Garrett GTI 1500
Price: $800
Avg. Score: 
4.44
Based on 27 reviews
4.44Based on 27 reviews
Avg. Durability:
4.67
Avg. Ease of use:
5.00
Not the best
May 04, 2006
Ive had mine for about a year now,with mixed results.It isnt very
consistent with its ground balancing.Missed coins that were next to junk
that my 200 dollar bounty hunter discrimenated right out from the junk.I
sold mine! Over priced in my opinion
Overall Rating
Spend more get less! from
Mpls
1130
Garrett GTI1500 = What a great machine!
November 26, 2005
This is my first Garrett detector to date. I presently own a Fisher CZ5,
CZ70, C$ and a little over a month ago I traded a CZ3d for a GTI1500
because I always wanted to try one and I never looked back or regretted the
trade for a minute.I went from diggin trash on a consistant basis with the CZ3d to only diggin trash if I chose to with the 1500. The first time out with the 1500, I dug like 25 targets and only two were trash targets. The only reason I dug the two trash targets were to see how accurate the ID was and it was right on the money so to speak.
I find the GTI1500 to be ruggedly built, with a very appealing display. I have tested the 1500 against the CZ5, with equal results in the depth department in coin mode. In jewelry mode, which is an inch or two deeper, it was closer to the depth of the CZ70. But even in relic mode, it wasn't quite as deep as the Coinstrike, but very close though.
I have heard that the 1500 doesn't get very good depth, but here in Florida, I find this not to be true, especially in Jewelry or relic mode. I think coin mode maxes out at around 8 inches.
NOW the imaging feature is worth its weight in coins. It will keep you from diggin a lot of trash, unless your looking for jewelry or nickels, unfortunately, there is no magical feature to keep from diggin pulltabs when you looking for nickels or jewelry, but if there is, I bet Garrett will come up with it. Now the imaging feature is pretty accurate within the first 4-5", but after that, its not totally reliable. Which is no problem because I dig most targets that are 6" and deeper anyway.
The only improvements I would suggest is, switch over to the 9 volt system, which will help on the weight because the 1500 isn't real light, matter of fact, it seems to weigh more then my Fishers , but I suspect that its because of the design of the unit rather then the weight itself. You can hip mount the battery pod, but it kind of gets in the way. Come out with a molded Imaging coil which will give less falsimg when the coil is bumped. Also a manual ground balance would be nice for extra depth.
With all that being said, if you want one heck of a coin shooter that will give the CZ5 a run for its money then grab a GTI1500, you won't be disappointed and will enjoy using it. Its one of the most fun detectors that I have ever used.
Overall Rating
Mike from
Central Florida
426
Garrett GTI1500
October 20, 2005
This detector provides true target size and depth. Pinpointing is simple
and very accurate. The unit has four preprogrammed modes, all of which are
modifiable plus a custom mode. This unit is very easy to operate and
customize. Your learning curve is very short with this user friendly
detector.Wonderful in dry sand but accuracy suffers in wet sand, but who cares, it's so easy to recover targets in sand!
If you"re a coin shooter this is a great machine. If you are a treasure hunter dig all targets above foil and you won't be disappointed. My seven year old unit works just like the new GTI1500 I just purchased for my wife.
The small 4.5 inch coil won't give you size or depth, but I've had thousands of good finds with the aid of a pinpointer. The target ID still works with the discrimination to find those good targets masked (or overlooked) amid the trash.
A great machine with excellent depth.
Dean Rogers
Overall Rating
Dean Rogers from
Geneva, Illinois
304
GTI 1500
April 29, 2004
Likes: 1) The target imaging system, which can
accurately measure how large a target is and therefore how deep it is. 2)
The GTI-1500 has a very fast
recovery time due to it having 2 microprocessors instead of only one like
most other detectors. 3) The
machine is a very accurate pinpointer. 4) A belt mounting system for the
battery pack is built into the
machine so can get the battery weight off the detector and onto your belt.
5) The notched based
discrimination system makes it very easy to only discriminate out the trash
and accept everything else.
6) Garrett has excellent customer service. Dislikes: 1) You have to keep constant pressure on the pinpoint button to keep it in pinpoint mode. This can be hard to do when wearing gloves. 2) The detector has automatic gain control on the audio amplifier so that all targets sound the same volume, deep targets sound the same as shallow ones and small targets sound the same as big ones. 3) The machine only has 24 possible target IDs. Most other machines have some sort of VDI number display that shows a number for the target ID that has at least 100 possible values, some machines have many more. 4) There are only 2 imaging coils for the machine - the standard 9.5 inch coil and a 12.5 coil. (Note: there is a wide selection of non-imaging coils for this machine). 5) The 1500 falses a lot at salt water beaches - pretty much all single frequency VLF detectors do as well so this isn't a problem specific to the 1500.
All in all, the GTI-1500 is a fantastic coin shooting machine and doesn't do too badly as a relic machine. If you are looking for a well built, well designed, easy to use detector that will be used primarily for coin shooting then the GTI-1500 deserves some real serious consideration.
Overall Rating
Steve Pearsall from
USA
532
GTI 1500
March 12, 2003
this machine surpasses many machines w/all
metal plus it will ID at great depths. my 2500 fails to id so deeply
correctly. (all metal mode w/imaging
enabled) w/discrimination this may be arguable.
the gti 1500 is the best all around garrett today.
the 1250 will go DEEP!!! i tested and found very nice things.
i will use my 2500 in the gold fields or in a "hunted site" (no site is truly hunted) - till i arrive ;)
Overall Rating
Rickey from
USA
145
Garrett GTI 1500
March 10, 2003
I have been detecting for 15 years .Started
out with a bounty hunter.And moved to the gta 1000. I now have a GTI 1500
and love it. I have hunted
side by side with a whites xlt and a minelab. And I found more then they
did with better depth. I have been
ask alot of times to ID and pinpoint targets for these guys. The 1500 is a
great detector. Overall Rating
Terry from
USA
200
Garrett GTI 1500
March 04, 2003
I started MD'ing over 30 years ago .I
started with a Metrotec 220 , and soon after purchased a Garrett Groundhog
( TR ) discriminator . When
Tesoro came out with their 1st VLF discriminating detector , the INCA (
which I still have ) I was hooked
on it & on Tesoro .I still own several TESORO detectors but when the 1500
came out I was talked into
looking at Garrett once again .The stability , depth , accuracy and weight of this detector make it may #1 coin hunting detector .Garrett is the only company that makes a depth meter that gives the exact depth regardless of size( a coin or a cannonball at 6" will read 6" ), the other brands are calibrated for coin sized objects & will give realitvly inaccurate depth readings for a size other than " coin size " .
The imaging feature is also unique to Garrett . Other brands have imaging , but from what I understand , they work on a sampeling basis .Why the 1500 over the 1250 or the 2500 ? The 1500 competes well in the "0" discriminate mode with the 2500's all metal mode ( for depth ).
It is also lighter & less expensive . The " IMAGING " feature of the 1500 is well worth the extra cost over the 1250 .DRAWBACKS : At the beach I found that the " saltwater mode " was still very noisey even on dry sand no matter how I tuned or adjusted it .
Since my trips to the beach are few & far between I use my CZ5 on the beach & my TESORO Sand Shark in the surf .I have yet to have the need to test the GARRETT service Dept. however , if they are 1/2 as good as TESORO I will be happy .
SUMMATION : After 33 years with other detectors I am back with GARRETT & their 1500 & I can't say Praise this detector enough , in fact I now own two of them . It IS the best coin shooter I have ever used .
Overall Rating
Mark from
USA
922