Metal Detector Advice

[Lowcountry83]

Here's a question for all you diggers out there. I'm planning on getting my first metal detector and was looking for advice on which model would best suit my needs. I don't want to spend over about $500, as I'm not sure yet how much money and time I want to invest in this. I need one that would work well on the beach too, as I would be digging there as well. I was considering the Fisher F4. Any info on this machine? I know you get what you pay for, but it seems like a decent choice. Would you guys recommend something else in this price range? Thanks for your time and help...

Stephen

[Dave the plumber]

  Stephen,           it is hard to find a good all around machine that works well on the land and  in the salt enviroment of the beach too.  It is just asking too much of one machine. You are best having a purpose built and tested machine for water, and one for land.
     For land, I use the Tesoro Tejon and Cibola products. The Cibola is as easy to use as it gets, and gives very good depth, is extremely light weight and inexpensive.  It is way above entry level in the way it performs, and can keep up with the other machines on a hard days hunt. The learning curve is just a few hours, if that, and it does not require ground balancing and doesn't have but 3 knobs \ functions to get used to. For a dummy like me who doesn't want to get all technical and is just a weekend warrior, it is just fine...         almost all diggers in my area use the Cibola, with great results.  Different ground conditions might require a more complex machine, but that can take alot of the fun out of it. If you are just starting out I wouldn't spend too much $$ on detectors until you know this hobby is for you, it all sounds great until you are actually out there thrashing the woods with the snakes, ticks, mud and hunters !! It is alot of work for sometimes very little reward

[CarlS]

I agree with Dave.   Also, if you can, I would suggest you try out a number of different ones to see if they work in your area well and suit your needs.  What you get also depends on what you hunt.   Hunting the beach is a big monkey wrench and will eliminate lots of detectors.  It will ruin them too if they are not made for that environment.    Choosing a detector is a big long discussion and there is no one right answer. 

For what its worth I hunt iron with a White's detector for depth and campsite type stuff with a Tesoro Bandito for descrimination and salt areas with an old Garrett XL underwater pulse machine to work in the marine mineralization.

You can also get a lot better detector for the money by buying a used one.  There are lots of good deals at dealers, on eBay and elsewhere but of course that comes with the potentital pitfalls of buying used.  I've had good luck with that route.

[misipirelichtr]

That question could be the start of a spirited discussion for sure.  I'm not a beach hunter, so I can't help on that part of the question.  But I've used a bunch of detectors over the years inland, including some time hunting the low country of South Carolina.

For me, if I could only have one detector, it would be the Fisher F 75 LTD.  It can be set up to hunt almost any condition from very trashy to pure woods camps, and has very fast target separation and depth.  And I have used it in the Low Country, so I know it will work in the sandy coastal soils.  But price is well above your desired range. 

So, if you are hunting primarily the low country, and in your price range, I'd get either the best Fisher F series with a DD coil that you are willing to pay for, or if you will be hunting mostly heavy iron sites like old housesites, I'd consider the Fisher Gold Bug Pro.  Not the depth of the F75, but great discrimination and a nice coin hunting detector as well.

The Tesoros mentioned are very good detectors as well.   I've used both the Tejon and Cibola and in fact still own a Tejon for folks to use that I take relic or coin hunting who don't own a detector. Either are easy to learn quality detectors.

I don't have the personal experience with the Whites. 

Whatever you get, take time to learn it and you'll make some great finds! And use a quality set of headphones.  For me, there's no better hobby than metal detecting.  But Dave gave good advice.  If you are starting out, borrow a detector and make sure mteal detecting or relic hunting is for you. 

[Lowcountry83]

Thanks for all the quality input guys. Those Tesoro detectors seem promising...

[Dave the plumber]

the Cibola is cheap, extremely easy to use, and a great machine for trying out to find out if digging is for you.  If you turn out to be a 'digger', you can always move up to one of the other machines and keep the Cibola as a backup - or to lend to a friend to introduce to this hobby.     
          Once you find something ............  you'll be hooked !!   It's alot of work with typically a minimal return, but it's better than golf or video games !!   Come visit in NC and I'll take you some places.......  you'll find something......

[Lowcountry83]

Thanks Dave, I might take you up on that this Spring. And if any of you guys know of somewhere to hunt down here in Savannah let me know. I don't care if its been picked over a million times. I'd be excited to find anything.

Stephen

[swest47]

I'm not sure if any of y'all get to DIV (Diggin In Virginia)? I've been going since XIII and about to make the trek to XXIII.

I said all that to say this. The ground at Brandy Station, in Culpeper County is some of the most conductive in the US (except that in the gold bearing areas of this country). The pre-dominate machine used there is the PI machine. Of those the Minelab GPX machines rule. Whites TDI's are next then the Garrett Infinium.

Of the none PI machines the Fisher F75 is the king, along with Whites MXT, MXT Pro and DFX (DFX has been discontinued). An up and comer is the Garrett AT Pro.

If I were buying a good all around machine I would go with the Fisher F75 (the T2 is its brother). First Texas bought Fisher, Teknetics, Bounty Hunter and makes both the Fisher F75 and Teknetics T2.

Why the Fisher? It goes to ground balance. There are 2 forms, auto GB and Manual GB. The Fisher has both as do many machines you can GB. GB is important especially if there are any minerals, which there are, in the dirt where you live.

If money is not object and you can handle 8 or so lbs, hands down the GPX will out perform any machine I listed. Oh, don't rush to your local dealer unless your just trying a machine. There are deals to be had from dealers that advertise on like minded sites on the internet.

[Jim T]

As others have said, what ever machine you choose, you need to take plenty of time to learn the machine...can't stress that enough.  I used to use Fisher machines and loved them.  I now use a Whites MXT for most locations and a Whites TDI for Diggin' In Virginia @ Culpeper.  Good Luck with your choice and you're going to get hooked in short order!