Beginner Detector for a Child

TXPlugKutter

TXPlugKutter

Sr. Member
Aug 20, 2007
314
31
Central Texas
Detector(s) used
Manticore, Nox 600, Ace 250
I have a 5 year old that absolutely drives me batty trying to use my Ace 250. I let him every now and then and he has found some stuff. I am looking to buy him one for Christmas but do not want to spend a bunch of money nor do I want a complicated one. My first detector was a whites coinmaster (i think), I got it when I was around 5 and used it for many years. Any detector will take some time for him to learn but the simpler the better.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.
 

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Ahh, five years old, that is so wonderful to start.....I see several people purchase cheap metal detectors for kids at Walmart for Christmas. So, they will have a fun to do with detector for several years, then buy another good detector in the future if kid stay interesting with the detector and fun.

Richard
 

At first I was going to suggest a Tesoro like the Compadre, very light weight and one knob, due the the childs size. Then I thought how much better it would be to have his own 250 since he is some what familiar with it. Since Dad is using one too, he'll learn faster. If he gives it up, you have a great spare.

My Grand daughter of 8 bugged me about wanting to go metal detecting. So one day I showed up at her house with a Fisher 1235, and adjusted the shaft for her. I tossed a handful of coins and a small silver ring out on the grass and gave her the detector. She went at it and learned to pinpoint by pushing the button and seeing the coin for her to pick up. After finding half of them and the ring, she handed me the detector after 15 minutes and said, "Here, I'm done with this." and walked in the house.
 

Sandman said:
At first I was going to suggest a Tesoro like the Compadre, very light weight and one knob, due the the childs size. Then I thought how much better it would be to have his own 250 since he is some what familiar with it. Since Dad is using one too, he'll learn faster. If he gives it up, you have a great spare.

My Grand daughter of 8 bugged me about wanting to go metal detecting. So one day I showed up at her house with a Fisher 1235, and adjusted the shaft for her. I tossed a handful of coins and a small silver ring out on the grass and gave her the detector. She went at it and learned to pinpoint by pushing the button and seeing the coin for her to pick up. After finding half of them and the ring, she handed me the detector after 15 minutes and said, "Here, I'm done with this." and walked in the house.
Click to expand...

Great idea. I thought since I was gonna spend around a $100 I should go ahead and spend a little more and buy him a decent one like you said so I might have a good spare. If I buy a cheap one, and he doesn't care for it I won't be out much either. All great ideas!!

Thanks
 

I bought my 6 yr old the cheap little Bounty Hunter Jr. at WalMart for $50. His first day, he found a cannon ball. The top of the cannon ball was about 6-7". I was pretty impressed with the thing. It has decent discrimination too. Cheap plastic little thing but it works pretty well.

I also let him use my bullseye when we're out. Pinpointing is his job. That's working out well, just have to train them not to stick their hand in the hole while you're in there with your trowel. The pinpointer is fun because he's the one that actually finds the item.

Good luck and happy hunting.
 

There is always the Ace 150 and not surpriseingly it only cost $150.00.
Robert R
 

My vote is the Tesoro Compadre. One knob simplicity, adjustable pole, and light weight. I bought it originally because I was not sure if I liked metal detecting and did not want to invest a lot of money. I love the hobby and my Compadre is my primary land machine. Call a dealer and check one out. Just a thought and hope it helps.
 

My son's first detector was also the Tesoro Compadre. I even use it at times. It is very simple, light weight and has good depth for the price. I have found silver dimes at 4 inches with it....Steve
 

I would get a Prizm 2 for him. Great detector for the price. I've had a couple people buy them from me for their small children.
 

I have a Whites Classic IV and I have been blown away by the ease of use. It is definitely a motion detector and it goes amazingly deep with its two filter system. Simply set your discrimination for what you DON'T want to find and listen for signals that don't spudder or crack up. I have found coins surrounded with pull-tabs and twist-tops with no problem. I love this little machine for those days when I want to just chill out and not think about what could be in the ground. It makes a great Loaner or first-time detector and gets the depth a pro would expect from a from most pro-level machines I use it for prospecting for new sights in overgrown forgotten areas of human activity because it's so light and simple to use. White's will always be here for your warranty and service after the sale.
 

At 5 years old the kid is probably not pumping iron for fun, and when an old man wants the lightest detector on the market, so should a kid that only weighs 40 pounds. The Compadre is turn-on-and-go and the Aces and Prisms are not THAT easy to use. Besides that, a Compadre will outhunt any Ace ANY day of the week. I've already seen fathers switch from Aces 250's to Silver UMaxes and Compadres soon after they got their kids one. . What 5 year old kid wants to fool with a lot of knobs and buttons, menus etc anyway? All he or she wants is to find something quick and easy. Don't discourage the kid with a lot of too much right off the bat.

If you want to get something real tough for him or her then go ahead and get something that REALLY messes the poor kid's day up, get an Explorer, C$ or DFX, that should keep him busy and totally confused all day long, and you'll wind up being jailed for cruelty to a minor..

Get the Compadre, simple, easy. Excellent factory rep. Good guarantee. No GB for anybody to adjust. No tone to set. No buttons to push. No nothing, just turn the thing on and search. It doesn't find all that linear steel junk and garbage that a White's Classic or Prism does either. It weighs only 2.2 pounds too. And at least it works well even in nasty soil, where a $150 Bounty Hunter is nothing but a complicated (for a kid) piece of crap in most soils. A $99 Bounty Hunter won't even find a coin 3 inches in sawdust and a $49 one won't even find a garbage can lid past 6 inches. The F-2 is as light and goes MUCH deeper than all the other above, but it's too complicated for a 5 year old.

Get the Compadre. Don't give it another thought, just get one. He (or she) will be happy, and won't need to wear a brace the next day. And the pole adjusts shorter than all the above too. Plant a few coins here and there. I did that with my daughter when she was 6, and with a little Tesoro Silver Saber. She still likes metal detecting.
 

Can't beat the Compadre for kids and it makes an excellent loaner or backup as well.
HH
Bill
 

daaaveman said:
I bought my 6 yr old the cheap little Bounty Hunter Jr. at WalMart for $50. His first day, he found a cannon ball. The top of the cannon ball was about 6-7". I was pretty impressed with the thing. It has decent discrimination too. Cheap plastic little thing but it works pretty well.

I also let him use my bullseye when we're out. Pinpointing is his job. That's working out well, just have to train them not to stick their hand in the hole while you're in there with your trowel. The pinpointer is fun because he's the one that actually finds the item.

Good luck and happy hunting.
Click to expand...
th junior is good i agree if you want a good first one get a junior it also is adjustable size and the discrimination is very well,ive also heard rumors of people attaching headphones to the jr's
 

I have reposted this thread with the detector I bought for my son. He really enjoys it and we get to spend some quality time together. I appreciate everyones input and have a wonderful new year.
 

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