I’m looking to buy a metal detector partially because I’ve always wanted one since seeing my dad in the local paper after him and a few of his workmates found something ( I can’t remember what it was they found now though 
).
Reason two is will give me a bit of exercise and some fun walking round some of the nice places quite near to me.
I’m looking at a budget of £4-500. Does anybody have any recommendations or cautions? The market does seem to be awash with devices 
Yes, I know everything there is to know about detectors. If I was you, I’d up your budget a little. You will reap the benefits. If this thread goes the usual way, I’ll step out.
What sort of budget should I be looking at? And what would it offer over my proposed budget?
The usual way?
If I was you, I’d get a Minelab Equinox 700. If you want to spend a little more, get the Equinox 900.
It’s a fascinating hobby and these 2 machines will serve all your needs. The fascinating part not only comes from the sites you’re detecting, but the machine use itself. You will never stop learning from them. You will be the limit, not the machine or site.
Funny you should mention that one as that is what I was looking at late last night after doing a search. 
I can take a flask and butties and have a nice day out in some nice locations and see if can find anything.
I’ll have a proper look now to make sure that the screen indicates finds as I may not be able to hear in the future.
Thanks.
I’m curious to hear of metal detectors with the word ‘Mine’ in them!!!
If you’ve never metal detected before, to very simply sum up, as you swing left/right you’re scanning the earth for variations in conductivity. It’s full of every concievable ore/metal/mineral and the tone you hear through the headphones constantly changes. You’re literally inundated with dozens of signals every few seconds. The detector is set up to make different tones for different metals/minerals and it’s yours and the detector’s job to decipher these, and choose what to dig. The more experience you have, the better the detector and its set-up, the more success you have.
Let’s take this to the extreme and say you have no hearing. That makes it harder, but not impossible. The Equinox 700 & 900 both have numbers that constantly appear when a signal is made (basically all the time). These are a good guide, but not foolproof. The CTX3030 has a much more complex screen showing a graph instead of numbers. This graph is far more involved and accurate to use without sound, but again, not as foolproof as using sound differences. The problem with the ctx3030 is it’s about £1800 new. However, there are loads secondhand on the market, because people want lighter, simpler 600, 700, 800 or 900.
The problem with metal detecting is, after the initial euphoria of turning up at a beautiful medieval site on a glorious sunny day, it can become monotonous and frustrating if all you’re doing after an hour is either constantly digging up foil, tiny bits of iron or digging up nothing. (N.B. the best sites for finding anything worthwhile are full of iron bits, as that indicates human activity over the past 2 thousand years). As I said, the more experience you have, the better the detector and its set-up, the more enjoyment you’ll have.
Thanks for the advice, it’s most helpful. 
Had a cheap C-Scope as a kid with very few features - as you mention I quickly got bored digging up foil take away cartons.
Yes they do, Lance uses a ctx3030 and there’s a few lines of comedy about it throughout the series.
One of the sharpest comedies for a long long time. Love the subtle relationships and observations. Pure genius!
Lost on me. No idea who they are.
You’re kidding right?
Coils to the soil!
Nope. Never watch comedies apart from Laurel and Hardy.
It’s the Detectorists. It’s a truly wonderful programme. It’s comedic but it’s far away from a sitcom. It’s very thoughtful and the characters are beautifully drawn.
Also two of the most recognisable British actors around if you look closely.
And a couple of very famous American musicians. 
Thanks all. My missus’ friend said she liked it when Mrs Guinnless said I’d been looking at metal detectors. Bloody Google snitching again
I need subtitles on the telly now so I can’t be arsed with much at the moment.
