Bounty Hunter QSIGWP ????

[Kevin75931]

Amazon has the Bounty Hunter QSIGWP, which is with a pointer for $111.

At that price point pass or buy?

I am looking for a basic metal detector.
Just about all of my stuff is in the woods or open field.
I honestly do not care about iron settings or whatever. If I dig up an old railroad spike so what.
If I dig up a can I will take it home and throw it away.

I am looking around old farm places and some of the stuff can be deep.

 

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[digger27]

Pass, even though it is not a bad deal if free shipping is included.
The Quicksilver can be bought for about $90 or less, the BH pinpointer is...not good, but it is usually sold for a rippoff price of about $40 so this is much cheaper if that is the one included.
You can get a Harbor Freight pinpointer for $15 that works just as well.
I started with a version of that QS and hated it, but mine had many problems.
Not thrilled about these cheaper versions of the BH line but they are metal detectors and do find metal.

If you can spend a bit more get into a Compadre for about $160...used these things go for less like from $90-$130.
Better built, better working...Better.

 

[Kevin75931]

If you can spend a bit more get into a Compadre for about $160...used these things go for less like from $90-$130.
Better built, better working...Better.

If we are going to raise the price bar, which I do not mind, would you say the Tesoro Compadre is one of the better options in the $150 - $200 price range?

 

[digger27]

Yes the Compadre is well known as one of the best values in the entry level class.... the brain box is made of metal but it is still light as a feather, extremely responsive, new you have a choice of 2 coils a smaller one and an 8" coil which goes deeper.
Lifetime warranty new, many use all kinds but also started with a Compadre and kept it around or bought one later on just to have in the arsenal for fun and special situations.
The Compadre has some superpowers that are special.
It is hypersensitive to tiny objects of any kind, it can find jewelry like it is a religion with this thing including chains, it is great when using it in iron infested sites and there is nothing on the planet that can find targets near, next to or even leaning on big metal like tot lot equipment, bench legs or fence poles as easily and effortlessly as this one can.
Nothing.
We have a church built up around this thing...
Church of the Compadre... - Friendly Metal Detecting Forums

For all it is it still is audio only and has no screen.
As much as I have always recommended every hunter should use a Tesoro or other audio only unit and get good at hunting with audio only sometime in their career, it can only make you a better hunter no matter what kind you end up using, when you are starting out using one with a screen I believe is easier to learn on.
Anything will work well if you are going to dig it all, many start out with a Compadre or anything else and do that at first anyway...it is the best way to learn.

At the 200-$250 range there are many with screens new that are on the market now, Fisher F22, Euro Tek Pro, the newer Ace 300, the Bounty Hunter Land Ranger Pro is a bit more but chock full of features and in a totally different class than that QS.
All have screens and not just icons but extremely helpful and recommend VDI numbers on the screen.
VDI numbers give you way more information than units with just icons can.
All are cheaper if bought used but warranties usually don't transfer.

If you really want to stick to that $200 range there is still one available that I highly recommend.
The Fisher F2 is being replaced by the F22 but several dealers still have them, they still come with a 5 year factory warranty, the one coil unit is $199 but for $215 I bought the 2 coil version that includes an extremely productive small sniper coil in that package...plus that same cheap pinpointer that was included in that QS package.
I got mine for $200 new but even at $215 still one of the best values out there for the money.
Many started with these and still use them with great success.
I bought mine as a backup but it was so much fun and worked so well I used it for 3 seasons as my prime unit and found over 10X's what I paid for it in clad, relics, silver and gold.

F2...final impressions below,...... - Friendly Metal Detecting Forums

Your first detector is important.
You want one that is fun to use and not frustrating, finds stuff so it will keep you interested and not drive you out of the hobby quickly which can and does happen sometimes when people pick wrong.
If you like the hobby most of us upgrade sometime in the future but that first one is the key to it all.

I started with a version of that QS but had a horrible experience because mine was broken and did not work right at all...it was way more than just a frustrating experience learning the basics with a tool like that.
Only because I was stubborn did I wait it out and still used the thing for several months before I finally upgraded and then found out how fun this hobby can really be.
A few years later I had a chance to use another QS that worked correctly and it was 1000 times better than mine but thinking back now I still had way more fun with the Compadre and the F2 because of how different and better they worked.

For all these reasons those are the two I would look at hard if I had a $150-$200 limit...$215 on the 2 coil F2 if you can't find a dealer that will discount that extra $15.
Look in your couch cushions and find that $15...well worth it if you do.

Good luck.

 

[doggoneitdignit]

Yes the Compadre is well known as one of the best values in the entry level class.... the brain box is made of metal but it is still light as a feather, extremely responsive, new you have a choice of 2 coils a smaller one and an 8" coil which goes deeper.
Lifetime warranty new, many use all kinds but also started with a Compadre and kept it around or bought one later on just to have in the arsenal for fun and special situations.
The Compadre has some superpowers that are special.
It is hypersensitive to tiny objects of any kind, it can find jewelry like it is a religion with this thing including chains, it is great when using it in iron infested sites and there is nothing on the planet that can find targets near, next to or even leaning on big metal like tot lot equipment, bench legs or fence poles as easily and effortlessly as this one can.
Nothing.
We have a church built up around this thing...
Church of the Compadre... - Friendly Metal Detecting Forums

For all it is it still is audio only and has no screen.
As much as I have always recommended every hunter should use a Tesoro or other audio only unit and get good at hunting with audio only sometime in their career, it can only make you a better hunter no matter what kind you end up using, when you are starting out using one with a screen I believe is easier to learn on.
Anything will work well if you are going to dig it all, many start out with a Compadre or anything else and do that at first anyway...it is the best way to learn.

At the 200-$250 range there are many with screens new that are on the market now, Fisher F22, Euro Tek Pro, the newer Ace 300, the Bounty Hunter Land Ranger Pro is a bit more but chock full of features and in a totally different class than that QS.
All have screens and not just icons but extremely helpful and recommend VDI numbers on the screen.
VDI numbers give you way more information than units with just icons can.
All are cheaper if bought used but warranties usually don't transfer.

If you really want to stick to that $200 range there is still one available that I highly recommend.
The Fisher F2 is being replaced by the F22 but several dealers still have them, they still come with a 5 year factory warranty, the one coil unit is $199 but for $215 I bought the 2 coil version that includes an extremely productive small sniper coil in that package...plus that same cheap pinpointer that was included in that QS package.
I got mine for $200 new but even at $215 still one of the best values out there for the money.
Many started with these and still use them with great success.
I bought mine as a backup but it was so much fun and worked so well I used it for 3 seasons as my prime unit and found over 10X's what I paid for it in clad, relics, silver and gold.

F2...final impressions below,...... - Friendly Metal Detecting Forums

Your first detector is important.
You want one that is fun to use and not frustrating, finds stuff so it will keep you interested and not drive you out of the hobby quickly which can and does happen sometimes when people pick wrong.
If you like the hobby most of us upgrade sometime in the future but that first one is the key to it all.

I started with a version of that QS but had a horrible experience because mine was broken and did not work right at all...it was way more than just a frustrating experience learning the basics with a tool like that.
Only because I was stubborn did I wait it out and still used the thing for several months before I finally upgraded and then found out how fun this hobby can really be.
A few years later I had a chance to use another QS that worked correctly and it was 1000 times better than mine but thinking back now I still had way more fun with the Compadre and the F2 because of how different and better they worked.

For all these reasons those are the two I would look at hard if I had a $150-$200 limit...$215 on the 2 coil F2 if you can't find a dealer that will discount that extra $15.
Look in your couch cushions and find that $15...well worth it if you do.

Good luck.

Hi Digger27...I am in a predicament. I have a Ace 300i 7x10 that I can use as my go too, as my son has dropped out the hobby, and I can afford to go the Compadre detector for $209.00 with free shipping. Then I would have two detectors both Tesoro's, but is the Ace 300i different then the Compadre other then smaller jewerly finds especial gold? As I was also looking at ~ 200 for a good pair of Killer Bee's or Ghost headphones and as well I need a good Pinpointer that will likely come in at 170. Now with that said I have a cheaper pair of headphones and a BH pointpointer already that I use with my Black Vaq 11x8 coil along with my 5.75 concentric. That is 209+200+169= $578 the price of another Vaq up hear in Canada? Why wouldn't I just save more and go a Tejon that I was always wanting anyways? As I imagine my Vaq with the detector I have will likely pick up on small jewerly anyways with the discriminator on the Vaq from what I hear is around ED 165 compared to the Compadre and the Tejon at ED 180. What are your thoughts around this...and can you help me decide?

I too would like to join the Church of the Compadre and make that commitment, but just need opinons of others as many others have said on other posts go with the Vaq you have and add the Compadre you would be glad you did.

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/tesoro/519002-beginner-looking-purchase-2-tesoro-detectors.html



THANKS.

 

[digger27]

The 300 is part of the new Ace series and they finally added those oh so helpful VDI numbers to the mix.
For the life of me I can't figure out why people that want screen units settle for units with just icons even today.
Personally I can't get into Garrett units at all, the sounds they put out just drive me crazy but like I said just a personal thing with me.
As far as micro jewelry and finding stuff close to big metal none of the Aces, as competent and able as they are, are known for this.
A Vaq can pick up some pretty tiny stuff like thin chains in my testing but you need a sniper coil to do it but even with a sniper still can't get as close to big metal as the little C'.
I think the Compadre is still a bit better at getting the tiny stuff and the Tejon probably is too.

I say if you want a Tejon, can afford a Tejon...get a Tejon.
Just a great all around everything detector.
Not only supposedly one of the deepest Tesoros but it has that double disc feature which would come in really handy for me if I had one.
Great in relics, coins and whatever, from what I can gather just about as good as the Compadre on micro jewelry, too.
That true 180 ED probably has a lot to do with that.
Can it find targets as close to big metal as easily as the Compadre can, don't know but I haven't read about it being able to do that.
That is why I recommend everyone have a Compadre handy if just for this task alone but this simple one knob unit is just loads of fun in its own right no matter how you use it.
The Compadre is one of the cheapest units out there, even in Canada with that slightly higher price it is doable if not now sometime in the future.
Find some loonies, a few toonies, clean out your couch cushions and you got enough for any model...used even quicker.
There are a still few out there that have one, don't understand about its little superpowers and sell them fairly cheap.
If you hunt parks the Tejon should help pay for a Compadre up the road I would think.