Detector in the $250 or less range...

[SquaLLio]

I'm not exactly sure if this is the correct place to post this, but here goes...

Just a few days ago, I purchased a Bounty Hunter Tracker IV from my local Ace hardware store for $169.99.
I generally find myself buying things impulsively and regretting soon after. This case is no different. haha
As soon as I got back from my first expedition, I got online to do some research. I found that I can buy this very same detector for $90, which instantly gave me remorse.

I intend on returning this detector, and upgrading to a model with more features.
I'd like to find one in the range of $250 or less. With a particular use for gold and meteorites.
A better discriminator, estimated target depth, pinpointer, and water proof are major pluses.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks!

 

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[Smudge]

Well, I have a few.

A lot of people like the Garrett Ace 250 and it is in your price range. It has a display screen and a few features that allow you to customize what you hunt. This a good, very popular, detector. You can check the Garrett website fro details. It would be my 2nd or 3rd choice for a first detector, mostly because the target ID screen and depth indicator will be inaccurate 40%-60% of the time. The screen will lie to you sometimes, which may convince you to not to dig a good target.

I don't like screens, especially for new detectorists, as I believe it more important to learn tones first, which is a much better indicator of a target than a screen is, IMHO.

My first choice is going to be the Tesoro Compadre (sold for $150). It has a single knob to set discrimination. That's it. No screen. It also has a five inch coil which is very small, but is real blessing in trashy areas like parks and school yards. It also runs at 12 kHz, which is a very high frequency that is excellent on small gold targets. It has a regular depth of about 6", which is were 90% of targets are going to be found regardless of what detector you are using. It also has a lifetime warranty (all Tesoro detectors do) which the Ace 250 does not.

I do not know if it has the depth of sensitivity to meteorites as i have never tested this, but I believe any detector you would want for meteorite hunting will be more than $250, but I'll let someone else with knowledge address that issue.

Pinpointing with the Compadre is easy, but several people have complained about the 250 in that regard.

Both have waterproof coils, but don't get the control box wet under any circumstances!

Also, if you want to dig gold, know that pull tabs and gold will often have the signal no matter detector you use, so if you're not digging pull tabs, you won't dig gold.

Good luck with your final choice.

 

[SquaLLio]

Firstly, thanks for the thorough reply. It is much appreciated.

I've been looking at the Garrett Ace 250 as a potential purchase, but there's a few reviews that have detoured me slightly in that regard.
Mostly the issues I read about, are ones that you brought up in your post.

As for the Tesoro Compadre, it looks like a very nice and simple tool. The 12hz makes my gold nodes drool!
From what I've read, any "gold" detector should do the trick for meteorites.
So as far as I can tell, this model would most likely serve my needs, but honestly, I want something a little more feature heavy.
Thanks for the suggestion though.

I like that you brought up learning tones. That's one of my biggest gripes with the Bounty Hunter IV. There's only two tones, and honestly, they haven't been really helpful in deciphering what's in the ground. Then again, I am still an amateur.

I think I would prefer to get one with a nice range of tones, and a display. If need be, I'll blind myself to the display in order master all the tones. If that makes any sense at all. haha

Thanks again Smudge!

 

[Smudge]

You're more than welcome. I hope you find what you're looking for.

 

[TXPIRATE]

It depends on what you want to do. If your like me 80% of my hunting time is totlots and volleyball courts I would go with either the compadre or if you want to be able to change out coils the Silver umax.

 

[boogeyman]

Do you have a local dealer or one close by? Usually they have several on display and will give you a chance to try some out to see if they fit what you want to hunt. If you are not dead set on brand new out of the box, try keeping an eye on Craigs list. Lately there's been some smoking deals (economy). You can also place an ad to trade something you don't use anymore for a detector. Leaves your cash available to buy accessories or other coils. If you decide you don't like it, put it up for sale a little over what you paid for it. Then you can dicker down to what you paid for it & everyone's happy.

 

[coin finder]

Hi you can all ways go online and look at Whites Detector, you can get The new ----->Coin Hunter for under $ 200. and it is a Great buy ! I Have The BeachHunter ID 300 but it cost me about $1.000 I allso found manny coins.it is for water & sand.

 

[ThTx]

Go to www.garrettmetaldetectors.com and www.tesoro.com and check out the detectors from both of these companies. The biggest thing to look for in a detector in my opinion is after the sale customer service. Both of these companies are known for superior service. The detector choice you make will probably be very dependent on whether you want a "tone only" machine or one with a display and tone. You will find people on both sides of this issue, so I won't give an opinion of this. The best thing to do is plan on spending a LOT of time with your machine and learn it well. Then most detectors will work for you.

PM me if I can help you in any way.

ThTx

 

[phantomfinder]

Well for your $250 , there are lots of detectors out there your $250 can get . The hard part is picking the one you like the most.
the Garrett 150 or the 250 are very good , the whites Purims 1,2,3 and the coin master is also a good beginning detector . And there are a few more out there to look at. And it comes down too what you what to hunt for , lots of them come with all kinds of modes to hunt.
I hope you find the one you like , and go hunt your heart out . you will find a lot of great finds with what detector you pick

Good Luck Hunting
( your friend phantomfinder)

 

[jharhed]

Looking for new or used?

 

[ZINCLID]

I bought a brand/type of detector just 3 days ago that I wouldn't have given a look at usually--I've used a lot of really decent detectors and some costly ones also----but at a local flea market the other day I saw a basic unit made by Bounty Hunter --It's called PIONEER EX and I've seen them for sale at Wal-Mart during the Christmas season for around 99 dollars plus tax--not a real expensive unit and considered a beginner's detector by most standards. There it was sitting on a table covered with odds and ends---the price listed on it was 30 bucks---well, the fellow had acquired the unit along with a bunch of other stuff in an estate sell---he didn't even know if the detector worked or not. So, since he ha no batteries to test it with, I asked if he'd take 15 dollars---he thought about it a second and agreed---I handed him the cash and he let me take the unit---well, it had one battery missing and one battery corroded so bad that the conector on battery had corroded off on the battery lead---that had me worried a bit-----but would you believe when I put a fresh set of 2 9v bats in it, it fired up and worked perfectly---I've used the detector for the last 3 days and it is doing a good job of finding coins in even the wet sand of a local beach I frequently detect at. I even found a fake diamond ear ring and numerous fishing weights some from really respectable depths---that PIONEER EX detector has surely made me think differently about Bounty Hunter----and this unit is or was selling at stores for from 99 to 120 bucks depending on where you buy it--Wal-Mart was selling these for $98.99 or around that price a year or two ago---The only thing I don't like about the PIONEER EX is that it has no headphone jack--I've never seen a detector without headphone capability---Of course, I'm sure a MOD could be rigged up to allow headphones to be used and I may try to do a MOD on mine--It really does good!

 

[ZINCLID]

I told you about the PIONEER EX (HAS NO HEADPHONE JACK BUT REALLY DOES WELL EVEN IN WET SALT SAND)---BUT MY ALL TIME FAVORITE DETECTORS HAVE BEEN TESORO,WHITES, AND FISHER DETECTORS. GARRETT HAS HAD SOME GOOD ONES ALSO BUT I UNDERSTAND BY VIDS ON YOUTUBE THAT RESPONSE TIME AND SENSITIVITY AREN'T AS GOOD AS SOME OTHER UNITS--FOR INSTANCE, THE FISHER F2 WHICH COSTS ONLY ABOUT 215 BUCKS HAS GOOD DEPTH AND FAST TARGET RESPONSE--I'D GET ONE OF THOSE BEFOE I'D BUY A GARRETT ACE 150 0R 250----LOOK AT REVIEWS ON YOUTUBE AND YOU'LL SEE THE FISHER F2 IS BETTER----AND A COMPADRE ONLY COSTS ABOUT 170 BUCKS OR LESS AND REALLY DOES WELL--I OWNED A COMPADRE WITH A 7 INCH COIL AND IT DID AS WELL AS SOME 800 DOLLAR MACHINES IN TRASHY AREAS--PROBABLY BETTER. I'VE OWNED 2 CIBOLAS AND SEVERAL OTHER TESORO UNITS--TESORO DETECTORS ARE SUPER FOR TRASHY GROUND. 250 BUCKS OR LESS=COMPADRE, FISHER F2, SEVERAL BOUNTY HUNTER UNITS,----BUT I'D BE WARY OF BUYING A 150 0R 250---THEY'VE GOT TOO MANY PROBLEMS---AND TESORO HAS LIFETIME WARRANTY! IF YOU GO WITH TESORO--A SILVER UMAX PROBABLY WOULD BE A FINE UNIT---FOR A LITTLE MORE MONEY THOUGH, YOU CAN GET A SUPER GOOD CIBOLA----THAT'D BE MY CHOICE--BUT A CIBOLA COSTS AROUND 350 AT WHOLESALE HOUSES LIKE CLEVENGER'S OF KANSAS CITY, MO---A GOOD DETECTOR DEALER IN MY OPINION--CHUCK CLEVENGER IS THE OWNER'S NAME