There have been a number of posts by members asking what sort of detector to get as their first detector.
This is a big investment for people and there have been many instances of people getting caught with a bad deal and having to pay twice either to replace or repair the bad purchase.
I thought I would offer some advice on what to look for when purchasing a new detector.
You have a number of choices:
a) build it;
b) buy it new;
c) buy it secondhand; and
d) inherit it - it does happen to a few lucky people but I wont cover this area;
a) Build it
There are a number of kits out there if you are handy with electronics, the most popular include:
- SurfPI Pro PI kit;
- Barracuda PI kit;
Just search the forum or google these and you will find them. Some build forums exist on the web and can offer advice on how to go about it.
People have had varying degrees of success with this.
b) Buy it new
I would always recommend going to a reputable dealer for a number of reasons:
- warranty - the biggest reason to go with a dealer. if something goes wrong, and it will, the warranty is your insurance to get it fixed, if possible I always get it extended as long as possible;
- support - again if something goes wrong or you dont quite know how to use your new detector the dealer is always there to help, at least the good ones are;
- experience - they sell these for a living and a lot of the time they go metal detecting themselves so can advise from field experience;
c) Buy it second hand
This is the most risky route. At least with the other two you have some control over the quality.
Buying second hand you are potentially picking up someone else's nightmares.
But you can score yourself a good deal if you take your time and are cautious.
Heres a few tips for buying second hand:
a) you get the serial numbers from them they will be on the control box somewhere.
There are a lot of stolen detectors out there and you can check these on a website and Minelab has a list of serial numbers to look for;
b) beware the fakes, scams and flim flam artists.
There are also a lot of shonky operators out there particularly on Fleebay and GummyTrees, they sell metal detector shells that look like the real deal but have no internal electronics or if they do its just enough to make a light blink and make a sound to make it look like its working. The coils can be shells also, no wire in them at all just the plastic housing.
If you look around people try and sell you all sorts of long range detectors you just point at a goldfield and they pinpoint the gold for you, what a load of hooey that is. Don't even consider it, I have seen calculators, radios, etc done up to look like Long Range detectors usually with a car radio antennae at the front.
c) don't look at a machine that they aren't willing to show you working, if they wont fire it up and demonstrate all its features working then walk away.
Don't forget if they are throwing in extra coils, boosters, etc get them to show you them working also.
By getting it all demonstrated you are ensuring that you are not missing any of the essential cables, wires, batteries, etc for it;
d) hire or borrow a metal detector from a friend or friendly forum member who can show you the ropes, try to hire / borrow one of the type and model that you are looking for, try out all its features, see if it is a good fit for you;
e) take your time there is no rush, its a big investment in $ and time and you don't want to have to pay twice with a bad deal;
f) check the prices online so you can determine if the asking price is fair for the condition its in and what extras it comes with; and
g) post a thread on the forum to ask other members once you get the details of a potential deal you are considering to get their opinion.
Hope this helps someone.
This is a big investment for people and there have been many instances of people getting caught with a bad deal and having to pay twice either to replace or repair the bad purchase.
I thought I would offer some advice on what to look for when purchasing a new detector.
You have a number of choices:
a) build it;
b) buy it new;
c) buy it secondhand; and
d) inherit it - it does happen to a few lucky people but I wont cover this area;
a) Build it
There are a number of kits out there if you are handy with electronics, the most popular include:
- SurfPI Pro PI kit;
- Barracuda PI kit;
Just search the forum or google these and you will find them. Some build forums exist on the web and can offer advice on how to go about it.
People have had varying degrees of success with this.
b) Buy it new
I would always recommend going to a reputable dealer for a number of reasons:
- warranty - the biggest reason to go with a dealer. if something goes wrong, and it will, the warranty is your insurance to get it fixed, if possible I always get it extended as long as possible;
- support - again if something goes wrong or you dont quite know how to use your new detector the dealer is always there to help, at least the good ones are;
- experience - they sell these for a living and a lot of the time they go metal detecting themselves so can advise from field experience;
c) Buy it second hand
This is the most risky route. At least with the other two you have some control over the quality.
Buying second hand you are potentially picking up someone else's nightmares.
But you can score yourself a good deal if you take your time and are cautious.
Heres a few tips for buying second hand:
a) you get the serial numbers from them they will be on the control box somewhere.
There are a lot of stolen detectors out there and you can check these on a website and Minelab has a list of serial numbers to look for;
b) beware the fakes, scams and flim flam artists.
There are also a lot of shonky operators out there particularly on Fleebay and GummyTrees, they sell metal detector shells that look like the real deal but have no internal electronics or if they do its just enough to make a light blink and make a sound to make it look like its working. The coils can be shells also, no wire in them at all just the plastic housing.
If you look around people try and sell you all sorts of long range detectors you just point at a goldfield and they pinpoint the gold for you, what a load of hooey that is. Don't even consider it, I have seen calculators, radios, etc done up to look like Long Range detectors usually with a car radio antennae at the front.
c) don't look at a machine that they aren't willing to show you working, if they wont fire it up and demonstrate all its features working then walk away.
Don't forget if they are throwing in extra coils, boosters, etc get them to show you them working also.
By getting it all demonstrated you are ensuring that you are not missing any of the essential cables, wires, batteries, etc for it;
d) hire or borrow a metal detector from a friend or friendly forum member who can show you the ropes, try to hire / borrow one of the type and model that you are looking for, try out all its features, see if it is a good fit for you;
e) take your time there is no rush, its a big investment in $ and time and you don't want to have to pay twice with a bad deal;
f) check the prices online so you can determine if the asking price is fair for the condition its in and what extras it comes with; and
g) post a thread on the forum to ask other members once you get the details of a potential deal you are considering to get their opinion.
Hope this helps someone.
