earthSCAN
Metal Detecting
Reviews
Makro CF77 Metal Detector Review
July 05 2017 - Review by VincentNz
March 26 2017 - Review by VincentNz
After waiting for an opportunity to purchase one of these 1023's I managed to secure one from the US for a price I could not refuse. It came with everything that you would expect with buying a new one of these less the original box. My initial thoughts when unpacking the Famous Trails MD1023 were that the unit looked quite flimsy compared to virtually all of the other units I have tested however this was my initial thoughts before assembling the detector.
Putting the unit together was very easy and only took a few minutes. The first thing that I noticed was that the shafts are smaller in diameter than what I have become accustomed to and my initial thoughts went to what another reviewer mentioned about wanting to keep his unit however to mount it on a better shaft setup. I thought that I would probably do a similar thing as it appeared to me on my inspection that the shafts were possibly too small to be effective. This, after its first hunt was put to rest. The shafts although smaller and seemingly flimsy are surprisingly suitable for providing a solid platform for the coil & control housing when in the field. I also thought that the single cam-lock looked to be a weak point as well however it locks the shafts firmly into place. This is something that I am real finicky about when it comes to metal detectors. I cannot stand movement in the shafts.
The MD1023 runs off two 9 volt batteries which are located under the control housing. A great point to note is how easy it is to remove the control box from the shaft assembly. It makes it very easy to break down the metal detector to put into a day pack etc and quickly set-up in the field.
All in all it balances well and feels good to swing. All the control knobs and switch are easily accessible. Once you turn the detector on , set the sensitivity, adjust the discrimination/tone you are set to go hunting and you can simply change between All metal/Disc/Tone & Pinpoint all with your thumb on the fly making this a very user friendly detector & especially for those just starting out into the hobby. This IMO offers something more than its comparable competition (Ace150/Tesoro Compadre) by having the ability to quickly check your targets in 2 tone mode.
My first hunt with the Famous Trails MD1023 was an enjoyable time. I initially started hunting in All Metal mode and checked signals by flicking between Disc/Tone. I would also like to point out that this is the first review of a metal detector that I have done not using headphones. I did this to see first hand if it was easy to distinguish between good and bad via the speaker. Something I believe most purchasers of this unit would also do as usually if you are on a tight budget, you generally will not buy headphones until later on.
Anyway I hunted around some old trees at the end of a rugby field and found a few good targets but more trash as I was simply trying the Disc at differing levels. After maybe an hour of hunting and enjoying the sun I headed for a small reserve I used to play in when I was a kid and low and behold this place started giving up the goods.
As for the view meter on the control housing. My opinion on this is to totally ignore it and concentrate on the sounds and your Disc options. You will end up being the better for it. No this is no Makro Racer or At Pro, but its a great choice for those of you just starting out or on a tight budget. You will get a lot of enjoyment out of this detector but not only that, but you will also get a very capable unit which is held in high regard by the very same beta testers who help design the high end machines.
Overall the Famous Trails MD1023 is as good as those who have tested and reviewed them say. You would be foolish in comparing this unit to a mid-high priced unit especially for someone starting out that does not have $1000 to spend on a hobby. This little detector is capable of keeping up with anything that I have used in the low - mid priced detectors and has the ability to surprise the high end users with its ease of use and hunt modes for a cheap metal detector.
GoldFinder2 Metal Detector Review
August 5 2016 - Review by Joe McGregor
After 2 hunts with it here are my initial thoughts. Hunting wet sand, salt flats and wet soil.
Very user friendly interface
Light weight and easy to swing
The 11in DD although a little heavy was not unwieldy and the unit is very nicely balanced.
The 5in is a masterpiece.
Both coils are highly accurate.
The quick grab toggle is a very welcome feature makes ground balance and pinpointing very easy and quick.
Tone options 1,1+,2+,3,4,36 & db make for some interesting hunting. I can only say at this point 36 & db are very similar to to AT Pros proportional audio. (further testing is coming).
Cons: option dial is very easy to knock when in use.
No back-light. Arm rest is a little uncomfortable but that can be remedied easily. Depth reading in pinpointing are at best an estimate.
All in all at this point the GF2 appears to be a good unit. I will be giving her a good thrashing over the next few months and will keep you all informed of her progress.
But I can honestly say for the price this is going to be hard to beat.
As a final note I still love my Musketeer."
August 13 2016 - continued Review by Joe McGregor
"I've been testing the new GoldFinder 2 over the past week.
At first I was quite pessimistic about how well it would perform, however I have to eat my words (very happily).
These are a very good quality machine, the display is easy to read and
the interface is extremely easy to understand and master.
Most of
you would have a tendency to rubbish Chinese units - with good reason-
but after running this one through some tough testing I can say that the
GF2 is a very good machine.
Pros. Light weight, well balanced & easy to swing.
Audio options provide a clean, crisp response across a wide range of terrain, very quiet on highly mineralized ground.
User interface is very friendly and easy to master. Display is clear
and accurate. If it says it's a pull tab it IS a pull tab! Trigger
pinpointing gb makes for fast grabs and gb. One handed operation for
changing settings and frequency.
Cons. At times the 11" DD was very chatty in high trash areas. Depth readings in pinpoint mode is a best an estimate.
All in all I have been impressed by this unit and for the money it is very hard to beat in my opinion. ($550).
I would strongly encourage anyone who is looking for a cheap unit or
just getting into our hobby give the GF2 a go, you will not be
disappointed and those more experienced hunters this would only serve to
enhance our arsenal."
August 15 2016 - continued Review by Joe McGregor
"Hi again peps. This is my last summary of the GF2.
I like it! Clean audio although I'm not sure about the db setting, sounds a lot like Star Wars.
However for the price these units will be very hard to beat.
A great unit whether starting out or an experienced hunter everyone will find this very user friendly.
Now I've said my piece I strongly encourage you to have a try."
