Detecting newbie

[thejetman]

Well where do i start. I was trying to think of a hobby that my wife and i could enjoy togather, as well as get some much needed excersize. My boss informed me about metal detecting, my dad had one that was huge and about 30 years old, so i figured i would try to get the family involved. I have been doing some research on different detectors and have narrowed my choices down to two different detectors. The Titan 3000xd Pro, and the Teknetics T2. YOu guys probably know what comes next, which one is 'better" in a way for ease of use as well as actually functioning like the ads say. I have most of my info from the kellyco site. If i get one or the other, i need to equip my wife with one also, but I, as a guy, definatly need one better than hers!
What are the differences?
What are the drawbacks?
Which one is more "bang for the ol greenback" is my major concern.
Thanks for the input!

 

[thejetman]

oh, and are they "waterproof" or "water resistant"? i plan to use it mostly for coins and whatnot to start out with.

 

[GRAY GHOST]

hello thejetman, i would have to recommend a pair of tesoro compadres or a pair of garrett ace 250s. both machines are good starters, good bang for the buck, short learning curve, easy to operate, and you can get either pair for close to 300 bucks new. be warned though, its a very addictive and fulfilling hobby! good luck, and hh,

 

[thejetman]

Thats what i see. As far as tech stuff goes. i am a jet mechanic so i can pretty much figure stuff out. i was looking for more of an intermediate type. its just hard distinguishing all the different charactoristics of each one. i need to be able to play with stuff. i can never just "leave well enough alone" i am reading more about a fisher-F4 too. the 400-500 dollar range is what i was going for. Any suggestions?

 

[thejetman]

t-2 is too expensive.

 

[GRAY GHOST]

the metal detector reviews website is also a good place to go - it has reviews from the actual users, and isnt company fed. whatever the results, i hope to soon see you and your wife posting finds on here! usually waterproof coils are standard on any machine, and most control heads on machines can resist water for a short while. good luck!

 

[thejetman]

thanks man.

 

[tabdog]

Hi Thejetman,

Welcome to the forum.

The T2 is much more md than the Titan 3000xd Pro.

HH,

 

[tabdog]

You could get a Ace 250 and a Vaquero.

Don't let your wife get the Vaquero. She

will make you look bad.

HH,

 

[JMorgan]

Just a personal opinion but the Ace 250 is not that good. It makes all kinds of noises all the time and you don't know what your digging. Maybe it's good for coin shooting at a local park but it seems like you can get a better 1st machine than that for the same price or a little more. Forget about relic hunting with it if you decide you want to do that later on.

 

[tabdog]

n/t

 

[Cherokeefan68]

Hello and welcome to the forum


[quote GRAY GHOST]hello thejetman, i would have to recommend a pair of tesoro compadres or a pair of garrett ace 250s. ,[/quote]

I have to go with Gray Ghost on this one. Start with a simpler detector, once you get the hang of things move to something more complicated(you will probably know what you want in a more expensive unit then). The tesoro compadres are performing just as well if not better than alot of the higher end machines. Just ask tabdog. Also a simpler interface on your first machine will allow you to concentrate on your technique, instead of fiddling with a bunch of knobs and switches and getting frustrated because you are not finding anything.

Remember, you can always upgrade later.

 

[Wayne/TX]

Hi, thejetman! Here's an idea... If you and the wife hunt together you'll
sometimes be in close proximity to each other, in which case if both
detectors are on the same frequency they will have feedback clash
in your headphones(always use headphones) which the only preventive
is to stay a certain distance away from each other(could be 30 feet or
more). So it's best to have two different models at different frequencies,
so you can hunt closer to each other when necessary.

There are two major divisions with detectors...those with visual ID meters
and audio, or those with only audio. So you might try this, for effectiveness
and price constraints(if that's your goal)... The Tesoro Compadre (online discount @
$151.20) with frequency at 12 kHz and the Tesoro Silver (discount @
$239) with frequency at 10.6 kHz. Both are excellent audio units which will not
"clash" when together. And, your price stays under the $500 range for BOTH units!
These would be great starter units while still being the choice of many seasoned
detectorists, even over more expensive units with more "bells & whistles". They
will both find great targets. The coils are waterproof, but don't submerge the
circuit boxes. This is of course true of all detectors except specialty underwater
units. So Good Luck and welcome to a great hobby!
..W

 

[Ron from Michigan]

Exception Ace 250 buy new and you'll still get your money back on a resale.Problem with a beginner you don't have a clue what your looking for.Go to your nearest metal detector dealer and have a hands on demo this will save you time and money.The Titan or T2 isn't recommended for different reasons but once you use a unit in a demo you'll understand.Buy one detector and see if your wife wants to do this,most women don't.If you don't have the time or energy to visit a dealer I would get involved in another hobby.

 

[Elton]

another detector goes in the closet...Great advice..I hope someone listens to experience talking

 

[Jackpine Savage]

From the little info that has been posted, it looks to have the potential of being a great mid range detector. Lots of old hands at detecting have a real interest in checking this one out because of the control/feature set it has for the price. Sensitivity should not be lacking either as the new FT usually tends to build in more than can be used in a lot of conditions. I'm not trying to imply it will be as deep as top of the line units, but it should have adequate depth to satisfy 90% of ones needs.

my 2 zincs

Tom

 

[tabdog]

n/t

 

[thejetman]

i like the visual interface on the fisher models. its pretty self explanatory. i was thinking along the lines of an f-4 for me and an f-2 for her. yeah, she is cool, she loves doing this kind of off the wall stuff with me. i think i want a relic/coin shooter. i like the minelab, but they are too much. a visual/audio combo will be the way to go. i would love to find a place that sells these so i can touch/feel/play with before i buy. any help would be great guys. i live in the atlanta area, thanks.

 

[thejetman]

one more thing, i think that i want one that picks up coins good, and the other one to pick up smaller gold good. so this way, when we go out its almost like we are covering both ends of the spectrum at once. kinda like the one-two punch.

 

[Ron from Michigan]

Jetman,suggestion find a Fisher dealer in your area and after a demo with the F4 AND F2 try a CZ3D I think you'll notice a difference.Most dealer's sell multibrands so check the White's, Tesoro's and Garretts.There are some good new and used detector deals with the dealer's who sponsor on this site,which can save you money and enable you to get a better unit.