I ordered an Explorer 2!! What have I done???

rayray3

Jr. Member
Jan 17, 2006
70
10
Northern WI
Detector(s) used
Minelab EX2, Ace 250, Garrett pinpointer
After reading hundreds of posts, sites, video, books, propaganda. I decided to take the plunge. It came down to the Whites DFX and the Explorer 2. Then, the Explorer SE came out and that cost me hours of research. Finally after never owning, picking up or seeing a detector in real life, I found a site that had only one left for $949, free shipping no tax. The EX2 Pro model is what I will have delivered here in about a week.
I was gonna wait 2 more months but i was afraid the EX2 would be hard to come by with the SE coming out.

What made me made my decision was a combination of a bunch of data i gathered but the main points were:

1. EX looks easier to use with most buttons on the outside vs the Whites with only a few buttons. Lots of mini menus.
2. I would say 80% of what i read was that it just seemed a little deeper than the rest. I could have lived with the DFX but that was one of my factors.
3. The SE was 250 more and it seemed like improvments didnt justify the extra $$ plus this is my first detector.
4. The videos from minelab vs Whites just seemed more "modern"
5. I wanted to stay with "american made products but i figured "hey its Austrailan, they help us out. LOL
6. The Wiring for the coil went inside the tube, not around it for the EX2
7. I did like the support of Whites and it seemed there was more info and help for them. (plus for them)

Hope I got a good price. I did shop around a little but I though you could get the EX2 for $800, didnt find any. But with no sales tax and free shipping I figure it brought me down in the $800's

It was a teeder totter but i was so sick of reading every chance i got for the last 2 months. I mean every day.
Im 33 6'3" so i think the extra weight of the EX2 will not be a problem.
I forgot what the pro version meant on it? Think it just came with tools or something.

Thanks to you all who made most of my decision from here.
Now lets see what my first find will be.......
Rayray
 

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Postalrevnant

Silver Member
Jul 5, 2006
3,086
22
Mountains
Welcome to the forum Sunray3. I do not own an explorer 2, but after reading and seeing items peps have found I sure would love to have one. I see that the SE has a few things that would make it more attractive, but I still do not think that it can way outdo the exp 2.

I would say that if you have the patience, since lots of peps here say its a detector that will take patience and a bit of a learning curve then you did well. Most peps I talked to about the exp 2 said it took them about 2 - 3 months to begin to become real comfortable with it. And I am sure if you have been watching this site for a while you have seen what the detector is capable of.

Anyways, $900 $800 yes it would be nice to save some cash. And if we wait long enough we will get a discount on anything. The only thing you have to ask yourself is ... did you choose the detector that you wanted. I would say that if you were going for top of the line capable detector that yes you certainly got a great one. I certainly have seen a lot of peps here that have more than payed for their detectors. They researched hard. Found out of the way places that others have missed / or even ones that peps have found...just they had did not have a detector as deep and capable as that one.

Even though I don't have an Exp 2 its certainly my dream to get one someday. Of course by the time I can afford it, it might be the SE I am getting and minelab is on 2 more upgrades from the SE. If I go to buy the detector then and I see it a bit later / or before I get it for less, well not much I can do then. By the time I tried to send back, that is if I can, and pay more shipping etc....wait longer....I think I would personally go nuts. It would be a long time just waiting for what I ordered to come, even if it was 3 - 5 days shipping LoL.

I think if you stick with that detector. Get through that learning curve. Hit the research hard. And give it a your best shot. YOU will be posting some awesome finds. And I will be looking forward to seeing them. Then perhap someday I will be showing you what I found with my new minelab.

For now I am pretty happy with my new to me CZ-6A and learning what it is capable of.

Good luck. From seeing all the posts and talk here you definately bought a world class detector. Arguably the best all around detector made.

Postalrevnant
 

Night Stalker

Bronze Member
Dec 17, 2004
1,803
97
Florida
Detector(s) used
Omega 8000 & Tesoro Cortes
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Congratulations Tenderfoot!

If you're gonna do it, DO IT RIGHT!!!
 

Sandman

Gold Member
Aug 6, 2005
13,398
3,992
In Michigan now.
Detector(s) used
Excal 1000, Excal II, Sovereign GT, CZ-20, Tiger Shark, Tejon, GTI 1500, Surfmaster Pulse, CZ6a, DFX, AT PRO, Fisher 1235, Surf PI Pro, 1280-X, many more because I enjoy learning them. New Garrett Ca
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
RayRay, sometimes you just gotta act on a gut feeling. Both the Whites an Minelab are excellent models and can be set up for different types of hunting being general purpose detectors. If everyone waited till the new model came out we would never get to go detecting. Enjoy your EX2 and read every book and article you can, but keep an open mind.

HH,
Sandman
 

romeo-1

Gold Member
Jul 29, 2005
9,855
7,058
Romeotopia
🥇 Banner finds
3
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Congrats on your purchase. I was in the same boat as you were a few weeks ago but I opted for the SE. I have had it for a week and I love it! It's a great machine and I am only scratching the surface of it's potential.
 

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OP
rayray3

rayray3

Jr. Member
Jan 17, 2006
70
10
Northern WI
Detector(s) used
Minelab EX2, Ace 250, Garrett pinpointer
Alrighty. Got my EX2 on Friday and went out to the beach. Found a beer can and some bullet casings. Then I went to the WW2 bunker here and there was so many shell casing from the locals shooting i gave up. Where I'm at in Alaska is not the most habitable place but i will be coming home to San Fran for a bit then to Virgina for 6 months to do some schools. I will be taking my detector to VA where my friend lives and he guarantees me at least some Civil war bullets on his land. Guess there was a battle near his place so i cant wait. I just wish i had some more practice up here but when its 27 f and the winds are at 20mph its just not fun.
So i will read as much stuff as i can before heading back home.
 

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