First detector purchase advice something good wet & sand capable.

Zackb911 · Jul 7, 2011

Ok guys I've been lurking here for a bit and I'd really like to try my hand at metal detecting. I live in Weymouth, MA i.e. just south of Boston and not too far from the beaches. I plan on searching primarily beach and also some fields, etc.

I'm much more interested in finding gold, silver, and jewelry than artifacts (just being honest).

I had narrowed it down to a Tesoro Compadre but from what I hear it may not work well in wet sand, furthermore, I hear most good beach finds lay in wet sand. Sot hat may be a deal breaker.

So I'm looking for bang for the buck. <$300.

I know a lot of people say there are good deals on used but pickings seem slim on Craigslist.

So sub $300, gold capable, and wet sand capable are my main criteria.

Would the Compadre cut it? Should I step up to the UMax Silver? Something else?

Thanks!
Z

JW · Jul 7, 2011

Any detector with a sensitivity adjustment will do the trick. You just reduce the sensitivty.

SamFisher · Jul 8, 2011

Here is my 2 cents. Get the AT Pro. It will do pretty much everything you want AND if you drop it in the water you do not have to worry. The AT Pro is an all around detector with water insurance. :yes:

Terry Soloman · Jul 8, 2011

VLF and PI

Hi Zack! Here is the thing, once you cross from dry sand into wet "saltwater" sand and surf, almost all "Very Low Frequency" (VLF) detectors become unstable and lose depth because of conductivity. The salt and minerals in the water cause a "fog," or white noise that can mask a target or cause "falsing."

The AT Pro, is NOT designed for saltwater, and any dealer that tries to sell you one for a saltwater beach should be run out of town on a rail! In the wet sand and surf, you need either a very expensive ($1,200.00) Minelab VLF machine that has been specially tuned at the factory for saltwater use, or a Pulse Induction (PI) type metal detector (Whites Dual Field / Tesoro Sand Shark), which is not affected by mineralization.

Get the Tesoro Compadre, it can't be beat in the dry sand, and make some finds. Once you have had some more time to study and compare, make a second purchase. My two-cents! :cool:

RingNut · Jul 8, 2011

To detect in the wet sand and/or the water assuming salt water beaches, you really need a PI machine. For me the Tesoro Sand Shark is the best for the money ($577.18). Turn on and go works great and lifetime warrantee. Although the AT Pro which I am not personnally familar with will likely give you more diversity away from the beaches.

old lobo · Jul 9, 2011

It's not going to happen. You can't find a good wet sand machine for $300. I would suggest you do what I did. I'm get by on social security and my funds are very limited so I started with a Garrett Ace 250 which sells for $213. I live near the ocean, but I knew this machine was not ideal for the wet sand so I detected the dry sand and did parks. I didnt spend one cent that I found. I Used large coffee cans, the quarters in one can, dimes in another, etc. During the time I was saving, I watched what other people were using on the beach, how they liked what they used, and what success they were having with it. In 2 1/2 years I had enough just in the change I had found to buy the $800. detector I wanted, and by then I knew what I wanted by watching, listening, and trying other peoples machines. The reason I say above "with just the change I found", is because during that time I also found 6 gold rings in the dry sand. I had been practicing with my new machine in the wet the last few days, but yesterday was going to be high tide in the morning, so I decided to do the dry sand, getting there at 4:30am to beat the beach cleaning machine. After an hour of finding coins I got a signal in the dark, and when I shook the scoop I heard clunk, clunk. I used my little light to look, and there in my scoop was a heavy 18k gold mens wedding band that fits on my first finger. It was in the dry sand, it wasn't deep, and any detector you choose to start out with could have found it, so get started, stay with it, save what you find, and upgrade later.

18kRonin · Jul 9, 2011

old lobo said:
It's not going to happen. You can't find a good wet sand machine for $300. I would suggest you do what I did. I'm get by on social security and my funds are very limited so I started with a Garrett Ace 250 which sells for $213. I live near the ocean, but I knew this machine was not ideal for the wet sand so I detected the dry sand and did parks. I didnt spend one cent that I found. I Used large coffee cans, the quarters in one can, dimes in another, etc. During the time I was saving, I watched what other people were using on the beach, how they liked what they used, and what success they were having with it. In 2 1/2 years I had enough just in the change I had found to buy the $800. detector I wanted, and by then I knew what I wanted by watching, listening, and trying other peoples machines. The reason I say above "with just the change I found", is because during that time I also found 6 gold rings in the dry sand. I had been practicing with my new machine in the wet the last few days, but yesterday was going to be high tide in the morning, so I decided to do the dry sand, getting there at 4:30am to beat the beach cleaning machine. After an hour of finding coins I got a signal in the dark, and when I shook the scoop I heard clunk, clunk. I used my little light to look, and there in my scoop was a heavy 18k gold mens wedding band that fits on my first finger. It was in the dry sand, it wasn't deep, and any detector you choose to start out with could have found it, so get started, stay with it, save what you find, and upgrade later.

Sooooo true Old Lobo, couldn't agree with you more on all of the above :yes:

robby4570 · Jul 9, 2011

I agree with Terry, Stan, and Old Lobo. I have the Garrett ACE 250 and I find (in the Gulf Coast sand) that it is a killer on coins and jewelry in the dry sand. BUT, contrary to what some will say - in just a few post from this one in fact - it also does ACCEPTABLY well in the wet sand here. Soil content and mineralization really effect how well it will work. I discriminate out nickels and all below that, leave the sens at the factory setting of 6 out of 8 bars and swing more slowly than I would in dry sand. What works on my beaches may not work on yours. I added the DD coil to my 250 and it made the detector way more stable in the wet.

What ever MD you get, you won't find a machine that will work equally well in both wet and dry for $300.00 or less. I got the ACE 250 for my starter and I am buying the Sand Shark for the next "Stud" in my stable, and I am doing it with my finds from my ACE 250!

In the surf washed wet sand, I got a distinct quarter signal and it was showing 6" on the depth scale.

This is the hole 2 or 3 minutes after pulling the quarter, it filled in that fast, but the waves and surf were washing up higher than my hole.

This area is in a drainage channel that gulf water washes into so it's brackish water. I found a pocket spill in something like 6 inches of sand under 4 or 5 inches of water (I don't remember exactly) so the coil was fully submerged while swinging.

First detector purchase advice something good wet & sand capable.

Zackb911

New Member

JW

Junior Member

SamFisher

Elite Member

Terry Soloman

Elite Member

RingNut

old lobo

Full Member

18kRonin

robby4570

Elite Member

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