GTI 2500 Thoughts

[SYL]

Does anyone here currently use a GTI 2500? Or if you have used one in the past, what are your thoughts/opinions on it? What you liked, what you didn't and anything you might want to add.

I guess what I'm really wondering is how it holds up against the more recent computer/programmable ID machines out there (for the price on a new one) and how it has survived for so many years as a top of the line model? Seems like most Garrett users are ATP or ACE fans and not there is not much feedback on the GTI. The imaging feature seems to be exclusive and there is plenty of extra coils. What kind of punch can you get out of one of these?

 

[dan h]

I had the GTI 1500 years ago and miss the imaging feature. It only works with the 9" and 12" coils if I remember correctly - that is, the imaging aspect. It can use other coils as well. Hard to say if it is worthwhile to forgo modern detectors' features to get imaging. Maybe some current users of the 2500 or 1500 can chime in.

 

[DFXDon]

I like the image function its tells what you found before you dig it I wish they had more coils with the three coils then just the two the 12.5 and the 9.5 the othe coils that work don't have the image function
Don

 

[Gamma_Joe]

Hi STL,

Here are some GTI2500 thoughts ... hoping they are helpful.

I've had these other detectors: Fisher CZ-7a Pro, Fisher CZ-70, Garrett AT3 BeachHunter, Garrett GTP1350, and Teknetics Gamma 6000. No complaints.

I sold all of those. For the past four years I've had the GTI2500, plus the Teknetics Omega 8000.

The Teknetics Omega is very sensitive, stable, "pretty accurate", and a pleasure to swing. It lacks one thing: the Target Imaging.

(So does the Garrett AT line. Too bad.)

I said that the Omega is "pretty accurate". It is accurate for coin-size targets. But you don't know it until you dig. If it's larger and deeper, like can slaw or copper trash, it can get fooled. Larger junk at 8 inches can show as a coin at 3 inches. No choice -- got to dig the hole to find out.

The GTI2500 has the Target Imaging. It shows the depth AND size of the target. If it's something bigger than a coin at 8 inches, you know it. Dig if you want to -- or move on, and cover more ground.

Maybe that large item is a silver watch or medal. Sure. Or maybe just trash. The point is -- with the GTI you know in advance. You're digging for a large item a 8 inches down. Not a coin at 3 inches.

Also, the GTI has Surface Elimination. If you're searching for the deeper targets, set the Surface Elimination for (say) 2 or 4 inches -- whatever you like. The GTI will ignore the shallow stuff. You can always come back later for the shallow stuff, if you like. The point is, the choice is yours.

The GTI is good. But it's heavy, and it as no numeric Visual ID display, just the old-fashioned on-off segments like the other detectors had 20 years ago.

Frank words here. The current Garrett ATs have plenty of competition from other manufacturers, all with about the same features for the same prices. But an AT with Imaging would top all of them.

Cheers,

Joe

 

[John-Edmonton]

No other machine has the imaging feature out there. I like it, and wish Garrett would incorporate it into other machines. That said, the depth in true all metal mode is very deep, and still gives you a VDI probable target. It is programmable to search your individual hunting style, and comes with several preset modes. It is a bit heavier then current models out there, but is nicely balanced to compensate for that. You need to swing the coil a little slower when hunting, as it resets a bit slower compared to other newer detectors.

It is a coin/jewelry hunter's dream, due to the imaging feature. Once learned properly, it allows you to only dig coin sized targets, leaving larger targets in the ground. Saves a lot of time!

Here's a link with a depth comparison https://www.findmall.com/read.php?32,1800396,1800697#msg-1800697

 

[SYL]

Thanks guys for your opinions, info and time on the GTI 2500. I like what I read about it and definitely want to try one, hopefully this year. It certainly does seem to have some features all of its own, and I like the design of it even though it could be considered heavy by today's standards. Looks nice and sturdy.

 

[Gamma_Joe]

Hey SYL,

I apologize for making such a long message (above). I tried to cover the GTI2500 as much as possible.

Here it is, more briefly.

It's older technology, but it's a powerful detector.

Humble opinion. No detector is complete unless it has Target Imaging. Also the Surface Elimination is a plus. The GTI2500 is the only one that has them.

I'm being open and frank here. After owning my other detectors over the last 20 years -- listed in the original message -- my GTI2500 is the best. I've been in the field for coins and relics with guys using Garrett ATs and Minelabs. If I didn't have a GTI2500 to rely on, I would put my Teknetics Omega 6000 V6 up against anything in the field, including the Garrett AT line.

I'm not Garrett's poodle. Let's go beyond advertising. Garrett's AT "Max" is not a "maximum" detector. It lacks two essential features. Garrett needs to bring out an AT-level detector with Target Imaging and Surface Elimination, while keeping with the AT's numeric readout and lighter weight.

Meanwhile -- the GTI2500 may be a dinosaur, but dinosaurs are powerful animals.

Cheers,

Joe

 

[SYL]

Joe, don't apologize, that was the kind of feedback I was looking for!

Before I made my post I did some delving around about the 2500 on this forum and others, and it seemed like not many people were using it and they were just wondering why it was still around after so many years (including myself).. Now I can kind of speculate that the Target Imaging and Surface Elimination features have a lot to do with its availability. Which in turn would probably explain why those functions aren't available on the AT's. Call it Marketing, I guess. A way to sell someone another Garrett or attract a new buyer with something not available anywhere else. Not that they all don't do that...lol

Personally, I like the older detectors. Simplicity means a lot too. I have been using my main land machine for almost 15 years. It offers a numeric readout, however the ID numbers don't stretch all the way up to the 90's like they do now. Its just too wide a swath of numbers for me. Or maybe I'm just stubborn. I have some experience with the ACE and I really ended up taking to the way it ID's, so I don't mind that at all with the 2500 since it is pretty much the same.

As far as its power to get down there, how do you like to run your 2500 and what kind of depth results do you get, depending on what you are hunting for and where?

Thanks again,
SYL

 

[Gamma_Joe]

Hi SYL,

In an earlier post (March 01, 2019), John-Edmonton did an excellent depth test for the GTI2500. He compared it to some other Garrett detectors.

You'll find his message among the others above. I found it very helpful.

Cheers,

Joe

 

[ChuckVT]

As others have already said, the imaging is a great feature. I have owned a GTI2500 and GTI1500 and they are great machines. I am 66 and the 2500 was getting a little heavy, so I let that go but still have the 1500. I also currently run a Minelab Equinox 600, Teknetics Liberator, Troy X5, and Tesoro Mojave. I have particular uses for each one. Why do I have the GTI1500? Because in average to mild soil it goes plenty deep enough, and the imaging is just so much fun! I have arthritis, and on days when it is really kicking my butt, I can go out and dig only button and coin size targets and save a lot of wear and tear on my back. So, it definitely has a place in my arsenal after all these years. The surface elimination is also a nice feature, and it also salt elimination which can help on a salt beach that does not have black sand. It is not my first choice for wet sand, as that would be the Equinox, but you can use it!

 

[Tahts-a-dats-ago]

I was seriously lusting the GTI 2500 about the time that Minelab came out with the Etrac. I went to a local dealer and the owner told me to forget the GTI 2500 – it was “old, antiquated, and couldn’t keep up with the modern machines”.

I ended up following the dealer’s advice and purchased the Etrac – and then a CTX 3030 when it came out – because the “GTI is old technology and incapable of keeping up with the new machines.”

I sold both of the Minelabs and went to a Whites V3i (which I love and still have/use). Of course I was warned that the V3i was old technology, but I ignored that “advice” and purchased my machine from a sponsoring dealer (who didn’t try to steer me away from what I wanted).

That led me to buying more Whites equipment (which I love and still have/use). When the Makro Multi Kruzer came out I bought one (love it and still have/use it).

Last week I blindly stumbled into a fantastic deal and ended up bringing home a lightly used GTI 2500 home with me. I have maybe 5 hours of use with it.

My thoughts (on the GTI 2500) thus far:

Build quality is excellent; it is a very solidly built machine.

I much prefer it to both Minelab machines that I owned. The GTI 2500 is a bit on the heavy side of things, but the balance is quite good (9.5 inch coil). I do notice the machine’s weight after a couple of hours swinging it, but it doesn’t not seem like weight will be an issue for me.

The GTI is a remarkably easy machine to operate. I was using it (discriminate coins program) in less than a minute, once I got to my hunting spot.

I’m not sure how deep the machine is when in discriminate mode, but it is more than deep enough for coin hunting in my typical locations. I did dig a quarter (1965) that was roughly 6 inches deep, but most of the dug coins were in the 3-4 inch range.

The Imaging feature is quite accurate. I dug more trash than I really had to – simply because I was testing that feature to see how accurate is really is. If Imaging said the target was larger than a coin – it was. Twice the Imaging feature was fooled – giving a coin size/tone and the target was trash. Both times the trash was the size of a coin, but not a coin.

I hunted in the all metal mode as well. That mode seems to be (as expected) quite a bit deeper. I really like the fact that the bell tone is engaged in the all metal mode – that really grabs my attention while hunting. Unfortunately I can’t really say how deep this mode is – as I didn’t find any good targets (all metal mode) in the short time I’ve used the machine. I did dig some trash though – including some can slaw that was close to 12 inches down. The Imaging feature works with all metal mode too – a fantastic thing in my book.

I love being able to switch between hunting modes with the press of a button. It’s instantaneous and a great way to glean more information about a potential target.

I’m not sure how well the GTI unmasks good targets in a bed of trash. I did find coins in a trashy area, but it seems like the GTI isn’t as good (at separating) as the other machines I own. Some of that is due to the larger coil on the GTI (I don’t have a small coil, yet).

For me the GTI 2500 is a keeper. I think it will excel for those times when I’m just wanting to cherry-pick coins, and it’s so simple to use that I can loan it out when others (who don’t own their own machine) want to come along.

I’ve still got a lot to learn about the machine, but my short time with it proves (to me) that the old technology still gets the job done, and it does a few things that the new machines don’t.