Beginner in Illinois

[Steven]

Have always been interested in metal detecting have read alot. But with that being said it is still hard to figure out which detector would be best bang for the buck. My wife and i need to get out and get more fresh air as we like to walk . So any pointers on a good detector would be greatly appreciated.

[Epi-hunter]

Hi Steven (and wife) and welcome to the forum! |:cheering: We are glad you found us. :yes:

It's good that you are reading as much as you can. The more the better. Still, it's true that it is hard to know what to buy when you are new to the hobby.

A lot has to do with your budget, how much time you intend to spend detecting (it's an addicting hobby), and the types of sites you will be detecting. Being from IL I am guessing you are focusing mainly on land detecting for old coins. If you are looking for relics vs old coins, that may make a difference too.

Lots of people will say to go to a dealer and try out some detectors to see what you think. I think that's good, but limited because I think it takes quite a bit of time to become accustomed to any detector. If you are serious about the hobby, accept that you will need to spend a lot of time learning your machine -- no matter which one you end up getting.

The least expensive, good detectors start at around $275 to $300. With those you will have limitations with how much depth you can accurately get (many old coins are very deep and these detectors just won't find them), and you will have limitations as to how many adjustments you can make in order to compensate for bad soil (highly mineralized soil)... which will cost you more depth.

The highest-end detectors can be complicated for a new person and can take some time to learn, and they are expensive ($1500 range).

So, if it's a hobby that you think you will pursue seriously, I would recommend that you purchase a mid-range detector made by Minelab, White's, Fisher, or Garrett. Keep in mind too that you will need to invest some money in a good digger and probably a hand-held pinpointer (another $150).

As I said, it's an addictive hobby. Welcome, and please ask questions... there are tons of people here with a lot of experience. :)

[JTGOLD]

welcome to the forum from another Illinois hunter,this year is 50 years of detecting for me,for me the M6 is one of the best turn on and go detectors on the market and I think it will hold it's own with the best of them.

[POKIE73]

my advice is to buy the best one that fits your budget as stated before this a very addictive hobby and you may soon tire of using a cheaper unit and then buy a better one so do your research and ask a lot of questions there is a lot of helpful people in this forum and they would be happy to help you good luck in your search and hope you enjoy this hobby dennis

[Tony Two-Cent]

Hooray, another Illinoisan! :cheering:

What part of the state do you hail from, Steven?

First of all, welcome to American Detectorist! We are glad to you have you here on the forum! There isn't much more I can add to Epi-Hunter's excellent advice about purchasing a detector. It's pretty much like everything else, you get what you pay for. When I decided to purchase a new detector about a year ago I just read everything on the internet that I could.

We would be happy to answer any specific questions that you may have. Keep us posted on your progress, and hopefully you will be out there finding treasure in no time. It can be a very enjoyable and rewarding hobby. thumbsup01

[Steven]

Thank you all for the information ill keep reading

[Ill Digger]

Hey Steven :groovy:
Welcome to the forum from yet another Illinoisan! :grin:
Like some of the others have said, making a decision on a detector will depend some on the type of hunting you plan to do.(schools, parks, tot lots, home sites, fields, etc.)
Also another factor you might want to consider while shopping around would be the weight of the machines. But what ever model you decide on you can count on one thing for sure. The more time you spend with it, and the more targets you dig, the better you'll get to know your machine. :yes:
As I've heard before...It's not the wand, it's the wizard. thumbsup01
GL & HH :grin:

[CODY]

Hey Steven. Welcome from deep down south in Mississippi. Not much I can add to the excellent advise you have already been given. In short, You pay for what you get. Become one with your machine, no matter which one you end up with. Will be looking forward to your post and future finds. HH

[aloldstuff]

Welcome from western MA. Looks like we are getting a big crew from Illinois. Alot of good advise has been given and looking forward to your finds.

[Lowjiber]

Welcome aboard from southern Nevada.

This darn hobby can become an obsession with very little prompting. :rolleyes:

[Fire Fighter 43]

Hello Steven and welcome to the forum from SE Wisconsin. Good luck with this great hobby.

[tanacat]

Welcome to the forum from Kentucky! I'm so excited for you and your wife :happydance01: You're going to love this hobby!

You definately found a wonderful group of people here at AD- friendly and full of knowledge & experience. I'll be waiting to see some of the neat things you two find :)

[jkress]

Welcome to American Detectorist Steven. I'm over here in the Eastern part of Iowa. :)

A lot of great tips were offered here for you to consider. Metal detecting is a great way to get out and enjoy the fresh air.

I started this hobby with a Garrett Ace 250 and was very happy with the results. Eventually I upgraded to a different machine but I was able to find many nice relics and old coins with the Ace.

I do highly recommend getting a pinpointer. After cutting open a hole in the ground, a pinpointer will slice your recovery time down to a fraction of what it would take without one. :yes:

Feel free to ask any questions you might have.

[Ill Digger]

I do highly recommend getting a pinpointer. After cutting open a hole in the ground, a pinpointer will slice your recovery time down to a fraction of what it would take without one. :yes:
:yes: Good one Joe! thumbsup01
They defiantly cut the recovery time down!
I too, would recommend getting one, also :yes: thumbsup01

[two_bit_digger]

Hello from central Illinois. Happy hunting to you and your wife.

[Full Metal Digger]

Welcome Steven and wife! I am in SW Illinois. There is some very good advice in this thread and the only thing I could add is you don't need a fancy expensive machine to enjoy this hobby and make great finds. It really is more about the wizard and not so much the wand. An ACE 250 or any other entry-level detector can make nice finds when in the hands of an experienced user. Watch all the videos on Youtube about ACE 250 finds and you'll see what I mean. Best wishes and HH, Dave.

[OxShoeDrew]

I hope you enjoy your new hobby and welcome from the nutmeg state.

[lee]

i know there cheep but ive had some blinding luck with my whites coinmaster $189 and this thing goes realy deep and seems to home in on silver like a magnet .
and at that price you could get one each.
my mates got a garret 250 ,we did a test on a gold ring i found , he lost it at 8 inchs mine was at waist hight before i lost the sound ( then again im only 2ft tall..... .joking)
welcome to the forum by the way.

[del]

welcome to the forum Steven take your time to filter all the info and please let us know what you end up getting and ask alot of questions . good luck

Dan

[randy]

Welcome from Chester County, PA. Hopefully you have a dealer in your neck of the woods who will let you test drive some machines in your price range, or, ask one of the forum sponsors for advice.