Need Opinion: Fisher F75 or Minelab Explorer

[go-rebels]

I'm going to try to get back in the hobby after a 10yr hiatus. My last detector was a heavy Minelab Sovereign, and that about killed me!

One half of my detecting will be at the beach; another 1/2 will be coin hunting in parks and old home sites.

I live in the upstate of South Carolina where the ground is extremely tough to dig due to clay. If I can't find a target inside of 6", I'm done.

I need a good, simple discriminator to cull the junk from my trashy sites. In fact, if I can select just copper and silver, giving up nickel and gold, that would be fine for me (non-beach, of course).

I'd prefer to buy a nice used unit too.

Opinion? Thanks in advance!

 

[marcomo]

Both detectors seem to be very well regarded.

I follow the Fisher forum and I know some dirt fishers are doing amazingly well with the F75.

Unless you're getting a really good price, I'd think twice before buying a used Fisher.

Although Fisher seems to have seriously improved on the quality control issues that plagued them when First Texas first took over, I'd still want to have that 5 year warranty.

Fisher's 5 year warranty is only for the original purchaser.

Unlike Tesoro, they don't bend on the original purchaser only requirement for warranty work.

 

[John 'n' W.Va]

I have an F-70. Easy to use, light, fast and cost less than the others. You don't need a heavy detector to do a good job.

 

[Elton]

n/t

 

[Ron from Michigan]

GoRebels,Elton makes a good point these units are very different.I used a Sovereign GT and a XS with a straight shaft rod asm for a couple of seasons and found it to be better balanced than the Explorer.The Explorer is a great unit and you may want to give one a try.To spend less money.I would consider a used XS Explorer,which these units are selling for a decent price.The fix fit the XS Explorer with a six inch coil.This may make the weight and balance bearable.The ergonomics are better on the Fisher.They both are great metal detectors.

 

[go-rebels]

Thanks All,

Could someone please post a link comparing the differences between the XS and SE Pro? I've googled the topic but so far have come up short.

Or maybe just a short comment between the two...

 

[Cal_Cobra]

The Minelab will outperform the Fisher on wet salt beaches any day of the week (multi-freq vs single freq is no match at the beach).

You stated the weight of the Sovereign was a problem (I have one, don't really find it all that heavy if you rebalance it a bit), but the Explorer is going to be just as heavy, if not more heavy then the Sovereign.

Personally I'd buy a Fisher F70 and pick up a second hand Mindlab Explorer with the new Pro-Coil. You'll have the best of both worlds, with a backup machine. Great salt water beach hunter, and a great turf hunter that's ultra light weight.

HH,
Brian