GTI2000s

[Schlepprock]

I'm looking for anyone with the same detector. I got my detector back from Garrett today and the only thing different is the thickness of my wallet. A tech. told me I should be able to detect a penny at 8'' and get a signal from two directions. A hundred and twenty dollars later and I still can't get signals from two directions on any coins deeper than 3 or 4 inches.
I wander how others with the 2000 are doing with theirs and what kind of signals they dig. Also I find that deeper than 4 in. the target cursor gets erratic and I have no idea what I've found. After almost a month in the shop there is absolutely no difference.
Isn't there any metal detectors out there that detect as good as they're supposed to.
I have a BH Quick Draw II that only goes 4 in. when it's advertised as going 10 in.
It is very accurate if only it had any depth. I am curious what kind of air test results any other 2000 or 2500 owners get.
Thanks in advance for any help I may receive.
Schlepp.

 

[Uncle Willy]

What part of the country do you live in and what kind of soil do you have in your area? How do other detectors perform there? Detectors do not perform the same everywhere. The company claims for depth are for normal soil. If you have highly mineralized soil 4-5 inches may be tops for you unless you switch to a DD coil. Have you hunted in all metal, and if so how did your detector perform. Also, did you request that they install the new chip available for all the GTI's and the GTP that eraddicates the mineralization problem?

Contact Mary Penson at Garrett - maryp@garrett.com - and explain your problem to her and ask about the new chip. Tell her Bill from the Garrett forum suggested you contact her.

Bill

 

[Uncle Willy]

I forgot to ask - have you air tested your detector and what kind of results did you get? Check it in all modes other than all metal with the sensitivity cranked all the way. If air tests only get the depths you reported then your machine is faulty. How long have you had the 2000 and have you ever had the coil replaced? When they first came out they had a lot of coil problems.

Bill

 

[Schlepprock]

Bill,
I've had the 2000 about two months. I bought it from an electronic store on Ebay. I've talked to Mary and several other Techs. and when it was in the shop they replaced the chips you mentioned plus they replaced the coil as well, unfortunately I noticed no changes. As for the all metal mode I notice that it makes noise almost constantly and I need a lot more practice in that mode. I'm located in central IL. and although I thought farm soil wouldn't create any problems a Garrett Tech I talked to this morning informed me it may be a ground mineralization problem and recommended a Scorcher DD coil. What's aggravating is that before I bought this detector one tech. told me I could use any coil the 2500 uses except the Treasure Hound another told me while in the shop that without upgrading to the 2500 I could only use the coil that came with it, and now they are telling me to use the Scorcher DD. I don't know what to believe, but I thought that beings this MD. was Garrett's top line detector 7 or 8 years ago it would do better than this.
All I want is a detector that goes deep but I'm finding that no detector seems to be as good as advertised. This high dollar Garrett don't seem to be much better than my two hundred dollar Bounty Hunter.
I don't mind spending more money but I'm tired of not getting any good results. Maybe it is the soil but I have friends with a Minelab Explorer and a White's XLT that find coins easily as deep as 10 in.
Sorry for rattling on, thanks for the info but I think it's time for a real detector.

 

[Uncle Willy]

Like I said you may need a DD coil. What kinds of coils do the White and Explorer use? If you master the All Metal you may solve your problem. What part of Illinois are you in? I was yanked up back there and lived quite awhile in the Alton and WoodRiver area, also Jacksonville. Jerseyville, Whitehall, Rhoodhouse, and a few other burgs.

I can't understand why your 2000 won't work back there. I was back there in 1990 and done some detecting in farm country and had no problem. When you use All Metal do you use Fast Track or do you use manual GB? When using Fast Track press and hold the All Metal/Fast Track pad and bounce the coil up and down from two to eight inches above the ground and when there is hardly any response from the ground release the pad and start hunting. THe detector will automatically maintain proper balance from then on. In all metal you can hunt with the 2000 anywhere in the world.

From all that's been done to your detector I'd say it's something you're doing or not doing that is creating the problem. Are you new to detecting or do you have considerable experience? The 2000 or 2500 have quite a learning curve and they can't be just picked up and start finding goodies. It takes a good many hours of practice in the field to master this machine.

I'd like to help you but need to know your experience and what you are doing or not doing and how you are setting your machine up. THe Explorer and XLT have an even higher learning curve than the 2000 so you may not benefit yourself by switching to one of those. I've been doing this for 44 years and have used every machine out there. So tell me something and I'll see if I can help you out. You have one of the best machines out there.

Bill

 

[Schlepprock]

Bill,
You hit the nail on the head. I live in East Alton and although I've been detecting off and on since 1979 I've been too busy the last 10 years. As for the learning curve I'm sure thats part of the problem, but the fact is if the 2000 would just give better signals I'm sure I'd find more coins. I've found a few silver coins, but even though they were 5 and 6 inches down I only received signals from one direction. When I found them the target cursor was erratic and didn't know what they were and the only reason I dug them was I heard the bell tone several times while scanning.
When trying the all- metal mode I use the fast track and when I try bouncing the coil up and down I don't here any difference. I don't think the soil is a problem either it was Garrett that said the farm soil around here is highly mineralized. I've hunted with the 2000 going on 40 hrs. but maybe It will get better. But I don't think so.
a Garrett Tech talked as if the 2000 wasn't that good of a detector compared to the 2500 and maybe thats why I found out they only made it for 2 years. The store I bought it from told me it was the same as the 2500 except it didn't have the light. Garrett Techs phoned me three times to try and convince me to upgrade to the 2500 and really put the 2000 down when I wouldn't upgrade. I'd like to think they fixed it correctly but I found no difference when I got it back and they left me with a bad taste in my mouth with there contradicting information.
Thanks Schlepp

 

[Uncle Willy]

Yeah I lived at 108 Whitelaw Ave in East Alton way back. Also lived in Rosewood Heights for a spell. Went to school in Woodriver I've got old school buddies that own businesses back there. Course they're probably all retired and their kids are running things now.

The 2500 is just a tweaked version of the 2500 and many 2000 owners have had great success. The soil back there is old river soil and sediment and shouldn't be to mineralized. If you get one-way signals use the twitching method ( center the coil over the target and whip it rapidly back and forth a couple of inches each way ) and if it's a good target you will get a good signal.

Did they install the new PROformance coil or just a new Scorcher? It really throws me why that puppy won't work. I don't understand the techs putting the 2000 down. It is after all - a Garrett and has buttered their bread at one point in time. Do you have bark chip playgrounds back there? That is the best place to practice and learn one's machine. Did I ask if you ran an air test and if so what were the results.

Bill

 

[Schlepprock]

Bill,
Whenever I get a target over 4 in. deep the only way I can center it is to pinpoint it because I'm only getting signals from one direction and when I do it normally pegs the strength scale, but all the same It only signals from one direction and the target cursor bounces around.
The only targets I dig deeper than 4 in. I dig because I hear the bell tone. This detector may go deeper than I think but if it does it on gets signals from one direction only.
When Garrett told me I needed a new coil the Tech told me I could only use the same exact kind of coil I already had. (the white one) The coil already on there looked brand new but all the same they told me it was bad, but didn't elaborate what was wrong with it.
The results of the air tests in coin disc. are as follows.

silver quarter 6.5 in.
clad quarter 8 in.
silver dime 5.75 in.
nickel 6.25 in.
copper penny 6.25 in.
silver Morgan dollar 9 in.

I've always thought it's not supposed to go as deep in the ground as it does in the air but I seen on a web site recently that Mine Labs (if you can believe it) are just the opposite. Two different Techs at Garrett told me two different things.
What detector do you have by the way?

Thanks, Schlepp

 

[scars]

I hunt with bell tone on, sens at 9.5 or 10 and in the relic mode. I have used this detector while hunting with other's using different brands and left with plenty of 8" silver and they with none. The only 3 cent silver coin I found was with the 2000 and that was at 7" to 8" deep. I had a problem with the 2000 once mid way thru a hunt and packed up early to go home and thats with two other top of the line detectors in the back of my truck.

 

[Uncle Willy]

I have six Garretts -250/550/1350/1500/2500/infimium, one X5, one Bounty Hunter Prospector, one Tesoro Compadre. I have been one of Garrett's official field testers for well over a decade. I was field test editor for Gold & Treasure Hunting magazine before it went out of business. I have played with the 2000 and just don't understand the problems you are having. It sounds to me like the coil is still faulty.

Try air testing it in Zero mode with the sensitivity to the max. Those depths you show are a little shy of what they should be. Also how do coins respond in an air test? Do you get a two-way signal and a belltone? If you only get a one-way signal during an air test Garrett owes you another coil.

Bill

 

[Uncle Willy]

Sounds like yours is working as it should. Most of the 2000 owners I come in contact with are quite happy with their machines.

Bill