Lost,bewildered,confused

[Gator]

Yep, you got the picture, noob,lol.
But I have been researching and lurking in the shadows here and other spots to lessen my ignorance.
I know I dont want a machine with all the bells and whistles on it right off. I have sort of narrowed down to a few machines and have questions. I like the Tesoro Vaquero or the Cibela (dont know the spelling on the last one,sorry) or maybe the Garrett Ace 250.
Im very concerned about the pinpointing issues on the Ace as I have read many forum postings on this.
Also some of the places I will hunt are in hills heavy with red clay(iron) so thats why I listed the Vaquero because to the user controlled ground balance or do you think that would matter much???
I like Tesoros warranty but for just over 200 bucks the Ace looks good for a beginner.
Oh, I will mainly coin/jewelry hunt and only at times on beaches of lakes or river,no salt water.
At first,when I began thinking about this new hobby I began to get excited, but I have to admit I am already starting to tire at the choices and which are right and wrong.
No dealers in my area. There is one about 100 miles west.
Willing to spend around 400 to 500 bucks.
Need to know if I should buy extra coils and if coil covers are necessary and do I need a pinpointer?
Well, maybe thats enough for now,lol, I am sure Ill have other questions.
Thanks a bunch,
John

[turnerscc]

Pinpointing with the Ace is simple once you find the sweet spot. If you get the 4.5" sniper coil what you pinpoint is directly under the coil.

You can get an Ace 250 from any of the spnsors here or on ebay.

Get the 4.5" sniper and a Pin Pointer. I use the Vibra Probe and wouldn't go without it

[julieburger]

In that price range an xterra 50 would be a good choice. Lot's of Bell's and whistles and not hard to learn.

[EPC Guy]

I'm still pretty new to MDing - so I can't offer much in the way of comparison of machines - but I can tell you that a pin pointer is an investment you won't regret...I use a Vibraprobe 560 - and am extremely happy with it...good luck!

[anne]

Please talk to one of the sponsers on here,they can steer you in the right direction,as to your soil conditions ecetra. Minelab Xterras are brilliant machines easy to learn and lightweight with plenty of depth,whatever machine you end up with coil covers are a must. Good luck with your choice of machine and happy hunting.

[EBCIII]

For sure call or e-mail one of the sponsors. I did just that and am glad I did.

I ended up with the X-Terra 70 for my first machine. I am really enjoying it. Very easy to use and light on the arm. Good luck on your choice, Beale.

[The TINMAN]

Yes Sir, It can be confusing. Enough to make your head spin or Metal detectors have come a Looong way and the choises can be endless. There are alot of 250 & Exterra users here that are extremely happy with them, Same with the Tesoro's. I have a Vequero and love it, the Manual ground balance will allow you to dial into the grounds mineralization a bit better ( my Opinion ) The Cibola is another great choice & ya can't beat the Lifetime Warranty. As Everyone has stated. Talk to the Sponsors here. They will not only Walk you through your confusion but They will always be there if you need them. Now to help ya along a little because when ya go to get a pinpointer the choices are many & the opinions are to so I can Help you on this one. I have a Brand New Vibra Probe 560 that was given me as an early B-day Present. I already have one & Love it so If you want, just PM me with an Address and I will mail it out to you to help get you started and this way you can take the money you were going to spend on a pinpointer and put torwards the detector you get. As I said in my other post it can get frustrating but thats what we & the Sponsors are here for And Trust me on this, Once you get what you want & start detecting, You will not Regret it. This is a Great Hobby and the Folks here are Top Shelf. We ALL have our Good & Bad Days but we're All here to Laugh & Cry Together

The TINMAN

[pris]

Wow, Tinman!! That's a great gesture that any newbie would be lucky to receive. Took a lot of diggin' for me to be able to fork out the $ for a pinpointer, but it sure was a great investment. LOVE IT.

you ROCK, Tinman :)

And, welcome to TQ, Gator. As you can see, we have some of the very best human (and tin ) beings here on this forum.

[The TINMAN]

I don't know about Rockin but I sure can Rattle at times. " Thank You" for the kind words. TQ. Rocks and it's members are Special just like You.
Very best Human ( & Tin ) beings on this forum. Your wit is sharper than the hairs on an Ants Back. You always crack me up or I should say You split my Tin.

The TINMAN

[John's Detectors]

Originally Posted by Gator

Yep, you got the picture, noob,lol.
But I have been researching and lurking in the shadows here and other spots to lessen my ignorance.
I know I dont want a machine with all the bells and whistles on it right off. I have sort of narrowed down to a few machines and have questions. I like the Tesoro Vaquero or the Cibela (dont know the spelling on the last one,sorry) or maybe the Garrett Ace 250.
Im very concerned about the pinpointing issues on the Ace as I have read many forum postings on this.
Also some of the places I will hunt are in hills heavy with red clay(iron) so thats why I listed the Vaquero because to the user controlled ground balance or do you think that would matter much???
I like Tesoros warranty but for just over 200 bucks the Ace looks good for a beginner.
Oh, I will mainly coin/jewelry hunt and only at times on beaches of lakes or river,no salt water.
At first,when I began thinking about this new hobby I began to get excited, but I have to admit I am already starting to tire at the choices and which are right and wrong.
No dealers in my area. There is one about 100 miles west.
Willing to spend around 400 to 500 bucks.
Need to know if I should buy extra coils and if coil covers are necessary and do I need a pinpointer?
Well, maybe thats enough for now,lol, I am sure Ill have other questions.
Thanks a bunch,
John

Hi John, welcome and yes I know that you want to get it right the first time. There is no perfect detector and you have to decide what your main type of detecting will be. The Tesoro's are excellent detectors and you have picked one of the best brands to try. Don't be discouraged either John. The best thing you can do is researching as your doing. I think the Vaquero will do fine for you and ground balancing is easy. If you are needing more depth then the Tejon will be good for those deep relics and coins. Also Tesoro has come out with a new coil called the 5.75" HOT coil. It is a great investment and will work nicely with the Vaquero. I also love the 9x8 stock coils that come with the Vaquero. So with the price range you have set, the Vaquero will be money well spent! If you need further help John PM me or call and I love helping people get what they really want in a metal detector. So God Bless and I hope to hear from you John.

John Tomlinson,CET P=VI
John's Detectors
Blackwell,Tx.
Best Little Detector Shop in Texas!