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Good second machine?

C

chillyhiker

New member
I put my Whites XLT spectrum and surf II up on the auction block yesterday to help pay for the new Excal II ill be ordering and was wondering what you folks might suggest as a back up.....something from for Minelab,? that I should consider.And hopefully less expensive. Ill mainly be shaqllow water /beach hunting,occasionly coin shooting on terra firma.Thanks in advance, chuck
 
You could consider a second hand minelab sovereign, that way what you learn on one is appliable to the other as they are almost the same
 
Chuck Id look into a Tesoro Tejon or a Shadow X5. Both are hot on gold and do well on coins also. But man are they hot on gold, great for wading. You could even try a Vaquero and put a long cabled coil on it so you can wade up to your waist safely.
They are also very easy on the arms/shoulders to swing for awhile.

Neil
 
Makes a good paring as they both share the BBS techonoligy and sound the same.
 
I am quickly losing my confidence in the Excalibur...It's durability and stability are in question. It's back the second time in a year for similar repair. The alternative machines I have and am considering are the Tesoro Tiger Shark and the Head Hunter Diver. I only dive in fresh water so that may be a variable that would get you to stay with the Excal or a PI machine. I might wonder about getting two of the same detector. It's sort of like the question are you safer in a twin engine boat or a single engine? You do have a back up, but you also have twice the potential number of problems to show with two engines. My 2 cents is if you just love the Excal and it's a proven performer in your experience back it up with the same. Me...I am now suspicious and am looking a different direction...with a heavy heart. Jim
 
Yea I know what you mean Ive seen alot of great raves about the excal but have seen alot of repair issues too, Tesoro's have a life time warranty which is very appealing. I like the Tiger shark myself.....Maybe that and a Sovereign GT perhaps? I even considered just the GT but my luck Id drop it in the shallows and have nothing. Thanks for every ones input This place is addicting.
 
I have been considering an Excal but with the plethora of problems that I have read recently on a couple of forums I am in hesitation mode. So I guess I am in limbo for the moment on a water machine.

Best Regards,
Steve
 
I am now vascillating between the Tiger Shark and the Headhunter Diver. Apparently the Tiger Shark was/is (don't know) out of production because a critical parts supplier could no longer supply a specific part. Heard??? That has been remedied and they are back in production. However, in checking various random sites for the machine, a lot of them advertise the machine but say Out of Stock.
Compaing the two.. The TS requires that you open the case to adjust sensitivity, volume, and threshold with internal pots. Folks on the Tesoro part of the forum don't consider that to be an issue. They set it and use it. It does have a saltwater mode and lots say it works fine in saltwater which is unusual for a single frequency VLF machine. The shaft is good enough that you don't have to add another $100 to get one that works and is convertible from diving to wading. The Tesoro Lifetime warranty is worth a lot when operating a machine underwater. Read one post where a new machine was taken to a vacation resort and in 25 meters of water it leaked badly. If you close both latches on the case simultaneously, after replacing batteries etc, it tends to stress the " O" ring evenly and maintains the water tight integrity better. The street price in most places is $599.20. If someone has other major points they have discovered I'd like to see what you have found.

The HH Diver has had some issues with maintaining water tight integrity because of customer mishandling. The plastic used on the headphone/electronics is susceptible to hairline fractures if dropped or banged. Duh! But a water machine tends to get handled a little more roughly because of the other equipment and environment in which it operates. I am told that a different type of material for the headphones/electronics is going to be used and that should eliminate that problem. However, you must now buy used as they are out of production until the new type material is available and in production. They are reported to be sensitive and stable and how can you beat no electronic control box, it's all in the headphone so you carry only the shaft and coil, and the headphones, and know need to worry about getting a different shaft. I didn't see hardly any HH DIvers listed for sale but I think they are about the same price as the Tesoro.

I may keep the Excalibur but there's no doubt a back-up underwater machine is necessary if you are going to count on the Excal. Jim
 
Well thanks everyone for their input, after considering everything Ive decided to purchase a Minelab Sovereign GT as my primary and then perform the waterproofing technique Ive seen described on here and try and pick up an older sovereign as a back up to keep things simple. thanks again Chuck
 
Tejon with the 5.75 coil. I'm pretty sure the coil is waterproof. I don't know how good it's be in saltwater, you'll need to check that out but... there is no better back-up land machine and in iron infested sites thre really is no better machine, IMO.

You could also consider a used InfiniumLS.

Then there is a used T2, anotheer good choice.

Or, you could get a used InfiniumLS since you mostly watr hunt, then pick up a used or new Tesoro Compadre or Silver.

J
 
grumpyolman said:
I am now vascillating between the Tiger Shark and the Headhunter Diver. Apparently the Tiger Shark was/is (don't know) out of production because a critical parts supplier could no longer supply a specific part. Heard??? That has been remedied and they are back in production. However, in checking various random sites for the machine, a lot of them advertise the machine but say Out of Stock.
Compaing the two.. The TS requires that you open the case to adjust sensitivity, volume, and threshold with internal pots. Folks on the Tesoro part of the forum don't consider that to be an issue. They set it and use it. It does have a saltwater mode and lots say it works fine in saltwater which is unusual for a single frequency VLF machine. The shaft is good enough that you don't have to add another $100 to get one that works and is convertible from diving to wading. The Tesoro Lifetime warranty is worth a lot when operating a machine underwater. Read one post where a new machine was taken to a vacation resort and in 25 meters of water it leaked badly. If you close both latches on the case simultaneously, after replacing batteries etc, it tends to stress the " O" ring evenly and maintains the water tight integrity better. The street price in most places is $599.20. If someone has other major points they have discovered I'd like to see what you have found.

The HH Diver has had some issues with maintaining water tight integrity because of customer mishandling. The plastic used on the headphone/electronics is susceptible to hairline fractures if dropped or banged. Duh! But a water machine tends to get handled a little more roughly because of the other equipment and environment in which it operates. I am told that a different type of material for the headphones/electronics is going to be used and that should eliminate that problem. However, you must now buy used as they are out of production until the new type material is available and in production. They are reported to be sensitive and stable and how can you beat no electronic control box, it's all in the headphone so you carry only the shaft and coil, and the headphones, and know need to worry about getting a different shaft. I didn't see hardly any HH DIvers listed for sale but I think they are about the same price as the Tesoro.

I may keep the Excalibur but there's no doubt a back-up underwater machine is necessary if you are going to count on the Excal. Jim
Click to expand...
The HH diver isnt a multi tone machine is it??Thats what attracts me to the excal and the garret infinuim..Multi tone,,very deep recoveries also
 
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