You Ought to See How

[grumpyolman]

The White's factory treats its followers...Minelab. For we Minelab users who are less than happy about ML's customer service take a look at the White's forum section. The first post is an interview with some of the White's engineers and the overall tone of the communication is in stark contrast to ML's. Wish I had a little more confidence in their technology, but with the positive attitude the engineers display (they are enjoying themselves and their work) look out ML....Jim

 

[docguin]

You are quite right Grumpy. People who know say fast turnaround for factory service too.

That was a good interview. Carl Moreland is new blood in their engineering department and looks really good to me. They monitor the Forums and respond to problems and it looks like they may be a winner. On one of the other water forums a white's engineer actually posted asking what water hunters wanted in a new detector. I couldn't believe it.

I have never owned a White's detector, and until this year have never even looked at them seriously. That may have been a mistake. I am going to try a couple of the White machines this year, just to see. A manufacturer who actually wants to know what the customer wants deserves a little business. At least I know they will get fixed sometime soon if they break down.

 

[vfr800]

I have a Excalibur and also a White's. Since Excal is new i have no issues but I can tell you Whites is good quality and has always been helpful when i have spoken with them.

 

[docguin]

Which White's do you have? I am interested to know how you feel it compares to the Excalibur. I have read on the forum that some feel the BHID 300 in all metal mode outperforms the Excalibur. I find the ability to have TID in all metal mode most intriguing.

 

[therover]

The Excal and the BHID300. I like them both, but have been using my BHID more. I like the all metal mode and I think it is a little more sensitive to smaller, lower conductive targets. It can be sweeped faster and the pin point is better.

The Excal does have the auto gb and tracking, and I have found that you need to really make sure your sensitivity is set right for the conditions. The Excal does go deep, and sometimes swinging slower is a positive. The different tones are nice once you get to know them, and it does make it easier to determine targets.

The BHID in all metal, when there is a blip of the red light and the sound does not sound crisp, I have found almost always it's a junk target. Also, very deep targets only change the threshold slightly without any lights blinking/lighting and thats the sign to dig regardless. It's a good indicator for very deep targets.

Both of mine are mounted on straight shafts but the Whites is much better balanced and lighter. I have to hip mount my Excal while I can use the BHID on the shaft most of the time.

The only way to really compare is to try them both. No matter how many posts and comments (positive or negative) are made for each of them, it really comes down to the individual and having both of them in your hands and out in the field for comparison.

For me...like I said I like them both and cannot complain other than the Excal is a bit heavy for me on the shaft (which is MY problem since my shoulder and elbow are shot some days).

I say try out the BHID...you may like it and add it to your arsenal.

JC

 

[Bence]

Is the BHID in all metal mode still deeper when the Excal is in all metal?

 

[docguin]

Rover,

I think I will do exactly as you suggest. I have really been wanting to try that BHID 300 since reading posts by those that use it.

I also like the look of the White's TDI pulse unit. Wish they would waterproof that. I was thinking of an E-Trac this year, but for the same money can have the TDI. I think the TDI will be a better fit for how I think and how I wish to hunt.

It gets expensive trying detectors, $2,500 to try a couple new detectors is pretty steep, but it is the only way to know how it fits. I have to live with them a while, and sometimes I grow into ones I did not initially like.

 

[therover]

Doc,

You hit the nail on the head when you stated "a better fit for how I think and how I wish to hunt". Only you know.

And I am sure you take in all considerations, including the fact that near water, a water proof unit is the only unit that gives you total piece of mind when you think about it being dropped.

No matter how great the detector is, near or in water without being waterproof, you always have to be cautious.

I love my new GQ SS PI, but I am always wary of where I am in the wet sand/suds because it's not totally waterproof.

Salt water and salt air conditions can wreak havoc on electronics, so I am very careful when using my DFX, X5 or GQ on the beach.

However, it's wheels blazing and no worries with my BHID, Excal and Wader. I just wash em down when I get home.

Still, I love using them all.

I was thinking of trying out the TDI too, and there is a great used unit for sale on the forum, but I have to sell a machine or two to do it since economic conditions won't allow me to just buy another one. And...it's not water proof.

 

[docguin]

You are absolutely right Rover. I will not wade with a land detector. I have more than enough water machines though I really wish they would waterproof that TDI. The BHID will have to do for the water this year, I will keep the Excalibur and probably sell the CZ-20 and the Infinium to buy both the BHID and the TDI.

I am wanting that TDI for land hunting which I intend to do more of this year. It appears to have some unusual capabilities that would be very useful for some places I go. It looks like a detector that would do a lot when a guy learns how to use it. I really like to hunt with PI, this one looks especially good to me for some reason.

 

[plugger]

White's Service has always been great, and so was Minelab's when you had the likes of Dick Shultz to work with. I heard they parted ways and that could explain the poor service now. When the new owners bought Minelab they probably decided to take the company in a new direction, one that will probably vocus on sales and not service. I hope I am wrong, but I am reading alot of disturbing posts lately. Thank God I haven't had any problems with any of my 5 Minelab detectors.

 

[docguin]

Plugger,

I hope you are wrong too, but have read those same disturbing posts. The Excalibur warranty now will be dropped to one year, 2-3 month service times, things like that do not look good. Is their build quality declining too? Why can't they fix them and warranty them properly? My Excal is getting pretty old now, but didn't need service until almost 4 years old. Didn't even have to replace the battery till 3 years. Have not found a MInelab battery that good since, but that old Excalibur keeps on going.