So what's up with KellyCo, MineLab and Detech????

[stumppass]

Ok, so what's the deal with KellyCo, MineLab and Detech?

KellyCo and Minelab are clearly on a campaign to shutdown the most popular mods for the Sovereign line of equipment such as the 12 x 10 SEF coils?

As an experiment, I called KellCo four times today to inquire about the 12 x 10 SEF for the SOV. twice I was told they are on order and a due date was not available and was asked if I would I like to place an order and be put on the waiting list! Haha been there and done that!

And twice I was told that the Detech 12 X 10 has indeed been discontinued and no longer available, really why the drama? Call today and check for yourself, after all this time you would think that they would have everyone communicating the same rederick.

So what's the real deal?

BTW - These are still available direct from Detech on EBay, but you will need to pony up $$$

ebay link

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SEF-coil-12..._Measurement_Equipment_ET&hash=item4abbc2fb5b
Happy Hunting!

 

[Critterhunter]

I doubt Kellyco or Minelab has any intentions of stopping the SEFs from being made. They are one of Kellycos biggest sellers by the looks of it.

But trying to figure out if or when more 12x10s are coming in to Kellyco is a similar conversations here and there in the FBS forums, so some people are opting for the 13" Ultimate instead of waiting to see as Kellyco has those in stock right now.

I was discussing this in private with somebody and we both suspect that IF the SEFs being discontinued is the rumor floating around, maybe it's a communications error with the language barrier, and that Detech was trying to say they were putting out a big run of Ultimates for a while to meet their new entry into the market's demand, and that maybe they meant to say they'll be going back to churning out more SEFs after they have a good supply of ultimates sitting around to ship. Perhaps IF they are doing something like that and intend to say that it got lost in translation and sounded like they were canning the SEFs for good or something?

All pure speculation though, because it might be just a simple back order thing like it's been off and on and you know how rumors get started. Might not be anything to it at all.

But if there is anything to the rumor it would only figure that the Ultimate might be in more demand at the moment since it's so new, and the SEFs have leveled off in demand to a steady lower pace since they've been around a few years now and the initial rush of buyers has leveled off, so maybe they figured if they ran a run for a while on Ultimates demand would build up again for the SEFs when they get back to running off those again.

On the other hand, maybe they are phasing out the SEFs for something better, like a SEF Pro version or something? One could only hope, but if they do that it better be a darn good coil because these SEFs are pretty much king of the mountain in coil design in a lot of people's opinions. While it looks like the Ultimate might be one awesome coil in many respects, I don't see it so far as a replacement for the unque style and abilities of the 12x10. Maybe just as good or better perhaps in some respects (remains to be seen, still testing the loaner I got against my 12x10), but for sure even if that's true the SEFs are going to have their own unique abilities too. The 12x10 has to be the most succesful aftermarket coil ever made in the history of detecting.

 

[deepdiger60]

This is the reason for years i don't deal with Kellyco none knows what they are talking about ill spend the extra few bucks over seas , Kellyco hires some people who thinks metal detecting is listening to heavy metal all day ,idiots !! Jim

 

[bik-il]

DeepDigger,

I'm sorry you haven't had good luck with Kco.
I've dealt with them several times without problems.
They sold me a Digisearch meter they didn't even have listed in their system but had in stock after it was discontinued.
There are always situations were are expectations aren't fully met in the retail world, especially when a very large company is involved.
My strategy has always been to do my homework before making the call, be nice no matter what, and to try to understand we are all doing the best we can.
If you had a specific problem perhaps management can help.
Btw-
Kco has always honored the Findmall shipping discount for me.

HH

 

[beachdude]

Why don't you just order the coil from Bulgaria? That's where I got mine. Right from the coil horses mouth.

 

[Critterhunter]

Bik-il, I've never had any issues with ordering from Kellyco either. If you tell them you want the Findmall special you get free shipping on at least coils I think. Only problem I've expereince in the past is where a order taker can't find the item I found on their site, but if you talk to JW or somebody they usually know just what they have and where it's at.

I could see though that some might be upset with waiting on coils, as I've read that in both this forum and the FBS forum, but can't blame Kellyco for that as Detech sounds like they are swamped with trying to fill orders with all the coils and all the machines they make them for. You can't just throw a different plug on a coil and have it work on other machines. Each coil has to be built for that specific machine with special wire lengths/gauges to build the windings and such to get the resistance and such within specs of that model detector.

Only thing I wish is that the rumors floating around would be put to rest and we can find out just what Detech is or isn't making anymore. I suspect all the coils for all the machines are still being made and it's just a miscommunication thing that started a rumor, because I just posted a list of all their most current coils they list as the line they offer and all the coils are still listed for the Sovereign and FBS machines, and in fact the 4.5x7 and 14x10 are still listed too which I thought they might have stopped making a couple years ago, as they were never sold in the US far as I know, at least for the Sovereign, but as said I bet there might be a chance Kellyco will special order one of those for people if they wanted one. Don't seem like a big thing maybe, as it could just be thrown in with their next shipment from Detech maybe?

You know, if enough people got together wanting say the 12x10 and well all posted that in a post, somebody (I'll do it) could Email that to Kellyco and say that they've got a ton of people wanting to buy this coil if you go ahead and order a shipment. I suspect the 12x10 is probably on order for more and they are just waiting on them again, because what did it take...like 3 months to get the last order in? I think Detech is so busy with the Ultimate and all the other coils now that they are just trying to fill orders as fast as they can to catch up maybe?

Everything is of course just pure speculation though until somebody hears from higher ups one way or the other, but many thought the 12x10 was not carried by Kellyco for the Sovereign or maybe other machines too for a long while and all it was was that they were waiting for Detech to ship them more.

 

[xwyokid]

I guess I must have really been lucky, (for once) I called Kellyco about 3-4 weeks ago and the had "several" 12x10 coils in stock.

 

[stumppass]

I did and it's on the way!

HH

 

[stumppass]

Got it today! Talk about fast shipping it would take me two months or better to get one from Orlando and I'm only 60 miles away! Oh, wait these are discontinued and no longer available!

http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc488/stumppass/DSC02264.jpg

http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc488/stumppass/DSC02268.jpg

 

[deepdiger60]

Nice coil yep it all has to do with money ill pay the extra few dollars . Jim

 

[Critterhunter]

You are going to love that coil. Do us a favor and write up a short field review of it compared to your other coils. Always love to read other's opinions on coils and such.

You were being sarcastic about it being discontinued, right? I got word recently through the grape vine from somebody that should know that there is no official word on Detech discontinuing the SEFs coils, for the Sovereign or any other machine. Word has it nobody really has been told such a thing by Detech, so it sounds to me like it's just a rumor due to them being so busy trying to fill orders of various coils for various machines now that the Ultimate is also out. If anything I bet they just geared production to the Ultimate to meet it's initial high demand and will probably get back to the SEFs once they get enough Ultimates in the pipe line.

PS- If you are going to use that coil in the water, check the cable nut. I bet it's not even hand tight as they seem to ship them that way. While the coil is filled with epoxy, always a risk of water wicking down the cable wires to the pre-amp or such, so I'd hand tighten that nut and then give it just a tad more turn with a wrench. Not too much or you'll crack it. I do that with all my coils, and for added insurance I put Shoe Goo under the nut and in the wire hole, along with under the rubber cable sleeve that slides down with it for added double wall waterproofing. Extra piece of mind doing all that...

If you hip mount, be extra careful to make sure you look your coil cable a few times before the coil connector at the control box. My 12x10, bought used, had a short right before the connector. That can happen with any coil but just the same...

If you ditch the coil cover and use 3 or 4 coats of spray on bed liner the 12x10 is lighter than the 10" Tornado or the S-12.

You'll find it's extra bit of coverage is real nice makes the stock 10" coil feel like an 8" coil when you go back to it.

If you are using it in the water I'm interested to hear how you think it's drag is for you.

 

[Count Pierre]

Rumour has it out here in OZ that the Sov is to be dropped from the range......naturally, no confirmation forthcoming.

So I bought one just in case.

 

[Critterhunter]

Detech makes their SEF coils for some pretty obscure not nearly as popular machines at the GT/Excal, and those machines haven't been out nearly as long as the numerous models of the Sov/Excal, so I'd doubt they'd drop it for the BBS units while still making it for some machines that are far less in user numbers. Just the same though, from what more "reliable" word I've got so far, there is no official word from Detech about the SEFs being discontinued for any machine, including the BBS/Excal. This rumor bounced around months back while many were waiting for the next shipment to come in of SEFs, and now once again after that shipment as dried up the rumor is once again back, so I wouldn't read to much into any rumors, especially when I've heard 3rd person removed from somebody who should know that there is no word on ANYTHING from Detech. Maybe I'm wrong, I'm just saying that from what I heard there is no word saying otherwise...

Put it this way, the same frustrations in the BBS circles are also going on in the FBS circles. Some are buying the Ultimate just because they can get it when they can't get an SEF right now. All that combined, my best guess is Detech is geared up to churn out only Ultimates for now since it's so new to meet the initial high demand. Once that demand is met, I bet they'll gear back up to crank out more SEFs. Also, look at it this way...The SEFs are by far the most popular aftermarket coil ever made in the history of detecting. To discontinue such a coil would seem not logical. Even if you widdle it down to the BBS units, just the popularity of the Excal alone as a water machine would seem to preclude the notion of not making that coil for it, and that's not even counting the numerous Sovereigns made over the years, all of which are coil compatible with each other and the Excal. When you see the SEfs being made for some machines (I won't name) that are FAR less popular and only sold a few years recently, one would think if they were eliminating machines they made the SEFs for you'd hear about that for certain other machines. Fact is nobody has heard that about any machine as of yet, so my money is on what it was months ago that turned out not to be true- Just a shortage of coils to meet demand while they try to churn them out.