Looking to get an Explorer SE Pro... any Advice?

ATwardo223

Jr. Member
Jun 17, 2013
54
38
Michigan
Detector(s) used
Minelab Explorer SE PRO
GARRETT AT PRO,
GARRETT ACE 350,
TESORO Eldorado,
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
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ATwardo223

ATwardo223

Jr. Member
Jun 17, 2013
54
38
Michigan
Detector(s) used
Minelab Explorer SE PRO
GARRETT AT PRO,
GARRETT ACE 350,
TESORO Eldorado,
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
good to know, Thank you! im looking into buying one very soon. let me know if you really want to sell!
 

digging440yrs

Gold Member
Dec 5, 2012
5,946
4,410
UPSTATE NEW YORK
Detector(s) used
1970 COMPASS-
WHITES SILVER EAGLE-
WHITES DFX, 4X6DD COIL, 6X8DD COIL, 950 COIL, 10X12SEF COIL-
GARRETT PRO POINTER AT, GARRETT AT PRO , MINELAB EXPLORER SE with 8.5x12.5 Cors coil
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
The only diff. between the explorer SE and the exployer SE PRO is the coil, so watch for either one. I have the exployer SE with a brand new 8.5 x 12.5 cors coil and its a beast for depth. Just don't make the mistake of being in a hurry swinging, take your time ---:icon_thumleft:
 

chefjuan

Full Member
Sep 17, 2016
229
244
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
The only diff. between the explorer SE and the exployer SE PRO is the coil, so watch for either one. I have the exployer SE with a brand new 8.5 x 12.5 cors coil and its a beast for depth. Just don't make the mistake of being in a hurry swinging, take your time ---:icon_thumleft:

What's the difference between the SE and the II ? I hear conflicting things, but they seem to be virtually the same machine


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KirkS

Sr. Member
Jan 10, 2017
282
375
St Pete FL
Detector(s) used
Minelab Explorer SE, Tesoro Sand Shark, White's TreasurePro, Tesoro Compadre, Fisher F2 + TRX
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Get Andy Sabisch's book on the Explorer & e-Trac. Read through it before you get your machine so you'll have clue about it.

The Explorer is going to be a completely different animal compared to your Garrett and Tesoro machines. Like digging440yrs said, don't be in a hurry when swinging. I find that the Exp has a somewhat slow recovery, so when you have a lot of stuff notched out, you'll null frequently, and if you're swinging too fast, you'll miss stuff.

I've only had mine for a little over a month, an have put in about 40-60 hours with it. I still have a long way to go, but I think part of that is the fact that I'm also new to MD'ing in general. As you use it, certain things will 'click', and you'll say "Ah-ha!".

Since I've had mine, I had only used the SmartFind screen, as I found the VDI to be too bouncy, especially the Fe numbers. Last night, I hunted almost exclusively with the 'Digital' display (VDI), and realized that if the Co numbers were consistent within 2-3 numbers, it was a good target. For the first time since using it, I found lots of nickels. My main hunting/learning grounds is a somewhat trashy park near my house, and I had not been digging signals that feel in the pull tab area of the SmartFind screen. By using the numbers, and switching back and forth, I discovered that nickels read a solid '06' on the Co number, with an occasional '05' number. I dug some 07's, 08's, and 09's, and all of those turned out to be PT's. Only one 06 wasn't a nickel. That was my ah-ha moment last night. I pulled 7 nickels last night, which was a record for me. I have a feeling my first gold will be around the corner.

To start off with, I would just use the factory settings, and once you feel like you have a grasp of what the machine is telling you, then make adjustments to your liking. I am running in the factory "COIN" mode, with crowncaps discriminated out for my regular hunts. You have a lot of control on how the machine runs, and trying to do a bunch of fancy notching and customization at first can be overwhelming, frustrating, and non-productive. I know the Garrett AT Pro has the word Pro in it, and even has a 'Pro Mode', but I think the Explorer is really a machine for a Pro, as every aspect of it can be personalized for the user and each situation. Not slighting the Garrett at all, btw.

The one thing that has continued to amaze me with the Exp is the depth. I have pulled pennies out at 10-11", and I know that as fact, since they were in the sidewall of the hole that far down. To be honest, I get a little tired of digging those deep holes, as I only use a Lesche and a dirt scoop (plugs are nearly impossible in Florida sand/soil).

Like digging440yrs said, the only difference between the SE and the SE Pro, is the coil. Mine is an SE with the 11" coil that makes it a Pro. I also have the SEF 6x8 coil that I use most of the time.

Anyway, get one, use it, use it some more, and find stuff! HH!
 

Tom_in_CA

Gold Member
Mar 23, 2007
13,837
10,360
Salinas, CA
🥇 Banner finds
2
Detector(s) used
Explorer II, Compass 77b, Tesoro shadow X2
.... I am currently interested in purchasing an Explorer SE Pro.....

If for some reason your deal with tlane38003 doesn't go through, I too have one that's currently listed on another forum classifieds. Mine is also mint. And this one has the Sunray inline probe. Which is well over $300 value alone. Mine is listed at $850 (d/t it has the probe).
 

Tom_in_CA

Gold Member
Mar 23, 2007
13,837
10,360
Salinas, CA
🥇 Banner finds
2
Detector(s) used
Explorer II, Compass 77b, Tesoro shadow X2
What's the difference between the SE and the II ? I hear conflicting things, but they seem to be virtually the same machine


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The SE (and subsequent SE pro) were the successors of the II, in the generations/incarnations of the Explorer evolution. I won't bore you with the whistles and bells improvements (like superior all-metal pinpoint mode, etc...). But a word of caution: Make sure you're getting the pro coil with it . The original "SE" had an inferior coil. So Minelab quickly fixed the problem with a superior coil (the "pro" coil) and that became the SE pro. The only difference between the SE, and the SE pro, was the coil. So a lot of guys simply added the pro. coil to their earlier SE, to get the same net result.

There is a camp of adherents who liked the tones of the II better than the Se pro. And the Se pro has a faster recovery speed/processing. Which, I suppose, would be better in cluttered junky sites, eh ? But the suspicion is also that this means that the deeper fainter targets have to be centered and swung over "just right" to get the tones to sing. Whereas the II seemed to "hit harder" on the first pass. In other words, the faster processing seemed to make the weaker ones harder to isolate and bring out their TID on. But that is just a learned-habit. I'm sure that hard-core SE pro users simply have their ears adjust to that "shift". But coming from the Exp. II, that "shift" (of needing to listen more closely, and double/triple check some whispers) was just something that some Exp. II users weren't accustomed to.

I tried this SE pro on the beach, and was passing some deep nail whispers (or so I thought). Later, on a hunch, I triple and quadruple swung over a couple of those iron whispers, and began to hear hints that perhaps it/they were conductive. So I dug a few to check, and .... lo & behold, very deep coins. It just seems to me that my exp. II would have ID'd those on the first pass, without as much scrutiny. But as I say, there may be a benefit for separation issues in junky areas as an upside to this. And this is merely a learned tone shift, I suppose.
 

chefjuan

Full Member
Sep 17, 2016
229
244
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
The SE (and subsequent SE pro) were the successors of the II, in the generations/incarnations of the Explorer evolution. I won't bore you with the whistles and bells improvements (like superior all-metal pinpoint mode, etc...). But a word of caution: Make sure you're getting the pro coil with it . The original "SE" had an inferior coil. So Minelab quickly fixed the problem with a superior coil (the "pro" coil) and that became the SE pro. The only difference between the SE, and the SE pro, was the coil. So a lot of guys simply added the pro. coil to their earlier SE, to get the same net result.

There is a camp of adherents who liked the tones of the II better than the Se pro. And the Se pro has a faster recovery speed/processing. Which, I suppose, would be better in cluttered junky sites, eh ? But the suspicion is also that this means that the deeper fainter targets have to be centered and swung over "just right" to get the tones to sing. Whereas the II seemed to "hit harder" on the first pass. In other words, the faster processing seemed to make the weaker ones harder to isolate and bring out their TID on. But that is just a learned-habit. I'm sure that hard-core SE pro users simply have their ears adjust to that "shift". But coming from the Exp. II, that "shift" (of needing to listen more closely, and double/triple check some whispers) was just something that some Exp. II users weren't accustomed to.

I tried this SE pro on the beach, and was passing some deep nail whispers (or so I thought). Later, on a hunch, I triple and quadruple swung over a couple of those iron whispers, and began to hear hints that perhaps it/they were conductive. So I dug a few to check, and .... lo & behold, very deep coins. It just seems to me that my exp. II would have ID'd those on the first pass, without as much scrutiny. But as I say, there may be a benefit for separation issues in junky areas as an upside to this. And this is merely a learned tone shift, I suppose.

Thanks, I have an Exp II and it's a really interesting machine. I find it hard to use at trashy old home sites so I usually "mop up" with it after a few passes with the AT Pro.

I know I should use it more, but the re overt speed of the AT pro is so much faster. Thanks for the input!


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chefjuan

Full Member
Sep 17, 2016
229
244
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Cool. I have slowed down for sure. Also I think my headphone jack is broken and not sure where to get that serviced, I believe minelab no longer works on those machines right?


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Treasure_Hunter

Administrator
Staff member
Jul 27, 2006
48,306
54,469
Florida
Detector(s) used
Minelab_Equinox_ 800 Minelab_CTX-3030 Minelab_Excal_1000 Minelab_Sovereign_GT Minelab_Safari Minelab_ETrac Whites_Beach_Hunter_ID Fisher_1235_X
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Post deleted, only charter members can sell here.
 

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