Where to go when there is no store?

[johnstac]

Hi everyone,
First time poster. I have been interested in metal detecting for years but probably for financial reasons, I never pulled the trigger. Now at 46, my 11 year old daughter has been wanting to do something with dad and when I told her about metal detecting she got pretty fired up. We went down to Cabelas and I bought her a $150 unit and we played with it tonight. Found some change at the local school sandbox. Kind of cool. Well, being the person that just can't handle cheap, I feel like I want to begin with something maybe $1500+ Problem is, there are no metal detecting places out here to look at or buy from. Just wondering what you guys recommend. Is it every okay to buy on the internet when it is sight unseen? They all look kind of the same but I have seen prices from $200-$6000 and I'm sure they go higher from there. I just want something good. I was told that you get what you pay for with a metal detector so rather than waste my time, I thought I would just buy something good to start with.

I also see some on craigstlist but kind of like buying a used car. You never know what you're going to get and I just don't know enough about them to make a judgement call. Many are stating that they paid $1000 and they are offering it for $700 but I don't know why. Maybe something is wrong with it. Maybe the technology is outdated. I just don't know. That is why I wish there was some place I could go. Even if I have to drive a ways. I'm in Spokane and it is kind of dead here.

Well, any suggestions would be appreciated.

John

 

[JimGilmore]

What kind of detecting are you most interested in and is it for you or your daughter ??
As far as one for your daughter a turn on and go unit will most likely do her better than a complex one.
I'm sure there is somebody near you. ans hopefully they can speak up and maybe even meet you to help you decide...
More expensive is not always the way to go.

 

[Mr.Bill]

Head back to Cabelas. They carry a quite full selection of multi brand detectors. They also have a very good return policy.

 

[gmanlight]

I have bought new machines and i have bought used machines also.
Mostly from this forum with no problems.
If buying used from any forum i look for a member who has been around for some time
and is spoken well of. , Then i read there back post and if making a large purchase a phone call usually is in order also.

If you buy a new high end machine and don't like it you will take a hit on the resale especially in these times.
If you buy a clean used unit for a good price and it does not click you can get most of your money back.

The ground you hunt and what your hunting for all comes into play with your decision.

PS we have a great bunch of dealers here that are very helpful.

 

[khouse]

You don't always get what you pay for. Sometimes you get more. Like the Garrett Ace 250 at $212 is a great machine. Then buy something for yourself and you'll have a back up machine with your daughters. I would suggest a mid range machine for yourself such as the Whites M6 or MXTpro - Teknetics 6000 or 8000 - Garrett ATpro. No need to spend $2000 on a machine. It's 80% operator and 20% machine.

 

[fowlercharles]

Hi John, Without a store you are in the same boat as most of us out here, so I would suggest you continue probing the forums and getting all the info and answers you can that happen to come to mind. Above all do not be in a rush,or believe all the hype about more bells and whistles means bigger and better etc.That is pure Hype, going for your $ ! That is what causes those high $ machines you mentioned that are being sold at a loss to some folks.Do plenty Research and learn all you can about detecting. Ask yourself some serious questions , like what type detecting you and your daughter want to do. What potential type detecting areas are avalable to you? Any Historic Areas, Ghost towns, Beaches, whatever etc for whatever your interests may be. In most cases it is best to go for whatever you may have most available to you and see how it goes. Start at home, front yard ,back yard,then branch out to Relatives. Those with lots of land are really nice to have close by.Research before digging dirt can be a very enjoyable time with your daughter, at the Library,or at home on the PC.. If possible , find others in your area that detect and learn all you can from them. It will be important to find out about the DIRT in your area as to whether it is Mineralized or not and how it may effect the performance of a metal detector.On and on I could go but this is all said in effort to Slow you down a bit and help you come to the best conclusion for which metal detector you may decide on.Your $ is worth less now than when you had less of it, and no one likes to by something and be dissappointed with it.. That happens to many folks.As for not having a convient store/dealer close by you will have to do like many of us. and have to trust the forums and the folks on them. That works for most of us whether buying new or used. The bad guys don't last long and there are plenty of "Good Guy"dealers around , one maybe even in a neighboring State. Most everyone that detects will use whatever they start out with for years, but will eventually branch out and try different Brands for different reasons/uses.Technology is something you need to Research also because there is much to be learned about the differences between some of the "New" and the "Old". The "Old" in many cases is still Prefered by many diggers and for many reasons.The "New" is prefered also by many,but as always will cost much more.. Your choice , but first do the Research. Be cool to buy 2 great detectors for you and your daughter,rather than One high $ machine to be shared. Sorry to be so long winded but this is too Great a Hobby to miss out on and there are plenty folks that will want to help you and your daughter get off to a good start. OK,, as for me personally, I have a heap of detectors. Mostly Tesoros. Because they are Simple, Lightweight,Tuff,Reliable, and their Lifetime Warranty was a Company Policy from their very beginning and has continued to be so. Their Service has continued to Great/ &Mostly Free and includes new owners as well as second 3rd or however many owners. Research is the KEY to HH, Charlie

 

[gmanlight]

One thing is not hype and that is some machines work better in different parts of the Country
than others. Depending on how mineralized the soil is .
Same deal with salt wet sand , many machines fail here.
Dry sand no problem

 

[Craig]

I would like to suggest Tesoro Detectors. I have owned several brands over the years, Fisher,Whites Pulse Power PI ( Hand Made unit from England) & Tesoro. I have learned that what you get for the money is excellent. I currently use the Tejon & Vaquero. You can not beat there Lifetime Warranty, If you have a problem, service is swift, maybe one to two weeks. All work is done free of charge. You only have to pay for the shipping to there factory and return cost is on them Do a Brand comparison on Tesoro and you'll see what I meanIn my opinion you just can't go wrong. There are several excellent dealers on this forum. Backwoods detectors and Metal Detector depot (Free Two Day SHIPPING), come to mine,Give them a call and see what they can do for you. Good Luck ! Remember buying a detector is like buying a car, everyone has a favorite

 

[Mike Hillis]

When you pick one out, go to the mfg site. They all have a "where to buy" page where you put in your zipcode and they will show the name and address of the dealers closest to you.

Good luck,
Mike

 

[Dave J.]

Where to buy? From a forum sponsor, of course! At the top of each of the brand-specific forums here, you'll see banner ads for dealers who carry that brand and sponsor that forum.

Nearly all dealer forum sponsors are multi-line dealers, so you can talk more than one brand with them. Dealers who sponsor forums are without exception (as far as I know) knowledgeable in metal detectors, price their merchandise competitively, and are all-around good people to deal with. Being that kind of dealer is what makes it worth their while to spend money sponsoring forums.

What to buy?

Well, lessee........ a detector for an 11 year old kid: it should be light weight and easy to use.

You're willing to spend some money: may as well get one with excellent performance that you'd like to have yourself, no telling how long the kid will remain interested. But you already have your primo machine, so this unit probably has to be regarded as your backup machine. No sense in spending a thousand bucks on it.

Spokane: most of Washington and Idaho are moderately to heavily mineralized, although the loess areas (Palouse etc.) generally won't be so bad. Any machine will be affected by mineralization, but some less than others. Unfortunately, reliable information on which are affected more or less is hard to come by.

Planning on doing gold prospecting? That requires a sensitive machine that has a phase ground balanced all metals ("autotune" etc.) mode. Preferably with an operating frequency greater than 10 kHz although that's not an absolute necessity. However gold machines with operating frequencies greater than 20 kHz are strictly for gold prospecting, not for other uses.

* * * * * Among the machines we make, here are the candidates: * * * * * * * *

If there is any chance you'll be doing gold prospecting, check out the Teknetics G2 and the very similar Fisher Gold Bug Pro. Even if you won't be doing gold prospecting, these are excellent choices.

If your beeping tends more toward coinshooting, less toward relic hunting, with gold prospecting a long shot, then check out the Teknetics Omega.

There is plenty of information available on these models on the respective forums, and knowledgeable users there willing to answer any questions you've got.

--Dave Johnson
Chief Engineer, FTP-Fisher
Fisher Research Labs, Teknetics, Bounty Hunter

 

[Larry (IL)]

If your area is big enough for a Cabelas it seems that a White's dealer shouldn't be far away. Click on the White's banner and put in your zip code for the White's dealers nearest to you. If you are very new to the hobby, some hands on training from a dealer or local club would prove invaluable. Our sponsors are a great source for good deals but if you can get some personal help in the hobby, it would be money well spent.

 

[798hand]

I'm with Larry if theres a cabals and you cant find something u like there has to be some dealer there

 

[DBG]

Hey John, Check out KELLYCO. And look at the Garrett AT Pro.

http://www.kellycodetectors.com/indexmain.php

http://www.garrett.com/

 

[chuck ky]

according to the fmdac website there's a club close to you. you could get more help from some of the club members along with what you've already got on this forum. good luck

 

[watchdr]

I am in Post Falls and just got a detector from Kellyco. They were great on sending it out and everything. To be honest though all the extras they send with the detector are not worth getting. I got three oversized pouches and realistically I can't see using any of them. The Minelab Bag is made strange as the coil has to be turned sideways to fit in the bag and the shoulder strap hooks on the bag are at odd places so the bag actually twists around the detector. To me it just wasn't designed by someone that knew what it was to be used for. Also, with the eliptical coil the detector barely fits in the bag. I don't think it will fit with a larger coil without putting undue stress on the coil and mounting bracket. The machine itself seems to be a well made unit. The free shipping was nice as well although from Florida it does take a little more than a week to get here. If you can wait the 8 days is not a big deal. They do offer faster shipping at a charge. Overall I would recommend Kellyco but not because of the extras.

I can't speak to the other dealers but I am sure those that have been around for awhile are trustworthy. They would not last long on a forum if they weren't. As for the detector you want I am not sure I can help. I got the MineLab 705 gold pack (you can buy this at Cabelas same price as online dealers). I am looking for a detector for my son now.

Now I just need to learn where the gold is!!! I plan on searching the parks and schools over here this next week. Thought about going to CDA lake by the resort and checking the beach and park then maybe another morning going to Hayden Lake and so on. Lots of real good possibilities around the area.

Ken

 

[jabbo]

Let us know where you live. Somebody here should know what type of soil you have. If mild soil,Tesoro Golden uMax. Excellent for gold jewelry and coins.