Fisher 1280-X Aquanaut

[tiggyann]

I bought a Cobra Beach Magnet from Kellyco, I got to say this is the very best company to deal with, always friendly and always a pleasure to visit their showroom. Currently me Cobra Beach Magnet broke, was very unstable and was my fault, never really used it too much to realize it never really properly worked since day one and finally started going crazy after the full 90 day warranty. I was alittle upset, since I worked so hard to earn the money for it. So my bad, but was still under part warranty and took it back, paid my $95.00 and got brand new machine same day, so awesome! Now how many companies would do that? most companies make you wait while they ship it off. This one works good, but think I want to go deeper than the Cobra Beach Magnet and thinking about upgrading in the next few weeks, been looking at my dream machine the excalibur, the one I really want, is way out of my budget right now, but could swing a few hundred dollars towards a even better machine that will go deeper. and the best thing about kellyco is I can upgrade to a better machine if I chose too. Which I do plan on eventually getting the excalibur asap, maybe one good find will earn me rest of the money, hey you never know! that is the thing about metal detecting you never know what you will find!

so I was wondering if anyone here has the Fisher 1280-X Aquanaut and how good is this one, and how deep does it go?

or has anyone here tried the Garret's Sea Hunter Mark II?


krissy

 

[tiggyann]

well, I plan on trading in my cobra at kellyco cause it is brand new and will get about $400.00 off the fisher...so this way I can just upgrade.

Was thinking about the 10 inch coil...I have noticed with my very first detector, a cheap bounty hunter from radio shack went deeper than my cobra, but got tons of trash....but hates the water. And I was thinking, that's not right, that's not right at all, lmao. So I'm thinking more money, more deeper, better detector. lol. I'm determined to eventually dig some of those 1715 spanish galleon treasure.

krissy

 

[Dixie Digger]

its too bad they quit making the Fisher CZ20!! its the all time best water unit.i had a new Excalibur 1000 2 months ago.i didn't like it.but for the money you cant go wrong on a Fisher 1280X.iv used them for years with no problem! i guess i could send mine back to Fisher and have a 8" coil put on it,but that is kinda stupid as this one has never seen the ground! LOL! good luck.

 

[vlad]

n/t

 

[pb-to-au]

1280-x is a great machine, have one still and used one for years. Great fresh water machine, Salt water you have to get used to it.Noisy in salt, need to turn sens down to 7 at least, sometimes even to 5 or 6.Make sure your sweeps are even, steady and the same height at first until you get used to the falsing at the end of the sweep and when you plunge the coil into the water. In the salt water you will need to run at sens 5 or 6 . Sens = depth so try to live with a noisier atmosphere at higher sens. your finds will be better. Like I said I have at least ten years on my machine so I am used to it.You will find it a bit challenging in the salt at first, but unless you want to go Excaliber or find a used CZ-20 you won't find a better machine.I beat the crap out of mine for years and it still runs fine, and NO LEAKS.

 

[pb-to-au]

you going to share with us how you access this?

 

[Bob Stephens]

Hi Tiggyann! I've been using a Fisher 1280 for over 6 years in both water and for "rainy day" hunts on land. Many of my best finds have been with this durably built tank of a metal detector that never quits! It's very reliable, easy on batteries, easy to setup and use and does go quite deep. It's the machine I most often reach for if the weather looks iffy as it's not affected by rain or wet, sloppy ground conditions.

In hunting, I usually set the DISC at 3, the SENS at 7 and dig everything that beeps. The machine is very responsive to the density of a target and will sound loud and clear on solid items like coins, rings, small targets like bottlecaps and any metal that is dense. On less dense targets like dimes or small items, it produces a "reedy", lighter sound. Either way, if it's a good two way signal, dig it. You dig a lot of junk but also a lot of good stuff.

If you purchase one, you won't regret it as they're typically Fisher -solid and reliable. All my water hunting with it is Great Lakes freshwater; I can't realistically advise on salt as I've never hunted an ocean site with it.

Hope this information is of some help for you; I'd recommend the 1280 as a good all purpose detector.

Best Regards and Happy Hunting.

Bob and Louise. Hamilton, Ont.

 

[thefinder]

I love my 1280! I haven't been at this very long, but long enough to know that this is a great all around machine. On land, underwater whatever, wherever, if its there, it will find it.Depth seems to be good. Have found coins,screwcaps to eight inches. Large iron, like dock bolts down to a foot.Its my choise for a do all detector.Hope you get one. thefinder...

 

[pb-to-au]

You won't like the Garret Pulse, worthless machine. The 1280 will air test a quarter at 14 inches and will find them reliably at 10 to 12 inches in non mineralised ground.(Under certain conditions you will find them at the full 14 inches or a little deeper) It is a VLF/tr circuit and is subject to ground minerals. The hotter ground the the less depth you will get. You really can't beat this machine for a first water machine. Not the greatest machine on land due to the ground minerals issue and the big hole you have to dig because it has no pinpoint, but all special water machines have most, if not all of these issues. Cheap ,reliable deep. Heck of a combination!