Just bought an original sovereign

[lovepulltabs]

Hi all, I just bought this detector last night:
http://www.findmall.com/read.php?44,776575
I've used minelab gold machines in the past, sd 2000, xt 17000 and 18000. Never had a sovereign though, so I was wondering if anyone could give some tips for a first time user.
Thanks,
Gary

 

[vw242]

cjc

 

[lovepulltabs]

Wow, can't believe I only got one response, which I have no idea what it means. I guess the only drawback to this purchase is if something goes wrong with this machine as I understand Minelab doesn't repair them anymore and there are no more parts available from them for the original sovereign. Hopefully it still has many years of use left in it.

 

[Rick(ND)]

I think he was trying to tell you to get Clives book on the Sovereign.
Now I have used all the Sovereigns, but never kept the original that long to do any good with it, but it had some extra switches the others did not have and to me was not as sensitive as the ones made after the original but some do preferred them. Basically you want to run in disc with no disc and listen to the tones it makes and if you have a meter you can learn which tone produce the difference in the numbers. This detector has to be swung slower than others as it dies see so much more than others, so you will hear more tones and them changing as you sweep the coil.

 

[John(H)]

Hi all, I just bought this detector last night:
http://www.findmall.com/read.php?44,776575
I've used minelab gold machines in the past, sd 2000, xt 17000 and 18000. Never had a sovereign though, so I was wondering if anyone could give some tips for a first time user.
Thanks,
Gary

.........................................................Gary, I just bought an original Sovereign with the coinsearch 8 inch coil too back in June or so! Still learning, it is a lot different than most detectors I've had before! Alot of accessories are available for it! Since June, I've acquired a 10 inch BBS coil, a Sun-Ray DTI meter, an extra rechargeable battery and a chest/ hipmount kit! Very hot here in Texas so only been out with it 4 times! Each time I learn something different and new!! Not sure if some of the parts are no longer made or available, so just in case I bought an extra control box basicly for parts!! If Minelab will not repair these any more, you can contack Keith Wills and he may be able to repair them also!!..............Also the unit is very sensitive sometimes had to reduce the sensitivity around transformer boxes and can't get too close to large metal objects!!............................HH...............Joe

 

[lovepulltabs]

Hi Joe, thanks for the post. Actually I'm heading out the door right now to give her a try for the first time. I've got the 10" tornado coil on it so we'll see how it goes.


Gary

 

[lovepulltabs]

Well I took the Sovereign out for the first time today. My first impression is that it's probably the most sensitive detector I've ever used and I've used more than a few. I finally wound up running it in discriminate preset mode and preset sensitivity, iron mask. Swung it low and slow, all the different tones are a little mind boggling, the old meter is little help 'till you hit a coin, then it locks at the far (right) side and tone sounded on the high side and very crisp, no mistaking that sound. Wound up finding a '07quarter, '86 dime, 2 pennies from the '70's and a blue jeans button. My question is what is that machine gun tone, if you know what I mean, I figured it was junk or iron. My first impression is this machine is a damn good detector but may take some time to learn for sure. I tried searching in all metal but had to stop as I was getting signals, chirps, blips just about everywhere. I ordered the book by CJC and a good friend is sending me a video for the original Sovereign. I'm going back out again tomorrow, I do believe with this awesome machine field experience may be the best teacher.

 

[bottlebum]

Congrats!! You sound like a Sovereign guy for sure. It is a unique machine and it will do you right if you take the time to learn it.

 

[lovepulltabs]

Thanks bottlebum, does anyone know what that machine gun tone is? It seemed to broad of a target to dig, either that or a bunch of small targets, does anyone know what I'm talking about?
Thanks,
Gary

 

[bottlebum]

I've heard some say that a necklace can give that kind of signal but I have found only junk when checking those signals but check them I always do. I think the last one I checked was a large piece of crinkled up aluminum foil.

HH, bottlebum

 

[kered]

the machine gun rattle is overload, either a medium size target right under the coil on or near the surface of a very large target a bit deaper

 

[bottlebum]

the machine gun rattle is overload, either a medium size target right under the coil on or near the surface of a very large target a bit deaper

I must be thinking of a different signal then. I usually get more of a rattle mixed with silence on an overload signal. The one I was thinking of is more like a bunch of small snap-n-pops going off.

 

[Art (NWOH)]

If it's what I think........iron. It can do the snap-crackle-pop.
HH

 

[kered]

Just the first thing that came to mind, its hard to tell without hearing it, different people discribe sounds diferently. Some describe Led Zepalin as a good sound others say the same for Barry Manalow(those with hearing problems that is )

 

[lovepulltabs]

I'm using Killer B headphones and the sound is a rat a tat tat, like a machine gun is the best way I can describe it. More of a high sounding tone but totally broken up, actually pretty cool, never heard that response on any other detector I've ever used. Lots to learn here but I'm sure it will payoff in the long run.

 

[bottlebum]

Try to relocate the object that caused the detector to sound off with that signal and dig it up. It's a good way to learn the tones.

HH, bottlebum

 

[lovepulltabs]

Thanks bottlebum, I'm going back tomorrow to that site and I know exactly where I got that signal, so I'll dig it up and let you know what it was.

 

[bottlebum]

Thanks bottlebum, I'm going back tomorrow to that site and I know exactly where I got that signal, so I'll dig it up and let you know what it was.

Sounds good. I'm curious as to what it was. Hope you find some gold while you're at it.

 

[lovepulltabs]

Hey bottlebum or anyone else using the 10" Tornado coil on the Sovereign, when pinpointing and X'ing the target 90 degrees, is the target in the center of the coil or maybe slightly forward of dead center using the square tornado logo on the coil as a reference point. This probably isn't the best coil for learning this machine but that's what it came with so for the time being that's what I'm using.
Thanks,
Gary

 

[bottlebum]

I've never had any luck trying to pinpoint with the center of the coil. I use the leading, center edge of the coil.
When I find a target, I sweep the coil side to side over the target and at the same time, pull the coil towards me until the signal just disappears. At that point, the target should be just in front of the leading, middle edge of the coil.

It is the center line of the coil from front to back that gives the signal.

You can also work the coil side to side towards the target and when you just pick up the signal, the target should be just in front of or just under the leading outside edge of the coil.

It's a little hard to explain without showing you and takes some practice to master. There are alot of earlier posts that deal with the same guestion. You might want to check the archives for other suggestions.

Good luck and HH, bottlebum