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Returned a Garrett ATPro for repair

Robert W

New Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2017
Messages
17
I guess I'm venting here. (My first post and It's to complain a bit). I'm new to metal detecting and bought an ATpro a couple of months ago.
I just returned it because the pinpointer didn't work. The coil would register a Target, then I'd move the coil off to the side where I wasn't getting a reading and I'd hold the coil about an inch off the ground and then push the pin pointer button and swing the coil back over the target area. Instead of increasing in volume when I went over the target area it would remain the same audio volume over a large area. In other words the pinpointer is not working. I called Garrett and spoke with a gentleman there and I threw a penny on the ground outside and let him actually listen to what was going on over the speaker on my cell phony. The metal detector behaved exactly the way I described above when I attempted to use the pinpointing function over the penny. The gentleman from Garrett told me that there was probably just some metal deeper down in the ground or something like that. The reason he gave made no sense at all (I've been having this issue now for the last three times I went out.)
The metal detector is only a couple months old. He told me to mail it back to Garrett (that it was up to me to pay postage back to Texas) and Garrett would pay postage when they sent it back to me. I just got back from the post office and postage with insurance came to about $30. I'm not happy about paying another $30 to return a flawed product for repair work.
I know that the ATpro is a very popular metal detector. Has anyone else here experienced this same problem with the pinpointer?

Thanks
RDW
 
Two or three feet away in an area with no reading coming for the metal detector
 
I've also got a goldbug 2. I was actually using that as a pinpointer the last 3 times out since the one on the AT Pro wasn't working (and the Goldbug is great for that if it weren't' for the inconvenience of carrying two Md's :-)

It's in the mail. Seems like I gave a pretty detailed description above?
I guess since I'm a novice the assumption is going to be operator error.
 
Don't get pissy, I asked the question in a effort of trying to help and I was polite. You just signed up and that is why I asked the question as well as it not being 100% clear from your description above.. Again why I gave my initial thought of what may be going on.
 
I guess I'm venting here. (My first post and It's to complain a bit). I'm new to metal detecting and bought an ATpro a couple of months ago.
I just returned it because the pinpointer didn't work. The coil would register a Target, then I'd move the coil off to the side where I wasn't getting a reading and I'd hold the coil about an inch off the ground and then push the pin pointer button and swing the coil back over the target area. Instead of increasing in volume when I went over the target area it would remain the same audio volume over a large area. In other words the pinpointer is not working. I called Garrett and spoke with a gentleman there and I threw a penny on the ground outside and let him actually listen to what was going on over the speaker on my cell phony. The metal detector behaved exactly the way I described above when I attempted to use the pinpointing function over the penny. The gentleman from Garrett told me that there was probably just some metal deeper down in the ground or something like that. The reason he gave made no sense at all (I've been having this issue now for the last three times I went out.)
The metal detector is only a couple months old. He told me to mail it back to Garrett (that it was up to me to pay postage back to Texas) and Garrett would pay postage when they sent it back to me. I just got back from the post office and postage with insurance came to about $30. I'm not happy about paying another $30 to return a flawed product for repair work.
I know that the ATpro is a very popular metal detector. Has anyone else here experienced this same problem with the pinpointer?

Thanks
RDW

Just as a side note, if you have a DD coil, using the wiggle method completely prevents you from having to even use the pin pointer on the device (it's faster, too). Basically, just wiggle the center part (where the coils overlap) over the target and make it go "DING DING DING DING" and move backwards until the dinging stops. The object is exactly at the tip of your coil at that point. No pin pointer required.

I wouldn't even KNOW if my pin pointer worked. Never had a need to use it, with the DD coil.

Cheers,

Skippy
 
I'll be sending mine in during the off season to,
the pinpoint button fell out this summer,
I still have it, it pops out very easily.
and I'm afraid of water getting down into the circuits.
the customer service is very good, should be as good as new when it comes back.
 
Just as a side note, if you have a DD coil, using the wiggle method completely prevents you from having to even use the pin pointer on the device (it's faster, too). Basically, just wiggle the center part (where the coils overlap) over the target and make it go "DING DING DING DING" and move backwards until the dinging stops. The object is exactly at the tip of your coil at that point. No pin pointer required.

I wouldn't even KNOW if my pin pointer worked. Never had a need to use it, with the DD coil.

Cheers,

Skippy

X2. The only time I use the pinpointer is when I suspect that the target is large and not worth starting to dig. I can tell roughly how big it is with the pinpoint. Otherwise, I wiggle the double D's and slide it back.
 
X2. The only time I use the pinpointer is when I suspect that the target is large and not worth starting to dig. I can tell roughly how big it is with the pinpoint. Otherwise, I wiggle the double D's and slide it back.

X3, never used the pinpoint feature. Never had the need to. Doesn't pinpoint kinda read like an all-metal mode though? Instead of off to the side from the target and an inch off the dirt, maybe try just raising the coil a foot in the air and then start pinpoint before lowering back down?
 
..I as well do not use the PP feature on either of my rigs..the F70 or the AtPro...Its easy enough to PP with the main coil and simply faster and more accurate...Well, best of Luck to you Robert....
 
I have had mine do the same thing but only occasionally. Sometimes mine won't make any noise, or barely a sound, but the bar graph will go up. Most of the time it does what it's supposed to.
I have noticed at one of my parks that's full of cinder fill it doesn't work very well. There aren't many complaints about Garrets service, I'm sure they will take care of you.
 
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