Menu
What's new
Find's Treasure Forums

Welcome to Find's Treasure Forums, Guests!

You are viewing this forums as a guest which limits you to read only status.

Only registered members may post stories, questions, classifieds, reply to other posts, contact other members using built in messaging and use many other features found on these forums.

Why not register and join us today? It's free! (We don't share your email addresses with anyone.) We keep email addresses of our users to protect them and others from bad people posting things they shouldn't.

Click here to register!

Need Support Help?

Cannot log in?, click here to have new password emailed to you

Changed email? Forgot to update your account with new email address? Need assistance with something else?, click here to go to Find's Support Form and fill out the form.

Brand Sensitivity

A

Anonymous

Guest
I got into this great hobby about ten years ago and I have really gotten almost obsessed with it. I sometimes think how it would have been if I would have stayed with my first or second detector. One thing for sure, that detector would have paid for itself many times over. But, I wanted to try them all and that is precisely what I have done. Believe it or not, I like every single detector that I have used and owned. I read all the forums from top to bottom every single day and I see many people getting wired up over the other guy claiming his brand is the best. I use to get offended when somebody knocked my brand, but not anymore. I have come to one conclusion, and that is ,I like them all. I like the bagain detector that I found Indian heads with and I like the top end detector that I found ten inch deep large cents with. I had a friend who bought a two hundred dollar detector 15 years ago and he would not upgrade. His coin collection was worth over 20,000 dollars when he died two years ago. Well, buying, selling, and trading is a hobby in itself to me and I am getting to the end of the road. There are no more detectors for me to try until next year maybe. I don't consider myself an expert, but I think it would be an interesting story to relate which detectors that I have liked the best, that is if nobody bashes me in the process.HH R.L. Johnson
 
R.L., I can't promise you won't get bashed on this site because some outspoken, opinionated folks reside here, but that's half the fun. I would sure love to hear what detectors you liked best, which ones weren't so impressive, and why! Entertain and educate us with a few good posts. HB
 
HB, here goes, but first here is what I have owned to let people know that every price range has been represented. Bounty Hunter- Sharp Shooter, Land Star, Radio Shack Discvery 3000? Garrett- Treasure Ace, GTAX750, GTAX 1250, GTI 1500, GTI 2500. Fisher-1236, 1270, cz5, cz7a, cz3d, and Coinstrike. Tesoro- Silver Sabre, Silver Sabre umax, Golden umax, Bandito umax, Tejon, and Cortes. Whites IDx pro, Quantum xt, Spectrum xlt, and DFX(which is ordered,but I have about twenty hours on a friends). Minelab- Musketeer Advantage, Sovereign xs2a pro, Explorer xs. Compass Coinscanner(can't remember model, it was fixed GB) These are the detectors that I have used in the field. I have had many others that I have taken on trade and they were used for just a short time to check their operation in my test garden. Since I generally deal in used detectors, I am going to rank them by their used values not their msrp. Best overall Minelab Explorer and Fisher cz3d. I had about 500 hr on the Explorer and I found some of my best finds, coins to 11 or 12 inches deep and dating to 1820(About as early as Ohio was populated) The Minelab was built bad, constantly had to loosen and tighten cam locks. Fished cz3d I have used since March of this year and I have mostly hunted my old spots over. Over 100 silver coins and 400 wheats. Out of the first twenty coins I found 4 were V nickles and 3 were shield nickles. This is a very reliable and deep detector. Depth rivals Explorer, but the Explorer did better in trash. This detector is well built. If I was on a budget, this would be easy. Minelab Sovereign with a meter of any kind(factory or Sunray) or Fisher CZ5. The Minelab is just a deep, super discriminating, easy to use detector. I commonly found coins 10 to 12 inches deep and aftermarket acc are very easy to find used. One drawback for me, the Sovereign is heavy and not well balanced( I had a motorcycle accident 20 years ago and I have had 11 sugeries on my both wrists). I could not use this detector as good as it was for more than two hours. Fisher cz5. this is my all time favorite and considering what you can buy them for used, what a bargain. Deep, easy to use, well balanced, and cheap! You will always have a chance to find and old coin with this detector. Starting out detecting and don't want to spend a fortune to see if the hobby is for you. The detector for this situation is a Tesoro Silver Sabre umax. It is light, super in trash, and gets respectable depth. I should of told everyone that my opinions are based on coin hunting. I don't beach or relic hunt. This is good winter conversation so all of the other guys ought to voice their favorites also. People thinking of a particular detector might benifit from our bantering
 
You have used a lot of detectors! I appreciate the info and wouldn't mind hearing more from you and others that have experience with multiple brands, and the pros and cons of the various models. I respect your opinion a lot more than those who simply say "Minelab rocks" or "DFX is the best" simply because that is what they use. Thanks for sharing. HB
 
Just came to my mind to let people know that I really do enjoy every brand of detectors. I have made nice finds with every detector that I have owned and it would not be fair to not mention two other of my favorites. I am a coin hunter so when I stumble across gold it is always a nice surprise. I found three gold rings in a three week period with a
Tesoro Golden Umax. This detector uses an adjustable notch and I must have got lucky and had it set perfect. I also had an unbelieveable three month period of finding lots of coins with one of the first detectors that I owned, a Garrett GTAX 750. I found over 3500 coins that summer, so I had to mentions this detector. More rambling. R.L.
 
Let's have it. I've been at it four decades and owned and swung and field tested about everything out there and I liked them all, except a Bounty Hunter BFO that wouldn't find a cannon ball in a tub of oatmeal.
Bill
 
I owned several Tesoro Goldens from the first to nearly the last model and they were great coinshooters and ring finders.
Bill
 
You've owned a bundle R.L. I don't know if I could remember all mine. <img src="/metal/html/smile.gif" border=0 width=15 height=15 alt=":)"> I do remember I started in 1963 with a Metrotech. At that time I was working at Beale Airforce Base building the facilities for the then unknown to the public - SR-71 spy plane.
I asked a pilot one day how fast that puppy would go. He said that was classified but that it would out run a 30-06 bullet. That pretty well answered my question. <img src="/metal/html/smile.gif" border=0 width=15 height=15 alt=":)">
Bill
 
You might find out there is more to it than just a dumb flashing gif.
Besides, it's only for fun and I think most people are smart enough to realize they have to make their own choices and not believe everything they read off a forum.
 
<img src="/metal/html/biggrin.gif" border=0 width=15 height=15 alt=":D">
Seems to me that if you was a using the D-tect correctly you woulda found the cannon ball. You just put take off the coil, extend the rod and stirr up the oatmeal. That is right off the directions. Read em myself. <img src="/metal/html/lol.gif" border=0 width=15 height=15 alt=":lol"> <img src="/metal/html/lol.gif" border=0 width=15 height=15 alt=":lol">
Good one Bill I like your description, although I don't have a clue what a BH BFO is.
Lar <IMG SRC="/metal/html/garrett.gif" BORDER=0 width=33 height=15 ALT="g~">
 
BFO's were the first detectors and preceeded TR and VLF detectors. BFO stands for Beat Frequency Oscillator.
Bill
 
CC, it well could be that "Minelab Rocks" or "DFX is the best." My only point was that simply making those statements means nothing to me. But a detailed feature by feature comparison made by someone that has used different brand machines extensively carries a lot more weight. You can use your brand's gifs and slogans all you want to though, it doesn't bother me. HB
 
I have noted your comments regarding having several different brands of metal detectors and that you have found all of them to be satisfactory to a degree. I am interested in trying metal detecting but have no experience at this writing. I have read much but that will not take the place of experience. I have wanted to keep the price of my first machine at $200 or less to see if I have any apittude for the sport. I am looking at the following 3 machines : Fisher 1212-X ; Bounty Hunter Quick Silver (new out) and, Bounty Hunter Quick Draw II. I would ask if you and other experienced detectors would advise me of you preference of these 3 machines. You help and advice will be appreciated. Many thanks and Best Regards -OMA
 
Seems to be a very impressive detector for the money and some are selling them for less than $200
 
<img src="/metal/html/smile.gif" border=0 width=15 height=15 alt=":)"> You didn't offend anyone, especially those of us that know THing is supposed to be a fun hobby. I have used only 3 detectors in the 5 years I have been swinging a metal detector. The first was a Radio Shack Discovery 3000, which I believe was made by Bounty Hunter. I used this detector for about 1 year. No bells or whistles, but I had a ball and still found a few dollars in change every time I went out with it.
My second detector was a Garrett GTAx 1250. This was a real nice machine that just loved quarters and dimes. It was easy to set up and use, and was well constructed. I had found many, many coins and objects with this machine. The only drawbacks to this machine was the balance, the battery holders, which tended to crack pretty easily, and the #####ed square arm cup that could use a strap to stablize the unit to your forearm. I used this green machine for about 2 years then I sold it to purchase my third machine, a White's XLT.
The XLT is a real solid machine, good depth and discrimination, oodles of user functions, excellent balance, accurate TID and sturdy construction. I love this machine and I find more with it than the other 2 units I have owned in the past. I won't be selling this machine to pay for my next purchase which I intend to make before the spring thaw happens.
Well, I have rambled on long enough.
Later.
DDD.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top