Aardvark Metal Detectors
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Hi my name is Calvin,and my first metal detector was a Garrett GTAx 550. This is a awesome detector for any newbie to start out with. All you do is hit the power switch and the pre-set functions kick in and you are good to go.

The digital dial is very easy to read and the presets get you off and running faster than the lost " DUTCHMAN ". In the first week I found a lot of amazing lost items. The first thing i found was a old "Boy Scout Knife" under 6" of dirt along a big lake in my town. The knife was very old and may have been used by a would be fisherman years ago. I also found $12.64 in coins,7 rings, 1 necklace, a rusty cowboy belt buckle, 3 medallions, assorted pieces of junk, and a " HORSESHOE ". My first week was so much fun that my love for metal detecting has only grown.

This was just the beginning as the Garrett GTAx 550 allows you the option to go manual and create your own setting and that's when the real fun starts. I reset the settings for max-deep seeking and to detect in all metal, and I was amaze that this detector found items at 11" deep. Also in the all metal search, yes you pick up more junk but you find items that may have been missed by searching with the preset discrimination on.

All in all I rate this detector a 5 out of 5 because of the user friendly
controls, it's ability to search over 9" deep, and a price that's easy on the pocket.

The Garrett GTAX 550 is an intermediate level detector and sells for about $500. The GTAX 550 has a pretty big LCD screen that shows battery life, operating mode, and target analyzer. The GTAX 550 weighs about 3.5 pounds, which can get pretty heavy after a long use. The GTAX 550 will take some time to learn and tune being that it is an intermediate level detector. I’d recommend watching the DVD that comes with it so you can quickly get a feel for it.

There are many things that I like about this detector. I like the fact that the target you are detecting is shown on the LCD screen. This is good because you have an idea of what you are detecting. I also like the non-motion automatic pinpointing feature. This allows you pinpoint exactly where the object is. Also, you spend less time digging and more time detecting! I also found that the GTAX 550 has great discrimination and rejection. It does of good job weeding out the junk.

What I don’t really love about the GTAX 550 is that it doesn’t really perform well at the beach. When I used it at the beach, the Target ID was jumping around was not accurate at all. I also don't like how heavy this detector is. Swinging around almost 4 pounds of weight on your arm for hours at a time is difficult for anyone. Another thing is that the manual is very long and kind of confusing. I recommend just watching the DVD and forgetting about the manual.

The GTAX 550 is a very well built detector. It's pinpointing is spot on and it discriminates out almost all of the junk. Even though there are a few minor things that I don't really like about it the pros out way the cons by far! But keep in mind that this is not a beginner level detector! It takes time to learn and practice. Overall, I really like the GTAX 550 and I'd give it 4 solid stars!

The Garrett GTAx was my first detector. As a learning detector it proved well suited to the task of providing an economical yet easy to use device. Discrimination is better than one would expect from a sub $500 machine and right out of the box I rarely found myself digging junk.

I mostly like to coinshoot so selecting the default mode proved to work well enough to get started and then you can use the "set disk" on the touchpad to fine-tune out the trash that's common to your hunting area. The belltone audible signal is great at letting you know when something worthwhile passes under the coil. Large and mid-sized silver coins are rarely false hits. I pulled out a 1906 Barber Half from a foot of soft soil the second time out with the Garrett.

One complaint I do have is the pinpoint function is somewhat useless based on my experiences with it, but since most people who take a liking to coinshooting end up buying a pinpointer that's really not a big deal. The hip mounting battery pack does make a difference if you spend more than a few hours out at a time. It really is amazing how heavy even a lightweight detector seems after swinging and digging for a half day. Putting those eight AA batteries on the hip will be appreciated unless you work very short intervals.

Battery life is about what you'd expect. I generally rely on the graphic LCD analyzer and a cheap set of headphones because if you use the built-in speaker the GTAx will eat batteries really quick. I've used other detectors since buying the Garrett, but I've yet to find one that gives a truly better success rate without costing three or four times as much. I'd highly recommend the GTAx for all coinshooters.

Detecting off and on for over forty years, I have upgraded metal detectors several times trying to have one of the top of the line machines available at that time. The prices of those machines have risen with time and the cost of even a good starter detector has now begun to get out of range for the average beginner.

I have two Garrett GTAX 550 detectors that I have used when the expensive ones have crashed or at hunts when I want a light, easy to use machine.

When friends have shown an interest in detecting, I bring out the GTAX 550 and give them a quick overview of its operation. Then I loan it to them for use on their vacations or other detecting opportunities.

The GTAX 550 has a meter which shows target identification and an audio signal which changes between coins and unwanted materials. It uses a notch system of discrimination which also shows up on the meter. The setup for discrimination is quick, simple and easily changed when needed.

There are no knobs since it uses touch pads for all tuning operations. My two granddaughters have used the machines in organized hunts, with great success, because of the light weight and ease of use. I take the 550 with me as a backup machine and at times have had opportunities to hunt a yard and after getting the owners permission offering the owner the use of the Garrett because of it's ease of operation. I would give this machine a 5 star rating because of these features.

Before I selected a detector, I went hunting with a good friend that owned several detectors. The site was an old 1929 homestead. The Garrett GTAx 550 detector was the second one I experimented with. After a one minute overview, to explain how to read the LCD target ID's and depth, and electric pinpointing, I turned it on and found a silver dime and the lead part of a bullet in the same hole in less than one minute. This was fantastic. I was and am HOOKED!

After I bought my detector, I watched the video several times before using it. I found it easy to understand the technology at my finger tips. I liked the last mode switching, so I didn't forget my last setting, and the notch discrimination. When my wife lost an ear ring, I set the discrimination for one ear ring and made it a lot easier to find in a "trashy" area.

The more I use my detector, the better I get.

I found out the head phones are very important in hunting, and bought a good set. I take my detector with me whenever I go on a vacation or business trip. I have hunted in Texas, Wisconsin and Virginia, where I ran into "hot rocks'. I have found coins, square nails, a pocket watch, old wagon parts from the 1800's, and lots of unidentified items.

I plan to retire soon so I can hunt the beaches of Galveston, Texas. I think this is an excellent detector and have recommended it to my family and friends. After I "outgrow" this one, I will give it to my wife, and buy a more expensive model. This unit was priced correctly for my budget as a "starter detector"!

I bought my Garrett GTX 550 from Kellyco detectors a couple of years ago looking for an easy to use machine with quality to back it.

Me and my girls were so happy to take it out in our yard as the house we own is at least 100 years old. It is lite enough, so my 10 yr. old could enjoy using it. We did have a barn fall down, due to the extreme wind, and the discrimnater found many old nails.

I turned it to the simple "coin" mode,and we were very surprised when it registered, 1 cent, 3 inches deep, by an old oak tree. The pinpointer is a great feature as we knew how deep to dig. I just put my little shovel in the ground and out came a pile of pennies! I couldn't believe how accurate and easy it was!

They weren't old, but you wonder who just left those 29 pennies, forgotten? We also found a nice silver 1953 quarter by an old pine tree and a large 5" brass key, 15 feet next to the house. I wonder what barn it went to,or if it was for the house.There's also a carriage step by our driveway, and we can't wait for spring, to unearth more treasures.

I would recommend this detector for newbies, that want an affordable, easy to use detector, that the whole family can enjoy. Kellyco detectors also stand by their detectors and are there if you have any problems. You won't be disappointed. Happy hunting!

I generally like to search for coins and relics with some historic value. I bought my Garrett GTAX 550 detector about 6 years ago and found it very easy to use right out of the box.

It has a good user friendly display that helps out a lot. I find I use it set up with a sniper coil most of the time due to the trashy areas I usually end up hunting in. The pinpointing with this configuration is dead on. I usually end up with modern coins and some jewelry. I have however found approx. 20 to 30 silver coins to add to my coin collection. In all fairness, the silver coins that I have found all came from a local park that was the site for several organized hunts by a small local detecting club in the area.

The area that was picked for the hunts turned out to be partly a landfill. This seems to have been overlooked by the people hosting the hunts. Lots of the silver put out for the hunts was not found during the hunts due to the large amounts of constant trash that the club members tried to hunt through. Even with the sniper coil on, you still have to be willing to dig up small pieces of aluminum cans, housing construction materials, but if you are willing to stay at it the area will reward you with some old silver.

It is really a thrill to see that bright silver pop out when you are digging. My detector is a mid-level detector that I would recommend to people new to the hobby.

I was first introduced to metal detecting in 1980 by my boss & friend. He loaned me his detector on a sunny summer day in Ohio. I only found a nail, but I was hooked. Some day, I was going to own my own detector.

Fast forward to 2004, I ordered my first detector from Kellyco for Christmas. They were very friendly and helpful in making my purchase enjoyable and helped me choose any accessories I would need plus Free Shipping!

I did a lot of research and reviews before choosing the Garrett GTAX 550. I picked the GTAX 550 because of the ease of operation, plus it had other functions that other detectors in its price range didn't have.

GTAX 550 is a great performer. The pinpointer/depth indicator works very accurately. It is very easy to operate and not to heavy for a high performance machine. The only thing that Garrett could change is the battery holders. You must be careful when replacing the batteries or you could break the holders. I like hunting for anything. I walked with my kids to a local drug store just a 1/4 mile from my house.

I can remember back in the 1960's, it was a grocery store and along the side of the store they would sell Christmas trees each winter. We detected the grassy area and found a couple current coins that the snow plows shoved into the grass during the winter. We were about ready to quit and go home when my GTAX 550 rang like I never heard it before. The display indicated that it was 50 cents and pinpointing indicated it was 2.5 inches deep.

This area was very trashy and I was debating on should I dig up junk, or go home? I choose to dig and 2.5 inches down I pulled out my first silver coin, a 1941 1/2 dollar. In closing, I would give the 550 5 star rating except for the design for the battery packs. But it has a lot going for it such as the price, the ease of setup and operation, the lightweight, balance, and good depth coverage.

I like the Garrett GTAx550 metal detector because of the display and how easy it was to use. The display was clear and showed close to what you usually got. The coil was very nice and the durability was good. I had headphones with mine and they were nice and easy to hear the tones. The bag that came with Garrett had a zipper that broke after a few months but that didn't phase me much.

I also received a shovel and a book that helped a beginner get started. The only draw back to the detector is the arm rest that you use to rest your arm in while using the detector. I found it didn't fit well even though it had padding. A custom fit with a strap like whats on the the Ace 250 would come in handy. The weight is a little heavy on the back in with the battery pack also.

I had two different coils and they both worked very well with general use and pinpoint accuracy. I would recommend any Garrett model but with the new style of arm arm rest out Garrett should look into upgrading the higher end models with more advance cosmetics and comfort. Overall I would recommend the model to new users of the hobby and even detector users that have been around awhile. The possibility of using any other detector had crossed my mind and the only one I could think of was a Whites detector because of the similar features.

Wow, where do I start? I've owned my Garrett GTAX 550 for a long time now and have enjoyed every minute of it. I take it on all vacations that my wife and I take, especially to the beach. She is a certified sun worshiper so while at the beach I break out the detector and start hunting.

It usually doesn't take very long before I have my own little entourage of kids wanting to dig up what the detector has located. Most everything I find I give to the kids. When they uncover their prize buried in the sand it's great to see their eyes light up and run tell their parents what they found. It's usually nothing more than a Hot Wheel or pocket change but it's a fortune in their eyes.

I recently got my niece into hunting. When time allows we will hunt old abandoned farm houses, parks or school play grounds just to pass the time. We recently hunted a local city park and found several bullets and a mans ring. I kept the bullets and posted the finds on a local board and gave her the ring to sell to help pay for college.

It's like free money and she is addicted. Currently I have two co workers starting out in the hobby and after a weekend of hunting together we totaled approximately 30 dollars in pocket change we found. They are now hunting almost every weekend and show me their finds early Monday mornings. It is hard to describe what this hobby has done for me but I do not know what I would be doing without it. I have made great friends and spent valuable family time that I will never forget.