Test Runs With Garrett GTI 2500 Pro

[Monty]

My new detector came while I was out of town and I was able to assemble it just Sunday afternoon.? I quickly read through the manual and found it easy to assemble, pretty straight forward like most other detectors.? ? It was shipped in a nice zip up case with lots of foam protection and a couple of zip close big pockets on each end for batteries, etc.? The backbone of the case was just cardboard so don't get it wet.? Also, it's not very handy if you move from site to site as you have to disassemble your detector each time.? I wound up leaving mine assembled and not using the case.? It would be good for storage though. ?I also ordered a 14.5 and a 4.5" extra search coil. The manual was pocket size and easy to carry for quick reference.
? ?With out going into great detail, the GPI 2500 Pro has 4 discriminated modes plus a custom setting and an all metal.? Discriminatiion in each mode is fully adjustable as are most of the features on the machine.? There's a pleasant female voice that helps you through the various settings if you desire.?Unlike your mother-in-law, you can turn her off!? (Smile that's a joke ladies). The LCD screen is big and easy to read and interpret with a little practice.? The learning curb does not seem to be too steep if one has a few months experience metal detecting.
? ?Armed with the manual in my shirt pocket I headed out for the local soccer field where I had done pretty well coin shooting a few days before.? On turning the machine on I noticed a distinct whine in my earphones which became a bit irritating after a while.? Whipping out my trusty manual I found the cure for that and made a few custom settings while I was at it.? I set the? machine on "coin" mode and hit the turf.? I hit two quarters and a couple of clad pennies witlhin five minutes and then the machine seemed to go to sleep with no targets for quite afew minutes.? So, what was wrong?? I got out my manual and just couldn't figure it out.? After musing for the better part of an hour I noticed the battery indicator was all white indicating dead batteries!? Apparently the factory supplied batteries had been in the machine for a while and were weak to begin with.? The manual recommends removing the batteries for long term storage.? Guess what I didn't have with me?? Yep, no spare batteries.? I had all the 9v batteries in the world that fit my old machine but no AA with me, (it holds 8, AA).? I shut down and drove home some few miles away to replace the batteries....which was simple enough to do by the way.
? ?Armed with new batteries I went to a close by park to continue my testing. I dug a few pennies from a baseball field back stop area which I had hit hard several times in the past.? I noticed that with the coil I was using you had to stay about a foot from a metal fence to keep from having false tones and interference.? It is really sensitive and you could probably adjust some of this out if so desired, or go to the 4.5" coil and work close in.? I didn't have the small coil with me.? By this time I was getting hot in my long sleeve shirt and it was lunch time my stomache let me know.? I packed it up and headed for the house.
? ?Observations:? I initally had trouble using the smart trac pinpoint feature but after several trial and errors and rereading the manual I was able to figure it out.? After that it was 100% in pinpointing targets.? I found it to be a little heavy compared to what I had been using and I had to switch back and forth from rt. arm to left arm to prevent fatigue. The power supply unit is detachable and can be worn on the belt which would help. DOH!!? I didn't think of it at the time! The coin targets were easy to identify and if the machine read penny at 4" you could bet it would be a penny at 4"!? Although there was a lot of trash in some areas it was fairly easy to sort out from legit targets.? I dug one trash signal just to see and sure enough it was a pull tab!? Otherwise I didn't waste time digging pull tabs for once.? Of course if you were searching for other than coins you would have to dig those annoying pull tabs to be sure not to miss anythng in the gold range.? One feature that would be desirable in a club hunt or when seeking deep targets, but one I did not use today, was the ability to discriminate out from zero to the first six inches and dig only the deeper targets.? I don't see how you could keep the shallow targets from masking some of the deeper ones but Garrett claims you can?? I am in a deep coin club hunt soon and will check it out.? There are many other special features designed for specific applications which I won't go into here to save space.? ?You can go online to the Garrett web site and get the manual if you want to know more about these.? One feature I will mentiion is? that the LCD has a graph scaled to indicates the approximate size of the target.? This kept me from digging up a lot of cut up aluminum cans that were reading 50 cents or a silver dollar on the linear scale.
? ?All in all I had a good experience and me and Mr. Garrett got along well.? The coin and custom modes were quite easy and accurate to operate.? Next time out I wll test the "jewelry" mode and see how it performs.? I ran it a few minutes today but couldn't understand exactly what the machine was telling me so I need a lot more experience and practice.? I ran the all metal mode for a few minutes also and was overwhelmed by the sheer number of targets.? This is best used for less trashy areas I would think.? It has the familiar Garrett bell tone for banging out coins but unlike the ACE you can adjust the volume without using your headphone volume control.
? ?I realize this is not a comprehensive report as any hundred dollar machine will coin shoot.? But it's a start with a new fairly sophisticated top of the line machine.? I will try to update as I go through the learning curve with this machine if interest so dictates.? I'm sure most of you have read many evaluations by the "Pros" who work for the various manufacturers and dealers.? This will be an honest critique from a consumer who has no affiliation with any of them.? ?Thanks for your interest.

 

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[Groundhog]

Re: First Test Run With Garrett GPI 2500 Pro

Hey there Jim isn't this about the 3rd detector you have bought in about 4 months Whats next?? Groundhog.

 

[Monty]

Re: First Test Run With Garrett GPI 2500 Pro

Yep, I now have four detectors! (My wife thinks I have two). I had five but returned one! I just hadn't found one that I'm comfortable with yet. Kinda' like searching for a bride or buying new shoes, they have to fit! What I wanted in the first place was a top of the line detector for my heavy work and a less expensive model without all the bells and whistles just to have fun with, teach my Grandkids, etc. My ACE 250 and now my GPI 2500 Pro fits the bill. I have one of the other ones up for sale and plan to give another to my son for Christmas. So, you see there is method to my madness after all. I won't be buying another for some time which was also part of the plan.

Anyway, that being said, I had a chance to do some coin shooting with the 2500 late this afternoon. I went to the highschool where I had worked the surface pretty hard with the ACE last week and went back over it with the 2500. I was planning on digging some of the deeper signals but ran into more clad right where I had already been! My plan was to work the shallow coins first so what the heck, not much time. Anyway, I picked up 5 quarters, 3 dimes and 3 pennies all clad in about an hour. I had the machine set on the "custom" mode with everything but coins discriminated out. I targeted and dug an aluminum soda can, and using a feature of the 2500, was able to discriminate out soda cans even though it falls within the large coin range. Instead of the familiar belltone of a coin strike, a soda can thus discriminated still rings in, but with a distinct brrrrring, brrrrring, brrrrring sound. No more wasted time digging soda cans! None of my other machines will do that and it is a needed feature at least for me. It was usually right on deciphering the denomination of a coin. This was facilitated by using the size of the target scale and the liniar scale combined. The machine only missed two, a Lincoln cent that it said was a dime and one I will describe later. None of my other machines will reliably tell the difference between a dime and a cent. I found two quarters in one hole one on top of the other, barely under the surface and this confused the machine as well as me. It wouldn't allign the scales, was showing 50 cents, and the size and depth was bouncing all over the place, wouldn't pinpoint and the repeating belltone was blasting away! Since it wouldn't pinpoint, I dug a 4" plug where I thought the coin was and nothing. I enlarged the hole and still nothing. While running my handheld pinpointer around the hole I got a hit right on the rim just outside the hole. Using just the tip of my Gator digger I popped out the two quarters....and there was also a dime right beside them. No wonder the machine went nuts! Continued.........

 

[stoney56]

Re: Test Runs With Garrett GPI 2500 Pro

Not bad! It registered 50 cents and up came 60 cents. guess a little tweaking is in order. Maybe then will tell how many coins in the hole and what denomination. lol

 

[mainer]

Re: Test Runs With Garrett GPI 2500 Pro

Jim I got a garrett gtax 550 and when there is money on top of the ground or just under the surface it is hard to pin point it somtimes but after a while you will get use to it and now I can pretty much pin point it dead on but it does take a little getting use to. Thanks for letting us in on this machine I am thinking about buying one and I enjoy reading what you have to say about it. I was curiouse about the setting that allows you to detect stuff thats only 6 inches or more so when you try that out please let me know how that work. Keep up the good work.

 

[chirper97]

Re: Test Runs With Garrett GPI 2500 Pro

jimmileo

Great posts! I'll be following your updates on your 2500!

I agree that the ability to report objects at a deeper level than surface trash would be an important BREAKTHROUGH in MDing.

I just purchased a Garrett Infinium LS, and am most interested in relic hunting, esp. Civil War campsites, and will try to follow your lead in posting a description of my learning curve with this detector.

chirper97

 

[Willy]

Re: Test Runs With Garrett GPI 2500 Pro

Get ready to dig deep with that infinium. I've got one and, this past winter, was glad that I was hunting a beach. Digging 1.5-2' deep pits in sand isn't nearly as bad as digging in hardpan or where there's lots of roots. It's a pretty hard machine to learn re. it's discriminating abilities, but will do things no VLF will. ...Willy.

 

[chirper97]

Re: Test Runs With Garrett GPI 2500 Pro

Willy

Thanks for the heads up! I look forward to hunting trash free areas, and will have a small shovel with me, in addition to my Lesche knife!


chirper97

 

[hollowpointred]

Re: Test Runs With Garrett GPI 2500 Pro

hey jimmileo.......if you dont mind,could you do a comparison of the gpi up against the ace 250. what are the differances. i know the gpi is a better machine but how much better and why? just curious to know how soon i should upgrade to a better detector. thanks man!

 

[Joe (Memphis)]

Re: Test Runs With Garrett GPI 2500 Pro

I have the 1350, being able to tell the SIZE of something is a LIFESAVER!!

 

[rvbvetter]

Re: Test Runs With Garrett GPI 2500 Pro

When do we get to the gold coins? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?

Good stuff !! Keep it up. HH

 

[Monty]

Re: Test Runs With Garrett GPI 2500 Pro

You really can't compare the 2500 and the ACE as they are not remotely designed for the same use. From what I read on the forum with a few exceptions the ACE is being used mainly to coin shoot, some jewelry, etc. The 2500 is designed to meet the needs of the serious treasure hunter that may include every aspect of detecting except under water. While the ACE is a very good entry/mid-level detectorist, the 2500 is intended for the more experienced user. The ACE will do some of the things the 2500 will do but the 2500 will do all the things the ACE will do plus several specialized tasks. The ACE has the advantages of being light weight and much faster to use for general detecting. With the 2500 you have to be more deliberate, it is heavier and there are more functions to monitor. If I could only have one detector I would probably opt for the ACE. If you go to the Garrett homepage you can actually compare the two feature wise, side by side.
I have the 4.5" coil with my 2500 but haven't used it yet. For some reason it will not give you a readout on the approximate size of an object like the other coils. Perhaps Garrett decided that feature wasn't needed for the application of the smaller coil? I also have the larger 14.5" coil but haven't used it. I would see it as an open field coil for covering more ground and for very deep targets. I am taking things slow and learning as I go.
I have only read the manual about the 2500 being able to discriminate out the shallow stuff and haven't tried it in the field so I don't know how well it works. I am currently working an old highschool smoke hole and taking a great deal of clad off the shallow layers, two to four inches. I suspect there be silver there, and as soon as I get the hang of shallow targets better I intend to go deeper to see what lurks there. I will post my results good or bad when I am able to do that. School is out at the end of this week and I can go up there during the day and spend a full day just testing that feature if I want to.
I have not searched in the jewelry mode and really don't know what it is I am listening for? The manual isnot clear on this feature at all. In the coin mode I am not hearing several ranges of tones as I do on other detectors. I am only getting the sharp dilnging of coins. Can someone tell me what I am supposed to be hearing when I pass the coil over a ring or other jewelry? I guess I can plant some jewelry in my "garden" and see how it registers and sounds? That's probably my best bet. It's storming outside right now and I don't know if I wll get out today, so stay tuned for further updates. JIM
P.S. Where's the gold? Beats me! I am of the impression it has to be there in the first place to find it. I don't know of any gold mines in this area of the country.

 

[rvbvetter]

Re: Test Runs With Garrett GPI 2500 Pro

I can't say on the Garrett. But jewelry mode on my machines just opens the discrimination window more, to allow heavier foil and more variety of pulltabs that would be in the gold range.
Not so much to do with the sound. But if yours has multiple tones, high pitch for penny, dime and so on. Then jewelry will be mid tone much as a nickle. HH

 

[lonewolfe]

Re: Test Runs With Garrett GPI 2500 Pro

Jim,

in coin mode with "bell tone" on,

that's the "only" tone you'll hear.

The best way to use the GTI 2500 for all around general purpose hunting (coins, jewelry, relics, etc.)? is to,

set the machine in "All metal motion disc. mode" and turn ON? "Bi-level tone".
(side notes-- do NOT mistake all metal disc. mode for -- "True all metal NON motion mode") as there IS a BIG difference.
(Use all metal NON motion mode ONLY when prospecting and or when hunting absolute trash free areas).

"All metal motion disc. mode" with "Bi-level tone ON" will allow you to hear different tones (to tell the difference in coins, jewelry, relics, etc.) as it will still bell tone when over a coin or silver ring, etc. but, will change tone over other objects (gold, foil, tabs, brass, etc.) and it will also give you the best depth with minimal disc. helping you to find the widest range of targets. You can also notch out the 1st 2 tabs on the left (iron) when using this mode and it will skip over nails, tiny iron bits, etc.

Used in this manner with the added "size imaging, and depth meters/features" - makes it a deadly accurate machine allowing you to dig less junk, and MORE good stuff in less time!

I've used my GTI 2500 for 5+ yrs now (bought one when they 1st hit the market) - I've also used several other Garrett machines over the yrs, and know them "inside and out".

The GTI 2500 is an awesome machine for many hunting applications and you will grow to love it IF you can handle the "weight". Always "side/hip mount the battery pack" to reduce the weight of the machine.

HH

Lonewolfe

P.S.

the 4.5 inch sniper coil is NOT an imaging coil--

the only coils for imaging are the 9.5 stock, and the 12.5 that comes with the "Pro-pack" and or is sold seperately.

 

[Monty]

Re: Test Runs With Garrett GPI 2500 Pro

I've had the Garrett machine about theree weeks now and I feel I'm getting a prety good handle on how it operates and I am beginning to understand a lot about the special features, I used it in a recent club hunt and the only time I did not do well in a hunt was when I didn't use the 2500. In the last hunt I scored 16 silver dimes and 2 silver quarters which was about average. I was a little slow on pinpointing but once I got the hang of it I was as quick to confirm my targets as anyone. I just can't get up and down like the youngsters because of my back problems.
I wanted to try an experiment with the 2500, so I got up early this morning and went up to the middle school where I had worked a small grassy area near the entrance to the gymnasiuim. I had worked this area extensively with another brand detector and feel I had picked all the easy targets, There was other targets there to be sure but they were pretty well masked by junk. I set up the 2500 in the custom mode, discriminating everything out but coins. I turned the sensitivity down to about 5.5 on the Garrett scale to cut back on the chatter from trash targets. I salso swithced throuigh the different frequencies until I found one that was nearly static free. ( It has 8 deperate frequencies you can use). Using the custom settings I was able to differentiate between the trash and the coins and pick the coin targets off of or adjacent to the trash targets. After an hour and a half I proved my point and headed for the house with 3 quarters, 16 dimes, 2 nickels and 21 pennies, from an area that was thought to be "played out".
Thanks to everyone for the additional tips. I had about figured out most of the information given just by reading the manual and testing various aspects of the machine. For a change the manual is very informative and well written. It is sized down to where it will fit in a shirt pocket for easy access and reference. So far I am very pleased! JIM

 

[lonewolfe]

Re: Test Runs With Garrett GPI 2500 Pro

Good deal Jim!

I've had my GTI 2500 for 5 years, and it's a good machine (if it weren't) I wouldn't own it, and surely would've sold it long ago!

And like you've stated before, for being a top of the line machine, it's not hard to learn like some of the others;

HH

Lonewolfe

 

[PrizmIV]

Re: Test Runs With Garrett GPI 2500 Pro

Now Jim, Im intrested in this model and I still dont exactly get how the imaging works? Ex. as to where you can see if its a coke can or not. Does it show the demisions or something? HH Jonathan

 

[lonewolfe]

Re: Test Runs With Garrett GPI 2500 Pro

Hey LW, Do you like your 2500 or DFX better?

I like them both but for different reasons,

if you like high tech. stuff that takes a while to learn, like tweaking your machine in each setting to maximize it's potential, building your own custom programs, etc. etc. you'll like the DFX (plus) it's light weight, gets good depth, it's good looking, and a comfortable machine.

The Garrett on the other hand is,

easy to learn/use, a little heavy but more rugged, has a lot of options in 5 or 6 different pre-programmed settings (plus 1 custom buildable program), it goes deep, shows size & depth on screen together, and it will accept Garretts 2 box depth multiplier attachment for large object and cache hunting.

 

[ARCOMANDPURPLE]

Re: Test Runs With Garrett GPI 2500 Pro

Okay dudes! But I want a detector that reads the dates and grades the coins so I know if they're worth diggin.

Does this 2500 do all this??

Pretty close if you learn how to use it.....But like they say dreamers are only dreamers..

 

[Monty]

Re: Test Runs With Garrett GPI 2500 Pro

Prism, The imaging aspect shows the approximate size of the object in inches and the depth it is located Ie: If it is shown to be approximately 4" in diameter and is ringing in on the aluminum side of the scale you can bet it is an aluminum can or...a chunk of gold that is not very likely! It also helps determine what size coin you are hovering over when coin shooting. Now if the coin is standing on edge, it will just show the smallest size, which woud ordinarily be a dime sized coin. Aside from the raw data furnished I think it provides a positive psychological boost which is very important to successful detecting. When you are reading a dime size coin at 4", dig it and it is a silver Merc dime, your confidence will soar. It's not 100% but better than a WAG ( wild a$$ guess)!

badger, it won't wash and clean the coins, so it probably wouldn't interest you! JIM