So is the Fisher F75 LTD good?

[Mojave]

Hey guys,

I'm a Minelab Explorer SE user and I have been toying with the idea of selling it and getting something else. I hunt in a lot of trashy areas and the slow recovery speed really does become an issue.

I've read a lot about the F75 LTD. There are a lot of negative reviews of it on, other review sites, but most of it has to do with the build quality. Admittedly, it does look a bit flimsy for a $1300+ detector. However, I've read about the impressive depth this machine gets in boost mode. Would it compare to the Explorers, or does it exceed them?

I also use Tesoros because of the "fun" factor and their light weight, but the ones I've used don't go quite as deep as I'd like.

Just looking for some opinions about this machine. Thanks

 

[boxofchocolates]

Mojave...I haven't owned many different brands and this is my first fisher metal detector but I'm impressed with it ....I would buy it again if I had to ...its deep and hits hard on coins...I like mine...hh....Dan

 

[go-rebels]

I have done considerable testing, in my test bed, and in the field, and proved to myself that the F75LTD, in BP mode, gives a cleaner signal on deep silver compared against the Explorer II. However, I still believe that the Explorer II is slightly deeper on silver compared to the original F75. But you will not fatigue using either F75 so your effective coverage area will be greater using the Fisher compared to the Explorer line.

I gave up the Etrac due to excessive falsing on iron, and since most Etrac users claim no depth improvement compared to the Explorer line... well... you know where I'm going with that...

 

[DKinPA]

Mojave...I am by no means "experienced" yet with the F75 LTD but I can give you my initial impressions. I have my LTD for about 3 weeks and have a total of 18 hours of swing time on it so far (thank you Mother Nature in PA). Some of those hours are simply swingin' and listenin' since the ground is frozen solid but.......here's my take:
I think it's as light and well balanced as my Tesoro Silver UMax, it's required "adjustments" are fewer and more simple than my DFX, the processor speed seems light years ahead of my DFX although I have not had an opportunity to do a side by side test yet. This machine is amazing me with the ability to produce loud and solid tones on coins that are pinpointing at a depth of 8" and beyond, the tone I get at this depth is equal to the tone the DFX would give me on coins at 2 and 3". The reputed "chatter" of the LTD is grossly overrated in my opinion so far as I have been able to run it "quiet" at every test site I have tried without reducing the sensitivity lower than 50. As far as build quality, I would give the nod to White's but I am sure the LTD is going to hold up just fine, I don't "baby" my detector but I'm not throwing it around or dropping it to the ground to dig either, a little common sense is required.
I thought long and hard about making the move to the Fisher and I can tell already I won't be sorry. I have read everything I could find and talked to some real hardcore detectorists before buying (2 dealers I talked with moved from ML to the LTD) and was convinced it was time to make the move.
So far my finds are only a total of $3.16 including one 1942 Mercury dime at 6", one 1892 Barber dime at 6" and one 192? wheatie at a measured 8"....BUT... all these finds have been dug in areas I hunted previously and none of the coins I have dug yet have given me an "iffy" signal....she screams COIN really well.
Sorry for the long post but my excitement for the LTD is hard to contain.

Good Luck and HH

Dave

 

[markg]

Not to long, just your thoughts

 

[marcomo]

I'll second the kudos for the F75 LTD, it's an amazing detector.

But with mine, I don't go by the depth meter. An 8" reading could be 6" deep.

My LTD consistently reads depth 1-2" deeper on coins than they really are.

I'd be interested to know if anybody else has put a ruler or graduated digger in the hole to verify whether their depth reading is correct.

Maybe it's just my machine...or maybe it's a clever ploy by FT to make their extremely deep detector seem even deeper?

 

[tvr]

I agree that the depth reading tends to be optimistic. What I find amazing is that the depth reading does not change by 50 percent when going from the standard coil to the 5 inch like I get with other detectors. Nor does it change a lot as sensitivity is changed. I think some well spent time went into the algorithm for reporting depth, it's just a bit optimistic.


Oh, and the original question ... yes it is good!
tvr

 

[Low-Boy/LCPM]

You got to be kidding the LTD is not good it is great!

 

[tab-nabit]

It is lightning fast and you can swing it without your arm falling off.
No issues with mine and no regrets.

 

[jim tn]

The F 75 LTD is a great detector! For me, it does everything I want in a detector. It finds silver, 11 silver coins and 1 small silver ring since the end of Dec., out of sites loaded with trash and by no means, VIRGIN. No gold yet, but that is just a matter of time. If one likes their F 70 and F 75, they will really like the LTD. The LTD in the bp mode does get a little more depth, which, the F 75 could get plenty of good depth in its own right, it runs quite a bit quieter, has much better tone on deeper targets, those in the 8-9" depth range and deeper, enables one to slow their swing speed down and ultimately hunt slower without any loss of depth, has a tighter vid window on deeper targets and those coins slanted and on edge, to mention, I think, the key differences. And for those that have never had a F 70 or F 75, you get all of the above plus light weight and one of the best detectors going for sniffing out good targets from among iron and trash ladden sites. It is good! HH jim tn

 

[jbow]

That is why I run my E-TRAC in Ferrous/2 tone... it don't false on iron that way.

I am going out to play with the F75 LTD for a hour or so now. Going to try those lower sens settings and see if I can hunt with 0 disc and the 11" coil. We'll see... I may try running the disc at 50 too just to see. The first couple of times I went out with it I tried to run it in BP with everything else set like an original 75 in DE mode...it worked in one place and didn't work in others. Going to start over.

J

 

[Cal_Cobra]

I've had my F75 LTD since the beginning of November (three months). To date I've found:

14K Mens tri-color gold wedding band
14K gold crusifix
24K Mens signet ring
14K 2gram gold earring
Sterling silver Victorian era spoon
Sterling silver bracelet that weighs over an ounce
2 silver rings
1930's Orphan Annie ID Bracelet
2 Washington silver quarters
1 Standing Liberty Quarter
4 barber dimes
7 mercs
3 silver rosies
5 silver war nickels
5 buffalo nickels
4 Liberty Head nickels
4 Indian Head pennies
Lost count of wheat pennies

I've only been detecting for two years this month, and in the three months I've owned the F75 LTD, I found more good finds then the first year and a half I started detecting. Six months ago I picked up a CZ70 and started making a LOT more quality finds (old silver, gold, etc), and then three months ago I added the F75 LTD to my arsenal and the quality finds have continued.

 

[jmann]

I have a f70 and was wondering how the Ltd compares overall any help in this purchase decision would be greatly appreciated. Is it worth getting the Ltd as far as overall performance

 

[EtracTom-AdirondacksNY]

Picked up a mint condition used on on here and last week I got it and took some time to read up on it setting it up bfore it arrived here. I found a silver 1944 quarter along a chain link fence line I have been over with 2 other detectors before. Saw the quarter between the trash the other 2 missed as the trash was shallow and the quarter was 6" deep first day out with it, sweet, don't find many of those around here mostly only silver dimes not quarters.

Turn it on set sens at max 99 BP boost mode then hold coil off ground about a foot up and parallel to it go through the F1 through F7 frequency settings and listen for the quietest one for that area and set it there. Then you can either raise discrimination from 1 through 5 and see if that cuts down on more noise then lower your sensitivity till runs fairly smoothly or I leave mine in zero discrimination and then back down the sensitivity to around 30 for pretty quiet sweeping without too much chatter or poping from hot rocks in my mineralized ground here. Then do a Fast Grab ground ballance mine is upper 80's and good to go. Enjoy it, great machine.

 

[Aaron]

Ive had mine for a year now, (LTD SE) its a excellent machine, probably the fastest out, super deep, pinpoints on a dime!
And the most comfortable to swing Ive ever had!

 

[Cal_Cobra]

I've had my F75 LTD since they came out, and when I sent it in for the faceplate to be replaced and have a health check on the machine they upgaded the motherboard from the LTD to the LTD SE.

My main complaint about the LTD is that if you do a lot of innercity hunting, you will run into problems with EMI and stability. I have noticed since they upgraded the motherboard from the LTD to the LTD SE, that it's much more stable, but it can still run into issues with EMI.

It's an excellent machine in iron if you can run 0 disc and 99 sensitivity in BP mode. I've hunted the dreded bed of nails and have been able to pick out coins in the same hole as multiple nails, not an easy tast to do. Just keep in mind that the TID may be skewed in iron. Example - I was hunting a stage stop type site LOADED with iron, every swing would produce at least eight iron hits reading from 8-10. I got a solid 18, and dug a V nickle mixed in with nails, actually the V nickle had a nail rusting away right on it, as there was an outline of rust on the back of the coin. Nasa Tom plucked out a key date barber dime that read something like 22 in an iron pit, but he was using monotone, 0 disc, 99 sensitivity and BP mode. I don't know if I personally can handle monotone mode, but that combo will give you the best unmasking capabilities in iron

Happy hunting,
Brian

 

[Elton]

The machine is a "TOP" of the line detector.

A. Exceptional ease of operation
B. Exceptional depth
C. The Bp mode being able to raise coil above high grass areas with little to no loss of depth ..Is awesome
D. Light weight, swing all day Very nice.
E.Tones, Different Modes of operation with Frequency change... Works everywhere.
F. Fast Grab Ground Balance, and on the go GB is such a pleasure.

 

[kmyer74]

Ive used the etrac,at pro,safari,exterra and a bunch of different models in the late 80's and the 1990's. Ive only got around 120-150 hours on my f75 se but it is hands down the best machine i have ever used when it comes to recovery speed and the depth in bp is near the top as well. Target ID is excellent also. In all metal mode,bp,1 tone,the f75 se is simply the best i have ever used and especially in iron infested sites such as civil war camps. For example,i went to a camp site that i probably logged 75-100 hours in with my etrac using TTF and i dug 4 three ringers,3 eagle buttons and a couple other small brass pieces the first time i went with my f75 se. The site is absolutely littered with square nails and the etracs recovery speed was simply too slow and the etrac would "latch" on to a piece of iron and sweeping away give a false signal and yes i was sweeping slow. I am just amazed with my f75 se everytime i go out to sites ive been oover with other detectors. I cant say enough about the f75 se/ltd.