Myers Depot Metal Detectors

Detector for my Son

luked

luked

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so my Sons birthday is March 7th he turns 12. I have been detecting off and on for quite a few years and just got more back into it the past few months and waiting on some nice weather here to start swinging a little.

for his birthday I would like to buy him his own machine. Years ago for Christmas I bought him one of the little cheap Minelab GO Finds. it was ok and he did use it but really I think has kind of outgrown it now.
so I am wanting to buy him a decent machine.

was looking to see what you all might suggest for him a starter unit.
 
Since he's only 12 I'd get him the same machine you use. That way you can teach him, and in time, he can show you what he's learned. Sounds like a great opportunity to really connect with him.

If he's feeling "sassy" and wants something different than his old man, you could look at a Nokta Makro Simplex + or a Minelab Vanquish. Simplex is waterproof, more rugged, and a bit cheaper. I love mine.
 
would like him to have his own. and I swing an eTrac and still learning it so don't want to go that route with him LOL.
I had thought about a Fisher F2. that is what I started with and was a nice machine but I know they have so many more out since I bought my first one years ago and I haven't kept up with them.
 
A year ago I would have said an F2, F22, Teknetics Minuteman or the Go Find but since then the Simplex and Vanquish have arrived. I have swung both and the Vanquish because of its ergonomics is the better choice IMO for a youngster at least until the Simplex has more coil choices. So.....

Minelab Vanquish 440 with the 10" coil and fully adjustable shaft and armrest. It comes with arm strap, coil cover and control box cover. 2.6 pounds fully extended and feels lighter. It should sound similar to your Etrac and really does hunt a lot like the Equinox.

I have sold several entry to mid-level detectors that I used for loaners and for my grown kids when they visit. The Vanquish is just better in every way. The newbies that have used it have found stuff easily and my fairly experienced kids have all said they want one.

Jeff
 
Simplex. Let the kid get in the creek. I think it's the least expensive waterproof machine. He wouldn't outgrow it too quick, and if he's loses interest you have a waterproof machine.
 
I am getting ready to order another machine for my sons to use one is 8 and the other is 15. I am leaning toward the simplex for ease of use and the fact that its waterproof.
 
I use the Fisher F2 and it's a nice machine. But I don't think it's going to be much of an upgrade over the Go Find, though.

I'd go with the Simplex or Vanquish.
 
The Garrett Ace 300 would be my recommendation. Low price, easy to learn, and will find a lot of coins to keep him interested. Also, there's currently a good deal from Garrett involving a Propointer to go along with the detector.
 
So much more to choose from now, more units with features that matter and prices that are comparatively low for what you get.
Back in 2010 when I went looking for a real decent and productive entry level unit we had the F2, Ace 250, Compadre and Silver, the Teknetics machines were slow in the lower ends and BH were just ok and the ones that had better features up line were not cheap.
Now there is the F22 and F44, Garrett finally added VID numbers to their newer Ace line, Teknetics improved and speeded up their lower end models, the BH line filled out and advantages and features crossed party lines among the FTP group and have shared the good stuff so most have great entry and mid level models at the price points.
Tesoro is gone but you can still buy them used and evolution laws state that once a spieces goes extinct others evolve to fill in the gaps so now we are seeing the Simplex and Vanquish show up with a nice price range for what you get.

I had four to choose from and quickly narrowed that down to one, the F2.
Not as easy to choose now because there are so many to wade through but I would rather have more units with more features to choose from than less.
 
diggin4clad said:
The Garrett Ace 300 would be my recommendation. Low price, easy to learn, and will find a lot of coins to keep him interested. Also, there's currently a good deal from Garrett involving a Propointer to go along with the detector.
Click to expand...

Why would you recommend the 300 over a Vanquish? What can it do that the Vanquish cannot?
 
jmaclen said:
A year ago I would have said an F2, F22, Teknetics Minuteman or the Go Find but since then the Simplex and Vanquish have arrived. I have swung both and the Vanquish because of its ergonomics is the better choice IMO for a youngster at least until the Simplex has more coil choices. So.....

Minelab Vanquish 440 with the 10" coil and fully adjustable shaft and armrest. It comes with arm strap, coil cover and control box cover. 2.6 pounds fully extended and feels lighter. It should sound similar to your Etrac and really does hunt a lot like the Equinox.

I have sold several entry to mid-level detectors that I used for loaners and for my grown kids when they visit. The Vanquish is just better in every way. The newbies that have used it have found stuff easily and my fairly experienced kids have all said they want one.

Jeff
Click to expand...

Hi bud, hey, Do you think there is any loss of performance, depth or anything by getting the 440 vs 540 Vanquish? I'm guessing not but you would know better than I. Thanks
 
mh9162013 said:
Why would you recommend the 300 over a Vanquish? What can it do that the Vanquish cannot?
Click to expand...

The OP asked only for a recommendation for a detector for his son, he did not ask for a comparison of one detector to another. I gave him a recommendation based on what I know about the Garret detector. I have never used a Vanquish so I couldn't in all honesty give an opinion on that particular detector. I'm not going to suggest a detector to someone based only on what I've read about it good or bad. If you want to suggest a Vanquish for whatever reason you have, go right ahead but please don't be critical of someone whose opinion is different than yours.
 
diggin4clad said:
The OP asked only for a recommendation for a detector for his son, he did not ask for a comparison of one detector to another. I gave him a recommendation based on what I know about the Garret detector. I have never used a Vanquish so I couldn't in all honesty give an opinion on that particular detector. I'm not going to suggest a detector to someone based only on what I've read about it good or bad. If you want to suggest a Vanquish for whatever reason you have, go right ahead but please don't be critical of someone whose opinion is different than yours.
Click to expand...

+1

Jeff
 
tinsmith said:
Hi bud, hey, Do you think there is any loss of performance, depth or anything by getting the 440 vs 540 Vanquish? I'm guessing not but you would know better than I. Thanks
Click to expand...

That depends. 440 comes with a 10" coil. 540 comes with a 12" coil. 440 has fixed iron bias. 540 has a low/high iron bias switch. Otherwise, besides the difference in wireless and audio features, and more discrimination segments, if you put the same sized coil on the 340, 440 and 540 and set them up the same way I doubt you would see much difference.

Jeff
 
diggin4clad said:
The OP asked only for a recommendation for a detector for his son, he did not ask for a comparison of one detector to another. I gave him a recommendation based on what I know about the Garret detector. I have never used a Vanquish so I couldn't in all honesty give an opinion on that particular detector. I'm not going to suggest a detector to someone based only on what I've read about it good or bad. If you want to suggest a Vanquish for whatever reason you have, go right ahead but please don't be critical of someone whose opinion is different than yours.
Click to expand...

I wasn't being critical. I was honestly asking.

I know that the Vanquish is supposed to replace/upgrade/surpass the Ace series of detectors. But that doesn't mean it's actually better. So when someone (seemingly) suggests an Ace series of detectors over the Vanquish, it catches my attention as I'm relatively new to this hobby and I'm always looking for different perspectives and opinions.
 
mh9162013 said:
I wasn't being critical. I was honestly asking.

I know that the Vanquish is supposed to replace/upgrade/surpass the Ace series of detectors. But that doesn't mean it's actually better. So when someone (seemingly) suggests an Ace series of detectors over the Vanquish, it catches my attention as I'm relatively new to this hobby and I'm always looking for different perspectives and opinions.
Click to expand...
I wasn't suggesting the Ace 300 "OVER" the Vanquish or any other detector because I wasn't doing a detector comparison.
 
diggin4clad said:
I wasn't suggesting the Ace 300 "OVER" the Vanquish or any other detector because I wasn't doing a detector comparison.
Click to expand...

But the inherent nature of the OP's question implies detector comparisons. Even if the OP wanted to buy his son 4 detectors, there'd still be an implicit comparison going on to figure out which 4 to purchase.
 
mh9162013 said:
But the inherent nature of the OP's question implies detector comparisons. Even if the OP wanted to buy his son 4 detectors, there'd still be an implicit comparison going on to figure out which 4 to purchase.
Click to expand...
There is absolutely NO request for a comparison in the OP's post. Where does it say he'd like us to compare detectors?? His request is for a SUGGESTED detector.
How can someone give a comparison if they've NOT used a detector other than the one they've suggested?? What would you suggest ?
 
By asking for a suggested detector, you have to compare one detector (implicitly) to another one. It's a zero sum situation: the OP cannot buy every single detector out there. By buying one, he doesn't buy another. That naturally results in a comparison.

You can give comparisons based on what you've read or heard online. People do it all the time, whether with metal detectors, guns, cars, computers, etc.

For instance, I've only used the Garrett Carrot and Minelab Pro-Find 35 pinpointers...oh and one GP Chinese knock off. But does that mean I'm not allowed to recommend getting either of these over a Chinese knock-off that I haven't used?
 
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