Getting The Right Advice..!

[fastdraw]

I have a friend at the post office that wants to get into metal detecting.

He's 50 years old with ZERO knowledge or experience in this Hobby.

My other detecting buddy at the Post office has the Equinox 800,.... and I run the Equinox 600. Even after his advice, I decided on the 600 model

My friend has push so hard on the Equinox 800 (For a Beginner)

So this "Beginner" he has Semi-decided on the Garret At-Pro. Package deal. For about $725.00 with detector.. Wireless phones. With hand held pinpointer. But no digging tool.

Keep this in mind... He's a total beginner and knows nothing about this hobby. But with the AT Pro he's getting a lot.. For a lot less money, and it's still a proven detector.

Money Is An Issue...!

I'm going to show him this exact post.... and all of your answers. Be fair... Is the Garrett AT Pro a good detector..? I think it is.

What do your guys think..?

I think it a good decision..! Remember.. That money is an issue... and he's starting from Zero experience...!

This will be an interesting post for the answers I will receive to show my friend. I would like to hear Monte also weigh in on this.

 

[jmaclen]

Not trying to start a detector war here. I have owned an AT Pro and still own an AT Gold along with a Deus, Equinox (two 800s) a Teknetics G2+ and a Vanquish 440 (which my son in the Navy is borrowing). I also tried out the Simplex (liked it) and many others.
I really like my AT Gold or I wouldn't still have it. I particularly like its threshold based All Metal mode, its disc modes non-ferrous, sparky 2 tone audio, its depth, waterproofing and its sturdiness. I do not like its iron audio or how heavy and clunky it is. Will it detect well........yes. Do I prefer it over the doorbell audio of the AT Pro and the fact that the AT Pro does not have a threshold based all metal mode......definitely. I know plenty of casual hunters to intermediate hunters who do very well with the AT Pro. I know some great detectorists that use the AT Gold and AT Max. Would I buy a new AT Pro bundle for $725........NO. That is more than an Equinox 600. Enough about that. If I just had to have a new Garrett right now I would get the somewhat overpriced multi frequency APEX or just wait until the new AT series multi frequency detectors are released. Would I buy a used AT Pro (maybe), AT Gold or even AT Max for around $500 or less.......definitely

A beginner detector buyer with two friends that use an Equinox 600 and Equinox 800 wants to buy a brand new AT Pro ............has he looked at the simultaneous multi frequency Multi IQ (similar to the Equinox) Vanquish 540 Pro Pack with wireless headphones and a good quality Pro Find 15 pinpointer for $499.....????? You guys could help him a lot with his detecting skills since the Nox and Vanquish are siblings and work from the same platform. Although the Vanquish 540 is not quite as fast at target separation as the Equinox, it will go almost as deep and can handle mineralized dirt, (you're in Nevada, right?) wet salt sand and EMI very well. I would also consider the Nokta Makro Simplex+ bundle for less than $500 before I would buy a new AT Pro bundle. Just my very subjective opinions from 20 years of metal detecting and from actually using all the detectors I mentioned in this post.

 

[HighPlainsHunter]

+1 on the Vanquish 540 Pro Pack...

 

[Donut]

The AT pro is a good detector.
I know some that swears by them.
I have seen many that have gone from the AT to the 800 but I have only seen one that went back to the AT.
Most say the 800/600 just finds more.
In my opinion the 600/800 have a more sensitive processor and also the 5 tone separation and bracket sectors.
Doug

 

[Mark kus]

He should go with the nox 600 for the money.
Mark

 

[Hddeuce03]

The Minelab Vanquish series is multi-frequency like the Equinox...and very similar to the Equinox... Else the Nox is the way to go, especially as a newbie with 2 friends that have a Nox.

 

[CT Todd]

I don't know why he wouldn't buy an Equinox 600. Two friends using them for questions. Then your all speaking the same language.
If not that unit then a Simplex it is a great unit with all the bells and whistles for no money and no slouch. No recovery speed on a ATpro.

 

[Ronstar]

I think you guys are missing the point here. The guy is brand new and needs and wants to learn. Would you give a beginning driver a Dodge Hellcat? A new shooter a 375 HH to learn marksmanship? Personally, I started with a Bounty Hunter Lone Star which I learned to drive with, stepped up to the Fisher F5 to learn how to shoot and now travel and hunt with the F75. I think if one starts with a bit of a handful to learn on then eventually they will put it down and walk away.
Just my two cents and yes the above examples are extreme .....

 

[fastdraw]

I think you guys are missing the point here. The guy is brand new and needs and wants to learn. Would you give a beginning driver a Dodge Hellcat? A new shooter a 375 HH to learn marksmanship? Personally, I started with a Bounty Hunter Lone Star which I learned to drive with, stepped up to the Fisher F5 to learn how to shoot and now travel and hunt with the F75. I think if one starts with a bit of a handful to learn on then eventually they will put it down and walk away.
Just my two cents and yes the above examples are extreme .....

That's an excellent point.... I just talked to him this morning and he still undecided. He says he keeps leaning towards the Garrett brand because when he does a search on the internet for best metal detectors or good metal detectors the Garret models always pop up and the Minelab models rarely pop up. But he looked at what everybody wrote so far... but I think it will be the power of the Internet advertising that makes up his mind

 

[Ronstar]

And thats the way things go these days unfortunately. He will either get the bug or he wont........I hate seeing anyone spend money on something just a hair over their ability level and then lose interest in the sport.

 

[Donut]

The top #1 Detector is Equinox/600/800.
The Vanquish is runny close. Rem the vanquished has three multiple models.
I have both the 600&800.
if I could afford it I would have a vanquished behind my car seat just to have it with me all the time.
I mainly use my 800
Doug

 

[BigTony]

Maybe if you have a used metal detector that you are willing to part with it will help him by not spending a bunch of cash before he decides if this hobby is for him or not.

If that is not the issue - get a minelab and the how to book by Andy Sabich. They are cheap enough and water proof if he wants to get a little wet.

Tony

 

[#1Leatherneck]

Your friend is fortunate to have friends to metal detect with, and I can not imagine why he would consider anything other than what they have with no knowledge in the hobby. No one here can deny the Minelab Equinox 800 is the best detector?
I purchased my new Minelab Equinox 800 knowing that it would compliment my White's Spectra V3i. And, I have no one to hunt with that has either of the two.

I shopped around and found a dealer that sold me one at a very low price. I believe anyone can!
Tell your friend I admire him for having friends to hunt with!

 

[laplander]

And thats the way things go these days unfortunately. He will either get the bug or he wont........I hate seeing anyone spend money on something just a hair over their ability level and then lose interest in the sport.

I see your point but will raise you one to borrow a poker phrase LOL Agreed on he will get the bug or not. My 10 year old granddaughter is quite proficient with an Equinox. She is really enthused to go detecting because she knows she has the same ability as I do of finding something because we are on a level playing field as far as machines/technology. Its a huge confidence booster.
I'm all on on the Equinox!
HH Jeff

 

[Mark kus]

I think you guys are missing the point here. The guy is brand new and needs and wants to learn. Would you give a beginning driver a Dodge Hellcat? A new shooter a 375 HH to learn marksmanship? Personally, I started with a Bounty Hunter Lone Star which I learned to drive with, stepped up to the Fisher F5 to learn how to shoot and now travel and hunt with the F75. I think if one starts with a bit of a handful to learn on then eventually they will put it down and walk away.
Just my two cents and yes the above examples are extreme .....

I kind of disagree we’re not talking fast cars lol A equinox 600 is not a hard machine to learn if anything he will have a better detector and experience detecting on land and water also and friends that have the same detector ,
I recommend the equinox to all my friends if they are seriously getting into detecting I have at least six friends that have bought equinoxes because of my help.
One bought a simplex which was miserable on saltwater here he immediately bought a equinox and I helped him out he found a silver half first week and then many more silvers and his first gold ring
Within a few months he’s hooked!
Mark

 

[CT Todd]

We are not missing to point at all. Its not like the Nox is hard for petes sake. A deus can be tough a CTX can be tough. If the this guy can't see the huge benefit of two friends already having the same machine then has he considered fishing or golf as new hobbys?

 

[Donut]

Why would you want someone to spend their hard earned money on a Detector and then wish they would have put that money toward a better unit and also have to learn all over again.
the crazy thing here is the Nox will work right out of the box without doing anything and it can be factory reset so quickly if they get lost.
I would not have had to buy one then have to do it all over again.
Doug

 

[jmaclen]

That's an excellent point.... I just talked to him this morning and he still undecided. He says he keeps leaning towards the Garrett brand because when he does a search on the internet for best metal detectors or good metal detectors the Garret models always pop up and the Minelab models rarely pop up. But he looked at what everybody wrote so far... but I think it will be the power of the Internet advertising that makes up his mind

A lot of the "Best Detectors" internet sites are out of date (before the Equinox, Vanquish and Simplex were introduced). My best advice to your friend is to ask him to completely ignore those sites. They are either biased, not even done by experienced detector users or as I said....out of date. The best information will be coming from forums like this. The Simplex, Apex, Vanquish and even the Equinox 600 are easy to set up for new users. The AT Pro was a ground breaking, historic mile stone in detecting history when it came out as an all terrain VLF eleven years ago. It is long overdue for an upgrade.

 

[fastdraw]

A lot of the "Best Detectors" internet sites are out of date (before the Equinox, Vanquish and Simplex were introduced). My best advice to your friend is to ask him to completely ignore those sites. They are either biased, not even done by experienced detector users or as I said....out of date. The best information will be coming from forums like this. The Simplex, Apex, Vanquish and even the Equinox 600 are easy to set up for new users. The AT Pro was a ground breaking, historic mile stone in detecting history when it came out as an all terrain VLF eleven years ago. It is long overdue for an upgrade.

In case your all still wondering... He just purchased the Garrett AT-Pro GOLD model. The advice that we gave him did not seem to sway him as much as the internet did.

 

[Ronstar]

I knew the Hellcat was going to get me in trouble, lol. I was trying to point out that some people have the interest and will keep with it. Others just wont put the time in and get frustrated making $1.00 an hour picking up trash. If they stick with it then the hobby can pay for itself within a couple years, if they dont then they money spent could be wasted (so to speak). Everybody learns at different speeds and ways. Of the 5-6 people I’ve helped get started only 3 have stayed with it and since have upgraded to better machines, me included.