I am prepared to finish out my career with Jurassic Park era detectors.....

[Hotcz70]

and I'm prepared for the LONG HAUL

[attachment 245761 detectorpic.jpg]

At my house I keep my SE #1...E-Trac... Explorer 2... CZ21...a new SE in the box (not pictured)...and a few coils.

[attachment 245762 detectorpic2.jpg]

At my Dad's place I keep my ctx3030 (not sure I'll keep it yet)...SE #2... EX2 #2...and a few more coils

Not pictured are the following...my CZ70Pro w/ 12" Sunray FZ-1 coil....or my Whites XLT.

I keep those at my daughter's place

Whenever I go to visit...I have the option of hunting as well.

The cease in production of the Explorer SE will not slow this cat down.

How many of my fellow friends here have more than one machine?...and feel free to enter into the thread and show a pic of what you prefer to use...even if it is just one machine of choice.....your "baby" so to speak

I'm also curious if any of you plan on moving on to another detector...or are going to keep on pluggin' away with your Explorer?

 

[NealNoIN]

n/t

 

[MNCoinhunter]

Aside from my back-up water/land detector, my beloved SE Pro is still attached to my hip. It has found me over 100 silvers and countless hundreds of other coins & relics since March 2011.

This photo is right out of the box ... a day I won't soon forget ..

 

[firtyfwee]

wow impressive collection!

 

[Elton]

But I think you could use a forked willow stick with your experiece, and dedication to treasure Hunting & making good finds..., and you would do just fine LOL... hahahahahah

" Seriously " Nice you have the reserve detectors for keeping what you like best for many years to come ... You have been a selfless trainer, and an inspiration to many , many of us.

 

[TwoRivers]

I have the .......

SE Pro with 4.5 x 7, 8 inch Minelab and Pro coil

Excalibur.1000

Sovereign XS

Bounty Hunter Big Bud.........

Maybe 1 more in the near future......?

Will be adding coils soon........6 inch excelerator, 10x12 SEF and the 13 inch Ultimate...................

 

[dewcon4414]

No machine yet sounds like an Exp. As long as i can wiggle one out of the ground ill keep the SE. Anyone looking for an old coin machine in years to come will still look at a used Exp. Its going to be awhile before they call them museum pieces. Nice collection Bryce.

Dew

 

[pinecreekkid]

Wow Bryce nice collection, I've seen less machines at some dealers around here. I use my trusty Explorer SE with a new 10x12 excelerator coil a Sun Ray Stealth X-5 coil and I also have a Whites IDX Classic that is fun to use once in awhile.

 

[D&P-OR]

Great collection of detectors (and coils) Bryce!----Looks like you are indeed all set & you do find "the goods" with all of 'em!-----One things for sure--you just can't beat a Explorer/Etrac for bringing in the deep silver.-----------Del

 

[xterranomore]

I'd say you're set for many years I will for sure keep my explorer but have been considering the E-Trac so I could have both machines.

 

[deeponedge]

You know me bud...I always try everything then end up right back with my explorer and etrac.
you have also seen all my units so no way they will fit in a picture.

 

[Ray-Mo.]

n/t

 

[Hotcz70]

I can continue to make nice finds and am pleased with the peace and enjoyment I get out of the detectors I have in my stable.

I have made it a point to never get rid of a machine that has made excellent finds for me as my arsenal shows.

In 1972 it was a Jetco...still at my Dad's place.

In the late 70's it was a Whites 6000...still at my Dad's place

1981 it was a Bounty Hunter VLF TR 840...still at my Dad's place.

Early 1980's Whites 6000 Di Pro...still at my Dad's place

1980's it was a Whites Eagle II SL...still at my Dad's place.

Late 1980's to Early 1990's it was a Whites XLT. (Had to buy a new one of these a few years ago as the original was used so much the face fell off and it basically broke in half from being "whipped" around so much)

1990's til the time the Explorers came out (not counting a brief stint on the Minelab Musketeer in 1999)...it was Fisher CZ's which I am still currently using today..

After the Explorers it was the E-Trac...still using today.

As of a few months ago...the ctx3030 joined my stable. If it makes me a lot of finds over time that my other detectors can't...I'll keep it too.
If it doesn't...I won't.

The one detector I can't honestly state a performance opinion on is my CZ21 because it's never been out of my back yard...and in fact has been outside my house only twice to piddle in my test garden.

Why do I have it??...because I have had a dream for many years to go deep diving and explore sunken ships to uncover some pirate loot...and if I ever get the chance I'll do so.

I have had that dream and it has been on my bucket list since I was a kid and my dad bought me my first metal detector (jetco) at a department store while we were on vacation in Florida back in 1972.

I walked the beach with it at 9 years old and found some "stuff". Not valuable stuff...but "stuff" nonetheless.

If a detector comes out in the future that makes finds that my other detectors won't and in ways they can't... brings me more peace and enjoyment while doing so...and my knees will still allow me to bend down and dig...I'll add one of those to my arsenal too.

 

[div4gold]

Bryce I liked your comment about diving for treasure !!!!! If you ever get the chance to do it go DO IT you wont reget it ...I had a dive operation for years down in Florida and have dove on the 1715 and 1733 Fleets under mel Fishers Leases ...... My partner was Roy volker (RIP) ..may be you have heard of him ...he started the MD club here in stl . and was friends with kenny white of white electronics ... and he wrote some books on the hobby for land and underwater ....( I bought my first detector from hin A coinmaster 1 .... in 1973 ... Which is how I met him and stayed in contact and friends with him..... We had some great times under water and some great finds too.... Lots of memories hunting ,,,,,.HH ,,oh i will tell you its a lot harder than land detecting ........

 

[ToddWisconsin]

Bryce..we follow similar paths..I started in the late 70s with a VLFTR 840...My dad had the three battery one , I had the two battery unit..His worked better than mine..What a junk finding machine..But I did find a lot of firsts with it , including my first silver dollar..Then got a 6000di series three...Loved that machine...Used for years ..then I had a buddy that would buy a new detector every two years at work and sell me his old ones for two hundred bucks..Bought his spectrum...Loved that machine , my dad and brother still use that machine..then I got the XLT...Another keeper...still hanging in the house and used occasionally...Then I got my NEW DFX...I think I got about every coil they made for that machine.. lol...Then I went water for a while..Got a whites surfmaster..I have got unit they only made for a few years...Then i got my first MINELAB Explorer a few years ago..used...fell in love with the depth of it ...And now I have my new se pro...So I still have five detectors hanging on the wall... And one more at my dads...Maybe its time to put a few of them on EBay

 

[Neil]

Bryce you are loaded up well on your detectors my Sov stuff looks alot like that but Ive also got a few coils for my Etrac.

Has there been any word or inquiry as to whether minelab will be keeping up the Explorer and Sov forums? Or maybe they have nothing to do with the forums?

 

[Hotcz70]

I highly doubt the Sov and Explorer forums are going anywhere.

This site is privately owned and the owner likes to keep popular forums here as that brings in new members and also keeps his current ones around. JMHO

A testament to this fact is the Fisher CZ forum for one...as there are still a gazillion people who love and use the CZ's...and I'm one of 'em.

 

[Critterhunter]

Bryce, a FINE collection there of machines and coils! You ever have somebody come in your house and see all those machines and then say something ridiculous like "So....You got any hobbies?"

Since you made an open invitation for everybody to show their main machine, Explorer or not, I'd like to show off my ancient technology as well. It's a Sovereign GT.

Sure, it's a little bit of a hassle having to fire up the coal burner to power the stupid thing, and the smoke and heat that creates makes for a rather uncomfortable hunt, but just the same I like my digital Minelab with ancient analog like controls and analog-like long detailed audio of history's long dead analog detectors.

Heck, I even got some bite marks on my machine from when I had to fend off a dinosaur with it.

I'll be visiting the antique shop to pick up my SE Pro with a 12x10 on it as well sooner or later. Just hope the collectible prices aren't real high by the time I get around to it. Explorer #4 that will be for me.

Good machines don't suddenly expire like the expiration date on food. They are no less capable than they were new. All in what you can do with your machine, not what your machine can do for you...When pushing it beyond the theoretical limits they put on paper. That's were the true "edge" is IMO.

My other favorite saying is that detectors are like women. All unique to themselves and with their own distinctive traits and strengths. The trick is learning how to notice and take advantage of those strengths.

Heard many say they hope some day a machine comes out that can tell gold rings from junk, or will show you an actual picture of the target on a video screen even under trash. Man I hope that never happens. That's why no place is ever really hunted out. If it was that easy there would be no challenge, like fishing for trout in a stocked pond at the fair. Just not the same thing. Many more people would own detectors, and the finds at public sites would trully then be hunted out for sure. Everybody would have to look to private land for any hope at finding any more keepers.

So my current main ancient machine, having owned many over the years...What you see below are both my water and land shafts for it. When water hunting (that's the stock shaft) the control box goes into the chest mount Minelab bag. The land shaft is my custom built lightweight rig. With the light weight shaft build and running a 3 cell lipo in my alkaline holder, dropped about a pound and a half off the stock weight. Heck, even the stock arm cup weighed over half a pound! Now it's as light as pretty much any machine I've ever owned. Even wired up a remote PP switch hanging down from the grip like Whites are setup. Pics I think show the 15x12. These days I use the 12x10 on land, and the stock 10" Tornado on my water rig. Neither ever comes off those shafts, unless using my Sun Ray S-5 or the 13" Ultimate. Since these pics I ditched the homemade stand on my land rig and am using rubber feet under the control box. That stand kept snagging my headphone cord on me.

 

[teleman2525]

by far se pro with 13 inch ultimate coil my favorite set up ive still got my whites xlt a great detector my first detector bounty hunter 505 not to be put down a fine little unit and my newest edition garrett at pro for the wet days and playing in the water so far a very nice lite quiet detector its good but can,t beat the se pro snoopy,s still my best dud don,t we all just love our detectors lol

 

[stumppass]

I'm definitely a Minelab guy!
3 excals 8-10 and 13 soon to become a 10x12 SEF
2 Explorers one XS that has been waterproofed with the 8x6 SEF coil "awesome' and an Explorer II that is in pristine as new condition with several coils currently the 10x12 SEF
1 Sovereign GT with several coils currently a 10x12 SEF

I took the tip from Bryce and ordered a new GT, once they are gone they are gone and a spare machine is always is good idea and not to mention I could always sell it later if Minelab introduces the "NEXT BIG THING" I'n BBS technology, unfortunately I don't think that's in our future?