Your Opinion Please

[damatman88]

In your opinion, what is the best GENERAL PURPOSE detector on the market (depth, discrimination, ease of use, features)? Budget up to $1,600.

 

[gringo-vikingo]

Minelab Sovereign GT.....

 

[joe dirt_1]

Fisher CZ or Tesoro Vaquero ......You can buy them both and have money left over.....lots of money left over with a 1600.00 budget. Both detectors are highly respected for depth and ease of use and build quality.
I personally don't see dropping 1500.00 to 2000.00 in a single detector that don't perform any better than the two detectors I recommended.

Roger

 

[Smudge]

Too tough to answer.There are several, but maybe only one or two is right for you.

What matters most to you in a metal detector?

 

[damatman88]

Depth and target recognition.

 

[Elton]

Everyone will have a different opinion unless they use the same detector, as person, who posts a reply...

You need to determine what you want from a detector, research what each detector can do..and make up your own mind..

What works for me..may not work for you. Or reversed, what you like. I might not like it..

Read each forum, go to Manufacturers web pages..Go to a dealer, Call a dealer...........

 

[Sailorman]

OK, depth and target ID but where? Highly mineralized soil with hot rocks to boot? Moderate soil and clean of trash? Moderate soil but heavy trash? Beach hunting in black sand infested sites with EM sources nearby? Diving?

Then there's the target question. Coins, old silver, gold jewelry, nuggets, relics?

With your budget two machines might really be the answer if you're covering several bases. Different machines excel at different jobs to a point.

For me it's an Etrac and an AT-Pro but the answer is going to be different for different folks depending on location and what they're looking for!

 

[Critterhunter]

Sorry, thought I was responding to this in the Beach forum, but for the most part the response still stands...

For salt water or hunting mineralized ground it's an Excal or Sovereign GT. They hit harder on gold than all the Minelabs, and are also as deep if not deeper than ANY machine on the market land hunting for old coins. For fresh water hunting for me it'd be a toss up between the Tesoro VLF water (forgot...is it called the Tiger or Sand Shark? Used to own one) unit or the AT Pro...But neither one will still get as deep as an Excal, even in fresh water. They are, however, less weight and cheaper so I'd probably lean to one of them for fresh water hunting, but for sure not in salt water.

The Sovereign is built to wade with. You detach the box and chest mount it, and you have more than enough longer coil cable as designed for doing this....So when I water hunt I wade with my GT up to my belly button. They are meant to do this, that's why all the coils (even aftermarket coils) for it have extra long coil cables. I mostly land hunt, so with the ability to wade with my GT I don't really feel the need for a water unit. On the other hand, if I wanted to go deeper than my belly button I'd probably opt for the Tesoro or AT Pro to do that, but they aren't going to replace my GT for deep old coin hunting on land.

The GT gets deeper than any machine I've owned on land, so it's perfect for that and also has the ability to go water hunting when I feel like that. Perfect dual purpose machine.

 

[fowlercharles]

Hi David, You recieved some very good answers to a most difficult question. I will jump in with the hope that you would do an in depth study of all the Manufacturer's Warranties and Service accountability policies.This should include the Histories of their policies.Some have only lately stepped up their concerns to such matters while one has "smoked" all the others from their beginning. Short and sweet of it : Tesoro, Nuff said. HH Charlie

 

[Big Boys Hobbies]

Minelab E-Trac all day long! Feel free to give me a call with questions. If you dont like my two packages let me know. I can add or remove things to suit ya.

Love to answer your questions, Bart.