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First Metal Detector Help


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Hi everyone, first post. I'm currently new to metal detecting and I am using a loaned Whites 6000b coinmaster. I haven't dug anything but junk so far but I'm considering buying my first detector. My coworker has a Minelab CTX 3030 and I don't imagine I'll buy something that expensive as a beginner. I was looking at the Minelab Vanquish 540 or the Garrett Ace 400. I know very little about the different detectors but not looking to spend over $500 on my first. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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Welcome, spandexlurch!  (Please create a post here to tell us more about yourself.)

Here's a link that will help address your questions:

 

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Edited, since I totally forgot to say Welcome and thanks for your first post.

Steve's first post in the linked topic covers it pretty well. You won't find too many people on this forum recommending the older ACE series over just about anything. The are perfectly good detectors but they are intentionally handicapped from the factory with purely entry level features and performance. The Vanquish series, Simplex and soon to be released Garrett ACE Apex are better choices. If you buy a Minelab Vanquish, they are a great introduction to detecting and could easily lead you into the Minelab Equinox series later if you really like detecting since they are built on the same platform.

Jeff

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Thank you, I've been seriously leaning towards the Vanquish due to price and the fact that my coworker loves his CTX. The reason I was interested in the Ace series was simply due to price, I know little to nothing about the Garrett detectors.

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If you ever plan to use it on a salt water beach, don't get any of the Ace series. Single frequency detectors don't do well there.

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5 minutes ago, cudamark said:

If you ever plan to use it on a salt water beach, don't get any of the Ace series. Single frequency detectors don't do well there.

I did use the Whites on a freshwater beach off of Lake Huron, but kept getting signals due to the rebar in the concrete that was unfortunately under sections of the sand.

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Fresh water isn't the problem. It's the salt that is.

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20 hours ago, spandexlurch said:

Hi everyone, first post. I'm currently new to metal detecting and I am using a loaned Whites 6000b coinmaster. I haven't dug anything but junk so far but I'm considering buying my first detector. My coworker has a Minelab CTX 3030 and I don't imagine I'll buy something that expensive as a beginner. I was looking at the Minelab Vanquish 540 or the Garrett Ace 400. I know very little about the different detectors but not looking to spend over $500 on my first. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Hi ,

If you do not need wireless headphones , then even the Minelab Vanquish 340 at 240euros ( 200$? in the US  ) or the 440 ( 300$ ?) are excellent machines.Probably quite close to the CTX with a little less expensive price ... 🙂The 540 has wireless , backlight and a big V12 coil. However I prefer the smaller 340/440 V10  stock coil .

This V10 coil  (10X8 inches/360grams ) is lighter than the V12 ( 12X10 inches/440grams ) , very accurate, easy to center  , with excellent depth performances . Fun to use even by a beginner . Just my opinion .. 

 

 

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4 hours ago, palzynski said:

Hi ,

If you do not need wireless headphones , then even the Minelab Vanquish 340 at 240euros ( 200$? in the US  ) or the 440 ( 300$ ?) are excellent machines.Probably quite close to the CTX with a little less expensive price ... 🙂The 540 has wireless , backlight and a big V12 coil. However I prefer the smaller 340/440 V10  stock coil .

This V10 coil  (10X8 inches/360grams ) is lighter than the V12 ( 12X10 inches/440grams ) , very accurate, easy to center  , with excellent depth performances . Fun to use even by a beginner . Just my opinion .. 

 

 

Thank you, I appreciate your opinion. I was looking at the 540 because I figured bigger is better when it came to the coil. I also liked that it is back-lit but I don't forsee myself doing a lot of low light detecting. I like the thought of rechargeable batteries coming with the unit too, so maybe the 440 is the way I should go.

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2 hours ago, spandexlurch said:

Thank you, I appreciate your opinion. I was looking at the 540 because I figured bigger is better when it came to the coil. I also liked that it is back-lit but I don't forsee myself doing a lot of low light detecting. I like the thought of rechargeable batteries coming with the unit too, so maybe the 440 is the way I should go.

No a bigger coil does not mean  necessarily better , it depends from what you are looking for ... I use my Vanquish for coin hunting. I have tested the 3 coils V8 , V10 , V12 on my 540 and I prefer the V10 . The V8 is ultra light with a quite good ground coverage , but you loose depth with it on coin size targets vs the V10/V12, however it is the most sensible to tiny targets . The V12 is an excellent  coil for big coins at depth but a little heavy for me , and quite big so you need a pinpointer with that coil . The V10 offers depth , lightness and low iron masking a great design from ML and a very polyvalent coil ..

Yes I agree with you the 440 is probably the best choice , there are more functions than the 340 , a dedicated All Metal button that I use very often on the 540 , more volume tones ( 10 instead of 3 ) so that you can adjust the volume more accurately than on the 340 , a pinpoint mode , a rain cover , armrest strap etc .. All this with a still very interesting price ..

I forgot to mention that if the vanquish coils are waterproof , the vanquish control box itself cannot be submerged ...

 

 

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