Some advice on first detector

Tooncartoon · Nov 23, 2017

Hello everyone, I'm new around here and to metal detecting. I'm looking for some advice on my first detector purchase. First off i live near Atlanta, Ga. But i visit Florida and South Carolina often to hit the beaches and visit family.

Since the majority of my time will be on land hunting with a few visits to the beach per year, what would you all recommend for a first detector? I became interested in the white's TDI SL, but from what i read its not great for dry land. Also i would like it to be water proof...oh and my budget is probably $1100 tops

Help.

diggindaboot · Nov 23, 2017

Tooncartoon said:
Hello everyone, I'm new around here and to metal detecting. I'm looking for some advice on my first detector purchase. First off i live near Atlanta, Ga. But i visit Florida and South Carolina often to hit the beaches and visit family.

Since the majority of my time will be on land hunting with a few visits to the beach per year, what would you all recommend for a first detector? I became interested in the white's TDI SL, but from what i read its not great for dry land. Also i would like it to be water proof...oh and my budget is probably $1100 tops

Help.

If you're in a hurry to buy and want a screen with a tdi read out the choices are few. My AT Max doesn't false at the beaches I hit with the proper settings. An AT Pro will false. Or you could wait on the Quest Pro and Equinox 600 or 800. Makro/Nokta will debut a waterproof machine next year. Their single vlf machines do very well on the beach as I've seen videos with no falsing using their Racer line. At this time neither Racer detector is waterproof. If you can be a little more patient and wait to see the other detectors in action then you will have multiple choices.

The other choices are pulse induction machines with no tdi screen. They work very well in salt water but you will dig a large amount of trash on land. I would also add that maybe you could get a used CTX if you wanted to add a few more bucks to your budget. The CTX is impressive in salt water and if you're looking for silver on land it's what it does best.

woodbutcher · Nov 23, 2017

Waterproof,that’s a tough one..At max

Rattlehead · Nov 23, 2017

If you can wait a little longer I’d look into the upcoming Minelab Equinox. It’s in your price range and multi-frequency so should do well on dry land and at the beach.

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MrNovice · Nov 23, 2017

Rattlehead said:
If you can wait a little longer I’d look into the upcoming Minelab Equinox. It’s in your price range and multi-frequency so should do well on dry land and at the beach.

+1, and use the leftover money for a digger and pinpointer!

metaladdict · Nov 23, 2017

Rattlehead said:
If you can wait a little longer I’d look into the upcoming Minelab Equinox. It’s in your price range and multi-frequency so should do well on dry land and at the beach.

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Equinox is all you will need.

MrNovice · Nov 23, 2017

I'm starting to rethink this. Is it wise for us to advise about buying an Equinox as a beginner detector...before it's even out yet? I mean we've all started off somewhere and have experience detecting, but do we truly think the equinox would be a simple good first detector to learn on???

Or are we just basing this on our thoughts, already having detecting experience, and what options we wish we had when we were starting? I mean seriously, the equinox is not going to be just a beep and dig type detector.

I guess it's more up to the OP on whether he plans to stick with the hobby and wants to take the time to learn a detector or does he just want to turn it on and let it do it's thing? He sounds pretty dedicated and specific in where and how he would like to hunt, but you never really know if you'll like it till you start swinging...

Rattlehead · Nov 24, 2017

MrNovice said:
I'm starting to rethink this. Is it wise for us to advise about buying an Equinox as a beginner detector...before it's even out yet?

I’m not advising him to buy it right away, but to look into it. As in wait until some reviews come out and see what it’s all about. He has a pretty good budget, so based off of what he said he wants out of a detector, and what we know about the new Minelab series so far, something like a Nox 600 might be ideal for him.

I know if I was new to the hobby I’d want to wait a couple of months to find out more about a potentially awesome new detector on the horizon before I spend my money on something else.

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Big Treble · Nov 24, 2017

MrNovice said:
I'm starting to rethink this. Is it wise for us to advise about buying an Equinox as a beginner detector...before it's even out yet? I mean we've all started off somewhere and have experience detecting, but do we truly think the equinox would be a simple good first detector to learn on???

Or are we just basing this on our thoughts, already having detecting experience, and what options we wish we had when we were starting? I mean seriously, the equinox is not going to be just a beep and dig type detector.

I guess it's more up to the OP on whether he plans to stick with the hobby and wants to take the time to learn a detector or does he just want to turn it on and let it do it's thing? He sounds pretty dedicated and specific in where and how he would like to hunt, but you never really know if you'll like it till you start swinging...

My sentiment exactly. Even the newly released ATMax is still new enough, I might be cautious of.

OP, prior to 2017 I would be leaning to suggest two different machines, unless your beach activities could be limited to the dry sand. There are a couple new machines recently released or soon to be released, however in my experience and research, indicates most new machines either are not the magic wand they are hyped to be, or there are issues that are not generally discovered until after mass use.

bibelot · Nov 24, 2017

Good luck in whatever you decide.

MrNovice · Nov 25, 2017

Rattlehead said:
I’m not advising him to buy it right away, but to look into it. As in wait until some reviews come out and see what it’s all about. He has a pretty good budget, so based off of what he said he wants out of a detector, and what we know about the new Minelab series so far, something like a Nox 600 might be ideal for him.

I know if I was new to the hobby I’d want to wait a couple of months to find out more about a potentially awesome new detector on the horizon before I spend my money on something else.

I see what you're saying, and maybe I asked that wrong. I was more thinking might the Equinox be just a little too advanced for a beginner?...granted we don't really know for sure because it's not released yet, but it does seem to have several advanced features and none of us can really be quite sure just how user friendly it is.

We've seen past new members buy big and get frustrated but also others be patient and take the time to learn advanced type gear. Of course no one like to see others actually stay into the hobby and have wasted a ton of money buying low gear and then having to continuously upgrade either, but there is the experience that comes with doing it that way instead of just jumping all in.

That's mainly why I feel conflicted on recommending the EQ, but no harm in waiting and watching to see although it could be another 2 months away...but it is almost winter now anyways and not prime season for most detectorists.

coherent · Nov 28, 2017

MrNovice said:
I was more thinking might the Equinox be just a little too advanced for a beginner?...

From everything I've learned (from the information released via Minelab and the videos) the Equinox looks to me like a very straight forward machine with fairly simple and intuitive controls and settings. I don't have an AT Max, but do have an AT Pro and I don't see the Equinox being any more difficult to learn & operate than an AT pro or AT Max and a heck of a lot easier to master than a CTX or VI3... I do think it will be "capable" of offering more versatility and options to users than other machines in the same price range. Once it's out there there I'm sure there will be lots of helpful information and advice available online and the speculation will become hands on reports and factual. I'm optimistic that while it may or may not be a game changer, it will be a good machine for the price point it's being offered at.

Some advice on first detector

Tooncartoon

New Member

diggindaboot

Elite Member

woodbutcher

Rattlehead

MrNovice

metaladdict

Elite Member

MrNovice

Rattlehead

Big Treble

bibelot

MrNovice

coherent

Full Member

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