Which detector is better?

[EC.Mason]

I'm in a bit of a dilemma; I currently use a Garrett Ace 250, which has been very kind to me, but feel it's time to upgrade. I'm looking at a Whites Spectra v3I, which runs about $1600. I'm also looking at a Garrett At pro that runs about $600. I have a buddy with who has the AT pro and it does great. Which would be the better detector? I know the spectra has more bells and whistles which I like, but I'm curious if it is worth the money. I just want to be able to hit the deepest I can as well as to be able to discriminate from junk. I detect lot of old homesteads and Civil War areas here in Kentucky. I also plan to detect the beaches in Florida for old ship wreck artifacts this summer. Which detector would be best for me? Thanks or any input.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Treasure of Victoria Peak - Grab it through Amazon!

[heathgeo]

Have you looked at Tesoro?
They are solid detectors.. they go deep and are one of the best when it comes to discrimination..
Their also made in the USA and have a lifetime warranty...

 

[The Punisher]

I love my F75 LTD, just went over a area where I have detected and thought it was "clean" found a child's ring, 1 dime and 1 penny. I know it don't sound like much but when I pulled that ring out (at 7 1/2 in.) you would have thought I found a 100 dollar bill!!!!! I was in your place till I pulled the trigger on a Metal Detector, and to be honest they all will work fine!

 

[liftloop]

white's detector are the best
tesoro for a beep and dig detector they sure have a cheap sound to them.....

 

[heathgeo]

True Whites are great detectors..
But don't knock Tesoro their pretty decent...
Check out a few of the videos by Michael Czahur ( 53Silver ) on YouTube.

 

[EC.Mason]

Thanks for all the help. I want a great machine, and I like the Whites Spectra and the AT Pro. For the difference in price, would my results be just as good with the AT Pro?

 

[olfacere]

I second the vote for Tesoro, but I'm rather biased. Among the detectors you mentioned, the White's Spectra V3i is in a class above the Garretts. It does provide a little better performance, but whether or not that performance increase is worth the massive price jump is a judgment call. Also, the V3i is available for $1,500 without headphones from the White's website.

 

[lonewolfe]

For the type/s of hunting you're describing that you'll mostly be doing - *1* machine isn't going to do it and neither one of the 2 you mention would be the best for those type of environments

I'd be thinking more along the lines of an XP Deus or Vista Gold or Vista Smart for the civil war /old home sites and a Fisher of some sort with a salt mode that you can turn on/off as needed (or a minelab of some sort) for the salt beach

Even a Tesoro Tejon would be a better choice at old civil war sites than either of the 2 you mention

I'd be doing some research on machines to get myself educated on which detectors work in which environments better than others before just laying out a bunch of cash on something that isn't the best suited for the type of hunting I'd be doing/areas I'd be using it/them in.

The AT Pro is a GREAT machine if used in the rgt environment/s (I own one as well as a few other machines)

so is the V3i if you're looking for a high end coin hunter more than anything and will be working parks, schools, playgrounds, etc. - will it work/find stuff in other places - sure but is it the BEST for those other places (like salt beaches and iron infested home/civil war sites)?? No

If you have $1600 to spend - I'd get like an older used CZ6a (or the newer cz3d used) and a Brand New Vista Smart for the type/s of hunting you're wanting to do.

those 2 machines can be purchased for a little less than the price of the V3i but you'll have way better results using them in the environments they're best suited for.

I would say the XP Deus and a used CZ3d or CZ6a or Minelab Sov GT (would be my 1st choice of 2 machines for those environments) but the Deus cost too much (more than the V3i) and wouldn't leave you affording a 2nd machine for the salt beach - the Sov is still a bit pricey too - you might get a Vista Smart and a Used Sov GT for around $1500 which would be 2 good machines for what you're wanting to do or maybe even a used Sov and a new Vista Gold in the $1600 range which would be 2 really good machines for those types of hunting too - the Vista line is brand new - only 1 dealer in the US and so you can't find used ones yet but they are great machines - check out some Vids on youtube of them

Just my 2 cents anyway

Good luck and HH

 

[For Airborne]

all devices are equally useless where anything isn't present.

 

[heathgeo]

Tesoro makes a couple decient water detectors that are priced well..ones for salt the other fresh I think and their good to 200'...
And one is a pi detector..
I have no experience with either YET...
I'm gonna pickup one probably tax time next year..

 

[cudamark]

Strictly comparing the two machines you mentioned.....the V3i is the better machine for most types of hunting. For the hunting you said you plan on doing, I'd get a Minelab E-trac for land and wet/dry sand. If you're going into the water, the CTX3030 would probably be a better choice if you want just one machine. If you want max depth at the beach, get a PI machine from any of the major manufacturers but plan on digging every piece of junk iron. Another option as mentioned is to get two machines. One for land and the other for water. The Excalibur is a great water machine but not the best on land. There are many excellent land machines to choose from. Some are geared more toward coins and jewelry, others more toward relics. You'll need to decide your exact needs and pick one that matches.

 

[Wyomingmedic]

While I have only had it for a week, I cannot speak highly enough of the CTX3030.

If you can swing the price tag, I believe it is at the top of the heap.

WM

 

[H-2 CHARLIE]

CAN YOU FIND SMALL GOLD CRUMBS WITH YOUR MINE LAB ?

While I have only had it for a week, I cannot speak highly enough of the CTX3030.

If you can swing the price tag, I believe it is at the top of the heap.

WM

 

[Wyomingmedic]

I DON'T KNOW. I'VE NEVER TRIED. I'VE HAD IT A WEEK.

BESIDE, I DON'T GET PAID TO STUDY AND EXPERIMENT ON MINES.

WHY ARE WE YELLING?

 

[63bkpkr]

EC Mason,
Take your time with your decision is what I would suggest. During that time go to a club near you and check with the members about the type of hunting you want to do and what they use for the same type of hunting. Also, during that time check out this site for what the folks are using for the hunting you want to do. Research before and after the purchase is what metal detecting is about and you are about to plunk down a substantial amount of money and you want to be happy with that purchase.

The higher end machines that are made in the U.S.A. can do some amazing things BUT the owners have taken the time to learn them. Computerized machines are just that big storage devices that when the correct set of settings are called for well, they do great things. Remembering how and when to use the settings or figuring how to make the settings in the first place can be daunting unless you spend the time with the machines in the field as well as over your own test garden. These machines are powerful BUT it is up to the owner to learn them! Yes they have turn on and go settings but the best of the best settings must be hand set by the owner for the specific circumstances of the ground your coil is over on any particular hunt. A lot of time and thinking goes into these settings and unless you are willing to do this your purchase could be disappointing.

As others here have said dry sand to wet sand are like night and day different. Coin shooting is another world so is relic hunting. Then again there are days when a stone cold beginner hits the big ticket item with turn on and go settings with a bottom end machine so there is also getting yourself into an area where there is something to find, just like prospecting for gold, one can't find anything if nothing is there.

I hope this ramble is helpful. This site has a lot of information in it, please use it for your benefit.

With best wishes and I'm looking forward to your sharing your finds with us from your new machine('s)...........63bkpkr

 

[EC.Mason]

I have read through all of your posts and I really appreciate all the advice. I will check out some of these other machines you all have mentioned. I have always wanted a Whites detector, but I'm afraid maybe I'm just going to buy it because of it's name. If the Garrett AT pro will hit close to the same depth and will help me discriminate through the junk, then I would love to save a grand and buy it. But at the same time, I want to get something that is top of the line so next year I won't be wanting to upgrade. Your alls imput is helping me a lot as well as helping me to look at other possible machines. More advice is welcome. Thanks.

 

[lonewolfe]

I have read through all of your posts and I really appreciate all the advice. I will check out some of these other machines you all have mentioned. I have always wanted a Whites detector, but I'm afraid maybe I'm just going to buy it because of it's name. If the Garrett AT pro will hit close to the same depth and will help me discriminate through the junk, then I would love to save a grand and buy it. But at the same time, I want to get something that is top of the line so next year I won't be wanting to upgrade. Your alls imput is helping me a lot as well as helping me to look at other possible machines. More advice is welcome. Thanks.

Forgive me if I'm wrong here and I'm truly not trying to sound condescending or anything but from what I can tell through all you've stated here (and in your original post above)

it seems to me you're waiting for someone here to tell you that detector *_____* <<< insert name

is the absolute best be all, do all, end all of ALL detectors and you should buy it...

For those of you new/er to detecting and/or just getting in and don't know which detector you should buy and are being swayed by many to go this way or that way (to buy this machine or that machine) or being swayed by all the "marketing hype" of certain manufacturers' & dealers

from someone who's been detecting since 1977 and has owned more detectors than I can remember/count

there is NO "be all do all end all" machine in existence and there never has been and never will be in our life time/s

NO machine has ever existed and NO machine exist currently that is the absolute best of the best and that will find every single type of target, every single type of metal, every single coin, every button, every type of relic, every size ring, jewelry item, gold nugget, etc. etc. in EVERY single soil, sand, etc. under every single condition, in every single environment - no matter how hard you chase that dream and no matter who says so or which manufacture tells you theirs will

it's virtually impossible for any manufacture to build a machine that can do all/be all for every single use/application in every soil & environment.

The best you can do is figure out which type of soil/environment you'll be hunting and for which type/s of targets you'll be searching for in the highest percentage and buy a machine (or machines) for those applications/conditions, items, soils and environments

You don't take a single low frequency coin hunting machine with no salt mode and go hunt a salt water beach looking for gold rings

you don't take a single high frequency machine best suited for the California gold fields and go hunt a local park looking for deep silver coins

you don't take a dual freq. locked in salt mode machine (cz20/21 for example) and go hunt a fresh water beach looking for tiny gold ear rings or thin gold chains

you don't take a PI machine and hit the local park looking for old tokens

you don't take a relic machine with slow recovery speed to a competition hunt for silver coins where there's 1000s of targets everywhere

you don't take a coin machine and go hunt iron infested civil war sites

you don't take a general purpose turn on and go machine and go prospecting with it in the Nevada Mountains looking for tiny gold grains of .07 or less

you don't take a fresh water VLF machine and go hunt black sand beaches looking for jewelry (unless you want to wrap the machine around a tree) when you figure out it's completely useless in that environment the minute you turn it on!

What you DO is:

buy the best tool for the job at hand and IF you have several jobs = you need several tools

some are better suited for certain jobs than others and no - they don't all cost $1500 $2000 and $2500 or more like the manufactures' and dealers want you to believe so that THEY can make ungodly amounts of $$ off the unsuspecting/inexperienced and/or mis-informed

are those high dollar machines good? yes - no doubt but - are they the "be all, do all, end all" machines that will do all I described above and more in ALL environments, soils, etc. etc.??

(_________) << insert answer here!

Here's some EYE OPENING videos for you to watch of 3 machines being tested - maybe this will help some of you and help put some of what I've said here into perspective for you

this is between a $594 machine - a $825 machine and a $2499 machine - to watch in order click ea. link starting with the top one

 

[LinkHylian]

Talk to Bart at BigBoysHobbies.net
AT PRO ADVENTURE PACK
AT GOLD ADVENTURE PACK

 

[lonewolfe]

Talk to Bart at BigBoysHobbies.net
AT PRO ADVENTURE PACK
AT GOLD ADVENTURE PACK

Hey LinkHylian

now that I think about it

YOUR 2 machines that you own/listed here would be about as perfect for the job the poster here is looking to do in the environments and types of sites he'll be hunting

as long as his soil isn't really really bad the 2 AT Pro's would be a good choice and the 2 combined would be less than a V3i but give him much more versatility

EC Mason - you may want to look into the suggestion made by LinkHylian here -

I know the AT Pro has good iron separation and is fairly deep and the Gold has True all metal non motion mode which would come in handy on the beach for deep gold rings/etc.

Good luck and HH - hope my last post helped somewhat too

LW

 

[EC.Mason]

Lonewolf, you were not condescending at all. You are right, I am looking for someone to say " yes you should get this detector because it will do everything you want it to." However I am trying to he careful and buy what I need for the money, which is why I am coming to you guys before I make the purchase. Your advice is helping a great deal and I will watch the videos you sent. I will keep researching and I do appreciate yours all time and help.