Metal Detecting Tips/Techs

The best detector is the one that's right for you.  So what does that mean?  It all depends on a combination of where you live, your budget, and what you're interested in.  

1.  Choosing a brand.   The old saying "you get what you pay for" really only holds true within a particular brand's line of detectors.  Quality, warranties, and performance generally remain constant, but price is based on additional or different features.  Between brands, of course, quality, performance, price, and warranties vary greatly.  My best advice is to read field tests, talk to other detectorists, and determine what detector gives you the most value for your needs and budget.  

     - My philosophy:  I have used many brands and models throughout the years, but the only detector I'll ever use and sell now is a Tesoro.  There are many other brands that we could carry, but you just can't beat Tesoro's lifetime warranty and performance.  For a small business, promoting a company that stands behind their product 100% was an easy decision.  Not to mention that my own finds have been phenomenal using one!

2.  What are your interests?  Metal detectors are made for different purposes.  

     a.  Coin Shooting and Relic Hunting.

     Many coin collectors have made detecting a natural extension of their passion for old and rare coins.  Many history buffs have likewise made this decision to discover a piece of history where it was actually lost, thrown, or shot.  Whether you're interested in coins, jewelry, or relics, any "multi-purpose" high end brand from low to higher price is a good choice in normal soil conditions, but discrimination is essential.  For cache hunting (buried treasure), maximum depth, and the option for a larger search coil are necessary.

Tesoro's Capstone Detector
 

     b.  Nugget Shooting.

     Gold deposits are known to occur all over this country.  Nugget shooting is very popular because most of the commercial gold today comes from chemical processes that extract small amounts of gold from large volumes of rock.  Therefore, natural gold nuggets are relatively uncommon, and worth many times more than their weight to collectors.  While any detector will find gold, metal detectors specifically designed for this purpose find much more!  Here's why:

• Ground balance modes for alkali soils and black sand for smooth operation in extreme mineralization (commonly found in river beds and mine dumps)
  
• Maximum sensitivity to locate the smallest flakes at greater depths
  
• Operate with the ideal frequencies for locating precious metal ore.

Tesoro's Gold Retriever

     c.  Beach and Underwater

     Ahhh...Pirate Treasure - the stuff that dreams are made!!  Beach and underwater detecting can be an extremely rewarding experience every time you go out.  Not only in finds, but what better way to involve your whole family as well.  If you are lucky enough to live by an ocean or freshwater beach, be prepared to find gold jewelry!!   Why?  

     People may have frequented your beach for at least the past 100 years.  When you think of all the thousands of people who got their hands wet and full of sun screen, hundreds of rings are possibly thrown all over the place.  There are several theories for areas of the beach that have higher concentrations of jewelry, but if you have a detector that is fully submersible and has good ground balance, the possibilities are endless.  

     Even if you just want to stay on dry land, a beach is a very hazardous place for electronic equipment.  That is why we recommend that if you plan to hunt a beach, get an airtight detector.  While all search coils are waterproof, and other types of detectors have good ground balance, if you don't have one made for the surf, stay off the beach!

Something More Aggressive:

3.  Other Considerations

     a.  Personal Investment.   Planning to grab the bull by the horns and detect several hours a week?  You'll probably want more features than if you only spent an occasional hour or so on a random weekend.  You can tear up some dirt and find great stuff with a basic detector, but if you're going to put some serious time into it and don't get the features you need, you'll likely be looking for another soon enough.

     b.  Weight and Comfort.  Some brands have come a long way with circuitry and efficiency, while others have focused on other things like advertising.  Swinging a heavy detector back and forth can be tiresome, and while you can't get a feel for comfort on the internet, take a look at the weight specifications to make sure it's right for you.  Otherwise, if you see a large, bulky control box in a picture, you can probably bet it'll be heavy.

4.  Finally, don't spend too much time worrying about what detector to buy when you could be out there finding great stuff right now.  If it turns out that you become obsessive compulsive like most of us, you'll be buying another.  Like most other electronic equipment, metal detectors are constantly getting better!  

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