Pictures of vintage Detectron, Garrett BFO & vintage FisherScope

[Old California]

Here are a few pics of various models on Detectron, Garrett BFO and FisherScope, will post more of various vintage models from different companies in the future from my collection underneath this same thread.

With so many different brands to share, Will start with these three the first are FisherScope.

(FisherScope) First pic below,

M-Scope MA Two box,
TX-10
T-20
T-21
Orion 120
Orion 121
Explorer II
TH-120
TH-122
T-30
M-70

(Detectron) Second pic below,

Detectron had three of the same model (7-T), each advancing as technology improved. Also, When the owner started another company (RayScope) his top model also carried the model 7-T name.

7-T (Green Wooden coil) with tuner on coil
7-T (Plastic coil) with tuner on control box
7-T (Red Plastic coil and red plastic housing)
Gremlin
Go-For
7-T (RayScope) model

(Garrett BFO) Third pic below,

The Hunter
The Sidewinder
Super Mini-Hunter
Cache Hunter
Coin Hunter
Nuggets Hunter
Tracer
Proto-type Tracer

Will post more various vintage models from different brands in the future.

Thanks for your time,
Paul (Ca)

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Hey Paul, thanx for posting the "nostalgic look back". Next time you're assembling your machines for a photo, can you line them up in date order, oldest to newest? That would be an interesting way to view them. I realize that some of them you'd have no way to know *exactly* when they were produced. Because they are from defunct companies of which there is no record, or that the models were produced over a wide range of years, with no dates printed inside each individual unit. But ...... just to the best of your research, it would be interesting to see the physical evolution date-wise, in a lineup.

There were a few pioneering fellows that actually had detectors sensitive enough to find individual coin-sized items, as far back as the 1950s. Although the vast majority of attempts at detectors back then, were only able to find can-sized items and up. It wasn't till the very late '50s, and into the '60s, that coin-hunting, as we know it today, took off. So any of your machines that pre-date 1960, made for coin-sized items, I would consider a rarity!

 

[BADBAJA]

Those are some cool machines. Some look like toys almost. I agree about making them go from oldest to newest so they give a time line. Also you need some space an racks to hang or stand them in and protect them.

 

[Old California]

Thanks Tom,

I can do that, can easily date about 90 percent of my vintage collection and 100 percent on a several brands such as FisherScope, Detectron and many others showing the evolution of technology from one detector to the next.

You're right, all detectors pre-sixties even in the sixties struggled to detect a coin size object. Although possible, They mainly responded to much larger size targets.


Here's one of those few made from a company (Goldak) in the detector business since 1933, This particular Goldak model is from the late fifties early sixties can detect a coin, And surprisingly as large as it is seems highly unlikely but it does detect coins even dime size. However, The tuner is on the coil so a user will need to constantly bend up an down adjusting the tuner as ground conditions change if they want the detector to operate at its highest sensitivity. Otherwise, Once the tuner drifts sensitivity to coin size objects is lost.

In the future, When posting vintage detectors when arrange them in order. Several from each detector company, allot of detector companies back then only a handful are here today.

Paul (Ca)

 

[Old California]

Thanks Baja,

Great idea, I once had a rack setup but as my collection grew never quite expanded do to not having enough room. However, Since then do have an area to hold such a massive collection. Just need to find the time and energy.

Funny you mentioned some look like toys, many do especially the smaller plastic models.

Here's a quick pic of a tiny Garrett model, a Tracer BFO. Although not plastic it once belonged to Allan Cannon a field tester and writer for several detector companies.

Paul (Ca)

 

[DougF]

Thanks for posting these - will look forward to more. Can't imagine swinging some of those for more than a half hour.

 

[Hank68]

Thanks for posting the pictures of the detectors, that's pretty cool to see all the old detectors in good hands!

 

[matthias]

WOW! Paul! I've never seen anything like them in all my 43 years. Thank you for posting...what a trip! HH. Matt

 

[Sailorman]

My, what a collection you must have! Very interesting to see all the changes over time. You ought to do a small book with photo's, descriptions and the history of the changes in technology. I'd buy it!

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Paul, that one is so cool. And as many old machines show up on ebay, flea markets, etc... that machine is NOT one of them. So I would consider that one of your rarer specimens.

I have heard of this machine, with the tuner down on the coil. And yes, that one was out as early as the late 1950s. I have some old Goldak advertisements around for this brand, which date to the 1950s. And yes, that particular model of theirs may have been out as early as that. Yes it would find coin-sized items, from what I hear talking to one old-timer. While others were only good for bigger items, of that era (despite their appearance of the standard coil/rod design).

I talked to a fellow once who had a WWII (or cold war era?) mine detector. He tried it out in the late 1960s or early 1970s, at some ruins type sites. He said it was only capable of finding larger cast iron, barrel hoops, and other such bigger items. I suppose that's perfectly fine for mine-detecting, but useless for coin-sized items.

There was a fellow in CA I talked to many years ago, who recounted what had gotten him into detecting. He recalled that as a high school kid, in the late 1950s, he had seen a fellow detecting a park. And he disctinctly recalled watching him, and that the fellow was finding coins (albeit to perhaps only an inch or two). And when I asked the guy what year he thought that was, he couldn't remember exactly, except to know that he had graduated in something like 1959 or whatever, and he distinctly recalled that he'd still be in high school at the time. So yes, there were models as early as the late 1950s that could do it.

There's also record of some guys who were already hunting civil war sites, in even the earlier 1950s with detectors. And not just finding big things (parrott shells, buckles, etc...) but even down to items as small as individual bullets. But still though, it was a rarity in those days, and not a wide-spread hobby, or any consistency between detectors, or brands, etc.....

 

[Tom_in_CA]

I've often thought someone should do that some day too.

There's been things written about the history of metal detecting itself (you can easily google that), but to my knowledge, nothing written about the actual hobbyist aspect of it. You know, like tracing back to how it evolved into coin hunting, who were the pioneers in that regard, and the different brands that came and went. It wouldn't be hard to interview folks who started in the 1950s (as you would *think* some would still be around to interview) to see what they recall, where they hunted, what those units capabilities were, etc.....

I vote that if Paul does that, we all pitch in and buy him a 12-pack of his favorite brew

 

[markanderson]

Sorry for going off topic, but I noticed that Old California has the Goldengate. I'm thinking about getting it, so I wanted to find out more about it.

 

[Old California]

Another quick pic of several older models, Still in working condition.

Not surprisingly, Is how tough they made detectors back then. Whites, Goldak, FisherScope and many other companies built them to last.

Paul (Ca)

 

[Old California]

Sorry for the slow reply Tom,

Work has really been overwhelming the past two weeks, haven't had a chance to log on.

On a future post going to arrange my oldest detectors and share a picture of them, and they still work . Here's something to ponder on, Older FisherScope models are TR even the earlier tube models are TR as opposed to some of the other earlier detector companies being BFO.

(Compass) With so many different vintage detector brands in my collection Compass is by far the largest, some of my better finds were made with a Compass TR. You were the one to introduce me to seeing what an old TR can do at iron laced sites with the 77 B, since that day forward started using 100 kHz technology at old sites laced with iron.

However, Even though the 77B made me many great finds I've switched to using the Compass Auto versions and they too have scored many old coins and relics.

Still have the 77 Auto Legend you gave me, Have included two other auto versions since for serious hunting older sites with allot of iron.

Coming soon will post my entire Compass collection, several are rare models. For now will post a quick pic of my dynamic three 100 kHz auto versions, 77 Auto Legend, 77 B and 94 B Automatics. The 94 B automatic is modified into a much smaller metal box.

Paul (Ca)

 

[Old California]

That's a great idea! But with my job, studying for certification can't see that happening anytime soon.

Maybe next year, really have allot on my plate at the moment but you're right that is an excellent idea.

Thanks for bringing it up,
Paul (Ca)

 

[Old California]

Thanks Matt,

Will post all eventually, but here's a pic pic of an extremely rare model (Roach) detector.

Paul (Ca)

 

[Old California]

Thanks Hank,

Please bear with me, eventually will post all.

Allot going on right now, Thanks!
Paul (Ca)

 

[Old California]

Thanks Doug,

They are tough to swing, I think FisherScope came out with the first arm rest model.

The M-70 is a 1967 model, looks more like from the future. Yes, this may have been the first metal detector with am arm rest model starting with this beauty back in 1967.

Paul (Ca)

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Paul, wow, amazing that you got a date of 1967 origin for that. Thanx for posting. Is that a working unit? If so, how deep will it pick up a dime or penny to?

 

[Old California]

Hi Tom,

Yes, The M-70 still works with a special 9-volt battery. In fact, they still make and sell this particular battery.

My FisherScope material shows the M-70 at 1967, surprisingly it looks more like from the future. Depth on a penny is about 3" inches max, and that's pushing it tuner dialed in.

She's a beauty, well built too.

Paul (Ca)