Cherry Picker
Forum Supporter
How many times have we seen this question? Over my 50 years I've given advice to people new to metal detecting and now realize it probably was not as good as I thought. I used to say "buy the best you can afford", which seemed like good advice until you start thinking about it. It is only good advice to someone you expect to remain in the hobby. Out of all the people new to detecting I have given this advice, only about 2-3, that I know of, are still metal detecting.
The first thing we generally see as an answer to this question is people spitting out detector models without even knowing what they will be looking for, where they will be hunting, and if they will be learning alone or with help from a fellow detectorist. All are very important as they will help determine the best choice. Is suggesting that buying a $700 detector to someone new to metal detecting that will be learning on their own a good idea? That is good advice for someone who has help in the field learning, but on your own would be overwhelming. I'm as guilty as anyone, but now I realize, especially with todays detectors, that suggesting a good $250-$300 starter is probably a better idea. After all, first you must learn the basics of metal detecting and how they work to even make use of all those confusing features like Iron Bias, Frequency Shift, and Silencer. The lone starter needs a good simple turn-on and swing detector to get a feel for the hobby. No whistle, no tweet, no whizzing tones, but a plain and simple tone.
We have good intentions when we suggest a model that has done us well, but that isn't always the best choice.
The first thing we generally see as an answer to this question is people spitting out detector models without even knowing what they will be looking for, where they will be hunting, and if they will be learning alone or with help from a fellow detectorist. All are very important as they will help determine the best choice. Is suggesting that buying a $700 detector to someone new to metal detecting that will be learning on their own a good idea? That is good advice for someone who has help in the field learning, but on your own would be overwhelming. I'm as guilty as anyone, but now I realize, especially with todays detectors, that suggesting a good $250-$300 starter is probably a better idea. After all, first you must learn the basics of metal detecting and how they work to even make use of all those confusing features like Iron Bias, Frequency Shift, and Silencer. The lone starter needs a good simple turn-on and swing detector to get a feel for the hobby. No whistle, no tweet, no whizzing tones, but a plain and simple tone.
We have good intentions when we suggest a model that has done us well, but that isn't always the best choice.