Excalibur differences between models?

[Silver Slayer]

I am curious if there are any major differences in performance or added features between the first Excalibur, Excalibur 800, Excalibur 1000 or the latest Excalibur II. I am in the market for a older discontinued Excal although wondering if I will be missing any updated features or performance that the Excal II might have.

Thanks in advance for your input and happy hunting!

 

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[cudamark]

Unless you're going to search a REAL junky area, I'd forget about the 800 unless you're going to use it as a platform for an aftermarket coil. You want the biggest coil you can swing on the beach so you can cover more area. I would also not get the old "Spear" or Seasearch unit as the newer machines go deeper and work better. I haven't used the X2 but from those I've talked to that have, they aren't much different than the late X1's.

 

[Silver Slayer]

Unless you're going to search a REAL junky area, I'd forget about the 800 unless you're going to use it as a platform for an aftermarket coil. You want the biggest coil you can swing on the beach so you can cover more area. I would also not get the old "Spear" or Seasearch unit as the newer machines go deeper and work better. I haven't used the X2 but from those I've talked to that have, they aren't much different than the late X1's.

Thanks Cudamark for the good info. What is the Spear or Seasearch unit? Are you reffering to the first original Excal from 1993?

 

[cudamark]

Yeah, it's the one with horseshoe shaped coil.

 

[Keppy]

Well i used all the Excaliburs and Sovereigns And in the performance of them all to me they were all equal.............They made a few changes on each model of the Sovereign......... But to me they were about all the same with a different model name on them............... What you have to watch for on the older Excaliburs & Sovereigns is yours one of the older ones that Minelab will not repair now..... For they want you to buy a new one........ Or if they do fix it they want so much money for the repair that you might as well just buy a new one................ They want to sell the new ones not repair the old ones.......... ..........................And you was told the newer one go deeper ,,,,But they don't From the first one's out to the last ones made .... They all get the same depth................. Newer does not mean deeper............

 

[Sandman]

Keppy is right. If we believed all the hype about depth achieved with each new model detector, they would all reach to China. There is a point where parts are not available for older detectors.

 

[Keppy]

Keppy is right. If we believed all the hype about depth achieved with each new model detector, they would all reach to China. There is a point where parts are not available for older detectors.

..... Sandman ..... From what some on these treasure forum's say about there depth........... They would need a backhoe to dig up a dime..........

 

[OBN]

Keppy and Sandman are 100%, lots of changes over the years but few have made any difference other then quality. I've used every model and tested each under the same condition...All are with in inch's on depth and this can vary with in the same models. The most important thing is knowing how to use one to it's fullest on your beach's. Coil size, I prefer the 10, And the Old Blue headphones. There are several mods one can do to the excalibur which will make it a better machine is why I buy old.

 

[Sir Gala Clad]

Are there other models or variances of Excalibur manufactured by Mine Lab.
IIRC, I saw an unmodified model if an Excalibur with Red Head Sets.
Is there such a thing as a Gary Storm model of an Excalibur.
I don't know what the significance of that name is, I just keep recalling it - nor sure why.

Keppy and Sandman are 100%, lots of changes over the years but few have made any difference other then quality. I've used every model and tested each under the same condition...All are with in inch's on depth and this can vary with in the same models. The most important thing is knowing how to use one to it's fullest on your beach's. Coil size, I prefer the 10, And the Old Blue headphones. There are several mods one can do to the excalibur which will make it a better machine is why I buy old.

View attachment 701509 View attachment 701525

 

[Metal Detecting Stuff]

I think there have been 3-4 generations: The old Sword model with horseshoe coil and red headphones, the Excalibur 800/1000 with blue/gray headphones, and the Excalibur II with yellow headphones and the new design coil. There might have been a transition period on the Excal. 800/1000 where the red heads were used, but my memory escapes me. I heard Gary Storm, who owns DetectorPro, was involved in the development and design of the original. Anyone feel free to fill in or correct this.

Wayne

 

[OBN]

Are there other models or variances of Excalibur manufactured by Mine Lab.
IIRC, I saw an unmodified model if an Excalibur with Red Head Sets.
Is there such a thing as a Gary Storm model of an Excalibur.
I don't know what the significance of that name is, I just keep recalling it - nor sure why.

As all things they grow for better or for worse. There were 3 models as pictured, early models were the Gary Storm, New York Excalibur. I think there was the Aqua colored head phones then the red, but I have seen black also, not sure where they fit in, early models were the silvers swords, then the gold swords, I have come across one model sword that was very unusual, I am guessing but I believe it to be a aussie model...A quick story,

Gary Storm.

In 1990 I became the distributor for a small unknown company called Minelab. They introduced the new BBS technology in the Sovereign. Being a water hunter I saw how well it worked in salt water and tried to get them to build an UW detector using the BBS. I had a person working for me that was very talented and we came up with the Excalibur housing. We sold Minelab on it. It took about 2 years to develop but we finally did it. They would send us the boards, coils and boxes and we would do the final assembly here. We built them from 1994-1996. They are know as the NY Excals. The big decision came in 1996.

I have touched several Excalibur's in a short time of a year and seen many small variations over the span of it's life, most I am guessing, changes in venders (suppliers).

 

[Keppy]

I think there have been 3-4 generations: The old Sword model with horseshoe coil and red headphones, the Excalibur 800/1000 with blue/gray headphones, and the Excalibur II with yellow headphones and the new design coil. There might have been a transition period on the Excal. 800/1000 where the red heads were used, but my memory escapes me. I heard Gary Storm, who owns DetectorPro, was involved in the development and design of the original. Anyone feel free to fill in or correct this.

Wayne

Yes Gary Storm was involved with the first Sovereign ... When they first came out with the first Sovereign the instructional video i got with mine was with Gary Storm he was the one in the video showing how to assemble and use the Sovereign...