Larry at Big Valley Metal Detectors is one of the rare business owners that you feel like you've known forever. He believes in customer service to the max. He'll help you with any question you have. My latest purchase from him was a Minelab Manticore and I've even called him with questions while I was out detecting. He is willing to help anytime. read more

If you want a metal detector, this is your guy. He's like a sommelier - but for metal detectors (they should make a word for that). I've bought 3 detectors here over the last 10 or so years. Always helpful, always honest. My one complaint is that he won't share his honey holes with me so I keep just finding bottle caps and pull tabs, I think he should accept those as payment. read more

Big Valley Metal Detectors is not only a great place to purchase detectors and supplies, but they are one of those very rare businesses that know how to treat customers well. Larry at BVMD is awesome! He has everything you could want or need, there in his shop, and has one of the best attitudes I've seen in a business owner in a very long time. I've been thinking about getting into detecting for about a month and did a lot of research prior to calling Larry. I always try to do that when making a large purchase of something I'm not familiar with, so that I don't get taken advantage of during the purchase. I can tell you that, in this case, I really didn't need to. Larry is super knowledgeable and didn't try to BS or upsell me. In fact he actually helped me see that, as I'm apt to do, I really didn't need as much as I thought I did. Sure, he would have let me walk out of there with anything I wanted, but he took the time to explain the differences between several units I was looking at, and showed me why I'd be just fine with what I purchased, which saved me a couple hundred dollars. We had great conversation, told a couple stories, and when I walked away, I felt really good about the entire experiance. That's just it in a netshell...Big Valley Metal Detectors, and Larry especially, treats his customers not as dollar signs, but as friends. I'd purchase from Larry anytime I need something for my new hobby. Thanks a million Larry, see you next time. Rich (Warren B's Friend, lol) read more

Very knowledgeable, good advice, good prices. Purchased a Minelab Equinox 800 and love it!

You should know before you drive to his "store" that the store is his house. It is in a very nice neighborhood. When I parked across the street, the neighbor seemed to not like the fact that I was parking there. I felt "strange" going to this mans house. I guess that is me. I prefer a retail establishment in a business location. What if I had to use the bathroom? Would I be taking a chance of seeing his wife in the loo? Guess I am not comfortable "shopping" in your living room. read more

Larry is great. I have done business with him on several occasions and he has always been very helpful and extremely honest and candid. Reading previous reviews I can guarantee he doesn't sell junk. He does sell and stock a wide variety of detectors with a varied price range and application. Treasure hunting and trapping/killing small animals? Hmmm isn't the usual purpose of metal detecting for "treasure" hunting? Grown men and women outdoors, exercising, and living out the inner adventure and excitement of finding buried treasure (usually pull tabs and trash haha). I believe he was a federal trapper which means he was accredited by the "state" to safely remove potentially dangerous, ie skunks, on a strictly regulated basis. This isn't a Davey Crockett raccoon hat wearing trapper selling pelts. I was amazed and appreciated Larry's inquiring of my desires and intended uses of the detector prior to my purchase. I had researched and was interested in a rather expensive machine. He actually showed me a couple high quality and cheaper machines before selling me my whites. I found him to be knowledgable and honest and have been a customer since. Check my other reviews, I insist on high quality service and products and would fully endorse Big Valley. read more

I was in the market for a high end Whites metal detector. The $1699.99 V3i. I searched the whites website for local dealers and got a list of about 6. I wanted to buy that day, which was a Friday to allow me to learn it over the weekend. So I needed one in stock. Calling around I found that most "dealers" don't stock and prefer to order it for you. If I wanted to do that, I would buy on the web and safe money. I emailed Larry Thursday evening. To my surprise, I had a reply later that night. Reading it confused me. It was obviously two cut and pasted paragraphs that told me dealers are important to new detector owners and I should contact my local dealer. I thought he was a local dealer and his name was first on the list from Whites. My email simply asked do you have the V3i in stock and can I buy tomorrow, price not discussed, I was paying retail. I replied to the email saying that I thought he was my local dealer and ask if he had stock. No reply so I decided to call. I got Larry on the phone who say, I quote "I got your email, where do you live? " I responded politely "what does my location matter" . Larry then went into a rant " I know your type, your playing hard ball, your from New York, I can play hard ball too. I don't want to do business with your type" he then hung up the phone. I called Whites to report this as it almost put me off buying their product. Unfortunately, whites hide behind their dealers and I got the distributor for all local whites dealers. I explained my experience and he asked who I called. I said Larry and he said, Oh Larry! I later found a dealer in Yuba City/Marysville who had 5 in stock and was wonderful to deal with. I spend just shy of $2000 in his store. Larry's loss. I think the guy should not be dealing with people. read more

Larry is an honest dude! Ask him, and he will tell you! I found him online, and I have bought 4 different metal detectors from him since! I myself am self employed, so I can appreciate that Larry is a master of his business! I coincidentally just got off of the phone with Larry regarding purchasing my 5th detector from him. (I had to leave a message, and he called me back within 5 minutes!) He always steers me in the right direction to suit my needs! In case your wondering why I need so many rigs, I bought a VLF for myself, 1 for my small children, 1 for my best friend, then a Pulse for gold/beach hunting, and I am now looking into a rig for under water. Each time I have a specific need, he answers why I should consider certain rigs, and the pros/cons of them! Dealing with Larry is exactly like "having a friend in the business" As far as the negative posts, I think people expect to be greeted like a 5 star hotel, rather than a professional treasure hunter. Larry is a pro at treasure hunting, not 5 star dinning, and room service! What would you expect going into a hunting store? Anyway, This is the best place to get what you need, period! Thanks for all the good advice Larry! Ben T. Woodland Ca. read more

I just met Larry today and what a great person to do business with. I just needed a pick and scoop, but he gave me a lot of information about the different detectors. I"m new to this but I have a feeling my wife will like this as much as me. I will buy my next detector from Larry. Thanks again Larry! read more

In the years of my amateur detecting I have never experienced such a knowledgeable service. Seeking out detectors can be frustrating and tedious to say the least. When I arrived I was presented with several options. No pushy sales gimmicks. Only facts about how the machine worked and what metal is was going to detect best. My son and I have enjoyed our Garrett metal detector by going to local parks. We haven't found much but it is a great bonding experience. read more

Larrys the man waited outside to make sure we found him and hooked is up with prospecting gear and taught us how to use it and how to look for good spots to pan! read more

I won't be long winded here. I found larry on the internet and i was leery of going to a home place of business.. but went there anyways. I was very pleasantly surprised at what i found... he has top quality equipment and all the good stuff you really need to be successful at metal detecting.. plus he has low overhead and can pass the savings on . he has earned my trust an business in the future. read more

Me and my son visited this shop/home and was astounded by all the equipment Larry had on hand. We spent over $100.00... bought two small sluice boxes and some crevicing tools. What a bargain on a sunday when all the other shops are closed! read more

First off, Larry comes off as rude and undermining-it doesnt change til you leave his property. Went in to get a traditional sluice, and he pressured me to get an Angus Mackirk. As others have said, I also feel he judges people by their age, not to satisfy the customer's desires. Go to a professional dealer for your mining supplies read more

Very helpful. He even volunteered to demonstrate a metal detector similar to my own so I can get some tips.

I called this guy (Larry) I believe his name is. I was planning on visiting his shop next week and I had a question about a detector I've been interested in. Well long story Short, I've never talked to such a rude man! I told him I had bought a metal detector on ebay , he told me I was "S.O.L" and hung up on me twice! Stay away from this jerk please! I'm a beginner in this wonderful sport and I didn't expect that from this a..hole! read more

Bought a utility bag from Big Valley and I'm really happy with this item. Quality construction and materials used. Also, this one isn't plastered with corporate logo's, so I can really appreciate that! Best of all, it came to me right away with no headache or hassles. Way to go Big Valley! read more

I dunno if the negative reviewers caught Larry on a bad day or what, but my experience with him was great--and I am "younger." He took the time to help me pick out the right detector as an xmas gift for my Dad--who was a beginner--and then patiently showed me how to use it. He was very friendly and not curmudgeon-y at all. I also didn't have a problem with his shop being in his garage--and I'm not sure why anyone else would, either. He's got a nice set-up in there and not every business is in a storefront. Just keep in mind his prices are a little higher than what you'll find shopping around on the internet, but you don't have to wait or pay for shipping. read more

Seems to be a nice guy but does not deal with selling to the East Coast. Returned a missed call from me, that was good of him.

Just picked up a pick and scoop from Larry. Great selection, great sales interaction, Larry was kind enough to share the "keys to the Chastity belt" with me, which tells me he appreciates my business and I appreciate the insight. I would rather spend my money here than some cheesy online store read more

I'm really new to this whole treasure hunting thing, though I have dreamed about doing it since I was much younger. Anyway, I moved up to the sac area from San Jose, googled gold panning equipment, and up popped Larry's store (his garage). I ran my own contacting business out of my own home for years, so it doesn't bother me in the least that Larry's store is in his garage. It just means he doesn't have that high overhead, so he doesn't have to charge as much. That's a good thing. His customer service is great. First, he's a real treasure hunter, with lots of tales and tips to tell, and second, the guy really knows his detectors, and even the older models long discontinued. Last Sunday I was running my latest Craigslist find, an old whites gold master 2 in a creek, and water got in the coil and shorted it out. I took the chance and called Larry, who not only knew exactly what connector my machine needed, but he dropped what he was doing and went back home to open up his business and get my detector running again. Not only that, but he asked me how I was going to be using the machine, and sold me the coil best for me, not the most expensive or most profitable to him. That's just being honest, which is why I trust Larry when it comes to detectors. He lives the hobby/obsession, so he knows what really works, and what doesn't. I may not always agree, but I always listen, because he has the experience and is usually right. Definitely worth seeing him if you need a detector, a coil, or other treasure hunting gear. read more

I've been to Larry`s shop twice, bought a beach digging scoop and a pinpionter. His prices were the same as most places but if you need something you can get it now no waiting no postage. I needed a pinpionter late on a Saturday evening because my old one finally gave out. I called him he said to come over took care of business no problems. I ran and owned a business for 30 years its not easy. We all have are bad days so give him a break the man is letting people he doesn't know into his home. I've got nothing but good things to say about Larry. It's a great place to grab last minute items or like in my case needing a pinpionter right away or my metal detecting weekend wouldn't have been as good but because of Larry my weekend was much better and saved me a lot of extra work. read more

Big Valley Metal Detectors - Metal Detector Services Near Me - Citrus Heights, California

Larry was really rude on the phone. I simply wanted to know what his prices for used detectors were and he just wanted to know how much I was willing to pay. He's selling it but won't give me the price? years ago, in Santa Barbara, I bought a new White's 4900 D, nugget type machine and he insulted it right off acting like it was a really cheap machine. It was not and I found a lot of gold with that detector before I gave it away. I think Larry has personality problems. read more

This guy is a No. 1 jerk. I called him a while back to see if I could get an accessory coil for one of my detectors. He asked me if I had purchased the detector from him? I said no. His response - go buy the coil from the dealer you bought the detector from. Maybe he had a bad day when I called him, but others (including dealers not even in the area) have said the same thing about his rude and arrogant attitude. Well, since that ugly experience, I have purchased a number of detectors, coils, and accessories, all from other dealers who have been pleasant and professional. I talked to Tesoro recently about an accessory for my Tiger Shark. When they told me Big Valley was the local Tesoro dealer in my area. My response was that I would rather go without the accessory than deal with the likes of Larry ever again. I purchased it from Kellyco. read more

Larry is extremely knowledgable, no pressure sales. I have purchased two detectors from Larry. Call Big Valley first save your self some time and money. read more

Larry at Big Valley Metal Detectors has an attitude! I received an XP Deus metal detector as a gift. I wanted to buy the large coil which sells for over $500 and a Garrett Pin Pointer Pro that's about $125. Larry asked if I was in his database and I told him I was not. He then tells me to shop some where else because he only sells to people who buy their metal detectors from him. He calls them "my guys". I'm glad I am not one of Larry's guys. Larry, you blew not only the sale, you also created people who will tell the truth about how arrogant you are. If there was a zero star rating that is how I would have rated Big Valley Metal Detectors. Nice NOT doing bussiness with you. Randy read more

We decided to give Larry a try because of the positive reviews here, and mostly because of what he says on his website about customer service and how he assembles your unit for you, will show you how to use it at a local park, how he is available to call for advise, etc etc. Customer Service is what i wanted, unfortunately it isnt what we got. We met Larry at his house and explained what we wanted to do with the new hobby and did our best to explain our requirements of the new detector. He showed us 1 detector. He then assumed we would buy the 1 he picked out. I asked to see 2 more entry level units ive read up on and he seemed abit annoyed. I ended up wanting to trust in his decision and bought the Tesoro Compadre. I called a few days later to ask if i could spend twice as much for the Tesoro Silver... he did everything he could to say no and talk me out if it. Even went as far as to insult me and call me "too hyper". Guess a new customer who does his homework is hyper for Larry. I kept the entery level unit and am used to it but still wished i had upgraded. Next i wanted to purchase a Garrett pinpointer from him, but he wouldnt return 2 voicemails i had left over a 6 day period where is phone was turned off i assume? So much for being able to call, let alone purchase something. Needless to say, he wont get any more of my money, or any referrals. Sad because with the internet as his competition, you'd think he'd want to keep customers with great customer service. 1 star due to him being local and selling me a machine my son could use. lost 4 stars for having no customer service skills and not ever answering his business phone. read more

Larry is great! He asked how much I wanted to spend at the outset and made sure I stayed under my budget limit. His garage shop is clean and organized; it was more like visiting a neighbor than going shopping. I'll definitely be returning. His prices are about the same as online, but he also assembled my detector and showed me how to use it. I'd much rather get great service and support a local business than try to save a few bucks online. read more

Just got done purchasing a detector from Larry and it was an excellent experience and Larry sure knows what he is talking about. I originally wanted a Fischer F2 but since Larry doesn't stock those any more, I got the pleasure of opening my mind to different models. I am a beginner so needed all the help I can get. After running a couple tests in the garage, I ended up with the Tesoro Cibola. I liked the weight and feel, and after talking to Larry and a couple demos, I realized it is better to have the better brains than an LCD display. You would never expect it, but I ended up with a better deal in Larry's garage than I can find anywhere on the internet. Not only did Larry have a good stock and a lot of knowledge, but he is a hell of a nice guy and offered to go treasure hunting with me to teach me more advanced practices once I get it setup and comfortable with the basics. I will definitely be recommending Big Valley to anyone who is curious while I am out there hunting. read more

Just bought a whites gold detector from larry and what a great person to deal with. He went over so many things with us and answered all our questions. We learned alot from him in a short time. His prices were the cheapest around. Thanks larry read more

I am new to metal detecting and was looking for a fun way to spend time with my kids in the outdoors. I called Larry and he was helpfull and knowledgeable, and best of all, didnn't try to sell me gear I didn't need. He recommended a solid detector at the low end of the price range and told me to play with it to be sure I would enjoy the hobby. After two weeks, I called Larry and told him I was having a blast but wished I had bought the next higher up machine; he offered to give me full price for my now used detector and apply the refund to an upgrade. He even offered take me out detecting to help learn the new machine. His prices are competitive and he is very interesting guy to talk to. Yes, his shop is in his garage....who cares? ...and if your opinion is metal detecting is a waste of time, like genius Drew here, then clearly he should not be reviewing a guy who sells metal detectors. read more