Bad news for all us Sovereign GT users and Explorer SE Pro.

[Buried Crap NJ]

Bad news for all you Sovereign GT and Explorer SE Pro users. As of Dec.31 of 2012 Minelab will be discontinuing The Sovereign Gt and the Explorer SE pro. Just got this from my Minelab dealer!
This is not good news at all!
BCNJ​

 

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[Native Floridian]

A player as large as Minelab has the abilty to shape the future of metal detecting. The direction the market takes will be whatever they decide it will be. That said, large companies aren't infallible. The recent debacle in the auto industry is testament to that. And, on a lesser scale BMW closed small motorcycle dealers whose shops didn't meet BMW's image requirements. Bad move ! They replaced these shops with cutting edge showrooms staffed by drip dried and steam cleaned sales people. Each was operated by management teams who couldn't spell BMW let alone know how to ride one. Predictibly almost all these new stores failed. Turns out that small shops run by guys with grease under their fingernails was the successful road to market share. The point: Big companies don't always know what they are doing.

 

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[Treasure_Hunter]

The sovereign line is being discontinued due to poor sales, not enough people were buying them to justify keeping the line.

Those of us that own a sov gt can expect at least another 5 years or so of service before we have to worry about it not being repairable due to parts.

 

[MrNelson]

I wonder how much time till sov elites go extinct?

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

I wonder how much time till sov elites go extinct?

Probably about the same time frame, they use a lot of the same parts............ I know they are giving 3 year warranties on Sov GT so those warranties want expire till 12/2015 and Minelab told me they will still repair them after that as long as they have parts.

There be parts for for awhile after that for work on the last ones sold if needed..... I have had mine for about 4 years now, never needed to send it in, but I may send it in this winter just to have it checked...

 

[Sir Gala Clad]

Planned Obsolescence - Nor Repairable due to lack of parts

It's discouraging that the bounty hunter pioneer 505, with five year warranty, that I purchased one year ago will probably last longer that the proven and esteemed Sovereign GT that I just upgraded to (sigh)!
Hopefully, Minelab, which I just learned will discontinue production of the GT, will have a liberal upgrade program to soften the loss to GT owners when it cannot be repaired for lack of parts.
If not, this will be my first and last Minelab all-purpose metal detector .

 

[Native Floridian]

The sovereign line is being discontinued due to poor sales, not enough people were buying them to justify keeping the line.

You know this how?

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

I have contacts inside Minelab management.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

It's discouraging that the bounty hunter pioneer 505, with five year warranty, that I purchased one year ago will probably last longer that the proven and esteemed Sovereign GT that I just upgraded to (sigh)!
Hopefully, Minelab, which I just learned will discontinue production of the GT, will have a liberal upgrade program to soften the loss to GT owners when it cannot be repaired for lack of parts.
If not, this will be my first and last Minelab all-purpose metal detector .

I wouldn't trade my Sov GT for 5 new bounty hunters, you got a min of 5 years on it and most like a lot more. Minelab
is still repairing many detectors well past their life expectancy. As long as they have parts they will repair them.

 

[Native Floridian]

THX TH!! I guess when you think about it, for as good as it is, the GT does serve a narrow market segment.

I bought two GTs. One is coming up on 2 years old and has a lot of hours on the clock. But the other, a bit more than a year old, has hardly been out of the box. So, on a personal level, i don't think this turn of events is going to have much effect. Still, sorry to see a really good product ride into the sunset.

 

[GreenMeanie]

I don't think it is to bad of NEWS.
There are plenty of used ones out there in great shape.
I am hoping Minelab has something new to replace them with thou

 

[Jason in Enid]

forgive my attempt at saying how I feel, without using the expletives they so richly deserve.

the BBS technology was what made Minelab in my opinion.
it's very sad to hear this.

I hope they sell the BBS Patent to China !
Maybe I'll have a new favorite company

There is no BBS patent. Minelab won't patent it because it would mean giving away crucial information that would allow it to be copied. There is still a BBS machine available as the Excal.

Since you enjoy the Sov so much, now would be the time to pick a brand new "spare" for a big discount as discontinued merchandise.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Can't reveal my source, but it is upper management in Minelab. I was lucky to make the contact..... They stopped because the sales had dropped to a point it was not worth producing them any longer. Unfortunately a lot of people did not know how great they are or they would have bought one. Those of us that own them know how great they are, Sov GT on the wetsand beats the excal in my opinion.... Even in the water if you have one waterproofed it beats the Excal....Sold my waterproofed version, maybe I should have kept it..... I sure as heck will not be selling my remaining Sov GT.......... Of the 4 gold rincs I found in Hilton Head Island, the Sov found 3 of them, Excal found 1 gold and 1 silver ring and a silver earring, but we know you have to get the coil over a ring to find a ring, the Sov GT had the 15x18" SEF Butterfly coil on it when i found the gold rings...

 

[dewcon4414]

With the way they introduced the CTX and other companies coming out in the late fall with new machines.... wouldnt surprise me if they introduced a new Xcal. The Deus and Bliss had people talking.... the CTX coming out kind of took that thunder. All they would need to do is make some changes to the Xcal that many of us already do and changing it over to FBS to stream line parts..... you could even use the Pro coil. Right now if you have one you arent buying...... and the Xcal is the most popular water machine on the market. If they introduced one..... yes even thou i have one.... id be more than tempted to add a new one.

Dew

 

[Sir Gala Clad]

It could also mean that Minelab sales are being hurt in this challenging economy and as a result is having to shut down some of it's production lines and downsize to stay in business. That thought sends shivers down me timbers mate e! Before yee jump in and flog me with a cat of nine tails, this dreaded situation is not what I would like to see happen, but should be considered as a possibility for a balanced viewpoint.

 

[GreenMeanie]

A lot more people bought the CTX's in this bad Economy than I thought would.

It could also mean that Minelab sales are being hurt in this challenging economy and as a result is having to shut down some of it's production lines and downsize to stay in business. That thought sends shivers down me timbers mate e! Before yee jump in and flog me with a cat of nine tails, this dreaded situation is not what I would like to see happen, but should be considered as a possibility for a balanced viewpoint.

 

[Sir Gala Clad]

I agree. It is probably because it adds capability that neither the sovereign GT or the Excalibur offer.
It is the only beach detector that I know of that offers the flexibility to change coil sizes and headphones for use in dry sand, wet sand, and can be submerged in shallow water (10 ft depth limitation). Also, it looks like it would be an easy to transition to by E-Trac and Explorer users.

I suspect that the CTX-3030 with its large color display would work on dry land best .

Further Gary T. Drayton appears to be having good luck with the CTX-3030 and has written a book on it.

 

[jyt2017]

Normally, I would agree. But it appears they are completely stopping both lines in favor of the CTX.

Discontinue it means that the Minelab detectors will launch new metal detectors.
We are waiting.
In my idea Sov GT never stop product by Minelab.

 

[Sir Gala Clad]

Yes Minelab will launch new metal detectors but they will not be the knob and switch type that many beach hunters prefer. The new metal detectors, will most likely use menu driven interfaces which have greater flexibility and capabilities, are more reliable, and are less costly to repair.

It is about the bottom line, whatever brings Minelab the greatest profits, not about which technology works best at the beach.

Standardization, which further reduces production and repair costs, can easily be obtained by introducing a high end detetector with all the bell and whistles imaginable, such as the CTX 3030.

Once accepted by hard core beach hunters, the price point of this detector can easily be reduced to increase sales volume by tailoring/reducing the capabilities (taking away the bells and whistles) to meet the needs of less dedicated detectorists.