I still have that first detector— a beat-up VLF from the ’90s, coil held together with duct tape. Found it in my grandpa’s garage, dusted it off, and marched to the park. Swung it over the grass, and—beep-beep-beep—it screamed at every nail, soda tab, and rock. I dug 12 holes, found one rusted washer, and muttered, “This is stupid.”
That’s when I met Ray. He ran the local detector shop, smelled like sunscreen, and drove a truck covered in “I Dig History” stickers. “You’re usin’ the wrong tool for the job,” he said, handing me a different machine. “That VLF’s great for parks, but you’re swingin’ it like it’s a jackhammer. Learn the tech, and it’ll start findin’ stuff.”
Turns out, he was right. After years of buying (and regretting) detectors, I finally figured out the difference between VLF, PI, and multi-frequency machines. Let me show you what I learned—through faceplants, lucky finds, and more than a few “why did I buy this?” moments.
All-Metal Mode: The Raw, Unfiltered Chaos
All-Metal mode is like turning off the mute button on life—everything metallic beeps. No discrimination, no filters. Just raw, uncut signals.
First time I used it? A clean farm field, no trash. Felt like a superhero—my coil hummed at every little thing. Dug 6 inches, and there it was: a 1902 wheat penny. “See?” Ray said. “No filters, no misses.”
But try it in a trashy park? Nightmare. Last summer, I hit a picnic area in All-Metal and dug 20 pull-tabs, 5 nails, and zero coins. Ray laughed. “All-Metal’s for clean ground. Trashy spots? It’s like listenin’ to a radio with no station.”
When to use it: Freshly plowed fields, old homesteads with low trash. Skip it in parks or busy beaches unless you love digging junk.
VLF Detectors: The Workhorse (But Don’t Overwork It)
VLF (Very Low Frequency) is the detector most of us start with. It’s like a smart friend—can tell the difference between iron (junk) and silver (treasure) using two coils (one sends signals, one listens).
My first VLF? A Garrett ACE 300. Ray said, “Great for parks, freshwater beaches.” He was right—found a 1955 quarter in the park, a kid’s lost necklace at the lake. But take it to a saltwater beach? Disaster.
Last winter, I tried my VLF on the Gulf Coast. Wet sand, salt spray—detector chattered like a squirrel on caffeine. Dug 8 holes, found zip. A guy with a beard (let’s call him Clay) shook his head. “VLF hates salt. It confuses the signals.” He handed me his PI detector. “Try this.”
VLF pros: Great for coins, jewelry, and parks. Filters out junk, easy to use.
VLF cons: Freaks out in salt, black sand, or iron-rich clay. Misses deep stuff in mineralized dirt.
PI Detectors: The Tough Guy Who Doesn’t Care About Salt
PI (Pulse Induction) detectors are built for chaos. They send quick, powerful pulses into the ground, ignoring salt, black sand, and mineralized dirt. Clay called it “the tank of detectors.”
First time I used Clay’s PI? Saltwater beach, waves crashing. My VLF would’ve screamed—this one? Hummed steady. Ping. Dug 10 inches, and there it was: a silver wedding band, “L + M” engraved inside.
But PI has a flaw: it’s dumb about trash. Iron nails, aluminum cans—they all beep. Spent a morning on a black sand beach with a PI, dug 15 nails, 2 bottle caps, and one gold earring. Worth it? Kinda.
When to use it: Saltwater beaches, black sand, iron-rich fields. Skip it in parks unless you want to dig every nail.
Multi-Frequency Detectors: The Swiss Army Knife
Multi-frequency detectors? They’re like VLFs with a PhD. Send out 2+ frequencies at once (low for deep stuff, high for small jewelry), so they work in more places.
Bought a Minelab Equinox 600 last year—Ray said, “Good for beaches, fields, woods.” Skeptical, but tried it on the salt beach where my VLF failed. No chatter, just clear pings. Found a 1964 silver dime 8 inches down.
Took it to a clay field (iron-rich) next. Old VLF would’ve freaked—this one? Steady as a rock. Dug a Civil War bullet 12 inches deep. “Told you,” Ray texted. “Multi-frequency blurs the lines.”
But they’re not perfect. Heavy, expensive, and battery-hungry. Forgot to charge mine once, died mid-hunt. Oops.
When to use it: Mixed terrain—beaches one weekend, fields the next. Worth the cash if you hunt different spots.
So, Which One Do You Need?
Ray’s rule: “Match the detector to the dirt.”
- Parks, freshwater beaches: VLF (single-frequency) like the Garrett ACE 400. Filters out junk, easy to use.
- Saltwater, black sand: PI detector (White’s TDI) or multi-frequency (Equinox). They laugh at salt.
- Mixed terrain (beaches + fields): Multi-frequency. One detector, less hassle.
- Clean farm fields: All-Metal mode on a VLF. No filters, find deep relics.
Field Notebook Takeaways (Scribbled in Sand and Coffee)
- VLFs are great for parks but panic in salt. Don’t fight it—use ’em where they work.
- PIs love salt/black sand but dig all metal. Bring a trash bag.
- Multi-frequency = versatile but pricey. Worth it if you hunt different spots.
- All-Metal mode = clean ground only. Trashy areas? You’ll hate life.
- Test before buying! Ray let me borrow detectors for a week. Saved me from bad purchases.
Dumb Questions I Used to Ask (Answered)
Q: Do I need a PI if I only go to the beach once a year?
A: Nah. Borrow one, or use a multi-frequency. PI’s a big investment for occasional use.
Q: Why does my VLF chatter in clay?
A: Iron in the clay tricks it. Use manual ground balance, or switch to multi-frequency.
Q: Is multi-frequency better than VLF or PI?
A: “Better” depends on where you hunt. It’s more versatile, but not always necessary.
Detector tech isn’t magic—it’s just tools. I still own that beat-up VLF, a PI for beaches, and a multi-frequency for weekends. They all have flaws, but they’ve found me more treasure than I ever thought possible.
What about you? Got a detector horror story? Found something cool with the “wrong” tech? Drop a comment—I’ll read ’em all (and probably laugh, ’cause I’ve been there).
Happy digging. May your next detector be the right one.