How long you been using a Sovereign??

[Rick(ND)]

Also after the first time out with it did you wish you didn't buy it??
I been using the Sovereign since 1996, so I have many hours on it, but when I first got it i wondered if I made the right choice as it was different than I have used before since 1973. Took a while to see what this detector could really do and learned more each and every time out with it, so those that are new to the Sovereign I will tell you don't give up and start with it simple so the learning curve will be a lot easier. This detector will impress you when you get to know it with finds out of many areas you and others thought was worked out. I see many new names on this forum looking to learn and a few of us old timers that have a lot of hours on our Sovereigns and have seen what it can do, so those that have questions ask away as we would like you to be successful as we have been.

Rick

 

[Nauti]

I've had about six years with mine.First time out with mine i had my best ever token so i had a good start.To be honest i'm on my third one....i've sold them in the past to fund other ventures including trying out other detectors but even though i've tried a lot of the top machines i've yet to find anything that matches the sov on performance.Like you say you need to put the time in with it but the investment is certainley worth it......all of my best finds are down to this machine.
Regards,Neil.

 

[JimmyCT]

It has been about a year for me in ownership. When I first went in my backyard and started hunting, I thought to myself " what in the heck did I just buy?" I was ready to quit even before I got started lol Buying a meter was a huge help for me. Being laid off last summer, I put in a many, many hours with the GT and have learned a lot. The best instructional manual was right here on this forum. Thanks Findmall ! Thank you Rick for helping out a newbie. - Jim

 

[deepdiger60]

This coming April will be 2 years and still learning on this forum i learn something new all the time this weekend i went on a farm field hunt i was amazed at the depth this machine gets on small targets the fields where not yet plowed this year and i was hitting buttons the size of asprins !!! at 8 to 12 inches i included a photo of some finds you can see the size of some buttons !! small . Great machine i was happy with the results this weekend HH Jim

 

[fwcrawford]

Hey Rick,
When I first got my Sovereign in 2010 and took it out for the first time.. it was very confusing compared to the other detectors I have.
However after spending alot of time on this forum reading various posts AND corresponding with you a few times, I already had some idea as what to expect.
Based on this knowledge, I just kept at it and soon started seeing what this detector is capable of ... just like you and other long time users stated... it is capable of making old sites look like new sites again.
I have seen this quite a few time in heavily hunted sites and even impressed my buddy with the amount of old coins this detector has found for me.
In one small park where I live, I really learned alot about what to listen for to find good targets that have been missed probably many times over by others.
I posted many of the finds on this forum from this hunted out park which included over 100 wheat pennies, about 6 silver coins, buffalo and V- nickels, IH cents, a 1919 canadian large cent ( this coin was probably the deepest at about 8 inches ), and some old rings and buttons.
I definately do not regret buying the Sovereign and plan on keeping it for a long time.. in fact, I am not even looking at any other detectors that are coming out now.. I believe I have all I need to find the goodies.
Thanks to you and other long time users for all your help and advice and although I have not found any super deep coins like you and others say this machine can find, I truely believe that it can and hopefully soon I will be getting those too!!
Thanks again for your help,
Felix

 

[matthias]

Now beginning my third season with my GT. I stepped up from a BH Sharp Shooter II. I must admit it has taken me a while to get used to and like the GT. Every time I go out with it I learn something new. Of course this forum has been incredibly resourceful. Sometimes I get tired of having to dig so deep on targets! HH. Matt

 

[deepdiger60]

Hey Rick,
When I first got my Sovereign in 2010 and took it out for the first time.. it was very confusing compared to the other detectors I have.
However after spending alto of time on this forum reading various posts AND corresponding with you a few times, I already had some idea as what to expect.
Based on this knowledge, I just kept at it and soon started seeing what this detector is capable of ... just like you and other long time users stated... it is capable of making old sites look like new sites again.
I have seen this quite a few time in heavily hunted sites and even impressed my buddy with the amount of old coins this detector has found for me.
In one small park where I live, I really learned alto about what to listen for to find good targets that have been missed probably many times over by others.
I posted many of the finds on this forum from this hunted out park which included over 100 wheat pennies, about 6 silver coins, buffalo and V- nickels, IH cents, a 1919 canadian large cent ( this coin was probably the deepest at about 8 inches ), and some old rings and buttons.
I definately do not regret buying the Sovereign and plan on keeping it for a long time.. in fact, I am not even looking at any other detectors that are coming out now.. I believe I have all I need to find the goodies.
Thanks to you and other long time users for all your help and advice and although I have not found any super deep coins like you and others say this machine can find, I truely believe that it can and hopefully soon I will be getting those too!!
Thanks again for your help,
Felix

Hi Felix i see you are planning on keeping your GT a long time here is a tip once in awhile i blow out the dust that gets in the box from field hunting i use the can of compressed air used on PC boards it,s just 4 screws to open the box very carefully i also put those small moister pack,s inside the control box they will not hurt anything i noticed a few times after a hot day on the fields the inside of the box gets moister .... not a good thing . GH Jim

 

[fwcrawford]

n/t

 

[Ron from Michigan]

Rick,been using the Sovereign about 6 years.My first experience with the Sovereign didn't like it at all.I had bought an Original and Elite at the same time and was going to keep the one that worked best of the two.The Elite had a 550 meter that was converted but didn't work well for some reason no ID depth.I liked the Original better but didn't like that it didn't have a volume control.I followed and read your post about how great the Sovereign was and thought you were crazy or anyone else that would use these heavy noise makers.I went back to my CZ LOL I did think in the park about wrapping the Sovereign around the nearest tree.I usually buy and sell detectors to support my habit.On the fourth Sovereign I had no other detector for a backup my CZ was sold.I only had on detector the Sovereign for a couple of weeks and this was when everything clicked,great finds from areas worked,the wow factor.Anyway it got better with a straight shaft,meter and S-1 probe.Along the way sold the Sovereign but after a couple of months would miss the performance of this detector.It would always cost me more money to replace my setup.Anyway learned the hard way after a couple of times and at this point intend to keep at least one Sovereign around for my use.Thanks HH Ron

 

[Tin Fin]

Rick,

I've had my GT not even a month yet, but I'm using it at every opportunity. Yes, it was, and still can be confusing to me right now; I really don't expect that to change as some things that I think "oh, that's got to be a trash item" and it turns out to be something good to find. Then other things I think "oh, that sounds pretty good" turns out to be trash. But, that's part of my learning curve, and I'm working with it, pretty much digging everything for now in order to learn. I have settled on a "starting position" for the settings in most situations, and will adjust those as I think I need to, though there is more to learn in that area too. I did find a set of P - L - T - R helicopter headphones that was used ($45.00 was a very good deal on these) locally, and that has made a big difference for me. I also got a Ron's Meter for it, and that makes a difference sometimes because my hearing can't always tell the sounds apart. But I'm finding things in some "hunted out" areas too, and it helps that others have removed a lot of the trash.

I bought my Excal and GT along with an S-5 and S-12 from one of the members here - Jim - it's like he was put there to give me the setup I have now. I got the Excal first, because if I could have only one, I wanted one I could use on land or in the water. I could never afford one before (low pay, wife, child, school, etc.), though I had read about them, and wanted to try one. When I did finally get one, I was like "hmmm.... am I gonna be able to do this?" But I had used the Excal by then too, so I wasn't completely surprised by the sounds - though the GT does sound different than the Excal.

I'm with Matthias on the sometimes digging so deep - not working sandy areas - usually dirt, often clay areas, and the depth of some of the targets exceeds 12". In those areas, if it's much deeper than that, I have to cover it back up due to my debris cloth being too small - I don't want to make a mess of the area and not be able to clean it up properly. I have made note of some of those places, in order to go back to them with a bigger digging cloth, just to see what it is that's giving me those signals.

Nickles are weird for me on the GT - sometimes, they sound way too loud to be a nickle, other times, I "know" it's a nickle, and other times, I suspect a nickle, and it might or might not be one. Silver dimes on the other hand - those and pennies are usually very consistent in sound and meter ID (so far, the penny is 177 on the meter, and silver is the same, but then again, so is some aluminum). However, the sound and the meter number, along with my "gut feeling" is what tells me to dig or not - though digging everything for now.

I can say this - it took me long enough to get a GT, and I have no intention of letting this one go! I might get a second one eventually, as I can afford it, but sell this now? Heck NO!

And, much of what told me to "go ahead and buy one" was Rick, and several other people here on Findmall. And Jim was a sheer joy to work with. When I told him I was thinking about a GT as well, he said he had one he would hold for me - when I asked what else he had, I asked him to hold the other coils for me as well. And I'm glad he was willing to do that for me - it exemplifies the way most people here seem to be; willing to help, patient, and giving of whatever information they have.

So, being as it's a real nice day out today, and I don't want to sit in front of the computer, I'm going to head out with the GT and see what I can do with it today. I have to get better about taking photos to post here though.

Thanks to you Rick, and several others here, I'm a GT junkie now.

 

[Neil]

Ive had one since they first came out Rick. I got my first one from a local dealer and had trouble adjusting to the wide "boing" it makes on targets as well as getting used to a constant threshold. I was using a Fisher 1280 with 10" coil at the time, quite a difference in the way the two respond to targets. I was more used to the single tone, tight response of the 1280 and those detectors I had used before the Sov.
It was a heavy beast in stock configuration so I hipmounted/chestmounted it often. I even waded with the coinsearch coil at first, didnt know they were not waterproof but never had one take in water. I paid full price for it and can remember when the dealer called me and a friend up and told us to come up and check out the waterproof version, the Excal. I couldnt afford one but I thought that was the coolest looking detector out....lol

Remember when Kellyco was the only online dealer allowed to sell them online? Geez what year was it that ended, seemed like a long time. I also remember only using all metal to pinpoint with and then David from Dixie who was on here alot started telling everyone about all metal hunting and the awesome finds he was making.

wildheres site was the bible for us sov hunters for alot of years, he had one heck of a collection of info available to everyone. Sunray made the 180 meters and the best leather hipmount/chestmount bags and their coils were really popular as well.

well, minelab says they are not discontinuing the sov line, so it will be interesting to see what comes next.

HH
Neil

 

[GunnarMN]

Rick warned me , and he was right , I thought i was at the tower of babel i could not understand its language, and had to quit, and go home i was a bit scared but like a baby i learned to say MOMA, this is a nice detector . its the deepest detector i have owned and like i said to mission metal detectors who sold it me . have you heard me complaine? NO i like this detector and it handles mineralized ground well. I HAVE OWNED IT ABOUT 1 YEAR i was also in kindergarden with jimmy learning my GT

 

[JimmyCT]

you are funny Gunnar. Yep, we were in Kindergarten together with our Sov GT's. Now we are in 1st grade. Now pull-up your big boy diapers and get out there

Rick warned me , and he was right , I thought i was at the tower of babel i could not understand its language, and had to quit, and go home i was a bit scared but like a baby i learned to say MOMA, this is a nice detector . its the deepest detector i have owned and like i said to mission metal detectors who sold it me . have you heard me complaine? NO i like this detector and it handles mineralized ground well. I HAVE OWNED IT ABOUT 1 YEAR i was also in kindergarden with jimmy learning my GT

 

[Ism]

I've owned mine for just under 6 months. I have a Whites TDI and the similarities allowed me to transition smoothly into the Sovereigns language. The Sov seems like a nice blend of both VLF and discriminating PI machine.
I still have lots to learn but It has proven to me on a couple occasions that it will get the really deep stuff.

 

[AustinEd]

I have used a Sov. since they first came out. My first was stolen. A replacement only cost $595 at the time. My present Sov. I named Sovereignstein because it is a bit pieced together. The stem is from my 2nd original Sov. The control box is a used Pro that I bought separate after the original control box gave up the ghost. The coil is bad and time to replace it, but it is a All-Terrain I bought after I wore out the CoinSearch. I have also been through 2 after-market Avenger Meters. Both finally gave out. It is still the best over-all detector I have ever used and has accounted for thousands of coins, rings and artifacts. It will probably outlive me. Great detector.

 

[Birdseed]

Rick

Have had my GT for about five years now and manage to get out about once a month.
I had read hundreds of reports and posts on the GT for a year or so before buying, so I knew what to expect. First trip out was on a beach in Melbourne Australia. Using Minelabs suggested settings I set out in the dry sand. My first thoughts were "So this is what everyone is talking about". Two ring pulls later up came a sterling silver "Bluebird" earring. The GT was singing with the sweetest pitch you can imagine.
I WAS HOOKED !!!

Pete Downunder

 

[elki1052]

Rick.
I own mine for just last summer, I bought it in a garage sale for $200. it came with the stock tornado coil 10" the chest bag, rechargabe battery pack with 110V charger, original box (made in Australia), manuals and a sunray probe, at the time I dind't know what I was baying neather the lady that sold it to me know anything about it because it was her's EX. so I paid 200 for it with some other things (army jacket) and tools (some drill bits). so I took a gamble because to me it was a cheap unit because didn't have a meter of any type. the only other detectors that I have had were the Garrett Grand Master Hunter iii and the White's TM-808 ( that I use only when I go to visit my parents and wich my Dad use them a lot), a White's 6000 Di PRO SL and my wifes XLT Spectrum that we use when we have some time to relax and unwind from the stress of work.
so I got home with my GT and show to my vife and you can imagine the all the bla bla bla bla about it. the very same day I read the manual 3 times and when out to the School across the street from my house and rightaway I start finding coins and all kain of trash, so I cleaned the entire front of the School becuase I foud about 2 pounds of trash and a total of $3.12 in coins.
I was bery happy about my fainds and desided to do little reserch on the net and then BALAM I couldn't believe the type of machine that I have just purchase, I look on Ebay and see the prices going for 600 to 900 used so I was jumping up and down because I have realise that I struck gold just on the purchase of my GT. so from that time on I have go hunting only few times because my work and waether in this part of the States (the NorthWest, Vancouver Wa) is not so good.
but this year I have desided to used more so I just purchase a 180 Digisearch meter and A 180 Ron's meter, a 12X10 SEF and 12X15 SEF coils ( figure that with the money that I didn't spend on the GT I can get some other things for it), and I'm ready for this summer to hunt each time that I can because I need to know my nue toy as much as I can.
I have read a lot on all the postings here in the forum and I'm getting to know better my machine, I hope that one day I will get to know it good enough to get all the valuable targets out there because as now I get a lot of trash and coins too!
I have not been able to find any rings ye but Yesturday I foun my first 2 weat pennys 1 from 1944 and other from 1945 with a $1.99 in other coins.
Well that is the history about my GT. hope to grow old with it and hunt for many years.
Thank you all for your help and information when I have a question.
Abel.

 

[Rick(ND)]

I would like to respond to each and everyone, but that would be a lot of post maybe saying the same thing.
I see a lot of positive post here and see many are seeing many of the things I have over the years with the Sovereign, this is a great detector and as I have said many times before that if you spend the time to get to know this detector you may buy others to try, but it seem like you will come back to the Sovereign or keep one around in reserve.
Also would like to see more post on actual finds and what you are learning in actual hunts as this is where it counts, not air test or test gardens which has it purpose too, but in actual hunting is where you do most of your learning.
Here is a couple I have learned, go slow as you cant swing too slow, but can swing too fast, if you want depth you have to swing even slower and listen a little more as many of those signals are so small you wont hear them if you don't swing slow and then work those signals by going faster over just that small area to get the best signal on that target. Remember slow to get the signal, then faster ( Sovereign wiggle) to get a better signal on it.

Good luck to all and i am not able to post like i used to because of health reasons, but try to check the fourms everyday and hope to get out more detecting than I have for the last year or 2 and post some great finds..


Rick

 

[Critterhunter]

You got one heck of a deal on that GT. I bought mine for $650 with the meter and thought I got a great deal on it. Now I hear (haven't checked) that due to the price increase used GTs are going for like $800 to $850 on Ebay.

 

[bootyhoundpa]

bought new 3 and a half years ago.....coming from garrett gta-1000 and whites 5900 machines--each single tone metered machines the gt was very confusing touse the first time or two...i really thought i had a defective unit...i remember concetrating real hard on the different tones and busting out laughing because to me they sounded like musical farts....while the sound amused me the initial results did not...like many others i thought of selling it and cutting my losses...but every time i read this forum everyone said the same thing--give it time -once you figure it out you wont be able to live without it.....the day came when i found 4 coins in the side yard which i had hunted many times prior....i knew then i had a basic understanding what to listen for...i now have a wot and5 inch coil in addittion to the 10 inch....i really really thought i had this machine mastered but have come to realize that the learning never really ends......