Hello from Virginia, would love some input on detectors below

[Skinsfan]

Hey folks,

I am in the process of buying a metal detector to start hunting. I have access to some property near the Civil War battle at Chancellorville to do some relic hunting. I also plan to waste some time at the beach while on vacation.

I have looked at so many detectors that my head is spinning. I want to get something that works, but is not going to break the bank, but is more than a toy. I realize that entry level detectors are not as good as the $500 ones, but I would like to stay under $300.

We are usually pretty good in this area as far as ground balancing, only when you get into the mountains there are some problems.

I have looked at the following detectors:
Tesaro cibola--nice detector local guy will sell me one for $361, no add ons.
Garrett Ace 250-entry level detecor, great reviews and great price . $212 local or Kellyco package.
Techenetics delta 4000-nice package online $279. includes pin pointer and some other stuff
Fisher F2-$199

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. I am leaning towards the Garrett Ace 250 and Techenetics delta 4000.

Hope to start hunting and post some cool stuff that I find!

 

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[Metal Detecting Stuff]

Welcome Skinsfan! While those detectors will all work, the soil in VA is very mineralized. If you move up to a detector that has ground balance capabilites, you will be able to reduce the effects of that mineralization and get better depth.

Wayne

www.metaldetectingstuff.com

 

[Skinsfan]

Welcome Skinsfan! While those detectors will all work, the soil in VA is very mineralized. If you move up to a detector that has ground balance capabilites, you will be able to reduce the effects of that mineralization and get better depth.

Wayne

www.metaldetectingstuff.com

Thanks Wayne,

I spoke to some of the local relic hunter guys and they indicated that the mineralization is more of a problem as you get west and into the mountains. What would you suggest? I am trying to do this without having the wife give me a ton of crap about spending a pile on a detector! would love to get a unit and a pinpointer...

 

[TreasurePirate69]

It depends on what you are looking to find. All of those detectors are decent and will find stuff. If you are a relic hunter then the Tesoro Vaquero could be another good option. It has manual ground balance, great depth, and will work on coins and other treasures too. It is more than the Cibola but I think it is worth the extra money (especially if you suspect you might have mineralization problems). Although the fisher and Garrett detectors are good coin hunters, they are usually considered lacking on the relic side due to lack of ground balance and less depth. That doesn't mean you couldn't use them for relic hunting but they would be less than ideal.

All of these are going to be dry sand detectors at the beach. You will not be able to take any of them near the salt water because they will start going crazy. For salt water hunting you need a different type of detector and they are usually somewhat expensive compared to land models. That has never personally been a problem for me as I stick with dry sand hunting anyway. And being in Ohio I only get to the beach at most once a year if that.

I also wouldn't rule out the Tesoro Silver uMax. If you don't need manual ground balance then I think it is a better value than the Cibola. You can usually pick up the Silver uMax for around $250. Although its discrimination circuit isn't as good as something like the Vaquero or the Cibola, for "set it and forget it" detecting where you just dig everything above a certain discrimination level I don't think it can be beat for the price. It is amazingly deep. Not as deep as the Vaquero but pretty darn close at half the price. And as a starter detector you (and your wife) won't be upset if you decide to upgrade later because you haven't wasted a ton of money on it. Add in the lifetime warranty on all Tesoro detectors and you have a winning combination for a beginner. Don't get me wrong. There are many other great detectors out there for the money. But these particular Tesoro detectors are well know for being fantastic values with high end depth capabilities.

I have no experience with the other detectors you mention but I have heard nothing but good things about all of them. Good luck! Chosing your first detector is a major pain. Just one thing to understand.... no matter what model you buy, if you stick with this hobby you will be wanting to upgrade at some point in the future! There are two ways to use that to your advantage. Buying something better like a Vaquero will keep you from wanting to upgrade right away. Buying something cheaper like a Silver uMax will reduce the guilt you feel when the upgrade finally happens.

 

[TreasurePirate69]

As for the pinpointer, the Garret Pro Pointer is hands down one of the best you can get for the money. It will run you around $130 but it is well worth it. Those "free pinpointers" you get from places like Kellyco are usually junk and not even worth carrying around. There are other good pinpointers out there but you just can't go wrong with the Garrett.

 

[Skinsfan]

Thanks for the reply. The more I learn it seems the less that I know. I have one local guy pushing the Cibola, another the Ace 250 and a third the F4. My goal was to get a unit around $250ish and see what happens. I like the screen on the Ace 250 and it seems pretty idiot proof. (target ID and depth). I don't envision needing a detector that goes 2 feet in the ground.

I figure I need; the detector, a decent shovel, pinpointer and some patience. (no good on the last one). If i could find a nice package deal with that stuff I would be happy. I agree that if they are "giving" the stuff away online, most likely the stuff is not the best quality.

The Cibola warranty is nice, but if I get into this like I think that I will this will not be my last detector purchase. It is hard not to get sucked into the package deals from Kellyco and the like, but the local guys (small stores, relic hunters) seem like a better place to spend my money.

I hope to make a decision by tomorrow.

 

[TreasurePirate69]

Good luck. I've been where you are standing and I understand that it is not fun. No one wants buyer's remorse.

The Ace 250 and F4 are both good machines. And the allure of the screens with target ID is definitely tempting. However, when you compare something like the Ace250 to something like the Tesoro Silver uMax which is close to the same price level you can hopefully see that those screens have to cost something. So if a detector with a screen costs the same as a detector without then it could imply that deep down, the "detecting" portion of the Ace250 is lacking when compared to a comparably priced beep and dig machine. Not always. But in the case of the Silver uMax which is known for being a quality detector (while the Ace250 sometimes gets mixed reviews) it appears to be so. Nothing wrong with that. Some people like beep and dig, others like screens with target ID's. Unfortunately, target ID's (especially on low end detectors) can often be wrong. People new to the hobby are often told that the best way to start is to ignore the screen and just dig everything. Even some seasoned veterans will claim that this is the only true way to get all of the goodies. This can quickly turn into a religious argument with both sides basically being right. I have no personal preference and see value in both types of machines.

The world is not black and white. There may be times when having a screen with target ID will allow you to enjoy detecting more (at the risk of losing potential targets). There will also be times when that cheaper detector with a screen will pass over targets that a deeper beep and dig won't miss. That is the trade off that we all face. Bottom line... get what you think you will enjoy the most and get out there and hunt. If you don't truly enjoy using your machine then you won't go hunting as often which means that you won't find as much stuff!

Let us know what you decide on and how you like it after your first trip out.

 

[TreasurePirate69]

By the way, you might take a gander at metaldetectorreviews.net. Look up each of the models and see what people have to say about them.

 

[Skinsfan]

By the way, you might take a gander at metaldetectorreviews.net. Look up each of the models and see what people have to say about them.

Thanks alot! I am reviewing, comparing and will start drinking soon from all of the information overload. Thanks to all for the input and keep it coming!

 

[smalltowngirl13]

Hello and welcome to the forum! Happy Hunting!

 

[Urban Grund]

Welcome from Michigan!

 

[TreasurePirate69]

I thought I saw on another thread that you ordered a detector. If so, what did you choose?

 

[Skinsfan]

I thought I saw on another thread that you ordered a detector. If so, what did you choose?

Fisher F4, Garrett pro pointer, tresche digger. Got it from Tom at MDZ..Great deal.

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2

 

[TreasurePirate69]

Sounds great! Be sure to give us an update at the end of the season to let us know what you think about your choice (and to show us all of the goodies you've found).

 

[ret-detector]

Welcome...

from Central Florida!

I'm a noob, so my $.02 is worthless, but after a LOT of research, I decided to get the AT Pro...so I won't have to upgrade later.

ret

 

[firemac]

welcome good luck

 

[skateandcreate]

Welcome from Maryland

 

[copperpenny]

Welcome from So Cal, HH !!!!!