IS THE GARRETT GTI 2500 REALLY THAT GOOD?

[louisianaman]

I just purchased my first Garrett detector and I would like to know how it will stack up to other detectors.
I have owned Bounty Hunter and found a bunch of stuff from the War of 1812. I then bought a Fisher CZ-5 and I thought that it was great but I wanted better. I checked the internet and did all the reviews and finally decided on the Garrett GTI 2500. I called Kellyco just for advice and they told me that Minelab was better and that they get the 2500's returned all the time. Garrett said differnetly! Is the minelab really that much better or is the Garrett 2500 a really smokin' machine and will it go really deep and does it do all the target Iding properly? Please let me know what you think.
Louisianaman

 

[Dick from IA]

Hey Lousianaman:

I'm not experienced at all with the upper level detectors, but I do have experience with both large detector super stores and the smaller, independent dealers, too.

My opinion, with no disrespect to the others, is consult a small to mid-sized independent dealer before making any decisions. They will be more likely to take true time for comparisans than the volume oriented dealers will.

Just my opinion...

 

[jeff@middlesex]

God I hope Garrett reads this, what a bunch of crap.

 

[TobyH]

Hello,
This is something my wife and I have been thinking about lately. I started out about 7 years ago with a GTAx1000. I was very happy with it and found a lot of stuff. After a while my wife started getting into it and we decided to go "big-time" and buy a couple of GTI2500s, since we liked the design and ease of use of the Garrett machines. We've had lots of fun and found lots with these machines, but looking back, it seems the vast majority of coins and jewelry we've found has been at 6" or less (mostly 2"-4"). In all, I've probably only ever dug maybe 2 or 3 coins that ID'd at "coin-sized" in the proper id range, that were more than 6" deep. Almost all items that read deeper than that, show as being a "large" object. This is at factory settings and also with tweaking every way I can think of. I have never seen my screen show me something coin sized at 10" or deeper. Never. We have hunted from all over Tennessee (used to live near Nashville), to all over South Australia, where we live now. Found quite a few Civil War bullets, but to date, have still never found a coin dated prior to 1900.
Anyway, since finding this forum and reading everyone else's stories/experiences, I've started to wonder if I shouldn't "upgrade" to an Explorer or something. (side note - If we DO end up buying a Minelab, we'll probably order it from KellyCo or try to find a nice used one on Ebay. Even though we live only a few miles from where they are made, we can get them cheaper in the US and have them shipped over.).
Don't get me wrong, I love the Garrett machines - we currently have 2 GTI2500s, a GTA 1000 Ultra, a GTAx1000, 2 Ace 250s, and an Infinium (which I like so far, but still learning it). We don't own any other brands and I wonder if this is nothing more than a case of "the grass is always greener...".
I reckon we just crave more, that's all.
My 2 cents worth (which I found yesterday along with a $2 coin and LOTS of trash!)
Toby
P.S. Is it just us, or does this sound familiar to anyone else? Anyone have any advice to help us improve the depth capabilities of the 2500? Thanks.

 

[ghzcss]

Hey there Louisianaman, I have had every major brand of machine made. I have been detecting since the early 80's. About 20 years now. I just sold my Minelab Quattro to go back to a Garrett machine. You have to have the patience of Job to use the Quattro too. It is a very SSLLOOWW recovery machine. You can expect to cover half the ground with the Minelab than the Garrett because of the slow sweep speed you have to use. Otherwise, the null of the trash signal. Will block any good signal close. I have went back over the same area in my own yard with the Ace after the Quattro. And found more in less time. In the same area as I had already been over with the Quattro. I got the GTI 1500. Same machine as the 2500 without a couple of bells and whistles. I have a Ace 250 That I have found a lot of coins at 6 inches and even a couple at 8. I will admit, the Quattro was deeper at the beach. But, in the highly mineralized soil of Western Kentucky. Garrett machines have the Minelab machines beat hands down. I presently own an Ace 250, GTI 1500 and Fisher CZ-3D. I always use the Garrett unless I am hunting a really old site. Then I break out the CZ-3D. From my experience. I would say. Stick with the Garrett. If you are not finding coins over 6 inches. They are probably just not there. Hope this helps, Mike

 

[John-Edmonton]

-Garrett has one of the best warranty's in the business
-Garrett is built right here in the USA
-Garrett turn around (repairs) time is measured in days and weeks
-Garrett machines will pick up US clad as well as silver, gold, copper coins
-Garrett 2500 Machines are built "TOUGH"
-Garrett 2500 Machines can be lightened by removing the battery packs
-Garrett 2500 Machines can tolerate a fast swing speed: more targets/hour
-Garrett 2500 Machines have faster reset time, which=more targets and faster swing speed
-Garrett 2500 has a wide variety of reasonably priced search coils available
-Garrett 2500 Machines readily use AA rechargeable batteries as well as alkalines or carbon based
-Garrett 2500 Machines can be manually ground balanced
-Garrett 2500 has a deep all metal mode
-Garrett 2500 has Coin Alert Belltone Audio
-Garrett 2500 has Discrimination: GTA Accept / Reject Notch
-Garrett 2500 has Pinpointing, with True Size and Depth Measurement
-Garrett 2500 has Salt Elimination Mode

And There's More! Just click on the link below!

http://www.garrett.com/hobby/products/gti2500data.htm

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[richg]

First thing that I want to say is that kelleyco probably wanted the bigger sale in the minelab as they are more expensive. Now I will give you a 3rd year detector opinion. I classify myself as very amateur. I have a GTI-1500, it was my first machine and I thought it was great. Great for coins and all but never got anything real deep, which didnt concern me because I was just learning. After a year and half of using the garrett, I went with the explorer 2 and I am very happy I did. The first thing that irritated me about the garrett was when I was at the beach and I watched a guy with an explorer pluck targets out every couple of feet. I talked to him about his machine and figured I would try a different coil. I went from the 9.5 to 12.5 to 10 x 14 dd still couldnt get his signals. That bugged me and then I thought well if its like that at the beach then its like that everywhere. I got the explorer 2 after much reading and all the reviews and I wish I had never got the garrett, especially for the price. For one and Explorer will hold its value, the garrett will lose much more value as soon as it is purchased, just look at the prices even in the classifieds what used explorers bring. Second, the machine is very difficult to learn but if you do your homework and read the proper books it will outperform any other detector on the market, I am a firm believer of that. I thought I had cleaned out several yards of finds, after my study and putting the machine to use I went in my own backyard that is loaded with iron and in 2 hours pulled out 7 wheat pennies, 2 buffalo nickels and several other trinkets. Next I go to another yard and pluck out 9 wheat pennies and my first barber dime and many other trinkets in only 1/4 of the yard covered. I still have not gotten back there yet. The next place was the ultimate swimming hole hit by everyone in the county including me and swore there was nothing left to find. I turned on the EX 2 and it started singing so I started digging, in a 10' by 10' area I plucked out 44 coins, 1 silver ring, 1 gold ring with small diamond, 6 copper rings, several silver chains. All of these are down at least 10" and I was using the 8" coil. That was last week and I cant wait to hit the whole place over again. I have been using the EX 2 for about 3 weeks now, and so far have not found it difficult but not easy either. As far as the missing targets and recovery time, I disagree. If you read the proper books and read the minelab classroom forum it isnt that difficult. I have pulled several coins and 2 of those rings from right next to a nail and had no problem picking them out, so I cant wait to see what happens when I really know how to use the machine. That is just my opinion and probably not worth a whole lot as I have not been doing this for years and years. Anyway if you have any other questions message me and I will help the best I can. Good Luck with whatever you choose.

 

[richg]

One thing I wanted to add is that I am not advertising minelab or saying garrett is junk I am just laying out hard facts on my use of both machines. 2500 a little different than the 1500. I could care less what machine anyone picks but for me the proof is right in front of me with the finds I have made so far. I also wanted to add that I tweaked settings on the garrett to zero discim, sensitivity, all that stuff it just didnt work. Good Luck Hunting and with the new machine!!

 

[Uncle Willy]

I have never had any depth problems with the Garretts. I've been field testing them for many years and have been detecting for 42 years and have used and owned about every detector out there. I have pulled up many 10-12 inch coins with the GTI's and several years ago, using the 2500, dug up three Barber coins buried under a tree root at 14 inches. Just because one doesn't find deep coins doesn't mean there are any deep ones there.

99% of all dropped coins are well within the reach of any good detector. In 42 years at this hobby I can count the really deep coins I have found on two hands. I have found coins from the 1700's at two inches and clad at ten inches in the same area. Go figure. If one isn't finding coins over six inches with a Garrett, then there aren't any there, you have some really nasty ground, or you haven't figured out how to use your machine. The 2500 in all metal will go as deep as anything out there. I hunt a lot of playgrounds and have found coins at ten inches with the little 250 in the bark chips.

Bill

 

[Uncle Willy]

Typical of Kellyco. They are buried in Minelabs and trying to unload them. Ask them how many truckloads of 250's they have sold and how many have been returned.

Bill

 

[zamora]

i belive that

 

[eric in ks]

I don't know if you should buy into all the minelab hype or beleive everything kellyco tells you. Like some of the other post said, just because it's old doesn't mean it's a foot deep. I think a lot of people just think depth and don't take into consideration target seperation,target id, and other factors that play in. Your detector will only be as good as what's between the headphones. Just my two cents, Eric

 

[BigCatDaddy]

You will dig less junk and more good targets with the 2500. Imaging will fade after 6", no doubt, but most of your coins will fall in that range anyways. put that bad boy in All Metal with manual ground balance and it will really get down there. I hope yours has the new Proformance coil as they are supposed to be much more stable. You might want to check. Get ready for a little arm fatigue at first as they are heavier than what you have been swinging. Good luck and keep us posted on your finds.

 

[John-Edmonton]

n/t

 

[John D.]

A Newbies' opinion,
I don't have a clue about the 2500 as I have only an ACE 250 and a
GTP 1350 and I have found things as small as a 3d nail at 6-8". i have found quarters as deep a 8".
Maybe it is the soil type you are looking in that limits your depth.

 

[jimmileo]

I've had my 2500 about a year and I like it a lot. Minelab is a good detector for a foreigner. I seldom dig any targets below 6" but as stated my 2500 seems to read an overload past about 6 to 8 inches no matter what the target size is. Oh it will pick up targets a foot deep, but your size feature doesn't seem accurate at that depth. I think it is as good as any detector in its price range. Jim

 

[berniekk]

Uncle Willy,you are 200% right, I have been over at Kellyco's and thats the first thing I notice when I took a tour in the stock and shipping room, after buying the Ace250 pro package.
And boy am I glad I did!!!
I have hunted with Fishers, Whites, Minelab,& Garrett's, and made a lot of good finds.
But it's like John says, MDing is suppose to be fun, and the Ace250 is the Fun Machine, and it holds it's own!! Oh Yea, I sold the Minelab. HH, Bernie

 

[Uncle Willy]

Yeah depending on soil condition the imaging peters out at a certain depth. It will overload a lot on targets it can't figure out. My 250 overloads on shallow dollar coins. Everytime it cuts loose with that sound I know there is a SAC dollar under the coil.

Bill

 

[Uncle Willy]

Yeah as I always say detecting is 90% operator and 10% machine.

Bill

 

[Uncle Willy]

Yeah ain't it great to finally have a machine that is just flat out fun to use and you don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure it out.

Bill