Closing the loop on my Grandson's first detector

As some of you will recall, I sought opinions on what detector to get for my young grandson's first detector. I got a number of great suggestions - thanks again everyone for your help - and ultimately went with the Fisher F-44 detector. Had his birthday last week, and have been able to take him on a couple of coin hunts at a nearby park. For whatever reason, this park is not hit hard by coin hunters - I've taken a number of youngsters there and we've always found coins.

So, first hunt with new detector - he recovered $3.18 face value of coins. First coin ever was a quarter so pretty good for sure! He found all targets himself, although I did help with pinpointing and recovery to keep the park as neat as possible.

On the F44, since I can't be with him all the time, I started him off with the coin mode. For a youngster starting out, this is a good mode - skips iron and small aluminum pretty well, although it is deadly on round loop pull tabs :-).

My thoughts on the detector after those initial hunts and a bit of yard testing when not out with him - it is a good starter detector, and does have some room for him to improve his skills. For the price, for a new inbox detector, a good buy.

Would I go the same route again? Not sure, in all honesty. I don't like how the detector ground balances, and I find the up and down flashing arrows that supposedly show the unit needs to be rebalanced annoying and I'm not convinced accurate. And, if you like to run the unit a bit positive or negative, this feature is worthless. Discrimination was very good, and the meter accurate - which was very good for a beginner. Helps did more good signals than trash, at least in our experience. Depth ok, and on this I admit the ground is so dry where I live right now that test garden depths were less than expected with "normal" conditions.

But, in the end, my Grandson is tickled to death with it, he is finding coins and other treasures, and most importantly, he is really getting hooked on metal detecting. So I hopefully will have a lifelong hunting companion whenever we can get together, and maybe even one who'll tolerate taking me metal detecting in my fast advancing old age. So, it's all good, and thanks again everyone for helping with the first detector for him

Great stuff there! It's all about the memories and nothing else. Thanks for the post............

A nice story. At least it sounds like someone has been having fun in this heat. I'm a struggling with it.

Cheers David

Sounds like it's a good fit for your grandson and that's what counts

I was thinking about getting one for my wife, but I'd like to get something for her that I could use in a pinch too, and so far from the reviews, I don't think it's a machine I'd like (although I like that they made it water "resistant").

I'm hoping the Omega 8500 is a big hit! I chatted with Dave J. a bit, and asked him about Omega 8500, as I thought it was his baby, but it's not.

misipirelichtr Wrote:
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"...But, in the end, my Grandson is tickled to death with it..."


And that's all that matters. Good Review, Thanks for posting!


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You do realize you are creating completion in your area...Just kidding my friend and a hats off for a good deed..Lets hope he stays in hobby but unfortunately girls, sports etc. may be a problem in years to come, but one never knows...

That's Great! As somebody who lost has grandfather last year, what your doing will mean a lot to him especially un the years ahead. I was raised by grandparents. Never did without but money wasn't plentiful. They saved and bought me a Bounty Hunter, about a $300 machine at the time. My grand pa took me out to a corn field where he thought something used to be, first target was an old trowel that I still have. My most valuable find.