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Looking for a beginner level detector

J

Jeffge

New member
Hello,

I am looking for a beginner level detector for me and my 11 year old son to start off with.

I have looked at Whites Coinmaster/Coinmaster pro but I have seen other brands on the internet and am not sure which would be a good starting unit for us beginners. I don't want to start out with too expensive one as I am not sure my son will stick with it so I am looking for suggestions.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Jeff G
 
Tesoro Compadre would be my pick. Do a google search 'reviews for tesoro compadre '. It's one of the highest rated detectors on the market and the most affordable.

The icing on the cake is that it comes with a lifetime warranty and the best customer support on Planet Earth.

If you ever decide detecting is not your thing, you won't lose much money, because the Compadre has a high resale value and they don't stay on the market long.

Good Luck
tabman
 
The Whites you mention are good and the Tesoro Compadre or Garrett Ace 250 are both good first machines and not too expensive. The Compadre is a beep and dig detector (no display) but quite capable for the price. around $160. There's many of us who feel learning with a beep and dig detector is a better start than using displays as learning the subtle changes in tone is later useful on both types of detectors. All of these detectors are also good for backups or loaners as well.
BB
 
A Tesoro compadre for your son.Go for it.You and your son will have memory's that will out way anything found in the ground.Good luck to you both.:-D
 
Kids like a digital display on anything. You might consider the Fisher F2 instead. Close to the price of a Compadre. The Coinmaster will be a great choice though. If I was a kid...I'd like seeing a display AND hearing the PP tone. martin
 
A screen can cause a young kid to give up rarther than get more interested.Visual displays are innacurate and when a youngster sees "coin"on the display and then digs junk he/she will soon get frustrated.I think when you are young it is the excitement of not knowing what is under the coil that keeps you interested.It is best to explain to them that a signal does not always mean a good target and that they will dig rubbish as well as good items.I have experienced this scenario when I have taken my nephew detecting.At first I gave him a machine with a display and he was getting frustrated that he was digging stuff that was totally different to what was showing on the screen.......the screen would tell him that he had found something good but he had dug rubbish and this does tend to happen a lot when relying on a screen.I swapped his detector for a simple beep and dig detector and when he dug a signal and found it was rubbish it did not seem to bother him so much.....basically I believe this was because he was not expecting a good target.......he was digging with the knowledge it could be either a good or a rubbish target.He enjoyed this experience a lot more.....not knowing what he was going to dig up made it more fun for him and kept him going all day.
 
You can always turn the discrimination up high enough on the Compadre to eliminate most trash targets and just detect clad and silver coins. That in itself makes for a great beginner detector. Let's not forget how super light it is and with more experience the user can lower the discrimination and have one of the best coin/jewelry detectors made. The Compadre is not just a beginner's detector, it works great for the experienced user as well. Don't waste your money on just a 'beginner' detector that you will sell or trade when you decide that you're not a beginner anymore. You won't out grow the Compadre. It's a keeper.

tabman
 
Like most have suggested the compadre is a superb detector.Most people overlook it because it looks too simple with only one control knob.It is a very simple detector to use but it will outperform many of the so called beginners machines and in certain situations it will perform better than machines costing many times more.Don't be persuaded by glossy adverts that tell you that you need displays,depth meters and programs to be successful at metal detecting......you don't.What you need is a detector that is simple to use if you are a beginner,one that you can use for extended periods without getting tired and one that has sufficient performance to keep you interested.....the compadre excels in all these areas and has the added bonus of a great price tag......cracking little machine that will gain cult status.
 
I say also the COMPADRE. I am 60+ yearsold and still use BEEP BEEP detectors. You can not beat the COMPADRE. You can also join the CHURCH OF THE COMPADRE. That is a great thread to reed. Have fun....KEN
 
the nehgbor kids where really thrilled with the display i had on the gold bug , I agree they may like the F-2 better
 
IMHO the Garrett Ace 250 would be a fun starter. I bought one for when I take a beginner out with me to use. Good luck and HH. Matt
 
The CoinMaster GT is an excellent machine for the money
and so is the F2, BUT The Ace 250 is the best deal around
at the moment and has been since it first came out, in my
opinion. It's well made, had decent depth with the standard
6x9 coild and is easy to pinpoint off the tip of the coil. I took
mine out this morning and dug both dimes, pennies and
quarters anywhere anywhere from 4inches to 8 inches using the
6x9 coil. In the 7 years I have had mine I have never had a
problem. For $212.00 you can't go wrong. Garrett Customer
service is about the best around, as is Whites. The GT Coin
Master as a back light and has auto tracking. The Ace 250
does not. The Ace operates at 6.5 kHz; the CoinMaster GT
operates at 8.12. The auto ground tracking will help you
in mineralized soil and like the Ace 250 and Ace 350 can
find moderately size gold nuggets, although if you want to
do serious prospecting you will want to get the AT Gold.

It is a good detector to start your boy out with. I have also
heard good things though about the Compadre detector. Kids
are great and detecting is a nice way to bond. I think of them
as Precious and Simi-precious stones...then there are some
who are not so much. Hahahahaha.


Good luck in your decision. Personally I think he will
like the Ace 250 or the Ace 350. The photo below if of
todays hunt. I dug some targets at 8 inches.

Robert2300 :)-)
 
I am new to this also. I did lots of research and I started with the pioneer 202. I paid a little over 200 for detector and pin pointer and a few other goodies. Only got to hunt two days before snow hit. I found 3 Pennines from the 1940s and 1 1927 Nickle. Plus about 10 dollars in clad. So I am very satisfied with this set up.
 
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