Newbie question about which detector to buy.

[arniehoutx]

Hello,

I hope some of you can spread some light and help me choose a detector. I will be using it every where but mainly on Texas beaches. A machine that could do a little nugget shooting would be nice to have on trips around gold country.

I keep coming back to the Garrett Infinium LS Pulse Induction machine. They call it the "The "Go Anywhere" Detector". It sounds like the perfect choice until I talk to the salesmen. They say I don't want that machine because it has no or poor discrimination. I would be digging up lots of trash. Pictures I see on the forums from successful hunters show (looks like to me) that is just part of the game. To get a lot of treasure (small gold chains and rings) you have to dig a lot of trash. Am I wrong in my thinking?

PI sounds like the state of the art tech for most detecting.
I also read somewhere that Garrett will soon be replacing the Infinium with a better unit. Any truth in that?

Any comments would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

 

[jackinaustin]

n/t

 

[willy]

The Infinium is not really a "use it everywhere" detector insofar as, while you CAN use it almost anywhere, it can get quite gruesome. It doesn't have as sophisticated a Disc. as a VLF detector but, in highly mineralized ground, will vastly outperform a VLF re. depth and does allow a person to 'ID' large, deep iron better than a VLF in said ground. There's also a Garrett Infinium forum with a lot of info. ...Willy.

 

[khouse]

Whites Beach Hunter ID would be a good one for you. And/OR Garrett Scorpion.
www.whiteselectronics.com
www.Garrett.com

 

[Jackpine Savage]

detectors due to hit the market in the near future with more advanced discrimination capability than the Infinium. However, they are rumored to be in the over $2000.00 range! I have not heard if Garret is working on a new one.

My understanding of Texas gulf coast beaches is that they are pretty friendly mineralization wise to most of the better VLF detectors. If you are new to detecting perhaps you should start out with a good multi purpose VLF and see what the future holds with this new crop of Pulse Induction detectors. If they work as advertised they will pretty much dominate the high end market.

Tom

 

[willy]

.. people ask me why I sold my Infinium, that's basically what I tell 'em. The Infinium is a fine detector, in the proper context, but there's much better around the corner. Only problem I have is scraping up the dough. 2-3 grand is a lot of boot. One thing that many people don't think about when buying a detector is whether it's economically sound to buy the high-end units. To go out detecting for a few weekends every year doesn't require an Explorer. I do a lot of detecting/prospecting, so it's a different situation; the high dollar detector generally pays for itself. Even so, when it comes to VLF detectors, there isn't all that much difference between the old and new. VLF technology has been rather stagnant for a while, with the only real innovation being the dual receive coils & imaging on the Garrett GTI's.. and even there Garrett has done precious little during the past number of years. ...Willy.

 

[Jackpine Savage]

wading for jewelry the right detector definitely will pay for itself. I hunt fresh water only so a good VLF is acceptable. Finding the right one that gets good depth on rings and yet is sensitive to small stuff is key for me. Still there are lakes in my area where something reliably deeper than the VLFs on gold would quickly pay for itself with a couple good finds. Its out there!

Tom

 

[willy]

..we've got lakes and such that are so highly mineralized that using a VLF is, essentially, an exercise in masochism. That's where something like the Infinium shines. ..Willy.

 

[Jackpine Savage]

Man I would be if that were the case here with the mineralization. Either that or I would have had a GB'ing PI by now.

Good luck on the Au in 07 willy.

Tom

 

[willy]

I sold most of my detectors. The Pulse Devil is almost here and, supposedly, White's is coming out with one. If the proposed Disc. capabilities turn out to be as advertised, there's gonna be a lot of high-end VLF being sold on the forums dirt cheap. About the only detectors that would hold their prices would probably be the nuggetshooters designed for flyspecks. Problem is, at $3000 for the PD and possibly $2000 for the White's, a guy would need some mighty deep pockets. ..Willy.