Looking to buy used - Best CZ Model?

[Crabman]

Hi folks. I am a newbie to this forum. I love the fisher detectors. Have had a 1280X for some time. But started hunting beaches, and realize that the 1280X is just not the best machine for our mineralized beaches especially in the shallow surf, and that's where I want to hunt!

I know I want a CZ, just not sure which one. I plan on doing quite a bit of hunting at beaches, in the shallow surf as well. The beaches that we have out here (southern california) are highly mineralized, lots of black sand. I also plan to do quite a bit of normal soil searching too.

I've done a bit of research and found the reports of "tuning variability" in some of the newer models. I am just looking for something that will go as deep as you would expect a CZ to go. I'm not too worried about ID accuracy, as I tend to dig almost everything. My price range is variable, but I don't really want to go with a new model (new price rather) unless I can be guaranteed that it is properly tuned.

Any advice? Is there consensus on which is the "Best CZ"? Anyone out there have a used CZ for sale? One they can guarantee is "well tuned"??

Thanks all, I do appreciate it.

 

[Cache Man]

I have a CZ-70 that I love BUT if your wanting a detector for the you need a minicab sovereign elite or gut for dry sand and shallow water usage I have a elite myself, the sovereigns ground balance themselves best dry sand and shallow water detector around. HH

 

[Crabman]

Well I am really looking for a good "all-around" detector, but I know for optimal performance at specific areas, your detectors need to be specialized. You are not the first person to recommend the sovereign to me. Although, wouldn't the Excal II be the best choice in the Minelab line for the surf?

 

[Crabman]

Sorry, I just wanted to add. I do appreciate the tips and advice. But I would like to keep this thread on topic, and that topic is - best CZ model. I apologize if this has been debated before, I am sure that it has!

 

[therover]

"I also plan to do quite a bit of normal soil searching too" I suggest looking for a used CZ6a, 70 or 3D. The Excal would not be a good first choice if you want to take it land hunting.

The 3D is the newest one, but it's not splash proof, but you can fix that with a hip mount bag that covers the machine. Just make sure you tape up the speaker grill since that is one part of the unit subject to salt air and water.

I use my 6a's on the NJ beaches almost 100% of the time, in the wet sand and suds. Best beach set up for me since I can swap out any of the 4 coils I have for it for the particular situations I am hunting...and its a killer land unit too.

JC

 

[Crabman]

Hey JC. I actually have my eye on a used 6a right now, but the asking price is too much for me. Am wondering though, what are the 4 coils that you have? Fisher 5, 8, 10.5 inch I assume and something else?

 

[therover]

What is asking price for the 6a you are looking at ? Not sure what you are willing to pay, but $350-$400 with the stock coil should be in the ball park. The used 3D's are more.

JC

 

[Crabman]

What is asking price for the 6a you are looking at ? Not sure what you are willing to pay, but $350-$400 with the stock coil should be in the ball park. The used 3D's are more.

JC

There is one on the internet for a little over $500, no extras either. Too much if you ask me! Yep, my price range maxes out around $350 and I figure if I keep looking I should be able to find one.

I have heard that the Sunray FZ12 is very hard to find these days? Wondering, in what conditions would you choose the FZ12 over the Fisher 10.5?

 

[therover]

But don't under estimate the 10.5 on the beach or farm fields. Does a great job.

If you get a used CZ and the stock coil, you can use that anywhere. When you get into the market for an extra coil, first and foremost decide what type of hunting will it be used for. If you plan on hunting beaches, fields, large areas then obviously the choice would be the 10.5. If you will be doing more trashy park and tot lots, then the 5 inch coil is the choice.

Keep looking for one....I am sure one will turn up.

 

[Crabman]

I actually just found a low-use 6A with some extras on Craigslist. Guy only want $300 for it, but doesn't want to ship it. I'm going to see if I can talk him into it by offering a little extra. I don't know why, but there is this little voice in the back of my head telling me that I really want a CZ.

 

[Dan-Pa.]

But for hunting saltwater beaches would prefer one of the older weather resistant ones.. Excalibur or CZ20-21 if you are going in the water, if not one of the Sov's does well on the beach intself along with of course a land CZ and many prefer either.

 

[Crabman]

I sealed the deal on the 6A! Came to $350 with shipping. Guy is throwing in a bunch of extras too, headphones, case, probe, etc. Feels like a real good deal. I hope it's "hot" like so many I have read about. Now just time to wait. I have a copy of the manual to chew on until the unit arrives.

 

[Crabman]

"I also plan to do quite a bit of normal soil searching too" I suggest looking for a used CZ6a, 70 or 3D. The Excal would not be a good first choice if you want to take it land hunting.

therover - Just wondering why you would not recommned the Excal for inland hunting too? It's a VLF and has discrimination, so it ought to compare to the CZs when used in-land? Or am I wrong about that?

 

[therover]

What I am saying is, if I had an Excal and a CZ, I would most definitely use the CZ on land before the Excal. You can use the Excal on land, and I know a hunter who only has an Excal ( the OLD one with the horshoe coil) that hunts land with it and does very well. But...that is her only machine. I think her machine finally died and she got a newer Excal. She finds lots of good stuf...diamond and emerald ring, a gold coin, etc.

So, you can without quesiton hunt with an Excal on land, but if you have a land unit like a CZ, Explorer, etc. in addition to the Excal, I would think you would use that.

I think the original post was asking between an Excal and CZ6a, and it was stated that a lot of land hunting would be done. In that instance, if NO underwater hunting or hunting where the unit needs to be underwater or exposed continuosly to water, I would opt for a 6a because you can have more than one coil option using the factory configuration ( meaning, and Excal that was not modded to accept different coils).

Also, the 6a has visual ID as well as tone ID along with depth reading and VCO pin point. There could be times when land hunting that the person is hunting a nice lawn or park and wants to pin point dead on. The CZ, especially with the stock or 5 inch coil, does this very well. You won't dig as big a hole and can get the approximate depth fairly accurately.

JC

 

[Dan-Pa.]

First made in late 92 or early 93 and was a world beater until the digital CZ came upon the scene and feel it was discontinued and the CZ5 kept as the analog as CZ5 had a outside speaker which many never use and of course the weather resistant feature of the CZ6A cost more to produce the unit..Probably the reason the CZ3D is not weather resistant also as costs have to be passed onto the consumer for a company to make a profit. Good luck with your new(old) unit..

 

[Cal_Cobra]

"I also plan to do quite a bit of normal soil searching too" I suggest looking for a used CZ6a, 70 or 3D. The Excal would not be a good first choice if you want to take it land hunting.

therover - Just wondering why you would not recommned the Excal for inland hunting too? It's a VLF and has discrimination, so it ought to compare to the CZs when used in-land? Or am I wrong about that?

The Excal (which is simply a waterproof Sovereign) is not da VLF, it's a multifrequency machine (17 frequencies to be exact, 1.5 - 25.5 kHz). I know people have used it to turf hunt, but it's not metered, so you're strictly going by sound. The CZ has a meter, so you have additional info to help with the dig/no-dig decision.

I would suggest the CZ70, it's spash proof/weather resistant, can be hip or chest mounted, four tone digital CZ, and makes a great water hunter IMHO.