New to Metal Detecting, bought Cibola, any suggestions?

[DanielEtvs]

Hey all, just created this account. I recently moved to NH and noticed that virtually this entire state seems to be nothing but hiking trails and forests, etc, I used to be a very amateur coin collector as a young kid (just proof sets, wheat pennies, whatever the grandfather gave me haha, etc.) and since hiking and mountain biking all these trails it just hit me that , hey some of these spots seem prime for a metal detector. Of course everyone at work has been ridiculing me when I told them of my grand plan to buy this MD and scour the land haha. "What are you gonna find buried treasure!? Sacks of gold... the holy grail!!??" Its all tongue in cheek and funny but I feel like there is a good possibility I can have fun with it, take the detector on my hikes and find some nice coins. Am I delusional? Even if I dont find enough to ever pay the thing off I feel like one Silver half dollar or gold ring will make it worth it, just for the sheer novelty and excitement of it. So I have reviewed some of the forums & websites and it seems as though even though I could afford a more expensive model, the Cibola has quite good performance for the price, rivaling the more expensive models without all of the bells and whistles. Is this Cibola going to be enough for my purposes? So Im not just wasting my time all day with inferior equipment. Does anyone have any specific ideas for this area of the country in particular? Also, can I jsut use like a regular MP3/IPOD type headset, or do I need to buy one of the expensive made for metal detector headphones? Im lookjing forward to going out and having fun doing some self research and then seeing if my spots bare fruit. Its going to be pretty comical the day I can bring a couple buffalo nickels or mercury dimes (or better) into work and show these guys. Everyone will have a good laugh im sure. Thanks for reading

 

[Sven]

Welcome to the hobby, once treasure hunting is in your blood, your hooked for life. Even if you quit for a year or two, you'll be back!!

Tesoros are fine detectors, I think you will enjoy the Cibola. Start out at some school playground, set you disc. so you just knock out nails.
Dig everything else until you be come accustomed to the sounds of good and bad targets, spend a couple weeks at that playground.
It will take about two weeks for your brain to figure the sounds out. One of my favorite spots at playgrounds are the swing sets. Swing up, coins fall out, check front and backs of swings. Good spot these days for quarters. By the end of two weeks you should have a pile of stuff.

As for headphones, get the best you can afford. It will make a difference, especially on those faint sounds. Use what you have until you can get something better. If you find a good spot to hunt, your finds may just pay for a new pair.

Whatever you do, don't give up if your finds are slim. As you learn your detector, you'll find more stuff, older and deeper stuff.

 

[tabdog]

Welcome Daniel,

You have a fine metal detector. The Cibola is the first Tesoro I owned.
I have purchased 6 more, and sold three. I sold my other two models
when I fiound Tesoro. I had a Bounty Hunter and a Garrett. I wish I
had found the Cibola first. It's a great one to start with.

I agree with Sven.

Find a place that's easy to dig. Playgrounds are the most common for
easy digs.

I would not use any discremination. You will be turning off some targets.
Gold is one of them. Small gold jewelry discriminates out real quick. A
lot of people do not agree with me about that. But I find a lot of small gold
jewelry. What I use descrimination for is to identify the target. We call it
thumbing the disc knob. Or just thumbing for short.

For me, one of my best learning experiences was trying to remove all
the aluminum that had been chopped up with the wood chips in a park
that's one mile from my house. I did not want that play ground to beat
me. I recovered thousands and thousands. You notice that's at least
4,000 targets. and more. It took me weeks to do it. And I still hunt that
same play ground to date. I have found some nice finds there.

I can tell a pop can from a coin right off. It's easy.

I could not do that before I got quality metal detector headphones.
You need good ones. Most of us agree with that. Some have other
ways to hunt. But, after I tried them, I couldn't get by without them.

You're not just wasting your time all day with inferior equipment.
Not when you've got a Cibola. So get the third most important thing.

Quality Headphones.

The most important thing is your brain. Don't forget that...lol, and use it...lol.

Happy Hunting,

 

[DanielEtvs]

Can you guys suggest a certain brand and model of headphones? I have no idea whats good and whats not. Thanks

 

[Beale]

Welcome to the site! The Cibola is a very good detector, and you will do very well with it. For sure tot lots are a great place to practice. Heck I still hunt them. I found a 21k gold ring in one!

As to headphones. I have a set of Sun Ray Pro Golds. I really like them and would recomend them in a second. Check in with the sponsors of the site for help, Beale.

 

[Jackpine Savage]

Ask around on the headphones to see what the relic hunters use in the summer time. The better phones have great sound isolation from outside noises but are hot in the summer. If you are mostly woods hunting you usually don't have a lot of outside noise to contend with so something a little lighter should do.

HH Tom

 

[tabdog]

I use the basic single volume Killer B's.

They cost $85 and have an excellent lifetime warranty.

I broke mine and bought a set of Grey Ghost to have while
I waited op my K B's to get fixed.

The Killer B's got back in my hands before the Gray Ghost did.

Now I have a good back up, and two sets of hunting equipment.

I like Killer B's a little better than Gray Ghost basic. They are the
same price.

HH,

 

[tabdog]

n/t

 

[DanielEtvs]

OK this is going to be the dumbest question in history but... is the headphone jack for the Cibola big? Like bigger than a regular discman/mp3 player headphone jack? I was assuming i could jsut plug in cheap headphones for now until some new ones I order are mailed to me. This is probably the dumbest question in the world, but please advise lol. I took it out today my first time ever and found 4 quarters in a spot in the woods it looks like some kids have been partying in the recent months, I'm sure theres more there but I cant figure out how to optimize the settings yet in my first couple hours of hunting.

 

[Beale]

OK this is going to be the dumbest question in history but... is the headphone jack for the Cibola big? Like bigger than a regular discman/mp3 player headphone jack? I was assuming i could jsut plug in cheap headphones for now until some new ones I order are mailed to me. This is probably the dumbest question in the world, but please advise lol. I took it out today my first time ever and found 4 quarters in a spot in the woods it looks like some kids have been partying in the recent months, I'm sure theres more there but I cant figure out how to optimize the settings yet in my first couple hours of hunting.

Yes the jack is bigger. It is a stero/mono jack. You can go to Radio Shack and buy an adaptor for a couple of bucks. Then take your mp3 headphones and use them. They will work until you get your new ones. Good luck with your finds, Beale.

 

[tabdog]

Hay Daniel,

it's fairly simple to set up a Cibola.

Hold down the pin point button and set the threshold to a slight buzz.

Turn the sensativity as high as you can without interference. About
9 or 10 for most places. But as much as you can stand.

I don't use discrimination except to ID targets.

So you are set to go.

There's lots more to learn as you go.

HH,

 

[GRAY GHOST]

hi daniel. i'm also a proud and productive owner of the cibola. there's just no telling what you'll find on those old paths. after i plugged in my headphones to the 1/4" jack, i noticed while swinging, my cord would get stuck in between so i put a piece of electrical tape there. the mp3 headphones will be ok for now, but you really need a good quality set. the cibola is a very good machine, and i've made many great finds with it. i usually run 3 o'clock on threshhold, 9 o'clock on disc., and sens. as high as conditions will allow without it chirping. if it starts to chirp, then you are running your sens. too high so just back it down a little 'til it stops. good luck, and good choice. hh,