new guy here and very new to metal detecting ..have been wanting to get into the hobby for years and now that I'm semi retired I finally have time to do so...I 'm from southwestern pa , about an hour south of Pittsburgh... I am currently looking for my first detector...I would like to keep it on the low end of things and so my next question is, are there any ok detectors say around $ 200 new or used , what brands ? thanks for any help
Welcome - I am from central Wisconsin and have been detecting for 46 years. I have done it all, and have had a blast. I always tell everyone to spend what they can afford. And learn the machine over and over again. The cheaper machines will find treasure too, You might have to dig a lot of trash and will not get the depth. Good luck
Welcome to one of the greatest hobbies ever, and to the forum. You will find helpful people and answers here.
As far as a detector in the $200 range , you might try a Garrett Ace 250 or one of the entry level Fisher units. I am not sure how much a Minelab go find is , I have heard they are pretty good units as well.
Perhaps there is a treasure hunting club in your area , if so I am sure there are helpful people there.
HH
Pat
Welcome, I'm from SE Ohio near Marietta. I started with a Garrett ace 250 and then to an AT pro. The pro is more money but both are good starters. Pretty much turn on and hunt right out of the box
thanks guys for the info ...looks like I'll check into a garret 200 or 250.. a friend of mine told me he saw metal doctors at harbor freight for around 50 bucks , now I have bought tools at harbor freight and have had pretty good luck with them but I'm not so sure about a detector
Hi and welcome to the forum. Hope you get started real soon and can post some finds for us to see. My advice on getting into the hobby is to buy as good a machine as you can comfortably afford. If you go too cheap you'll likely be disappointed and lose your enthusiasm, and if you don't go quite good enough you'll be wanting to trade up pretty quickly. Might as well get something nice to start with. Do some comparison shopping in your price zone with an eye to your upper limit. Lots of reviews out there on the web and here too on our forum, mostly under "tech talk" and "detectorist lounge". See if there are any detector stores in your area and visit one for some face to face time with someone who can evaluate what type hunting you are likely to do. They will be able to recommend something and you won't be obligated to buy right then. Good luck!
Welcome to the forum "looking"! I agree with Shade and I started with a Teknetics Delta 4000. Great clad machine and good starter as well. But since then the market is swamped with great beginner machines that are easy on the budget. I wouldn't be too gung-ho about a $50 machine from Harbor Freight as it may disappoint sooner than your motivation to detect withers. But it may get you started. Being that you are in SW PA you probably are in the Western edges of the Appalachians and some pretty nice valley farmland as well. There's a TON of history in the mountains and the fields. But as a beginner I have to let you know that you have to dig it all in order to understand the machine. And that's all machines, not just one specific type. It takes about a dozen real good hunts to get the gist of what the machine is telling you but once you understand it, you'll be off to the races!
What I'd keep in mind is the weight, ergonomics and the functions. All machines have an individual feel or fit for each person so it may be a good idea to find a shop in your area and do some test runs. And youtube is a great resource for this as well. Good luck with your search and remember that any machine is only as good as the user and the location you detect. There's quite a bit more to Metal Detecting than just swinging a coil but the more you learn, the more you find! Best of luck and hope to see you in the future!
Ed/Ohio Dirt Fisher
ended up getting a garret ace 200 I looked up an old friend who used to metal detect and I found out he still does...after talking for awhile and with the priceline i was trying to stay in, he recommended the garret,, he said he started out in the mid 1960's with a garret and has a collection of detectors now. none of which he was willing to part with ...lol...so I picked this one up new online , a cyber Monday deal for $170 with a few accessories...I guess I did ok as far a price they claim it is worth new $212 and change, just waiting for it to arrive in the mail so I can get stated. But the start date might be delayed due to cold weather...I wouldn't think frozen ground wouldn't be much fun to dig thanks again guys for your help
Happy that you've made your decision and hope you get underway real soon. Best of luck and keep us posted on what you uncover.
It looks like you got a good deal and a good machine. I wish you the best of luck.
Just remember to study the manual and until you get a good feel for the detector to dig everything. Also do some research into how to dig a good plug so you can leave a good impression .
HH
Pat