Find's Treasure Forums

Welcome to Find's Treasure Forums, Guests!

You are viewing this forums as a guest which limits you to read only status.

Only registered members may post stories, questions, classifieds, reply to other posts, contact other members using built in messaging and use many other features found on these forums.

Why not register and join us today? It's free! (We don't share your email addresses with anyone.) We keep email addresses of our users to protect them and others from bad people posting things they shouldn't.

Click here to register!



Need Support Help?

Cannot log in?, click here to have new password emailed to you

Tried new SE and my thoughts on it.

James N.D.

New member
Rick(ND) finally got an SE in for me to try out. The first thing that I noticed was how much easier it was to swing due to the improved Coil. I also noticed how much better of a feel it was with the new hand pad. It is more thicker and just has a better feel to it than the other hand pads used previously. I also noticed that Minelab made a small improvement to the Detector Stand itself. The Explorer II Stand was a 2-piece with rivets in it but the new version is a one pieced that looks better and may hold up better than the older version. At first I set up the detector just like I have run my Explorer XS but I noticed that I had to drop the Gain down due to surface targets being choppy. I tried the all new Pitch Hold for a while and I do like it but I had to go back into Normal since there was just too many trash targets and such. It was starting to drive me nuts a bit trying to distinguish the tones since at times it wasn't giving me a nice constant sound but it was all over the place so I had to go back into Normal and then I had a better idea of the targets under the coil. As far as the new VCO Pinpoint, I do like this new feature and I was running Volume at Maximum and didn't have any real high screeches unless there was a surface target and even at this point, it didn't really hurt my hearing any (and I do have great hearing by the way). The only problem I had with the Pinpoint Mode was locating the targets on the Coil itself which led me to hitting a few of the keepers since I was off a bit with the target location. It sure sucks when you hit a decent shaped Indian Head! Now as far as depth goes with this machine. The first thing that I found was a Barber Dime at about 6"-7" and the detector was having a tough time giving me a reading and was jumping around a bit and was also struggling with the signal strength. I should have got my XS out and checked the target to see if my machine would have had the same results but I didn't since I thought it was going to be a Screwcap or possibly a Wheat Penny. I dug it and out came a Barber Dime. It didn't even give me a 28 reading in digital but 27 and down since again it was bouncing around a bit. The only thing that could have made this coin so hard to get a good signal from would have been if the coin itself was on edge. At one point, I had somewhat a lack of trust with the new machine and went and got my Explorer XS out and used that for about 20 minutes. I hit an Indian Head, a Roosevelt Dime, a Mercury Dime and a V-Nickel in the same hole 2 Wheat's with my XS in that time period so I figured I better just stick with the SE and see what I could do with it. I started finding coins but just not like I was with my trusty Explorer XS. I think in part this is due to me being so accustomed to my detector and I know that it is a hot running machine. I did notice that the SE is really good at Nickels and Quarters were popping out like crazy but they were only Clad one's. If I had the extra money to purchase an SE, I would do it just so I could get out and use it more and see what happens when I get to know the machine better but I don't have the funds right now. But I might just save up a few bucks and get one this winter. This would be a new tinkering toy for me and I do know that it would be hard to set my Explorer XS aside since it is just a hot running unit and if I get into my groove, look out because the finds are going to be popping out like crazy. So as far as my field test with the new Explorer SE, I give the Minelab Boys a :thumbup: to a very nice unit. Now only if Minelab would extend the Square part of the Lower Shaft about 3" and then go into a round style shaft, I think this would help solve the little problem of the shaft moving back and forth a bit when you swing the coil. ARE YOU LISTENING MINELAB??? Now for the finds. I found only a few keepers this weekend but I have some high hopes on a site I looked over this weekend and it looks great for detecting if I can just get permission from the land owner of course. I found 5 Silver this weekend. They are 2 Barber Dimes dated 1893 and 1898-s, 1 Mercury Dime dated 1917-s, and 2 Roosevelt Dimes dated 1946-d and 1962-d. I found 2 V-Nickels dated 1904 and 1906. I also found 2 Indian Heads dated 1887 and 1902. I found 9 Wheat's this time and they are 1916,1920,(2)1925-d,1944-d,(2)1945-d,1953-s and a 1955. As far as this weekends lack of finds it was a successful outing since I found a V-Nickel and now I have an 1893 Barber Dime that will only get beaten at the find of the month this coming Friday by another 1893 with a flip of the coin or someone who may have found an 1892 or a Seated Dime so it looks good so far. Sorry Tim, but my luck just keeps working.:devil: I also found a few Misc. Items which include half of an Old Aluminum Ring, An Aluminum Bracelet with the name Kathy on it, an Old Band Pin and a few other Misc. As far as Clad, I found 32 Quarters, 23 Dimes, 3 Nickels, and 27 Pennies. Now I have to return the SE to Rick(ND) tonight:cry: Thanks Rick for letting me take the New Explorer SE out for a test run and I hope to buy one sometime this winter. [attachment 38012 Silver.jpg][attachment 38013 V-Nickels.jpg][attachment 38014 Indians.jpg][attachment 38017 Wheats.jpg][attachment 38016 Misc..jpg]
 
Good report James,
I gather that you know your XS really well.
The SE is different,there's a learning curve for a while when you're getting aquainted with a new detector eh?

HH

Snowy
 
James you did OK this weekend with the SE as it is a new detector and it is a little different than the XS or XS II. Just wonder what you would have found if you been using and getting to know the SE for a few weeks.
Now I just hope I can make the time to get out with this new toy and see how much this pitch hold will help me as on the Sovereigns with the Threshold tones that change is what helps me be so successful with the Sovereigns.

Thanks James for giving us your honest report on the SE as you see it.

Rick
 
Just one point James, the hand grip is a softer material, and after a month off using it, the material has started to shread ,
 
Always felt the could use a thicker rubber grip, as far as VCO goes always worked well on other units so perhpas many are unaccustomed to it..All in all will take time to get used to a new machine as you didn't learn your XS overnight...nice report...and will stick with my XS until more feedback comes in....
 
I am sure the Explorer SE is going to be a great machine when one gets use to the new features. I do like the new improved Stock Coil and it feels much better to swing than the Explorer XS and II Coils. I am myself going to stick with my Explorer XS at the moment since I know it like the back of my hand but if it is possible for me to buy a new Explorer SE this winter, then I might just do it so I have a new toy to tinker with next spring. Good Luck and HH.
 
n/t
 
I see that Minelab has another problem on their hands then. I hope it was just your grip that does this but I am sure as soon as others get more use into the Explorer SE, we will know for certain if it is indeed another improvement needed to the Explorer Line of Detector's. Good Luck and HH.
 
Even though I know my Explorer XS real well, I feel that there is more things to learn on the SE than my machine. Dual Digital Readout, Pitch Hold, Iron Mask Settings, and such play a factor in this new machine and until one gets more experience with it, there will be a little bit of a learning curve with it like you said. After that though, I am sure it is going to be just as great of a machine as the XS and the II's. Good Luck to you and HH.
 
I am sure that the SE is going to be a hot unit in amunst trash area's and such. It should be able to pick up coins next to Iron and Trash better since it is quicker. And if I get the extra cash, I will soon own one for more field test's just to see what kind of tweeking I can do for maximum performance. Good Luck to you and HH.
 
The last couple XS II I sold has these hand grips on them too, so we will see if anyone else has a problem or not, hope it was just a isolated one or 2.
 
Top