Newbie Detector

[Steelhead]

Hey crew, it's been a long time since I've been on the forums, but my life and 10yo son are finally in favor of doing some detecting. I have an Ex2 but I'm trying to find a good beginner/intermediate detector for my 10 yo boy. He has used a Tesoro Compadre but wants something with more discrimination options. He's of average size for a 10yo old and mainly homestead and beach hunts. So much has changed and so many detectors have been released since I was active here I don't even know if my Ex2 is still considered a good machine. Any advice is appreciated.

 

[braveheart1954]

EX2 is still top of the line! A classic that will never die! Learn it and keep it! There is one one ebay now.. like new.. bidding is at $250 now... a good selling price would be up to $550. No machine on the market can do what the Explorers can! Thet acually made them lesser machines because they were to complicated... but get to know how to use them you cant beat them! Note.. hunt in ferrous till you understand it well!

 

[Steelhead]

Thx John! I will hold onto the X2. I always used conductive but will learn ferrous now as well. Any recommendations for a beginner detector made by minelab or any other for my 10yo son? Thx again!

 

[braveheart1954]

I bought 2 Whites Coinmaster Pro's 3 years agne for me and one for my 8 year old grandaughter so we could hunt together and I could follow her to see what she missed and to hear what she was hearing when she found a target sound. It's very beginner friendly. It also has a 2 tone button which gives a low grunt tone for iron and nails and a high tone for all keepers from gold to silver. I was amazed at the clarity and precise readings of items below ground. I went to a park area that I have hunted a few times with my Ex2. did not expect to find hardly anything. In the first 1/2 hour I pulled 3 Mercury dimes out in a bout a 10 foot square area ...all at about 5-6" deep and the depth meter was right on! I was awestruck. They rang out clear as a bell .. this machine is a beast on silver. The pin pointing is dead on...but all concentric coils are like that.
The two tone or Tone I.D.is awesome at differentiating Ferrous targets from good targets giving a low ground for iron and a high tone for keepers!!! Just like the Garret AT Pro! It has a loud speaker and a 1/4 jack for headphones. It has notch discrimination for pull tabs only..Smart Notch, which works perfectly. You can notch out Nails,Foil,Nickels,Pull Tabs. This machine has functions found on $400 machines. For AROUND $230 I actually have nothing I would change or improve on it except for a higher frequency for Gold detecting but that comes with a much higher price for a detector. Our Ex2's go as high as 16Hhz the Coinmaster is 8.. it will still pick up medium to large rings and silver rings no problem!
It's built as good as ant expensive detector and the screen is very easy to read and understand. I am going to buy the both of us the DD coils which will make this machine even more awesome!!! I love use this mach. 50% of the time. Every new site I use this first. If items are 5" or less I will use it the whole hunt! It is so lite you can swing it till the cows come home and not get tired. I'm 6 foot and the long extension of the shaft is perfect for me.
I have been hunting for 20 years starting in 1996 with a 1975 box Coinmaster and in 2002 bought an Ep XS and when the screen crashed on me in 2013 I bough a used Ex2 off eBay for $480. Then I found a guy in England who makes after market new screens for $75 and now my XS is working like new again to! I love my Explorers but I also love this Coinmaster Pro which is in my car 24/7. It's short length setting is 46".. if this is too long still for your son they make a short shaft accessory for children. Hope this helped! John

Adjustable Length: 46" > 51"

All Metal Audio: Non-VCO
Audio Output: Speaker & 1/4" Headphone
Batteries: 2 - 9 volt
Battery Life: 20
Disc Audio: Silent Search
Optional Coils: Coinmaster Family
Standard Coil: Concentric 9"
Number of Presets: 1
Frequency: 8 kHz

NOTE: Also choice I have good feeling for is the Garret Ace 350 for you to look into also! I bet this from the reports is as good as the Coinmaster Pro!

Ace 350 Metal Detector Ground SearchCoin DD Coil & Headphones Garrett Handheld

IF YOUR TO BUY NEW..I WOULD RECOMMEND KELLYCO.COM ..or look around for more Distributors throwing in more accessories!
http://www.kellycodetectors.com/catalog/coinmaster-pro

 

[braveheart1954]

This maybe another choice to consider for your son! http://www.kellycodetectors.com/catalog/delta-4000

 

[Steelhead]

Wow thanks for the awesome feedback John, I really appreciate it. I will be looking into that coin master for sure. I'm really looking forward to getting back out and swinging the loop again. Ironically my son saw a whites treasure master in a store while we were on vacation and that's what spiked his interest again!

Thanks again for taking the time and sharing your knowledge!


Regards,
Brent

 

[MikeO]

Let's support the vendors that support us.
Thanks

 

[pasttom]

One side not mentioned is just going with a tiny light coil. All detectors are improved balance wise and you have shallower digging and easier pinpointing. If an explorer is too heavy still, maybe a 305/505/705 depending on cost and how well he does with the more complicated controls.