating myself here,i don,t worry about what someone else fishes with,about the time i criticize i,ll get shown up. Because of familiarity and technique. Anything i would use for backup needs to match what i,m using as close as possible (yep,brand new 350 in reserve) ,i understand many folks use previously used detectors of different models than what they are running for back up but shouldn't
a back up be top notch? After all its your back up!.

There's a name for your friends critic, but just have fun detecting.

Goodyguy · Nov 6, 2012

What is a back-up detector? I have 5 detectors and not 1 back up detector.
I use one with the small coil for trashy and tight to get into areas. 4" coil
One for more open areas where more depth is needed. 8" coil
One for larger deeper targets such a jar of coins. 10.25" coil
One for the really large really deep targets. Whites TM800
And one for gold nugget hunting. Whites GMT

gleaner1 · Nov 6, 2012

Any tecter is good as a back up, if you think about it. Like my thousand dollar machine might be a backup for my 600 dollar machine, if my 600 dollar machine suddenly takes a dump. Regardless, you can only have a back up machine only if you have two machines. But you don't really care, because you love your main machine and your backup machine almost equally, such as you would your own children. Which is to say you use them equally, depending on the tasks that you are up against that given Sunday.

GPS53 · Nov 7, 2012

Tell your buddy to ignore that azzh--- and learn his machine, every detector is good when the user knows how to use it well!!!!!

jeff of pa · Nov 7, 2012

as for a "back-up" detector, I would want it to be the exact same machine I use.
after all if my machine goes bad, it would be nice to continue without missing a beat.

If you had an artificial leg & it needed repair,
would you want it replaced with a peg ?
or something your used to ?

anyway not cool to put down someones choice of detector.
I find most people spend what they can, & by telling them it's a toy you're putting them down also.
plus I've seen people outshine me in the same spots while using 20 / 30 year old detectors.
you gotta swing over the target to get it

Mzjavert · Nov 7, 2012

I don't see what you are so upset about. Somebody expressed an opinion. Your friend is free to accept the opinion, seek further opinions (yours in this case), or laugh it off as ludicrous

Keppy · Nov 7, 2012

I have seen a lot on here call the Tesoro and 250 a child's detector.... And of course the ones that say that use there $1000.00 & up detectors and look down on ... ones with the less expensive detectors......... All the years i put in this detecting I would say my best finds came with my beep & dig detectors..... I still go out with my Garrett Freedom 2 and enjoy every moment with it........ Even though like a jerk i sold my freedom a few years back and then had to find another and buy it ........... WHY because i missed that Freedom 2..................... And i found out it is not what you pay for a detector...... It is how you know and use your detector...... So tell your bud to just let what that arrogant fool said go in one ear and out the other......."Arrogant" : overly proud of oneself or of one's own opinions.....or one that shows itself in a proud and insulting way....

Terry Soloman · Nov 7, 2012

There is only one truth. The person that knows how to use their lawnmower; car; knife; rifle; or metal detector the best - wins. If you can master a Garrett Ace 350, then you can master a Tesoro Sand Shark, or a Minelab Sovereign. Detectors are just like golf clubs.. You can drive with a putter, put a Three-wood may work better.

Viddy · Nov 7, 2012

Thanks for the input.... it's appreciated. Points well taken too....

NOLA_Ken · Nov 8, 2012

I have a 350, it's what I could afford, and I do pretty good with it. Would I like to have a top of the line machine? sure, who wouldn't? I'm sure I'd do pretty well with it too. As far as a "backup" well I have a Prism 2, but I gave that to my girl so she could hunt with me, and she seems quite happy with it.

Sir Gala Clad · Nov 19, 2012

I agree with Jeff regaurding back-up detector.

When both detectors are the same you are redundant and if one fails, you just switch to the backup detector and send the failed detector to the factory for repair.

You should always hunt with the weakest / oldest of the two identical machines. This way when there is a failure you reconfigure toward strenght without degradation.

There will be a time when it will be necessary to upgrade to a new architecture. Most likely because the architecture you are using is no longer repairable / supported.

When this happens you should purchase a second machine with the new architecture as soon as you can afford to so that you will be again be redundant.

If you hunt with a multi freq VLF detector and a PI detector you will need a second identical multi freq. freq VLF detector and a second identical PI detector for backups to be redundant.

Unless you get rid of the detector which has no back up, and the detector which cannot be repaired you will needlessly accumulate detectors which must be stored.

eagle927 · Nov 19, 2012

I am very new to the hobby but I agree with you a 100% I will keep hunting with my Discovery 2200 and go hunt with the best of hunters and not think twice even if they were looking down at me I would look back at them and smile. And say well what are you waiting for bring your high dollar and come on.

Jeremy S · Nov 20, 2012

My Ace 250 is still just as fun to use as my At Pro. Its a great detector to let a friend use and I'd never really consider it a backup. I still like to use it from time to time just to keep a feel for it.

People who "put down" other people's detectors are probably insecure as they dropped $$$ on a detector and don't know how to use it and can't find anything good. I would so un-politely tell some where to shove it if they had a problem with any of the machines that I use. Sounds like the guy with the 350 is really trying to learn his machine and is having fun, which is what this hobby is for!