What vintage detector would you like to see in production again?

[Newfiehunter]

If there was one vintage detector you would like to see in production again that had great depth, stability, and balance, what would it be? I still use my "ole" CZ5 and wish that detector was still available.

 

[jeff of pa]

Minelab SOVEREIGN XS-2 PRO with the 550 Digital Meter

 

[pescadore]

If there was one vintage detector you would like to see in production again that had great depth, stability, and balance, what would it be? I still use my "ole" CZ5 and wish that detector was still available.

I agree

 

[pjduff]

Fisher 1266-X, I still use mine that I bought in '91 but it's starting to act up some and is starting to look pretty rough!

 

[TerryC]

I would like to see the Fischer IMPULSE 8 back in production. I believe I bought mine back in the early '90s. It is still going strong but.... well..... I would like to see it go on for ever. So, someday it will poop out so I will need another. TTC

 

[Tom_in_CA]

reply

If there was one vintage detector you would like to see in production again that had great depth, stability, and balance, what would it be? I still use my "ole" CZ5 and wish that detector was still available.

Compass 77b, and the Teknetics Mark 1

 

[Tom Slick]

White's IDX Pro

 

[cudamark]

As much as I liked many of the older detectors and the fond memories of their use, I think the newer machines are much better....in every way but price. May they rest in peace, or your closet....take your pick.

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

The old Gardners with the 3 ft coil, as well as the smaller ones., but modernized with transistors using smaller batteries with longer and lighter life..

Don Jose de La Mancha

 

[Fletch88]

A Sovereign GT in a Sand Shark Housing.

 

[Newfiehunter]

As much as I liked many of the older detectors and the fond memories of their use, I think the newer machines are much better....in every way but price. May they rest in peace, or your closet....take your pick.[/QUOTE

Many say that newer technology is better, but really, is it? There really isn't a great deal of improvement on depth of machines today, say, from the 1980's or 90s. I have a book from the early 90s saying a good detector should be able to pick up a dime at 8 - 9 inches. Not much difference than todays detectors.

Most detectors are lighter than what they use to be when I began detecting and there were no electronic pinpointers which have been a great aid in recovery. The newer, modern machines may be digital, but better, that is debatable. If the technology was that much better than 20 or 25 years ago, then modern detectors should be able to pick up a dime at 15 inches and quarters at 20 with good id readouts, but they can't.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Sorry Jeffofpa, I tried hard to get you one from Minelab in Chicago. If your still interested I can have my hunting partner Dave from Kellyco keep eye out for you....

We will NOT go quietly into the night!

 

[cudamark]

As much as I liked many of the older detectors and the fond memories of their use, I think the newer machines are much better....in every way but price. May they rest in peace, or your closet....take your pick.[/QUOTE

Many say that newer technology is better, but really, is it? There really isn't a great deal of improvement on depth of machines today, say, from the 1980's or 90s. I have a book from the early 90s saying a good detector should be able to pick up a dime at 8 - 9 inches. Not much difference than todays detectors.

Most detectors are lighter than what they use to be when I began detecting and there were no electronic pinpointers which have been a great aid in recovery. The newer, modern machines may be digital, but better, that is debatable. If the technology was that much better than 20 or 25 years ago, then modern detectors should be able to pick up a dime at 15 inches and quarters at 20 with good id readouts, but they can't.

I didn't mean to imply that the new detectors are twice as good as a 20 year old one but if you can get an accurate dime reading at 10 inches down instead of only 8 inches, I call that better. Beach machines with discrimination are significantly better. PI machines haven't changed a whole lot....a little better depth but not much. Stability and ground balancing in mineralized ground is also better on the new machines. Some models are much better ergonomically.

 

[Newfiehunter]

I didn't mean to imply that the new detectors are twice as good as a 20 year old one but if you can get an accurate dime reading at 10 inches down instead of only 8 inches, I call that better. Beach machines with discrimination are significantly better. PI machines haven't changed a whole lot....a little better depth but not much. Stability and ground balancing in mineralized ground is also better on the new machines. Some models are much better ergonomically.

I wasn't implying that you meant modern detectors were twice as deep.....But most detectors today except for the most expensive top of the line units can't get a dime at 10 inches in soil conditions. What I'm saying is that with all of this new technology, they should be able to get coins at extreme depths. I do agree that they are much better when it comes to weight and balance. That being said though some of the Minelabs could be better made ergonomically.

 

[docbars]

Compass coin scanner, CZ5, Tesoro deep search 7,tecknetics mark1,and Whites 6000dipro

 

[cudamark]

I wasn't implying that you meant modern detectors were twice as deep.....But most detectors today except for the most expensive top of the line units can't get a dime at 10 inches in soil conditions. What I'm saying is that with all of this new technology, they should be able to get coins at extreme depths. I do agree that they are much better when it comes to weight and balance. That being said though some of the Minelabs could be better made ergonomically.

When you stated that modern machines SHOULD be able to pick up a dime at 15" and a quarter at 20" with an accurate I.D., that indicated to me that you thought they should be twice as good as the older machines. I didn't realize that price was a factor in this discussion. Most of the older machines were "top of the line" at one point or another so comparing them to the current "top of the line" machines I think is fair. Otherwise, how would you make a basis for comparison. Minelab HAS made an ergonomically good metal detector......the CTX 3030. If you think a 20 year old machine compares with that one (in any price class) you haven't used one! Naturally, if you're in an area where the ground is stable and the targets aren't deep, an older machine will do the job just fine. Here in SoCal the competition is tough so you need every edge you can get.

 

[Newfiehunter]

When you stated that modern machines SHOULD be able to pick up a dime at 15" and a quarter at 20" with an accurate I.D., that indicated to me that you thought they should be twice as good as the older machines. I didn't realize that price was a factor in this discussion. Most of the older machines were "top of the line" at one point or another so comparing them to the current "top of the line" machines I think is fair. Otherwise, how would you make a basis for comparison. Minelab HAS made an ergonomically good metal detector......the CTX 3030. If you think a 20 year old machine compares with that one (in any price class) you haven't used one! Naturally, if you're in an area where the ground is stable and the targets aren't deep, an older machine will do the job just fine. Here in SoCal the competition is tough so you need every edge you can get.

You misunderstood what I was saying.



From what I've read on the forum, the Minelabs, including the CTX are much heavier than say, for example, Tesoros and top of the line machines of other brands.....Even if you watch the tests on Youtube, even the top of the line units have trouble hitting dimes at 10 inches....I don't want to get into the debate regarding brands, prices, etc....I'm just asking what vintage detector would you like to see in production again regardless of price or brand. You said " the newer machines are much better" .Some disagree, including myself....To each his own. Bells and whistles, like a GPS, doesn't improve depth of a detector, it is the user and how the operator uses it.

 

[JohnnyFlake]

I would buy either one of these in a heart beat!

Fisher CZ6 and/or Fisher 1266X

 

[cudamark]

You misunderstood what I was saying.



From what I've read on the forum, the Minelabs, including the CTX are much heavier than say, for example, Tesoros and top of the line machines of other brands.....Even if you watch the tests on Youtube, even the top of the line units have trouble hitting dimes at 10 inches....I don't want to get into the debate regarding brands, prices, etc....I'm just asking what vintage detector would you like to see in production again regardless of price or brand. You said " the newer machines are much better" .Some disagree, including myself....To each his own. Bells and whistles, like a GPS, doesn't improve depth of a detector, it is the user and how the operator uses it.

I find that air tests are unreliable. Real world ground tests are what count. I know of several good old sites that have been hammered for decades with the older machines to the point where it was a waste of time hunting the area. In steps someone with an E-trac, CTX 3030, V3I, etc, and the place comes alive again with old coins. It can't just be a coincidence....same sites, same user, same experience, but new detector. To me, that means the new machine is better.

 

[Newfiehunter]

I find that air tests are unreliable. Real world ground tests are what count. I know of several good old sites that have been hammered for decades with the older machines to the point where it was a waste of time hunting the area. In steps someone with an E-trac, CTX 3030, V3I, etc, and the place comes alive again with old coins. It can't just be a coincidence....same sites, same user, same experience, but new detector. To me, that means the new machine is better.

These were not air tests. If you take a CZ3D 1021 which is much older, less expensive model than the units you mentioned above, it would probably do the same... There seems to be an elitist attitude here. The same as I guy I know who thought the "best" detector was an Explorer, then wasn't happy till he got a V3I. Then he sold that to get a CTX3030. Guess what? His finds didn't improve much. This debate is getting old. I started this thread to see what detector users would like to see in production again that they really liked....Not a debate on who has the "best" detector.