Pin Pointers X 4 Review

[bowwinkles]

I understand that all pin pointer users have their own set of needs and one size does not fit all. In my case I am far from a kid so I have old ears that got rang hard by a 122 rocket in nam. Ease of use and reliability with function such as tones that are loud enough to overcome ambient noise near streets and other noisy areas plus good sensing depth.

The size and barrel of the probes dimensions the fisher/Bounty Hunter is really nice but they just lack the horse power to reach down the needed distance for me and my method of use. The Vibra probe is without speaker and is like carrying a police baton around and it has a big blunt barrel.

The final set of probes I acquired was the Pistol Probe, Minelab, Nokta RS, and the Garrett Pro. The Pistol probe got boot first because of its shoddy construction (control door) and impossible on/off switch. When it was up and running it had great depth but was highly unstable even in no interference areas. It definitely would be a keeper if it was refined a little and possibly made better. The size was also an issue.

The Minelab Pro-find has a very low speaker output but all other functions are good and it has good depth to around 3 inches. I do not like the blunt barrel. The on/off switch works great and the ability to adjust the depth is a very nice feature. The vibrate feature is hard for me to feel. My main complaint is the speaker location and it seems to always be located under my hand and I have to rotate it to allow enough sound out of the hole. The area of the barrel that has the sensing is more toward the barrel tip which to me is where it should be.

The Nokta RS, is a great little pointer but lacks the needed depth for my needs. If they would crank up this function it would be my main weapon of choice. The average depth in soil is around 2 inches.

The Garrett Pro is the last one I purchased and I logged a bunch of time on this unit. The function is very good with good speaker sound and a vibrate that is easy to feel. Where this pointer starts to fail is the full barrel sensing. This fact kind of kills the word “pinpoint”. In the dirt and down in the hole you have to continuously push in and pull out to find the target. The depth is about 2 to 2.5 inches which in most cases is adequate. The on/off switch function worked well and was easy to feel that function.

The same hole and four pin pointers one after the other on the same target multiplied by a couple hundred times in many different areas has given me a final pick of the four. I would pick the Minelab over the rest, mainly because of its overall base function and good depth. I can live with the need to rotate the speaker to be able to hear. All the pointers used in my evaluation had Shepherd Products furniture leg tips (Home Depot) installed on their barrels as wear protection. Batteries were all fresh and pre tested to insure they were full. The Garrett came in second but because of the wide sensing it caused much more time to locate those dirt colored finds.

 

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[Frankn]

First off you need a standard for location distance. There is a video in the electronic section here in T Net that someone posted. It shows the exact distance of pickup. I usually use a dime. Most pinpointers pick up the dime at 1/2" which is good because you can go in a 3" hole and get a signal at the exact location. If it were to pick up the dime at 2", you are skunked! It would go off almost anywhere in the hole. You have to remember it is a pinpointer, not a general detector. It seams that some people always want more! Almost any pinpointer will do basically the same simple job of pinpointing. So there are only two things that matter. Cost and shape. Most are overpriced as shown by the heavy discounting of the price. The shape is strickly a matter of personal preference. One other thing that might effect your choice is the ease of modding to meet personal likes or needs. My hearing is much worse than yours so I modded mine with a bright blue led that lights upon detecting the object. It only took about 15 min. to install this on my pinpointer. You can also add a cell phone buzzer that you can't miss. The parts are cheap at places like Radio Shack. Just my opinion based on my 40 years of detecting. Frank

 

[Coinstriking Michigan]

I've had the Garrett Propointer and detect with others who have it as well and I think it's junk. It works great when you first get it but rather quickly they start to go bad.

 

[bowwinkles]

First off you need a standard for location distance. There is a video in the electronic section here in T Net that someone posted. It shows the exact distance of pickup. I usually use a dime. Most pinpointers pick up the dime at 1/2" which is good because you can go in a 3" hole and get a signal at the exact location. If it were to pick up the dime at 2", you are skunked! It would go off almost anywhere in the hole. You have to remember it is a pinpointer, not a general detector. It seams that some people always want more! Almost any pinpointer will do basically the same simple job of pinpointing. So there are only two things that matter. Cost and shape. Most are overpriced as shown by the heavy discounting of the price. The shape is strickly a matter of personal preference. One other thing that might effect your choice is the ease of modding to meet personal likes or needs. My hearing is much worse than yours so I modded mine with a bright blue led that lights upon detecting the object. It only took about 15 min. to install this on my pinpointer. You can also add a cell phone buzzer that you can't miss. The parts are cheap at places like Radio Shack. Just my opinion based on my 40 years of detecting. Frank

I have seen all the video tests and my standard was taking the four units out and putting them against each other on the same targets and same conditions. The distances were fairly accurate and I repeated this case hundreds of times to make sure. Yes, they are pin pointers and not general detectors and having the sensing more toward the tip seemed for my type of detecting seemed to work best. The adjustable depth is also a very nice feature which I now use a lot. My ideal pointer would be something like the Minelab with a small diameter barrel and have an pointed end fro "probing".

 

[kayden]

 

[Frankn]

The adjustment on some pinpointers is not an adjustable dept setter, but rather a zero adjustment. How can you set the dept when you don't know what the target is? Now I agree, having the sensing at the tip makes it easier to locate the target, but the pinpointer is not a probe, it is a close range detector. Using it as a probe is just abusing it. The tips are made of plastic! If you have seen all the test videos, why have you repeated a dept test " hundreds " of times? Frank

 

[bowwinkles]

The adjustment on some pinpointers is not an adjustable dept setter, but rather a zero adjustment. How can you set the dept when you don't know what the target is? Now I agree, having the sensing at the tip makes it easier to locate the target, but the pinpointer is not a probe, it is a close range detector. Using it as a probe is just abusing it. The tips are made of plastic! If you have seen all the test videos, why have you repeated a dept test " hundreds " of times? FrankView attachment 704515

I went to a great deal of expense and time to gain the data I needed. This was all done in a manner to match my style of detecting. I felt that this data may be of interest to others that enjoy the hobby. Playing word games as to what something is called does not advance a thing. I know that the manufactures refer to the barrel of the pin pointer as being the probe end. In the case of the Minelab it does have adjustable sensitivity which in turn could be referred to as adjustable depth. All these pin pointers I tested had replaceable wear tips installed so probing into the loose dug soil and clumps definitely did not abuse the device at all. To get a refined picture as to the overall function under as many soil conditions I could find in the time allowed I would dig and then select the probes one after the other to evaluate its function on a real side by side test. It appears that this data that I posted is of no value to you but just maybe someone else will possibly get a little good out of it. Maybe we could get you to perform your style of evaluation on the same four units and post it for everyone to read because I am here to learn and to help when I can.

 

[Frankn]

Granted, you did a lot of work, but what I have meant is that the pinpointer is a very basic instrument. They all do the same job with about the same efficiency. The big difference is price and personal likes about case design and notification. Nothing personal meant. Frank

 

[ticm]

Got to love this. Guys went from arguing about which metal detector is best to pin pointers.

 

[bowwinkles]

Granted, you did a lot of work, but what I have meant is that the pinpointer is a very basic instrument. They all do the same job with about the same efficiency. The big difference is price and personal likes about case design and notification. Nothing personal meant. Frank

My thoughts were that what you feel is a very basic instrument is a bit flawed. Those units that require a near touch to sound compared to a unit that has a variable tone that either gets louder or increases the chatter as you get closer to the target has a much higher degree of efficiency than the near touch unit. If that first indication is 3 inches out and increases as you move closer then you have a much higher degree of efficiency. Both types will get the job done, but it sure a lot more fun using the better tool. That degree of enjoyment of using a better tool would most likely cost more than the hunt to touch model but the base metal detectors with all the bells and whistles also seem to cost more. Me I would choose a chain saw over a hand saw most every time.

 

[Tackem]

I guess the better pinpointer is matter of preference I myself like the Vibra Probe Vibrates at the point detects within 1 inch for me everytime and as a Plus Makes no noise maybe like a baton but as for as My opinion which we all know everyone has their own it works for me and have talked to several different people that have owned the garrett and the Minelab each have said they have their good and bad points most were good on the Minelab and worse on the Garrett maybe that is why you see more Garrett probes relisted for sale or Trade than Minelabs but very few Vibra Probes JMHO though!

 

[Frankn]

Like Bowwinkle said, Some people get more pleasure out of spending a lot on a pinpointer with multiple/variable tones. It's like there toy! I on the other hand am more Unitarian. I push the botton on my HF and insert it in the hole. When the bright blue LED lights, I have found my target and it only cost me $16. Frank
PS: O, yes, I enjoy toys too.

 

[Connecticut Sam]

Got to love this. Guys went from arguing about which metal detector is best to pin pointers.

Very funny but not very interesting. Good night.

 

[bowwinkles]

I see nothing wrong with your choice of a $16 pointer. With that logic then you must be using maybe a base Bounty Hunter type of detector as your main choice of metal detector. It will get the job done after a fashion and will not get to deep into the funds. I would still be using the Tinytec if they still made them. It gave me 2.5 inches and a nice long skinny "probe" end. I am hoping that the market pays attention and produces another crop of much better designed pin pointers for us to choose from and make comment about.

 

[Frankn]

Bowwinkel, Check the left side of your screen and you will see what detectors I use. You should have taken care of that tinytec. Frank

 

[kittyyang]

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