Jtrout Posted November 13, 2014 Posted November 13, 2014 I'm thinking about getting a Garrett Ace 350 anybody use one? this will be my first one I've ever had or used. Any thoughts or info would be appreciated. Thanks! Quote
Super User SirSnookalot Posted November 13, 2014 Super User Posted November 13, 2014 Don't know about brands but not a day goes by where I don't see metal detectors on the beach here. Same people every morning working the sand, they must be doing ok with them. Quote
desmobob Posted November 13, 2014 Posted November 13, 2014 I chose the Garret Ace 250 as my first detector and would recommend it to anyone. A year later, I bought a White's DFX which is an AMAZING tool. But it's complicated and takes a long time to learn how to really get the most out of its features. When I want to do some causal detecting, I still use the Ace 250. I would imagine the Ace 350 is a great machine as well. Tight lines, Bob Quote
Super User Redlinerobert Posted November 14, 2014 Super User Posted November 14, 2014 Good topic. I've been thinking of getting one as well. What would you recommend in the $2-3k range? Quote
desmobob Posted November 14, 2014 Posted November 14, 2014 Good topic. I've been thinking of getting one as well. What would you recommend in the $2-3k range? I'm not familiar with any in that price range. The White's Spectra V3i or TDI Pro are pretty much their top of the line machines, and sell for about $1800. My Garret ACE 250 was about $225 and my DFX was about $1K. Tight lines, Bob Quote
Super User Redlinerobert Posted November 14, 2014 Super User Posted November 14, 2014 Great. Seems can get a pretty nice one for around $2k. Quote
desmobob Posted November 15, 2014 Posted November 15, 2014 Great. Seems can get a pretty nice one for around $2k. You can get a top of the line White's, Garrett, Fisher, or Minelab with all the accessories you need for around $2k or less.... Tight lines, Bob Quote
craww Posted November 17, 2014 Posted November 17, 2014 Ace 350 is a good entry machine. It shares the same coil as its wildly popular brother the at pro. I'm not a fan of the bell tone audio personally. That said, I'd save a little more and get an at pro, water proof and picks through trash much better. I'm not a garret guy but nothing comes close to it in the price range. You can find plenty of used but not abused for 450-500. Feel free to ask qny questions. Been detecting for a long time and I'm constantly tweaking my arsenal of machines. Quote
craww Posted November 17, 2014 Posted November 17, 2014 Good topic. I've been thinking of getting one as well. What would you recommend in the $2-3k range? It depends on what you want to do with it. Detctors are a bit like golf clubs, right tool for the job kind of thing though many are quite versatile. You don't HAVE to spend 2K. Depth on most VLF's don't get much better after you go over a grand. A $200 rod vs a $400 is a good analogy. That said here's a few to look into. XP Deus- best ergonomics weighs nothing, totally wireless, upgradeable via ur pc, covers ground fast. Best trashy site machine out there IMO, "Machine of the future" so to speak, made in france, I didn't like the audio sounds like a mosquito, target ID on deeper targets like alotta single frequency machines isn't great on deep targets Minelab CtX 3030- pretty much the premium coin machine, if u like silver coins this is THE Machine, Waterproof, heavy but balanced, very very accurate target ID, great audio, a bit overpriced IMO, not that great on lower conductors like very small gold, very durable machines but some dont like minelabs customer service, Whites V3I- Great all around unit, excels on jewelry, best pinpoint mode out there, fun machine to use, great on jewelry my gold jewelry has went thru the roof since I got mine, slightly worse in trash than the other two, great american company with the best service out there If you have a specific enviroment and or targets I can make a specific reccomendation. Be warned, this is the most addictive hobby out there lol Quote
mrmacwvu1 Posted November 17, 2014 Posted November 17, 2014 Ok just bought a place in Florida as a second home, I started diving when they say water proof what are the options for ones that are totally submercival? When you say trash what so you mean by that? What can a guy expect to find on the beaches with good equipment? Quote
craww Posted November 17, 2014 Posted November 17, 2014 Virtually every manufacturer makes a "waterproof" unit dedicated to under water hunting. The caveat is they generally are specialty machines, they often lack the visual meters, may be heavier and many work on pulse induction technology, which is very deep, sensitive, and handles mineralization w/no issues. Most land machines are whats called a VLF, and have transmit/receive antennas that works on RF, like ur cell phone, mixrowave, etc. Pulse units give little to no target ID, so you may go crazy in a target rich enviroment. Vlf's do, some quite accurately. When I speak of trash I mean undesirable metallic objects that often mask good signals. Nails, pull tabs, cans, junk iron, etc. It is smaxing how much unseen crap is in the ground. Beaches present a unique situation as a lot of traditional detectors struggle with falsing in wet sand, thus the need for a pulse unit. Beach hunting varies greatly by geography. Like fishing, tides and especially storms are key. A noreaster with the right tide may push all kinds of goodies on the beach. Its rare however. Down in FL you can get all kinds of french and spanish items from the wrecks. You also get jewelry,coins, and the new thing oddly enough is lost cell phones. Believe it or not they have value. Always try to find the owner if at all possible. If I were primarily hunting the beach, I'd look at the minelab soveriegns, or excaliburs if you're gonna dive. The AT pro I mentioned earlier is good down to 10' I believe, but I'm not sure how they handle the wet sand with the DD coil. As far as finds, first of all, you're not going to make a good living doing it. Scrapping Gold and silver as a small man operation doesn't pay anywhere near what you'd think. Silver scrap is currently laughable. If you find something w/a precious stone its worth pennies of what the markup is in the store. I have a friend with a pill bottle full of diamonds. Copper/nickel/bronze coins are of very very little value in "dug" condition. Some silver coins can be quite valuable, but spots that consistently produce don't come easy. Not trying to be a debbie downer just hoping to give realistic expectations. Quote
mrmacwvu1 Posted November 17, 2014 Posted November 17, 2014 No thank you for taking the time to write that. I will use this to do some research. I never wanted to make a living I just love history and collect old coins. As far as jewelry goes I know what you mean, the mark up is nuts. Quote
Super User Redlinerobert Posted November 18, 2014 Super User Posted November 18, 2014 Big fan of old coins as well. We have a few Spanish reales from the early1600's Quote
Super User deaknh03 Posted November 18, 2014 Super User Posted November 18, 2014 Is there a JDM detector?? That would bump you into 2-3k range Robert. Quote
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