Alpha - decent beginners detector?

[CoinShooter-Craig]

Hi there. My daughter wants a metal detector, and I don't want to spend a lot of money on one right now. Is the Alpha a decent beginners detector and does it get decent depth for the buck? I couldn't find much information on it in this forum (I went back a dozen pages or so and gave up).

Thanks!

Craig

 

[CoinShooter-Craig]

I did find a post on the Alpha 20+ pages back and someone said if money isn't a issue they'd spend the extra $100 and go for the Delta. I'm a single income family of four - so that said - money is an issue. I need to keep it around $150. I was also thinking of a used Tesoro Compadre, but they seem to sell as fast as they come up in the classifieds here.

 

[dfmike]

I'd spend the extra dough on a Delta for sure. It might not have quite the depth of the Gamma or Omega but from everything I have read it seems quite close and since the frequency is the same, it shares the same coil options as the big brothers.. It's got a simple interface, just enough options to make it a serious detector and a good display. I'm thinking of buying one as a backup for my F5 or when I want to lend a detector to friends. I'm pretty sure you could find it for about 150$ if you look carefully. It's often on special somewhere online. Just make sure you buy the model that has the screw on coil connector. Some big stores only sell the push in type and coils are much harder to find in this configuration.

 

[REVIER]

I did find a post on the Alpha 20+ pages back and someone said if money isn't a issue they'd spend the extra $100 and go for the Delta. I'm a single income family of four - so that said - money is an issue. I need to keep it around $150. I was also thinking of a used Tesoro Compadre, but they seem to sell as fast as they come up in the classifieds here.

A new Compadre is about $10 more, with a lifetime warranty and most ship free.
Who knows, maybe if you ask a dealer nice it might be $150.
Unless you are not in this country in which case everything is more.

The Alpha has a screen but not a whole lot of great information on it like other screen units so almost a beep and dig unit...like the Compadre, which has a language you can learn so not exactly beep and dig.
I know a new hunter that is a big boy and struggling with his Alpha, many people started with a a Compadre and loved it, many more have an arsenal of higher end detectors and still use a Compadre...I am one of them.
There is a reason they are hard to find used unless you are quick.

 

[CoinShooter-Craig]

Thanks to both of you for the info. It's much appreciated!

 

[CoinShooter-Craig]

I did find a post on the Alpha 20+ pages back and someone said if money isn't a issue they'd spend the extra $100 and go for the Delta. I'm a single income family of four - so that said - money is an issue. I need to keep it around $150. I was also thinking of a used Tesoro Compadre, but they seem to sell as fast as they come up in the classifieds here.

A new Compadre is about $10 more, with a lifetime warranty and most ship free.
Who knows, maybe if you ask a dealer nice it might be $150.
Unless you are not in this country in which case everything is more.

The Alpha has a screen but not a whole lot of great information on it like other screen units so almost a beep and dig unit...like the Compadre, which has a language you can learn so not exactly beep and dig.
I know a new hunter that is a big boy and struggling with his Alpha, many people started with a a Compadre and loved it, many more have an arsenal of higher end detectors and still use a Compadre...I am one of them.
There is a reason they are hard to find used unless you are quick.

If you know someone who will sell a new Compadre for $150 - shoot me a PM of they are. It's definitely my 1st choice for a detector for my daughter. Thanks!

 

[Jackpine Savage]

Craig

The Delta is now $199.00 shipped on Teknetics website with a dealer coupon code.
Delta

Click on show all dealers to get the code.

Tom

 

[REVIER]

I did find a post on the Alpha 20+ pages back and someone said if money isn't a issue they'd spend the extra $100 and go for the Delta. I'm a single income family of four - so that said - money is an issue. I need to keep it around $150. I was also thinking of a used Tesoro Compadre, but they seem to sell as fast as they come up in the classifieds here.

A new Compadre is about $10 more, with a lifetime warranty and most ship free.
Who knows, maybe if you ask a dealer nice it might be $150.
Unless you are not in this country in which case everything is more.

The Alpha has a screen but not a whole lot of great information on it like other screen units so almost a beep and dig unit...like the Compadre, which has a language you can learn so not exactly beep and dig.
I know a new hunter that is a big boy and struggling with his Alpha, many people started with a a Compadre and loved it, many more have an arsenal of higher end detectors and still use a Compadre...I am one of them.
There is a reason they are hard to find used unless you are quick.

If you know someone who will sell a new Compadre for $150 - shoot me a PM of they are. It's definitely my 1st choice for a detector for my daughter. Thanks!

Just call any sponsor or dealer...call them like on the phone.
They all advertise the thing new, with a lifetime warranty, at $160.
Tesoro does not like their dealers discounting off of MAP pricing, and there isn't a great markup on these lower end units anyway so not much wiggle room but that doesn't mean some dealer won't take $10 off the price to get a loyal customer.
Even if they can't/won't...it's $10....search your couch cushions, look in some Coinstar return slots, if you happen to be near some soccer fields go search around the perimeters of the fields where people stand, sit and watch the games.
I hunted a soccer complex once with many of these, cherry picked mostly just the high tones and came away with about $70 in about 5 hunts once.

The extra $10 can be gathered up fairly easily with a little effort...and worth it.

 

[CoinShooter-Craig]

Craig

The Delta is now $199.00 shipped on Teknetics website with a dealer coupon code.
Delta

Click on show all dealers to get the code.

Tom

Thanks for the info Tom. It's between the Delta and the Compadre, but since it's for my daughter, I do admit that I'm leaning towards the Compadre for it's simplicity yet effectiveness at finding good items.I have owned both Tesoro and Teknetics detectors in the past and have liked each of them and they are both good companies, so I don't think either choice would be a bad choice.

 

[CoinShooter-Craig]

Just call any sponsor or dealer...call them like on the phone.
They all advertise the thing new, with a lifetime warranty, at $160.
Tesoro does not like their dealers discounting off of MAP pricing, and there isn't a great markup on these lower end units anyway so not much wiggle room but that doesn't mean some dealer won't take $10 off the price to get a loyal customer.
Even if they can't/won't...it's $10....search your couch cushions, look in some Coinstar return slots, if you happen to be near some soccer fields go search around the perimeters of the fields where people stand, sit and watch the games.
I hunted a soccer complex once with many of these, cherry picked mostly just the high tones and came away with about $70 in about 5 hunts once.

The extra $10 can be gathered up fairly easily with a little effort...and worth it.

You make a good point!

 

[iqwozpoom]

I would probably vote for the compadre but if you might want to check out the digitek or the new teknetic eurotek rebrand. I think it's the minuteman? One thing about the compadre she won't grow out of it and it always make a great backup!

 

[REVIER]

The new Fisher 11 is in the ballpark but it might be similar to the Alpha, or a little more advanced.
Need to compare them.
Both are cousin companies under the First Texas umbrella so there might some crossing over going on possibly or just rebranding.
Still, using the Compadre for years I know how well it works and how much fun I have when I use it so I still say that one.