Detector Advice

Ugh. I hate doing this, but I'm stuck. I am not new to metal detecting. I've been hunting a couple of years and have owned several detectors, looking for the right fit.

Right now, I use my Tesoro Compadre for tot lots and shallow drops and love that detector for a multitude of reasons. I have owned and sold other detectors that are far more expensive because frankly, they weren't giving better performance than the Compadre was in several key areas. That may seem silly, but it is true. I also have my beach detector lined up.

But now I have developed a taste for older, deeper targets. Especially coins.

I live in Florida, in Tom D's neck of the woods. As Tom points out, our soil mineralization here is very low.

I have been looking for a deep silver mutli-tone detector that will function well at inland sites. I hunt in areas where the non-ferrous garbage will vary between mild to medium.

It is impossible to have everything in one machine, but I've hit a few road blocks in deciding what to buy, and I'd appreciate any thoughts you guys might have.

My first thought was the CZ-3D, but frankly, the reviews on this detector are very mixed. Some love it. Some have complained the depth isn't what they thought it would be while others said they had a miserable time trying to discern high tone nails and iron from high tone coins.

Then of course there are the Minelab Explorer's and E-Trac's, but arm fatigue due to the weight of these detectors is a common complaint, as is Minelab's customer service reputation. I like to try to hunt all day when I do go out, so weight of the detector will become a factor.

Again, not trying to run any detector down here. This is just what one researcher who has no bias has found reviewing multiple sites and forums. Sometimes these opinions and reviews are giving by people with very little experience, so I have to be careful as to what I accept as gospel and what I ought to take with a grain of salt.

So I've decided to ask those with more time under their belt who have been searching for deep silver longer than I have.

And thank you for your opinion!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/05/2012 08:59PM by smudge.

This may not be the answer you are looking for but I offer up that detectors are in some way like golf clubs. I have settled on four machines at this time. I think many people who like to detect will tell you the same thing. I have a CZ3d, a Fisher F75 LTD, a Teknetics G2 and a recently acquired Minelab Explorer SE. My original thought was I would keep a CZ 3d for the times the F75 hit severe EMI or I hunted with a group of detectors that talked to the F75. The G2 came along and I must say it does everything people claimed it would do and I use it a lot. The Minelab may seem like I am overlapping a lot, but I find it is a nearly silent search which my mind craves once in a while. It is new to me, probably less than 40 hours of use. The others all have a hundred or more hours. At this point I am pretty happy with this group of machines. I had never used an Minelab before but don't find it to be crippling heavy. The G2 is truly a feather and the F75 is extremely easy on the users arm. I might still add a water machine some day or try something else later.
I used the same detector for almost 16 years. I was a Whites user and loved my Eagle SL II. I wanted to try something different and bought my first CZ3d new in 2008. In the last four years I have tried several detectors and settled on these. The bottom line to me is that most medium to high end machines will find a lot of targets. I also think that none will find them all. I like to work an area with different machines. I think this variety helps me find more and stay interested. I might add that my old Eagle, sold to a friend is still one of the top producing machines in our MD club.

Don

There are medium to top end machines out there that will fit your needs. The F75 LTD is about as powerful as you can get for a hobby detector. I guarantee that it will handle trash as well as any out there.
The Omega 8000 might be the F75's little brother. Cheaper with less punch, but a very nice detector.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/05/2012 11:09PM by goodmore.

CZ's and Explorer series are the best deep silver units I have ever used but just my opinion and work well in my neck of the woods.

Seems like the Explorer is out because of its weight but careful settings of the armrest and front rod do help along with keeping a loose coil and letiing it just float scrubbing the ground which takes a lot of weight off your body and explorers hate air so its a two fold aspect, not to mention harnesses whether commercial or hand made that do help.

As far as the CZ3D simply buy from a local dealer and to make a sale imagine he will let you air test and that 5 year warranty is certainly a plus.

Having said the above hope you belong to a club or they will let you attend a meeting as a guest and bring up the subject and see what works best for the locals and of course a competent honest dealer can really help.

Last but not least do some research and try some units on for size at your local dealer as any unit has its plus and minus features and good luck in your choice..