Good beginner metal detector??

[TNtrapper]

Hey yall! Anybody have any preferences on metal detectors for a beginner? Ive been wanting to get one for years but just havent broke down and done it. While turkey hunting this afternoon I found an old house place. I used to hear grandad talk about it when I was a kid...but never really knew where it was. So today I just kinda stumbled up on it! Going by grandad and great grandads tales...there used to be a whole community up there at one time. Now Im just itchin to go get me a detector!! :grin: Ive never used one before...something simple to start me off...but not a junker. What do yall recommend?

 

[Hogbear]

If you want something very simple but still a good quality detector, the Tesoro Silver Umax or Compadre are good machines.

There was a thread about this a few months ago on here: http://www.tndeer.com/tndeertalk/ubbthr ... ber=502502

 

[Nhill]

I was the one that started the thread, and I am still pleased with my ACE 250. I think that I am ready to upgrade though. There is nothing wrong with the ACE, but I have really got into metal detecting, and can't help but to want the best.
The man I bought it from told me that the ACE 250 is as good as most of his 5-600 detectors.
I bought it at the following web site. He is in Seymour, TN, and was very helpful. His prices include shipping, and it arrived within a couple of days of ordering it.

http://www.detectordepot.com/garrett_ace_250.htm

 

[TNtrapper]

Thanks guys!! Ill check them out!

 

[Crow Terminator]

Brian at Southern Treasures is a great guy to deal with. I've met him in person a few times and bought hundreds of dollars of stuff from him. You'll be hard pressed to find a better guy!

www.southern-treasures.com

As far as a good beginner machine...get the best you can afford to buy. I put a lot of good info in my "relic hunting primer" thread on this forum. You have have to go back a page or two to find it now but it would be worth finding.

For coin hunting, I'd find a machine with a operating frequency between 3-7 khz. For relic hunting, get one 13 - 15 khz. You can do any kind of hunting with machines of any Khz level, but for relics you want extreme depth and sensitivity and the higher the frequency, the hotter it is on small items.

I'd stick with machines in the $400-$500 price range for a beginner machine. That would let you have a decent machine and be decent for if you did want to get into it heavy. The new Fishers are really doing well, the F5 and F75 machines are two of the best to hit the market in a LONG LONG time.

A good all around Tesoro machine is the Tesoro Vaquero and Cibola. Don't overlook those two for raw power in a turn on and go machine.