Minelab Explorer Classroom Forum

I want to use an Explorer as a beach hunter and currently have a modified to Whites rod Explorer XS with Pro Coil. FBS is new to me and just as my XS was sinking in, the SE Pro was drawn into the picture. It was explained to me that there was a bad run of SEs/coils, but if I got an SE Pro I could avoid buying a used lemon. Several have told me that the SE Pro is great at a salt beach and I was thinking of upgrading my XS. Even the L-T SE Pro field test found the SE to find deep gold at the beach, confirming what others have told me. If it's any better than my XS I do not know?

But just when I thought I needed to get an SE Pro, I read a review on-line... and would you believe this fellow upgraded to an SE and later added a 12X10 SEF and wished he had his XS back- the model I have now! He felt the XS just was more stable and ran better. He made this very clear, while still praising the SE as much as he could. I realize 1 review might not represent the SE well, but it is exactly the opposite of what others seem to think!

I have read often that Explorers all seem to go the same depth. I've also read the Explorer II was the best and several SE users went back to the II. And again that the SE Pro is the way to go. So what's a poor guy to do? I was also interested in the E-Trac, but I can get a good used Explorer for half the price or better! Plus from reading here and there, the ET may not be as good at the beach as Explorers. I think the SE Pro would be the most advanced Explorer at a good price on the used market? Is there any reason I should keep the XS and not get the Pro?

The difference depth wise isnt worth talking about. I know guys that KILL deep targets with the XS. The SEF on a SE is a little chatty on the beach wet sand. The SE with the slim line.... some dont like the coil, the Exp II had the best standard coil and were HOT sellers until the Pro came on board. To be real..... the TID is kind of worthless because you cant see the darn thing. Simple sometimes in beach conditions is the best way to go. IE.... the Sov 3 tones and no screen designed for the beach. The Exp is a good all round machine. Every machine has its up and down side. If you have an XS with the Pro coil.... IMO i dont think the upgrade is worth it on a beach with little minerals which is a strong suit for the Exp. Nor would i get an SEF unless it was a 10 X 15. We all love to upgrade.... but i think the Sov is simpler, quieter, and can be as capable. Its just nothing id take to the park if i had an Exp. Im not certain..... but it seems the BBS and FBS GB may be just a bit different.... that affects its reaction to salt.... and small gold is very close to that GB.

Dew

ijmho from all the reading i've done it would seem to be cheaper to buy a new coil. there's fans of every thought. it would seem the best but most costly is trial and error. Dew seems to be correct though. if it's a beach machine your looking to get the get a true one. otherwise everyone has there opinion on which combo works or don't. some of these fellows can afford to just run out and buy a new machine. most of us would have to trade or sell to get a new one. i think most understand your position so it's a matter of taking whaat you deem the best info and gamble it works for you. hope it does work-out for you.

HH

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Garrett AT Pr o
Garrett Pro pin pointer.x2
V3i on the way

AIN'T THIS HOBBY GREAT?

THE ONLY DUMB QUESTION IS THE ONE YOU DON'T ASK.
Kelso, Wa.
where the sun don't shine most of the time.

dew nailed it, on many fronts, in his post above. Here's what I would do -- run that XS, with confidence, with your Pro coil (which is the latest Minelab FBS coil and is used on the SE Pro and the E-Trac). You have a great machine. Period. HOWEVER, Minelab is apparently about out of parts for the XS, and won't repair them anymore. SO -- when it breaks, THEN you can switch to a newer version of Explorer.

A few things I'll say -- YES, I have heard the older Explorers are more stable than the SE Pro. They may be -- but one other thing to consider is that the SE Pro has a default sensitivity at 22, older Explorers it was 16 -- that will affect how "stable" the machine is. Cranking the SE Pro down to 16 sensitivity, it runs more stable than it does at 22 (though with less sensitivity, obviously!) This may be SOME of the "stability" thing some folks noticed.

Also, many folks who "upgraded" to the SE when it came out, and then went back to the Ex. II -- may have done so thinking the SE itself was the problem, when in fact the issue was the COIL (again, for SOME users, maybe not all). Fact is that there was apparently a bad batch of the "slimline" coils that came stock with the SE; even the good ones, though, are said not to be as good as either the FBS 1000 and 1050 coils (which were stock on the XS and Ex. II) nor as good as the new Pro coil. Minelab quickly fixed that with the development of the Pro coil, which most agree is an excellent coil. This (the Pro coil vs. the slimline) is the only difference, I am near certain, between the SE and SE Pro.

I do think that the Explorers generally get the same depth, roughly; even the E-Trac is very similar in depth. As dew said, I don't think an upgrade is necessary for you at this point. When your XS dies, THEN go for it. But, unless you have money burning a hole in your pocket, I don't think you will improve your situation tremendously -- at least not enough to justify the cost. If you had NO machine, or low-end unit, I'd say buy the newest Explorer (or E-Trac) that you can afford, depending upon your budget. But, since you already HAVE an Explorer, I'm not sure the cost/benefit of an upgrade is worth it for you at this point. Just my opinion.

Steve

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Minelab Explorer SE Pro, Fisher Gold Bug Pro (DP)
Garrett ProPointer
Lesche 38D "King of Spades"

Norman, OK

Sometimes on a beach simple is best. Why have a more complicated machine that you may or may not like when for the most part people using even the dual or multi machines are digging everything but iron. You learn bottle caps and the trash that your beach produces rather quickly and can avoid digging them. So what you are looking for is a deep machine that LIKES gold. Now ask around and see what kind of back up machine most of us living on or near a beach use on the wet and dry sand in your area. If you are JUST hunting salt beaches.... id go with a used Sov .... IF you can find one. But, if you are hunting elcewhere like parks, fields, ect then the answer is yes an SE will work on the beach just as well as about any machine out there. Now ask around and see what kind of back up machine most of us living on or near a beach use on the wet and dry sand in your area. Id say ML and Fishers name comes up a lot. Hold off till next Dec.... Tom Dankowski says Fisher is come out with a multi freq machine.

Dew

Well this is all good information- Thanks! With detectors one can find out the hard way, or simply ask to get pointed in the right direction. I was leaning towards keeping the XS. But, I could get my money back out of it, if sold in current working condition. Plus a couple of PMs from very knowledgeable beach hunters here, do confirm that the SE Pro works above average in most salt sand. Who knows, the XS might actually work just as good? But I'm trying to read between the lines. Based on your opinions, I do not think I would go wrong in choosing an SE. After the SE Pro came the E-Trac... kind of like ML maxed-out the Explorer technology and attempted to move on? So perhaps some of the SE Pro refinements would justify my upgrading? On the other hand, why mess with a good thing... and I believe the XS is that?

I seek help here because I do not want to upgrade to an SE, then later wish I had kept my customized XS, or regret adding a used SEP to the stable! But I think the SE move should work out because so far none have screamed "Don't Do It!"

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dewcon4414
Sometimes on a beach simple is best. Why have a more complicated machine that you may or may not like when for the most part people using even the dual or multi machines are digging everything but iron. You learn bottle caps and the trash that your beach produces rather quickly and can avoid digging them. So what you are looking for is a deep machine that LIKES gold. Now ask around and see what kind of back up machine most of us living on or near a beach use on the wet and dry sand in your area. If you are JUST hunting salt beaches.... id go with a used Sov .... IF you can find one. But, if you are hunting elcewhere like parks, fields, ect then the answer is yes an SE will work on the beach just as well as about any machine out there. Now ask around and see what kind of back up machine most of us living on or near a beach use on the wet and dry sand in your area. Id say ML and Fishers name comes up a lot. Hold off till next Dec.... Tom Dankowski says Fisher is come out with a multi freq machine.

Dew

Dew,

I knew Minelabs patents rights were about to expire on the BBS technology! If Fisher is coming out with one so would all the other manufacturers. I suspect that they will also improve on the BBS technology. I would also suspect that Minelab will have an answer to them in terms of a new machine too. Time will tell....
PS. Not sure if the FBS technology patents will expire at the same time or not?

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Sou obstinado e paciente



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/23/2011 08:47PM by TheDualFieldBandit.

I think the SE Pro will still be a great detector for years to come. When I repeated to a dealer that the ML patents were to expire, his response was that ML will simply tweak and renew them and that any multi-frequency technology will have to be purchased from ML, as Whites supposedly did. I sure hope a ton of new detectors are developed, and I hear from a fairly reliable source that ML will soon release a super detector. This persons lips were further sealed because this is a big secret. Even extra glasses of Baily's only got me, "loose lips sinks ships", in fear of a dealership loss. All I got was a waterproof machine for everything. This came from a recent required ML dealer classroom conference that I know he went to . However I really do not know for sure about the reality of the new machine, or when.

And, this could make sense because the Excalibur, Sovereign and Explorers have been around some. I doubt ML having Pioneered the greatest detectors ever, are sitting around waiting for the competition to catch up! Thoughts of what this new machine could be race wildly through my 2 ears and I envision some sort of Excalibur, FBS and MPS waterproof hybrid! When I pried for more information, he repeatedly responded... "Just wait until you see this thing"... and he was not joking! As mainly a water hunter, I want one now!!!

But still, even such a new detector, SE Pros will still work to find treasure. Even if other manufactures joined the BBS/FBS bandwagon, it might take several new models for them to work the bugs out? So for now I still have my sights set on a used SE Pro. Perhaps some of that Christmas cash might come into play here!

I think everyone took notice when Garrett came out with the AT Pro. As a water hunter I like the Xcal.... would love to see something knock it off the top. I like FBS but i believe they can improve a PI ... even if its something simple like disc that doesnt affect depth because of processing. I see you want an SE so why talk you out of it. Just trying to give you enough info to help you determine if the money is worth it. We all like upgrades..... im waiting on something to come out i cant live without.

Dew

Iv'e been been using a GT Sovereign for beach hunting for 3 beach seasons and very happy with it . I hip mount the GT so all I swing is a rod and coil.

So all day beach hunts are no problem, I get tired from walking before swinging. I have been thinking of buying a SE pro for the 2012 Beach season. my only concern is the weight.

I know gravedigger max has a modified chest mount SE pro he does. or the other option is Doc's swingy thing. After I pay for the Beach parking and gas, I need at least a 1/2 day hunt

Swinging a heavy detector, poops you out fast

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Long Beach ca,

Rob..... You may have your answer already in your post. The Sov is an excellent beach machine and you have it do able with the ability to hip mount it. The SE is a machine you will have a learning curve with.... do you really want to take it apart? The Sov is simple to use.... not saying the SE isnt on the beach but you hear a LOT more tones that may drive you nuts.... especially on a trashy beach. Also its noisy in the wave line. Ive not used the Sov but i do use the Xcal which is very similar. It depends on your beach if the SE would improve your finds ratio...... much like choosing between a VLF or PI.

Dew