Hello From Mississippi

[righttoown]

New to metal detectors. Always wanted one but never pulled the trigger. Want to search some creek property I bought. Looking at buying the Garrett Ace Apex Multi-Frequency to start out with.

[F350Platinum]

39 minutes ago, righttoown said:

New to metal detectors. Always wanted one but never pulled the trigger. Want to search some creek property I bought. Looking at buying the Garrett Ace Apex Multi-Frequency to start out with.

Welcome to the forum RTO. 🙂

My first detector two years ago was a Garrett Ace 400. Got it to look for nails after a roof job, then found colonial stuff in my backyard. I wanted the Apex but they were only hyping it, couldn't buy one. I found some good stuff, but all metal detectors detect metal. 😀 I knew I was in the "bush league". Kept digging all kinds of junk when the detector implied it was good.

I consider myself fortunate that I visited a metal detector shop later that year, they had the Apex and Ace 400, I asked what I should upgrade to. The shop owner asked me where I lived, and told me I should get a Minelab Equinox 600. It was $650, about $250 more than my Ace, but he said it would be all I would need for my area (he was very familiar with it). He also offered to train me there because where I live is very old. I bit the bullet and bought the 600.

I didn't take him up on that training offer but I can tell you very soon I found out why the Equinox was recommended. I got permission to hunt the local farms and man was I hooked. I retired a couple years ago, and have thousands of very productive acres to search, with more in my back pocket. I have found everything from colonial coins to modern toys, I hunt farms, beaches, campgrounds, anywhere someone will let me have a look.

The Apex has a small following, but it's not waterproof (you're going to need that in your creek), it's kinda small, and there aren't a lot of accessories for it. From what I've seen from others talking about it you would do much better with an Equinox, or the next one I mention.

Of late there is another detector, the Nokta Makro Legend. At the time I was looking Nokta had a detector called the Simplex, I tried it and wasn't as impressed as I was with the Equinox. However, the Simplex and Legend are both waterproof. The Simplex is about the same price as the Apex, but if you want to hit the ground running I would budget a bit more and look at the Legend as well. It has better ergonomics than the Equinox, but it is still going through "growing pains".

I recently added an XP Deus 2 to my tools, but it's a bit more temperamental and complicated than the Equinox. The shop owner was a Deus user. He was glad to see me buy another. 😀

Poke around this site, read reviews and advice here, you are in the best place possible. Ask questions! This site has made me a very happy and prolific detectorist.

[righttoown]

Thanks for the great information. I’m going to look into the Minelab Equinox 600. 

[F350Platinum]

31 minutes ago, righttoown said:

Thanks for the great information. I’m going to look into the Minelab Equinox 600. 

Check out the Legend too, you might find it to be a bit more comfortable. The Equinox has been around for a long time, there are lots of aftermarket accessories for it, including stuff that will change how it feels in your hand.

I have mine customized and use it all the time, but the Deus 2 is growing on me because it's lighter and more waterproof. Tap on my avatar and check out what I find! I'm in northern VA near the Potomac, very old area, totally rural. I have a river in my back yard.

My posts go back a year, using both the Equinox and the Deus. 🙂

Look for a real metal detector shop near you, if there's nothing (mine is a 2 hour drive one way 😀), there are online sellers on this forum that are the best out there. 👍 Again, feel free to ask questions before you buy if you have any. More will chime in on this thread.

[JCR]

Welcome from East Texas.

I second the suggestion to consider the Nokta Legend. I think it is more value for the same money as the Equinox 600. You wouldn't go wrong with either though.

[righttoown]

 

Man y’all got me leaning towards the Nokta Legend now. Any problems with it be made in Turkey

 

 

[jim tn]

Welcome from your neighbor to the north. Whatever detector you decide upon, one of the keys is spending good quality time with it and learning it well. I swing a Equinox 600 and have no problems recommending it. It is great hunting coins and relic's. Good luck and have fun! HH Jim Tn

[JCR]

No problems with being made in Turkey.  They have an 2 service centers in the USA. I have called them a couple of times with questions. Nice & helpful.

[F350Platinum]

The Legend is going to be like the Equinox 800, arguably better than the 600 but I was trying to keep it less expensive for you. 😀

From what I've read it's got a lot of great functions and is more comfortable out of the box.

I still say try to get your hands on both. 🙂 When you're spending that much money, better to see the product live.

[righttoown]

After comparing and reading on this forum the plus for the Minelab seems to be more aftermarket coils and other parts available. Not so much for the Nokta.