New Member to the forums.....Looking for advice on a good detector

[Dig]

Hi all! Names Dig, Im new to the forums and new to Detecting. Thanks so much for having a great forum like this. It's been really helpful to learn from everyones experiences on here. I am hopeful that some of you beach hunters out there will be able to help me choose a metal detector to hunt with. I have looked at whites and minelab, but I am getting lots of different talk. Some people are saying the Minelab excal is the best thing since sliced wonderbread and some would rather use a PI machine. All in all it can be a little overwhelming to try and make one choice. I will be hunting the West coast of Fl, ill be in the water and out of it (on the beach and in a few backyards here and there). I look forward to hearing your advice. Thanks again!

 

[Boston Bob]

n/t

 

[Bobbie]

Minelab and Whites are excellent machines.......you make the choice. PI you will dig every piece of scrap metal, bobby pin, fish hook, etc out there on the beach. Discriminating machine like the Excal will null out the unwanted iron based pieces of metal. The machine will only be as good as you are.......and that takes lots of time and practice to learn the sounds and how the machine reacts. Oh yeah..........and get a good scoop too.

 

[PaPa-Joe-Fla.]

Welcome Digs, I agree with Bobbie on the amount you want to spend will help you decide. Make sure you get a good heavy duty scoop. I have an Excalibur 1000 I use it on all the west and east coast beaches of Fl. and it has never let me down. Where in west Fl. do you live? I am North of Tampa Hope to run into you some day on the beach. HH

 

[Dig]

Hey Guys! Thanks for the advice. I am prepared to spend right around $1000.00. Pappa Joe im just below you in the Anna Maria island area. Do you guys also have any coil advice? Thanks again!

 

[bearkat4160]

n/t

 

[Gulf Hunter]

Welcome aboard Dig. You may be hard pressed to purchase a new Excal for $1000, but you may be able to find a closet model, let me explain.......That is the guy who sees on the news that precious metals prices have skyrocketed and decides that he is going to strike it rich detecting, I mean, how hard could it possibly be right? This will be easy money, NOT! The guy goes to the beach swinging the coil, like a golf club and gets a few pull-tabs, bottle caps and some change, if he's lucky. He goes a couple of times and has the same result and the unit goes into the closet. When his wife is cleaning up, she says, "honey why don't you sell this thing since you don't use it anymore" and there you are..........A DEAL! Maybe you could find one that did not even have the warranty card filled out and you could get warranty! If you could only have one submersible, then buy the Excal II 1000. If you decide to buy new, call Joe at Demarco Detector Sales (Findmall sponsor) and he will take care of you and you actually can expect dealer support after the sale. Seems like an unecessary thing to have dealer support, right? Well, you are going to be water hunting now and things have changed. Since '04, I have broken every submersible that I have ever used and lemme tell ya, you need dealer support and warranty! Ask Joe about the Lightning Rod straight shaft too. Just my take and best of luck to ya mate!

 

[Chi Town Bruce]

It seems you already heeded some good advice and here's more. Seek out a MD Club, join, listen and learn! There is no rush, how long have you been near
that beach??? It will be there when your ready.
Now..........lets talk about that Purse

http://www.losttreasure.com/clubs/clubs.cfm?State=FL

http://www.kellycodetectors.com/clubs/florida.htm

 

[PaPa-Joe-Fla.]

Dig, have they torn out the old Buccaneer Inn and Marina at long boat key area. I stayed there on my boat back a few years ago some really nice beaches down there and some high dollar homes also. I have the stock coil on my Excal. 1000 it will find loot as deep as you will want to dig. I mostly hunt in the water fresh and saltwater. Good luck . I will be down your way at the end of April for three days. HH

 

[Dig]

Naw the Bucaneer is still there! It's been turned into nuclear condos though (shudder). I grew up running around that place. My pops was a close friend of the old owner....I caught my first fish there...lol. I've been running around the area here my whole life frankly and my family goes back on Anna Maria for 4 generations. I love the history of the islands and I have a family photo albumn that dates back to the late 1800's that shows some kool places that have been kind of lost to the beaches and to history (hence my growing interest in metal detecting). I also have access to a boat and am interested in hitting some of the "party sandbars" where people pull up on the weekends and get drunk and frolic. During the week no one is there and they never get hunted.....

 

[Chi Town Bruce]

n/t

 

[Bobbie]

We are moving to Sarasota this summer...........See you guys down there!

 

[jim/wpb]

In the environment you want to hunt.

 

[Dig]

Thanks Guys!!!!