Recommendations on first detector for grandson?

Any thoughts on a "starter detector" mostly for coin hunting? Only sidebar is that it costs less than $500. He's shown a real interest in detecting, and I want to encourage that interest. Thanks!

Good grief , with a budget like that , and if you included the used market , the choices are endless. Need another grandson?
I would think more in terms of a detecting package that included a good pinpointer and digging equipment as well. Concentrate on ergonomics and a detector that fits him physically both in length and weight. I think kids have less ego issues with using used stuff so I'd really look at pre-owned units and even if you burn $150 on accessories you still have a bunch of good units to choose from.

Garrett Ace models, light weight and no bells/whistles that could confuse new owners.
I'm sure many brands to choose. hh

How old's the boy? My guess is he is a teen... with a budget like that. Also depends on how he picks up on things. If he's lucky to have a quick mind,..a more complicated unit may keep him from being bored....something you have to weigh, grand-pop.

Racer. Easy to swing. Easy to operate. And it works.

Something with 3 tones, Eurotek Pro is a good machine, simple but effective. $500.00 would get the machine, headphones and a pinpointer. Get the 8" coil version and you can add a Lesche digger.

Might look at the new Fishers F11, F22 and F44 models. I haven't used them but, they sound promising.

Like Shoveler said " with a budget like that , and if you included the used market , the choices are endless."

goodmore Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Racer. Easy to swing. Easy to operate. And it
> works.


X2 on what Goodmore said. With the 5x10 coil or the small OOR coil. A good easy straight forward to run detector. A detector that a teen can definitely grow with. And even use and make some finds as an adult later. Besides old grand pa might just be a paying attention and using it some too.

I realize new it's a little over your stated budget, but I had rather get a machine for a little more $$$$$ and reduce the chance that your grandson will make a closet queen out of after a little use.

Age 10. Meant to include that in original post. I also want to get new detector. Not opposed to used, but his grandmother would disown me if i brought home a used detector :-)

10 year olds are prone to accidents.

One thing about the Tek units is that the middle rod can come out and you can put the lower rod right into the upper rod. Only thing with a LCD faceplate is the kid is going to be heartbroken when he stabs something into it or bangs it up. You can do the same with a Tesoro.

If it was me, I'd buy my 10 year grandson a Vaquero with a couple of coils, a pinpointer and a good set of headphones, then help him save up for something that has an LCD and more features if that is what he wants. The Tesoro can take a beating that a 10 year old will put it through, and by saving up for something more visual, he'll take better care of it.

My thinking anyway.

Good luck!
HH
Mike

No personal experience, but my son is the same age and after researching I'm leaning towards the F44. Plenty of features to hold his interest and grow with, while being fairly light weight. The teardrop concentric will pin point well and not have him chasing bottlecaps like a lot of DD's.

There's a couple of machines I'd recommend:

1) Racer - KISS technology employed with great performance and decent beach mode equates to a machine he'll pick up easily but not easily outgrow.

2) AT Pro - Forget the ACE machines when you can get an AT Pro. The beauty about the AT Pro is if you run it in standard mode, it effectively operates like an ACE, but if he takes to it, you can simply switch over to Pro Mode and you have a full featured, advanced very capable detector. Really impossible to outgrow and waterproof to boot for water hunting.

3) Preliminary reports on the Fisher F44 look decent, not stellar, but decent. Being that it's light, easy to use, and water resistant, it's looking like a great budget machine. I suspect that if you switch it from the concentric coil to a 11" DD coil, it may really open up, but thus far have yet to see anyone do any coil comparisons, so the jury's still out on that.

MX-5 would fit the bill and very well balanced. Vaquero or Cibola would probably be my first choice. I think everyone should learn a beep and dig before using a multitone vdi machine.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/08/2015 11:39PM by Fletch88.

Craigslist often has a few detectors for sale.. I would also consider who has the best warranty..

Any of the Tesoro's, the Teknetics EuroTek PRO, are easy to use and will find the goods.

I think a kid that age would really like a nice screen to look at. I'd go for one of the First Texas light weight and easy to use models. They have a ton of them in that price range.

Discrimination is the root of all evil.

For that price range j would recommend the vaquero also. It's light, easy to swing and performance wise imo cannot be beat by any detector in its price range for depth and separation. Heck if your lucky enough like I was to get a really hot vaquero you would be lucky to find any detector up to 1k to out perform it. I have tested mine against my deus in several iron infested sites and it's seen pretty much everything the deus has. Check out tabmans videos on modern trash like pull tabs also you will be amazed at what the vaquero can do also

Thanks everyone. I've narrowed it down to one of the First Texas detectors in that price range (F-44) or the Tesoro Vaquero. I'm a long time Fisher guy, so leaning that way. I really appreciate all the responses; gave me a quite a bit to think about.

F44 or a Eurotek ..

One thing I know is stay away from knobs.. kids turn them not meaning to..then they dig a lot of trash or nothing at all...


the large I.D.sscreen encourages number Learning/Association too..

Keith

“I don't care that they stole my idea . . I care that they don't have any of their own”
-Nikola Tesla

Tesoro Vaquero.

tabman

Makro racer standard pack right at you're pricepoint big screen red color excellent performance and salt beach worthy. My granddaughter started with an ace 250 at age 9. Now at 12 she wants a racer. HH c t

Fisher F44 ordered today. I'll report next week on his first hunt with it. Thanks to everyone who offered suggestions; at the end of the day, I'm a Fisher guy. Been one since my first 1265

misipirelichtr Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Fisher F44 ordered today. I'll report next week
> on his first hunt with it. Thanks to everyone who
> offered suggestions; at the end of the day, I'm a
> Fisher guy. Been one since my first 1265

Look forward to seeing some finds your grandson makes....