Is new always better...

I realize although fun detecting can be hard work and many are eager to try the newest high priced units to get the jump on their buddy and get the ones others miss.

To each his own I guess but having the equipment is one thing but getting the most out of it is another.

We only go around once is one side of the coin and the other is I know a few fellas with 20 year old units that would give anyone a run for their money no matter what super duper new unit they are using...

In either case I hope a goodie or two is dropped in your pouch the next hunt..

Yeah I know what your saying Dan I had a 1266x and to this date I've yet to find another machine that found stuff as deep as it did! I like trying out newer detectors to see what their capable of and in most cases they were all hype and didn't meet my expectations.

One of my favorites of all time was the XL Pro. Great detector. But I got into water and beach hunting and traded it in on a Soveriegn. To make a long story about many detectors very short I will tell you that I am back to the Sovereign GT and Excalibur. AT Pro, F-75LTD, Deus, E Trac, CTX 3030 ..... I got on the latest and greatest bandwagon. In the end I decided simplicity needs to be a factor in my detecting to keep it fun. I still have the CTX, but I'm not sure for how long. It is a truely great detector. But I tire of digging crusty wheats and Mercury dimes. Like many out there I am taking a break on dirt diggin. So for me it is becoming more of a beach (gold) thing. For that I decided simple is best. Beep = Scoop it. If I find treasure great. If I don't I had a great day at the beach looking at the scenery. Plus I get exorcise.

Some guys need to try them all. Some buy one and fall in love. Some guys have one detector in their signature. Some have a list of every top model. I know trying to keep up was very exspensive and in the end I ended up pretty much where I started. A couple of good reliable detectors and having fun at the beach. One thing I have on my side is a great wife. That helps.

A great question. But I'm sure there are a few good answers. What ever makes you happy I guess. But when it comes to being successful I think location plays a much bigger role. I just want to be good at using the detector I am swinging. I come to this forum to learn from the best out there.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/16/2013 03:06PM by goodmore.

I hear what you're saying too Dan

I've been a Fisher & Garrett guy since 1977 when I 1st picked up a machine and over the yrs have become proficient with the CZ models which to this day are hard to beat IMO

what I've found over the yrs though is ---- you can't have just "1" machine that does every single thing for every type and style of hunting in every single environment, ground, conditions, etc.

Therefore ---- the way I've gone about it is trying to obtain the exact machines to use in whatever environment & conditions I'll be hunting in that excel in the job at hand while not spending a fortune for any *1* of the machines.

My current setup is:

CZ6a for coin shooting/general purpose hunting but more for the really OLD coins as I know the cz's inside & out and can pick out the Indians, Buffs, V nickels, and other really old coins with one far better than any other machine I've ever used.

Gold Bug Pro for gold hunting on the beach and for use in iron infested sites where most other machines just can't go.

E-Trac for deep silver in old parks, yards, etc. even though I'm still learning the unit and testing it in various sites/etc.

AT Pro for water hunting/all purpose & all weather hunting and it's pretty good in iron too.

It would be nice to have the newest, most high dollar machines out there (Deus, CTX, etc.) but my problem these days is $$ ----- I can never come up with that kind of cash all at once to buy those machines so I've had to pick up a machine here & machine there for $600 - $700 or so and the E-Trac was a trade deal I made for some scuba gear I had sitting around doing nothing.

If I sold all of my current machines/extras I would probably have $2500 cash when all said & done by basically giving them away but I can't get a Deus & CTX for that $$ plus I'd be losing a good $1000 on my investment and then have to kick in another few hundred $$ ---- which I wouldn't mind but selling 4 machines/extras is a task within itself and I don't want to wait weeks/months to go thru the process before selling them all because I'd most likely spend some of the $$ along the way and then have to kick in even more $$ PLUS be without certain machines that I may want/need to use!!

So currently --- I can hunt everywhere that those 2 machines (Deus & CTX) can, in all environments, conditions, etc. and find the same stuff they do but instead of 2 machines/equipment that can do what I want/need it to do ---- I have to use 4 different machines & extras to get the most out of detecting in all environments, conditions, etc.

That's what I don't like though ---- buying extra coils/etc. for 4 different machines instead of 2 and having to lug everything around, buy different batteries for all of them, carry bags, etc. etc.!

I just want 2 machines that have rechargeable batts, a couple of coils for each, 2 bags, and I'm good to go no matter where/under whatever conditions in any environment!

CZ6a is my all time favorite unit...and I have used LOTS of them.

Goodmore...I agree about the XL-Pro. I still have mine and keep the 5.3 inch Bullseye on it. It's a super coin hunter in all types of areas. And the meter ID is very accurate.

At this point my favorite 'new' unit is the X-Terra 705. Light weight, fast recovery, multi tone, visual ID, and the coil option/frequency change is a cool feature. Wish my E-Trac was lighter ! The X-Terra fitted with the Coiletk "Digger' coil is a great silver coin finder. Proved itself over and over so far.

Haven't used my Vista Gold yet as I bought that mainly for Fall dry sand gold jewelry hunting, as it seems to be a more specialized unit.

But I still use my CZ6a 90% of the time whenever I go out. If I don't hunt for a while, I don't have to remember any set up procedures or how to optimize the 6a since I know it like the back of my hand.