Am I Right Or Wrong??

[Les West Central Fl]

I hear a lot of chatter about the new CTX 3030 and thought I would put in my 2 cents worth, which doesn't mean much. I remember in 1993 or there abouts I purchased a Minelab Excalibur. Excited as I was I ran to the beach and tried it out. WOW, did I have problems with all the wierd sounds, I was getting frustrated and confused. All the guys I knew that bought one said they were sorry and it was not a good detector. Well, it was new technology we were not used to. I learned the sounds, threshold changes when over targets and what not to do. Several others did the same, as word spread how to use it and how the sounds change suddenly it became the greatest machine ever to most of us.

My hunting buddy just purchased a CTX 3030 and I saw he had some problems, I told him to call someone who is successful using one so he could understand it better. He followed my advise and got valuable information on how to REALLY SET IT to do what he wanted. He now rejects pennies and other items without losing the desired. My suggestion is to get help and not give up and say it is a piece of junk.

As far as price goes why do some of us drive BMW's, Cadillac's and others drive Yougo's and Hundai's. They all get you to where you want to go. If you want something that will get you a better return in my opinion it is worth it if you can afford it.

HAPPY HUNTING!

 

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[Treasure_Hunter]

E Your right les, one thing I always consider is the resale value down the road. I still believe water is secondary on it, but that doesnt mean it isn't a great detector, Gary D is showing how good it works at the beach right now.

 

[dbsmokey]

The other thing I suggest considering is build quality. Will it last as long as other machines? Is the CTX worth repairs if it has build quality issues? Just because it's expensive (and perhaps performs well) doesn't mean it will withstand heavy use and the punishing elements.

 

[Les West Central Fl]

The other thing I suggest considering is build quality. Will it last as long as other machines? Is the CTX worth repairs if it has build quality issues? Just because it's expensive (and perhaps performs well) doesn't mean it will withstand heavy use and the punishing elements.

Use or misuse is the quetions at times. When the Excal was introduced many tried to hip mount the unit which was not designed for it at the time causing coil failures. Actually the detector was designed for diving. ( I was one of the culprits) Poor quality was blamed when it was not in fact. Later productions corrected the issue for hip mounting. Give your detector time and learn it.

 

[Harold in Fla.]

They all take time Les, like you said it takes time to figure it out, remember rome wasn't built in a day!!!!! a lot of them have bells and whistles. and the more you learn the better it is for you. HH

 

[lookindown]

Are people saying they dont lke the 3030? Is it supposed to be a better water machine than the Excal? With that price tag, it should do something better.

 

[dewcon4414]

DB.... Max seems to like the machine as far as how its built. He even mentioned the size of the shaft being huge. Most of the issues at this point seems to be easily corrected. Build wise it think its much better than the Xcal. At this point like Les said.... there isnt enough people using in in the water to know the goods and bads of it. Once those headphones .... or after market headphones get out there im sure we will hear more about it. If it leaks or they are getting their butts kicked by the Xcal...... the classifieds will reflect it. My concern was having an Xcal in for service..... wonder what will be put on hold to repair these units. Les ... tell Ken to hang in there, he needs all the dollars he can get from you lol.

Dew

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Gary Drayton has been using it in the water and making some really nice finds. I dont think anyone is really saying it is a bad detector, it is just a new detector and some are putting it down because of the cost. IMO it is an upgrade of the Etrac, it will be Minelabs premier land detector, that is also waterproof to 10 feet, (Minelab told me it is pressure tested to little over 15 foot)..... It is too early to even make a call one way or the other, but everyting I have seen and read so far is positive.

I like it because it is causing a lot of nice ETracs to go up for sale...... When I retire I will look at it maybe, right now Im going to purchase a used ETrac. Should be sending payment for it in the next day or two....

 

[VWandSTUDEBAKER]

Gary Drayton has been using it in the water and making some really nice finds. QUOTE]

Has he made any videos using it? I have watched Max use his.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Gary Drayton has been using it in the water and making some really nice finds. QUOTE]

Has he made any videos using it? I have watched Max use his.

None that I know of, but he may have and I just haven't found them yet...

 

[dewcon4414]

No he hasnt got a video yet but hes been talking to a couple of guys using them and making a decision on they type of camera. I wouldnt be surprised to see one soon. I heard ML is considering reducing their treasure hunting machines. I wouldnt be surprised to see the Explorer SE and maybe even Sov go away if the 3030 catches on.

Dew

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

I was told by Minelab VP there are no plans to end the Sovereign GT or the Sovereign line, it is still a major seller.....

 

[Les West Central Fl]

DB.... Max seems to like the machine as far as how its built. He even mentioned the size of the shaft being huge. Most of the issues at this point seems to be easily corrected. Build wise it think its much better than the Xcal. At this point like Les said.... there isnt enough people using in in the water to know the goods and bads of it. Once those headphones .... or after market headphones get out there im sure we will hear more about it. If it leaks or they are getting their butts kicked by the Xcal...... the classifieds will reflect it. My concern was having an Xcal in for service..... wonder what will be put on hold to repair these units. Les ... tell Ken to hang in there, he needs all the dollars he can get from you lol.

Dew

Ken's machine seems easy to handle. I took a couple of swings with it. The shaft is thicker but it almost looks and feels like carbon fiber. My suggestion to him was to rinse the unit good after use and slide out the shaft to prevent seizure. As I said before he likes the detector more each day as he learns how to use it. On our last hunt he found more coins and no pennies than me. From what I see once you master the operation that detector will be deadly. I better start saving my dollars.

 

[MBbeachrat]

He now rejects pennies and other items without losing the desired. My suggestion is to get help and not give up and say it is a piece of junk.

HAPPY HUNTING!

Problem with rejecting pennies is a lot of gold rings come in at the same reading because of the alloys. Good utube showing this by Gravedigger Max.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Les, good observations/thoughts. I too was in the same boat as you, back when the Excal first came out. I saw the ads and thought "finally, a waterproof discriminator" (because it seemed that about the only option for waterproof prior to that, was mostly PI units, with no disc). So I bought one. Immediately I didn't like it, and it was just as you describe your initial thoughts They were just so dis-similar to the way any of the whites or Garretts or Fishers or whatever sounded. It took mental re-training, and abandoning old habits of sounds you were looking for.

However, the Sovereign pre-dated the Excal, so if someone had already been accustomed to the Sov, they'd have been able to adapt to the Excal, no problem. But there weren't (relatively speaking) too many Sov. users out there, when compared to other brands and makes.

Still though, I do not see that psychology happening with this CTX though. Because there are already legions of Explorer and Etrac users, who *will* be able to make the switch, no problem, since their sounds are so akin to each each other. But yes, a new user coming from a Whites, or Garret, or Fisher, or Bounty hunter, or Sov, etc.... is going to find the sounds new and confusing. But the same can be said of someone picking up an Explorer, for the first time too, not just the CTX 3030.

 

[Les West Central Fl]

Problem with rejecting pennies is a lot of gold rings come in at the same reading because of the alloys. Good utube showing this by Gravedigger Max.

Ken got readings on the gold rings( he used many, small, large and different karat values) but still left out the new pennies. I'm sure there are some bugs to be worked out yet. My look at it is not to condem the detector until you mastered it.

 

[Slowwalker]

Ken got readings on the gold rings( he used many, small, large and different karat values) but still left out the new pennies. I'm sure there are some bugs to be worked out yet. My look at it is not to condem the detector until you mastered it.

I agree with this. even though I'm totally new I always wait to buy new to the market items to watch for bugs to be worked out. But also to learn easier when I do end up taking the plunge. Once a few people learn it they will share and help the majority of new users with the problems they had themselves in the beginning. It's kind of a lazy point of view but I was never one to jump on board with anything because it's the newest thing out. There are those who will no matter what and they will make tips and tricks for it.

 

[dewcon4414]

MB..... i use the same machine as Max and a very narrow pattern for NEW pennies. I wouldnt say a LOT of gold hits there. Just LARGE gold with copper mix. Crusty pennies, older ones and those large rings dont seem to hit right on my pattern.... at least not the ones ive tested, but it does let me know its a penny. Everyone knows the rules changes the deeper the target. On the sand i avoid them my SE isnt water proof like Max's so in the water with the Xcal i dig like the rest of you..... everything that barks. On a new detector......my opinion is NEVER TRADE A DETECTOR UNTIL ITS PAID FOR ITS SELF..... at that point you know it well enough to say it is or isnt your cup of tea.

Dew

 

[MBbeachrat]

My look at it is not to condem the detector until you mastered it.

Not condemenig it. It is deep and a very good detector, maybe the best out now. But if you take away the pennies you will lose some rings. Mainly big school rings.