My first attempt at his hobby was back in the spring of 1977. While stationed in Germany I purchased a Relco Pacesetter metal detector that was a piece of junk. The Relco might have been the worst metal detector of all time, I never found a single coin with it after dozens of hours trying. This experience soured my enthusiasm for the hobby until I tried hobby again in 1985.
In 1985 I rented a White's Coinmaster for the weekend from a White's / Fisher dealer. I found my first coins with this machine. I saw my wife detect a 1889 Morgan Silver Dollar, after she found the signal I dug it up! I was hooked!
The same year I purchase a Fisher 1220-X from the same White's / Fisher dealer. the 1220-X was extremely simple to use. Found my first gold rings and silver coins. This machine could get silver dimes at 5 or 6 inches max. Really liked the machine except that it would kill your wrist! Horrible ergonomics!It had no meter and had a single tone.
In 1988 I kept the 1220-X as a back up and purchased a Fisher 1280-X water / land machine. The 1280-X was hip mountable so it was extremely light when hip mounted. In 1988 through 1992 I was one of the first in Northern California with a water machine so I was really cleaning up in the rivers and lakes around here. The silver coins and gold rings coming out of the water was amazing during this time. I was hitting the 100 year old swimming lagoons and scoring every time out.
The 1280-X was a great machine for it's day. It was water proof but it lacks a meter. It's depth was about 6 or 7 inches max. Found my first seated half dime with the 1280X.
In 1994 I bought my first machine with a meter. I purchased the Fisher CZ6. After 20 years it is still my main park machine! Love it! I've taken it to England, Ireland, Hawaii, and 6 other U.S. states. It just works, the CZ6 never has any EMI issues, it uses the older analog technology. It locks on targets without the meter fluctuating, this is at any depth.
I purchased several other machines between 1994 and 2012 but I always return to the CZ6 as my main park / coin machine.
Other machine I've owned:
Garrett GTA 1000, ok machine, good for tot lots. Not good for deep silver
Teknetics T2, Would shut down in bad soil. Tested it head to head with my CZ6, could not get the deep silver my CZ6 could after marking/flagging out good deep coin targets with the CZ. Sold it on ebay for $ 1,800.00 to some Arab guy.
Tessoro Conquistador, best competition machine, great for tot lots. Super light weight. Would never use it when going for deep silver.
Minelab Explorer, Way to heavy, to many strange noises from target hits. This machine went crazy due to EMI or black sand on the Santa Cruz beach. Sold it after one year.
Fisher 1235-X , Great competition machine. Still have it as a back up for my Tessoro. Not good for deep silver park hunting.
Fisher CZ20, my primary water machine, sill use it. Older technology, probably better water machines out there now. Still a good machine even after its introduction 15 years ago.
Fisher Coinstrike, not sure about this. I.D on target not consistent. I.D numbers change depending on depth. I.D. number jump up and down. Wish it would lock on the target without bouncing. Still have it, but don't use it much. I'll save it for tot lots?
White's Surfmaster P.I., A must for black sand beaches or high mineralization. Perfect for Lake Tahoe where the super high mineralization causes VLF machines to go crazy.
