P.I detector

[sillllvar]

My three detecting buddies all use the deepstar in the UK on the beaches. For years they have been finding many more rings than myself. It has gotten to the point where I almost can't detect with them any more On land it is a different story, we all use the explorer and finds rates are very similar.
My question is (I'm sorry if it's been asked a million times) is if there is a PI around other than the deepstar or aquastar that can perform as well. I believe Eric is retired now, so my only hope of a deepstar/aquastar is a used one....as common as rocking horse poop as my friends tell me!
My greatest regret in 20 years of metal detecting has to be not getting a deepstar, I should have begged or borrowed at the time to get one! Thanks in advance for any thoughts

All the best
Al

 

[Mr.Bill]

The Whites TDI is a good start. You will find it's more sensitive to gold jewelry than anyone's else PI currently available. It's a design coming from Eric's Goldscan unit, the replacement of the Deepstar.

Minelab makes a lot of high powered PI's, SD's, GP's, GPX's. They can be picked up used for a lot less money than they sold new for, and there far more plentiful than a Deepstar.

I'm not aware of any others that would compare to a Deepstar in performance.

 

[Up to my ____ in Pulltabs Grant]

I feel your pain friend. I too regret not knowing the fate of the Goldscan and DeepStar.
The fact that they are no longer available and I missed getting one will haunt me all of my days.

 

[verylazybeachbum]

Unfortunately you are correct. But, the Aquasearch v.2 is close and I sometimes prefer it to my Aquastar 2 or Deepstar 3, because you cover ground faster looking for low conductors (it doesn't go as deep on high conductors). Also the Aquasearch or Goldquest SS is more common to find used. I would watch for a used machine on ebay and the forums, rather than go with anything else. I found for most beaches the Goldscan 5c(and likely TDI, although i have not used a TDI) had to be run in low conductor mode only or it was too noisy, Causing me to miss some silver. When I started using the Aquastar, i liked it a lot more. Now I use either the Aquastar 2 or Aquasearch v.2. I have now 6 Pulsepowers, and I have bought them all after they weren't being made anymore, so there is hope. Just keep your eyes peeled, constantly check the forums and auction sites. If you know someone who has one ask them if they would consider selling. One possibility is an older pulsepower from the 90's. the goldscan IV is high powered. The Goldquest (not the SS, but an older one) is just like the Goldscan IV but without ground balance, it was designed for beaches. I believe the first Deepstar was based on the old Goldquest. There was the Beachscan which was low powered and the predecessor to the Goldquest SS1,2 and 3/Aquasearch1 and2(all low powered also). But I have seen the High powered old Goldquest sell pretty cheap and if you could find one it would probably be pretty good. (the pulse delay can not go as low but you often have to run it above 15 us on beaches anyway). Good Luck.
Brad

 

[sillllvar]

Thank you very much for your posts. Thanks Bill for info on the Whites machine!
Brad, thank you so very much for taking the time to put such detail into your post...I am in your debt
I have hope now that one day I might be able to compete with my friends.

All the very best
Alan

 

[LE.JAG]

I have an original GS IV for sale, but incomplete
the same performance as I Deepstar
only the threshold is different = tic tic tic on the GS IV ....

http://www.geotech1.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18950

the pulsepowers are really above the rest, on my black sand beaches, in France...
I have three others, or sale of this one

 

[Reggie]

OOps, posted to wrong topic. Sorry.