Trying to decide on a MD

[camanddad]

Just recently got started because my son got a 250 for Christmas. Now dad needs one. Was looking at a at pro, I do have more patience than he does so something with a little more depth, tone, etc is more my speed. Was looking for input though, since I see so many here swing so many different brands and models. Our area has no water to search, no beaches, soil can go from rocky to clay to sandy in the span a few yards. Our city and the surrounding area was settled in the 1st half of the 19th century, and there were only 3 CW skirmishes fought in and around here. No precious metal mining any where close either. So most of our searching is going to be old neighborhoods, abandoned home sites, old farms and churches.

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Hello "Camanddad",

The AT Pro will be a good machine for what you described. My daughter uses the ACE 250 while I use a few others, but my AT Pro and AT Gold is what I use for relic hunting. You will also need a pin pointer, a finds pouch and good digging tool. Good Luck in 2015!

Regards,

 

[bigfoot1]

at pro is a very good mid price range machine.Its greatest strength is its versatility.highly recomend getting the 5x8 coil with it also..those trashy areas will really require it.I hunt abandoned old homesteads in the mojave as well often and the at pro has worked very well.(hint..expand the search several hundred yards around those old sites..many good finds for me that way)
good luck

 

[camanddad]

Hello "Camanddad",

The AT Pro will be a good machine for what you described. My daughter uses the ACE 250 while I use a few others, but my AT Pro and AT Gold is what I use for relic hunting. You will also need a pin pointer, a finds pouch and good digging tool. Good Luck in 2015!

Regards,

Thanks for the reply.

He is getting a pinpointer for his b-day, but at least right now he is happy just finding coins near the surface, so I do not know how much he will use it. Trying to go slow on the spending, do not want to go to over board on it until I am sure he is going to stick with it. I actually have a tool belt I am going to use, sets up perfectly, and it is really comfortable. Been wearing it for almost twenty years since my days climbing telephone polls. Has two pouches, one I use for finds the other for trash, and 4 loops for digging tools, pointer, and towel.

Also wanting one because I found out a friend of ours just got one, there son and mine are good friends, so it will be something we can all do together. No clubs around here to join, so we may be the ones to have to organize that.

 

[CincinnatiKid]

How serious do you plan on taking MDing? What is your budget?
Peace ✌

 

[Carolina Tom]

AT Pro is a good start. I started with a $200 detector... that lasted for 1 month, then I got the AT Pro. Just skip the beginner detector, and go for an AT Pro. For the money, it is an AWESOME machine. Your son can wait for his pin pointer, but you are going to want one. They really make the hunt a lot easier and more enjoyable.

Welcome to TNet, and I hope that you enjoy the hunt. If you are spending time with your son, I am sure that it will be enjoyable! GL&HH.

 

[camanddad]

How serious do you plan on taking MDing? What is your budget?
Peace ✌

I don't really want to spend more than about $600 for now. We already spent the $210 on his 250 he got for Christmas. I am not going to be out every day, and right now I don't have time to do a lot of research to find places to go, so we are basically parks, and a few properties of friends. I want a better one than his, because I figured out really quickly that we were likely missing some stuff. His 250 works great for what it is, we knew going in it was a "starter" machine, but as he gets better with it, he needs my help less and less, so i am just kind of standing there.

 

[Fletch88]

Buy the 11" coil Eurotek Pro for $299. It's an amazing unit for the price and gets awesome depth. I don't think you will find a bad review!

 

[Higgy]

I will piggyback what The Prof, Bigfoot, and Carolina Tom said about the ATP. Great machine for the money. However, if I had to do it all again, knowing what I know now, I would get a Tesoro Vaquero. A simple machine with a fantastic legacy. No bells and whistles, just great sounds... and sounds are what you need to master to be a successful MDer.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

To build on what Higgy said - I started with a Minelab Musketeer Advantage (used) that has no display. But it is a very capable detector. With a great set of top-of-the-line headphones (Black Widows) I was able to get deep and find targets for $350. It does have a love for aluminum bottlecaps but it will hit dimes at 10".

The point being it gave me a good background with knowing the audio and getting practice coin hunting that I can really appreciate my F-75. I still rely MUCH more on my ears than my eyes for targets.

The Vaquero is a fine detector; very similar to the Advantage for controls.

 

[bigfoot1]

guys,guys,guys

I'm pretty sure this fella said he wont be a full time tenacious treasure hunter.ease up.lets help him get a once a month machine that will give him some quality time with his boy.comanddad...get that at pro...or an f5...or any machine that makes the time with your son special.keep it simple,research together,hunt together.
therein lies the real treasure

 

[Juice in the hole]

I think the AT-Pro many have recommended is a good step up. The At-Pro users here rave about them and then there's the whole waterproof deal. I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to venture out in a sprinkle or even a light rain, but couldn't because my detector isn't waterproof.

Good luck!

 

[camanddad]

Thanks to all for their input. I spent last night researching, and all the machines suggested have a lot of what I am looking for. One reason I want something with a display is I umpire a lot of baseball, so I am thinking in the spring/summer, my dad will probably use my machine to go out with my son, and I want something he can use, maybe not know all the ins and outs, but at least be functional with it, which I think the AT or the F5 fit the bill better than some of the others. My other thought was that as my son gets older, he could have whatever I get now, and I could upgrade to a better machine.

Again, thanks so much for all the input, all gave me things to think about.

Ended up going with the PRO. The difference in price between a f5 or pro with a dd coil was only about $30, and for that I got a waterproof unit, not just water proof coil. Lots of damp spring and fall days here in my part of AR, and some of the best summer hunting is going to be during or right after a rare summer shower. Also, thought it would be a bit easier for other family members to use, if they ever wanted to try it out.