straight versus S- shaft

[JimmyCT]

I had a musky for a short while and had the s-shaft and really liked the feel of it ( it actually felt light and could swing it all day) and setup (controls in front of me). I know the musky is a little lighter in weight compared to the GT and was wondering if anyone else prefers using the s-shaft for their GT? Thanks - Jim



"The old upper S-handle has been replaced with a straight-shaft that virtually eliminates any of the balance / ergonomics issues of past Sovereign models. With the control housing snapped into the bracket located under the arm-cuff, the GT balances perfectly and allows for hours of effortless hunting something previous Sovereign owners had not been able to do without hip mounting the housing (which can still be done)."

 

[Ron from Michigan]

Jim,I have used the s-shaft and variations of the straight shaft on different Sovereign models.For me the straight shaft made the ergonomics much better on all the models.My main Sovereign is an Elite mounted on a stock GT rod assembly.I like the stock GT rod assembly,shorter than the after market straight rods I've used, better for storage and transportation.I would like to try one of those carbon fiber shafts,which in theory should be lighter and less flex.Though for some reason the Europeans seem to like the S shaft assembly. HH Ron

 

[JimmyCT]

Thanks Ron for your input. I remember talking to a Minelab dealer and he mentioned the same thing you did about the Europeans liking the S shaft over the straight. I am with you on the carbon fiber shafts as I would like to shed some excess weight from my GT. Thanks again - Jim

 

[fwcrawford]

I prefer the S shaft myself over the straight shaft.
I had more wrist fatigue with the straight rod whereas with the S shaft, I am able loosen my grip or at least vary the amount of grip while swinging the coil.
I kept feeling like with the straight shaft, I was going to drop the detector if I readjusted my grip.
I know most Soveriegn users hate the S shaft, but I like it much better than the straight shaft myself.
I got a straight shaft for my Musky and tried it out for a couple of hunts and switched back to the S shaft.
Maybe because I had gotten used to the S shaft while using the Musky is why I prefer it over the straight shaft.
Another reason I don't like the straight shaft is the fact that the ID meter is very hard to see.. the handle is in the way and you have to twist the rod slighty to see the readings.
With the S shaft, it is much easier to see.

 

[JimmyCT]

Excellent post Felix thank you. That is how I feel especially about the wrist fatigue and the feeling I would drop the detector if I readjust. I also see your point about the meter. Do you mount the GT control box like you do for the musky or do you hip mount? Thanks - Jim

I prefer the S shaft myself over the straight shaft.
I had more wrist fatigue with the straight rod whereas with the S shaft, I am able loosen my grip or at least vary the amount of grip while swinging the coil.
I kept feeling like with the straight shaft, I was going to drop the detector if I readjusted my grip.
Another reason I don't like the straight shaft is the fact that the ID meter is very hard to see.. the handle is in the way and you have to twist the rod slighty to see the readings.
With the S shaft, it is much easier to see.

 

[fwcrawford]

Jim,
I have the control boxes mounted under the armcuff on both detectors.. this balances out the detector much better and reduces stress on the headphone cable.

 

[JimmyCT]

Thank you Felix!

 

[Neil]

I think you have better coil control with an S shaft since your grabbing directly onto the rod. It sure feels that way. With an S shaft the coil is out in front a little more,
Whites has a pistol grip with middle S rod setup that keeps the coil out front a little more also.
I think the S shafts are the lightest, especially one like Joe did, but remember you will mostly feel the lightness when its taken off the end of the rod down by the coil.
balance wise nothing Ive used beats putting the control box out behind the elbow but personally I dont care for the extra length, it makes the control box harder to access also.
I use the S shaft mostly and would love to see one of those in the stuff Joe has made his straight shafts from.
like the other guys said, the meter setup is nice on an S shaft,I dont really care for it on the pistol grip of a straight shaft.

 

[Nomad NJ]

I switched to the strait shaft about two years ago. To me the s shaft was better may be because I was more use to Ito now feel more comfortable with the stray shaft now. I changed because I saw the more experience gt hunters all had strait shafts.[pre]

[/pre]

 

[JimmyCT]

I agree with you Neil. When I ran with the musky I did have much more control hanging onto the shaft itself and that felt much better to me then having the handle "sitting above" the shaft. I had the control box setup like in the picture below and that thing felt like a feather to swing. I would go an easy 8 hours a day and not feel fatigued. But the GT (straight shaft set-up) I would feel it in my shoulder after 5-6 hours. Thanks for your input. HH - Jim


quote=Neil]
I think you have better coil control with an S shaft since your grabbing directly onto the rod. It sure feels that way.[/quote]

 

[Critterhunter]

Owned some machines with S-shafts. Much prefer a straight one. But an interesting question, which machine's stock shaft do people feel was the best hardware set up they ever used? For me it was my various Whites units. That grip is just right. With the bike end bar on my custom light weight shaft there is plenty of room like an S-shaft to get my grip right where I want it, being that a bike end bar is taller than the stock grip on the GT. I hated that stock grip. It never felt right, and the foam would hold water, which is why even on the stock shaft I use as my water rig I've replaced it with a bike end bar too. My light weight land rig is lighter than an MXT Pro but a bit, and now my GT feels much like my Whites did in both weight and comfort. Best S-shaft rig I ever used? Would have to be the Tesoros. The Bandino II Umax was so light that I just couldn't get over it, which probably made the S-shaft setup a non-issue to me.

If you do go carbon, a Whites tall man rod is roughly twice the length of the stock heavier lower shaft, so that makes most of the length of the shaft carbon. Then either cut down the length of the stock upper shaft or I went to a lighter gauge aluminum for that. Now my upper shaft is only about the length of from my elbow to the tip of my finger due to the extra long Whites Tall Man lower fiber shaft. One day I may replace that upper shaft with a carbon one and a carbon bike end bar just to save another ounce or so, but since I routed my remote PP switch through the inside of the upper shaft and up inside my end bar grip, it'll take some doing to put together a new upper shaft.

There are sources of some rather cheap carbon fiber tubes out there, which many in RC plane circles have found. Dirt cheap compared to other sources.

 

[Tony in FL]

I don't have experience with the Sovereign, but I can tell you for certain that on the Excalibur the factory S-shaft is not so desirable. You will rarely see someone using it on the sand or wading. And if you do I would bet the most likely reason is that they are new to the Excalibur and will, sooner or later, switch over a straight shaft, at least if they are hunting on a regular basis.

 

[Neil]

I don't have experience with the Sovereign, but I can tell you for certain that on the Excalibur the factory S-shaft is not so desirable. You will rarely see someone using it on the sand or wading. And if you do I would bet the most likely reason is that they are new to the Excalibur and will, sooner or later, switch over a straight shaft, at least if they are hunting on a regular basis.

your right there. its real obvious why also, the battery pod and control housing are not only heavy but mounted vertically so land swinging is tiresome and in the water your working against that vertical mount. minelab does make a horizontal mount shaft but the straight shaft has become so popular for the excal I doubt many buy it. A simple cure is the end piece plugger sells, put it in then end of the S shaft and the control pod and housing get put behind the elbow.

 

[Gary In Old VA]

I started using hip mounted detectors in 1983 or 1984 with a Garrett ADS III . That machine felt like it weighed 12 lbs. so I used the factory hip mount kit.
That hip mount was still heavy, but it was much better. I won a Whites DI 6000 series 3 and I hip mounted it and hunted for 16 years with it. When I got it I
bought the factory hip mount kit. Both were straight shafts and I was very happy with them. I have hip mounted most machines, I tried to use a Fisher 1235
with the factory shaft and I hated that shaft. I started looking for straight shafts, I ended up with a old Whites shaft then I bought a custom shaft. That shaft
broke not long after I got it.Then the hip mount for the Whites XLT came out the kit had a great grip but the shaft it hooked to was a s-shaft. Then the hunt for a straight
center shaft was on. I found a great center shaft from Tesoro but it was gold colored, I called Vince at Tesoro and asked if they made a unit in England that had
a black center shaft they did and it came to the house. I was using the Fisher 1235 so I used the all the Whites shafts including the lower that. I used Whites
coil adapter to mount the coil and it felt great, but still not quite right. I then found the Shadow arm cuff, man that's the cats @$$.
When I got my Sovereign GT and it had a straight shaft. The grip didn't feel right, so while I was typing this post UPS showed up with a new XLT hip mount kit
so I can use what feels right for me. You have to find what works for you. Most folks won't go through all the stuff that I did, I am happy but I could be nuts but this works
for me. When you are comfortable with what use you find more stuff. Anyway that's my 2 cents worth.

 

[Ron from Michigan]

Gary,great post,and would have to agree sometimes its a hit and miss to find the perfect rod assembly.What may work for one user may not work for another.Again I like a straight shaft.By the way the little Fisher 1235X is a great detector.Thanks Ron

 

[hydraglide]

I don't think its so much Europeans (I'm English, don't consider myself European ) prefer the S shaft, it's all that is offered from standard. I use an aftermarket straight shaft, still testing it out, not totally convinced, so may well return to the S. I hipmount mostly though.

 

[JimmyCT]

Thank you for your post Gary! You have a great "go getter" attitude with finding what works best for you and I know I have to do the same. I have seen the Garrett ADS III and that thing looks like a boat anchor lol.
I am trying to get away from hip mounting so I can be "free" from the machine. I just remember (for the short time that I had the musky) that it was a nice comfortable setup. Time for me to look for an s-shaft and try some different setup(s). - HH - Jim

I started using hip mounted detectors in 1983 or 1984 with a Garrett ADS III . That machine felt like it weighed 12 lbs. so I used the factory hip mount kit.
That hip mount was still heavy, but it was much better. I won a Whites DI 6000 series 3 and I hip mounted it and hunted for 16 years with it. When I got it I
bought the factory hip mount kit. Both were straight shafts and I was very happy with them. I have hip mounted most machines, I tried to use a Fisher 1235
with the factory shaft and I hated that shaft. I started looking for straight shafts, I ended up with a old Whites shaft then I bought a custom shaft. That shaft
broke not long after I got it.Then the hip mount for the Whites XLT came out the kit had a great grip but the shaft it hooked to was a s-shaft. Then the hunt for a straight
center shaft was on. I found a great center shaft from Tesoro but it was gold colored, I called Vince at Tesoro and asked if they made a unit in England that had
a black center shaft they did and it came to the house. I was using the Fisher 1235 so I used the all the Whites shafts including the lower that. I used Whites
coil adapter to mount the coil and it felt great, but still not quite right. I then found the Shadow arm cuff, man that's the cats @$$.
When I got my Sovereign GT and it had a straight shaft. The grip didn't feel right, so while I was typing this post UPS showed up with a new XLT hip mount kit
so I can use what feels right for me. You have to find what works for you. Most folks won't go through all the stuff that I did, I am happy but I could be nuts but this works
for me. When you are comfortable with what use you find more stuff. Anyway that's my 2 cents worth.