Which detector to go for?! Decisions decisions...

[Sharkeysend]

Hi folks

So, to the business of choosing my first detector - what to go for?! It seems to me that there's a fair bit of choice out there, even with a budget of £200. I've narrowed it down to three potential machines:

Bounty Hunter Tracker IV at £130
Garrett Ace 250 at £160
Tesoro Compadre at £185

I'm leaning towards the Compadre, mainly because from the few reviews I've seen it seems to be quite a good choice for coins and jewelry, plus it doesn't look particularly complicated 

With that said I wonder if I could trouble you splendid peeps for your opinions or perhaps suggestions please?

Thanks

[Peter]

Any of the 3 you mentioned are a decent enough detector for learning with.In fact I`ve just added this .The Bounty Hunter is a very under rated detector and is a very good detector for the money. I think one of the lads on here used his Sons up against his more expensive detector and the Bounty Hunters recovery speed was amazingly fast .
I don`t think there is really anything that sets any of them apart from each other & I think you`d enjoy using any of the 3.
 There are many detectors suitable for learning on and are pretty good choices. The Tesoro Silver Sabre 1 or 2 is another great little contender which won`t mind screw you, with umpteen settings to alter. Get used to the "basics" first . Just like the old saying....Learn to  Walk before you try to Run.

[redkite]

As Peter said any are a good starter machine, Tesoro would be my choice sound only no meter .

[Willy muffit]

Another vote for the Tesoro great machines

[Keith67]

I love researching machines, and Tesoro are very well respected.  Good honest reliable machines.

[Willy muffit]

As Peter said any are a good starter machine, Tesoro would be my choice sound only no meter .

When a man without a meter and a good ear meets a man with a meter and a good ear  the man without a meter will win IMHO  lol

[Keith67]

As Peter said any are a good starter machine, Tesoro would be my choice sound only no meter .

When a man without a meter and a good ear meets a man with a meter and a good ear  the man without a meter will win IMHO  lol

Do you consider meters a distraction from what really matters Willy?  I know there are many in your camp who favour tones.

[Willy muffit]

definitely !  people look at a meter and say mmm junk sometimes it is junk BUT often its not and THE SOUND TO A GOOD EAR  will dig those

[Nuke em]

definitely !  people look at a meter and say mmm junk sometimes it is junk BUT often its not and THE SOUND TO A GOOD EAR  will dig those

Sometimes i would agree but sometimes you need a meter or you would never have an idea what you are digging , beaches are a good example .
The best target i.d. machines are the Explorer / ETrac and CTX , they have the best tones and many of them , also with their meters and their screens that have many pixels act almost like a radar screen .
Where i go you would not normally use a non metered machine though many do to their cost because of all the rubbish of all types but i can see the point in digging all to find all . It just gets very boring and tiring digging pull tabs and ring pulls and bottle tops almost all the time .
Knowing your machine is the best way to find most of the goodies available .

[Peter]

There`s a Tesoro bandido 2 ,with headphones included on E bay at the moment ,on £72 with 2 days to go >> Item No. 262480705270

[shooter]

All meters tell lies!!  With all the different metals, alloys, sizes, shapes and attitudes to the search coil, among many others, there is no detector manufacturer that can make a 100% truthful meter!!

[redkite]

There`s a Tesoro bandido 2 ,with headphones included on E bay at the moment ,on £72 with 2 days to go >> Item No. 262480705270

If the service mentioned was done by Pentecnic, it will work as a new one.

[Keith67]

All meters tell lies!!  With all the different metals, alloys, sizes, shapes and attitudes to the search coil, among many others, there is no detector manufacturer that can make a 100% truthful meter!!

I love the hodograph on my Sorex Pro, the loops and lines are pretty accurate, however,  I dig no more or less iron with the Sorex  than with the Deus.  I have learnt the tones of the Deus (correction - I am getting better with the tones of the Deus) and I don't have the remote, but I can tell a lot of junk these days because I am starting to tune my ears in.

[Devonlad]

I wear my controller on my arm and only consult it occasionally, I have learnt the more info you have the better your decision.  On one occasion I had an awful “scratchy-grunty” don’t dig signal, glancing at the controller the numbers are flicking between 0 and 6 then briefly 94 and back to 0 - that flick to 94 says to me investigate, and there at 10” a complete crotal bell.  The detector being confused by the iron pea and scrap iron in the same hole, there have been other times when I have been rewarded by consulting the reading on a bad audio tone.

[Keith67]

I wear my controller on my arm and only consult it occasionally, I have learnt the more info you have the better your decision.  On one occasion I had an awful “scratchy-grunty” don’t dig signal, glancing at the controller the numbers are flicking between 0 and 6 then briefly 94 and back to 0 - that flick to 94 says to me investigate, and there at 10” a complete crotal bell.  The detector being confused by the iron pea and scrap iron in the same hole, there have been other times when I have been rewarded by consulting the reading on a bad audio tone.

Interesting Dev, shows how everyone is different.  I recall a video by Gary where he had a dodgy signal but his Deus meter was not showing a number.  He said that was a sign with Deus that it could be a hoard so he always digs it.