Dear Minelab...

[Jury Duty]

I recently purchase one of your new Excalibur II units. Thank you for shipping it promptly. I was quite exited to receive this detector as I have heard great things about it from several sources; great depth, good tone i.d., discrimination, etc. I have attempted to prove all of these wonderful attributes on the beach and in the surf and report back to you with tales of excitement and treasure. It is with great regret that I cannot, at this time, testify to the superior abilities of your product due to the unfortunate fact that the coil is 8" above the ground while in a standing position.

While I am sure that this is an oversight on the part of your engineers, you may wish to investigate the height of the average man to determine an acceptable length for this apparatus. Apparently, finding objects buried beneath the Earth is easy when compared to designing a stick. Might I suggest that you contact a broom or mop manufacturer or perhaps the Geico Cavemen for advice on this matter.

I am aware that you also manufacture a "tall man's shaft". I will not be purchasing one due the fact that, around here, "getting the tall man's shaft" is what we call it when we pay $1200 for something that doesn't work unless you purchase additional accessories- so I think I may have already received this. I won't even mention the "side mount shaft". That's another topic altogether. But hey; at least you guys sent me a key chain and "finds bag". Thanks Minelab!



p.s. Thank you for making this machine look like it can shoot water 200' (I tell folks that mine is also a laser gun and a flashlight- no one has doubted me yet). I would like to recommend that the Excalibur III come with a large neon sign that reads "Ask me what the best thing I ever found is". I never get tired of explaining what this thing is and, thanks to the stylish dayglow colors, I may never have to!

 

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[Treasure_Hunter]

Anyone familiar with the Excal knows the issues; Short shaft (easily corrected by adding longer shaft-sold separately), lack of armband (easily corrected by purchasing a better one or stripping one from your other detector-not included), bad balance (easily corrected by changing entire shaft or using a hip mount- sold separately), knobs fall off (easily corrected by sticking new knobs back on- spare knobs not included), coil not interchangeable (easily corrected by buying addition Excalibur II with the other coil option- not included), head phones not interchangeable (easily corrected by sending unit to Minelab for modification- at additional cost) water resistance due to placement of electronics (easily corrected by using the side mount shaft- sold separately).

All of these issues are fairly minor and could be addressed relatively easily and inexpensively in production. I have no doubt that Minelab is aware of these deficiencies. The fact that they remain can only be attributed to incompetence, complacency, or marketing strategy- I really don't care which it is but none of those options make me particularly comfortable when discussing a higher end unit.

Perhaps this thing should be sold as a kit without the shaft at a reduced price.

I plan to keep the Excalibur and, eventually, I suppose I will get a set up I like. I hope I find a thousand rings with this thing, name it Lucille and end up sleeping with it beside my bed. Until then, I'm afraid I may be a bit grouchy with Minelab until I get rid of all the zip ties I have holding it together and can return my elbow strap to it's rightful place on one of my White's. My intention is not to offend the loyal Excal guys.

1. Shaft...I purchased the Florida Straight Shaft which came with an armband. This one simple mod takes care of all complaints about the Excal's length of shaft, armband for armcuff, balance and resistance in the water.


2. Knobs...I personally never had a problem with knobs on either of my 2 Excals, some may have, I replaced knobs on mine as the larger ones are easier to turn.

3. If any research is done at all before the purchase of the Excal you know before you buy that the coils and headphones are hardwired in. I find it hard to complain about something I knew before I purchased, that is like complaining to Nuttal or the maker of the Beach Brute II that my scoop is too heavy even though I knew before I bought it that it weighs 5 pounds. Would it be nice to have interchangable coils and headphones sure, did I know ahead of time they were not, yep.....

Disadvantages....Most problems are easily fixed with Florida Straight Shaft Mod ($85 on my purchase) and $5.00 worth of knobs from Radio Shack if needed.

Advantages.......The fantastic performance of the Excal on the salt water beaches, the ability to dig no iron unless you wish, the ability to identify a gold ring sitting next to a piece of iron.

 

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[JP]

Some other advantages:

1. Do you see many people who own an Excalibur with pictures of bobby pins, fish hooks, or sparkler wires? (yes it does have an all metal mode that could be used to find these things, I've never used it)

2. Iron mask feature

3. Very few settings to mess with, very easy to learn. (at least for me)

4. Can be changed to what the user wants, wide array of after market, 3rd party accessories.

5. Reputable service center (just going off what I've read and been told because thank God I haven't had any problems with mine)

Also, I would like to say, a friend of mine ordered an Excalibur II a few months ago. He had a small problem with it so he sent it in to the service department. He asked them if they would change the coil to the old style and if they would upgrade his to the detachable headphones. His cost for the upgrades $0.00, nothing. So Minelab does in my opinion offer great customer service and stands behind their products. They do their best to keep the customer happy.

 

[Jury Duty]

I see that my point has been missed by some here. It's okay, I was expecting flack from some of the Minelab loyalist and salespeople. I think my point is re-enforced by the fact that most of the defense begins with "All you have to do..." or "All you have to buy...". I suppose that tinkering with equipment is part of the hobby and I have done my share but I would rather be on the beach with my equipment than in my garage. If you have more detectors than you have rings than my guess is that you enjoy the equipment more than the detecting so buying additional parts and pieces probably adds to your experience. Never said it was a bad detector- just said the set up was crap. I will still use the Excal- I just think it is lacking in many areas. If you guys want to buy my stock shaft I'll sell it cheap. I will now wait for the offers to roll in.

 

[G.I.B.]

I get it JD, really, I do.

I bought my SandShark, opened the box, attached the shaft and inserted batteries. Went to beach, turned it on and it started beeping and I started digging. I didn't have to buy anything else, do any mods, it already had a Velcro arm strap, the shaft was just right, it was well balanced, no learning curve... beep beep, dig dig. My only complaint is no iron mask.

Tis true, I waste some time and dig some extra junk. Yea, oh well, it was under 600 dollars.

When I buy something expensive, it would be nice to get to use it without completing a modification check list prior to use.

Yes, it's part of the decision making process when making a purchase, if you will or will not buy this unit knowing you have to conduct modifications prior to comfortable use.

IMHO JD is giving his opinion on how to make this a better unit, and I agree.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Total time to do mod is under 5 minutes, and you don't even need to go to the garage.

It boils down to what makes you happy, for me the fix was simple, easy, not a big deal and well worth it. I am very happy not digging up tiny pieces of iron, I haven't dug up one single bobby pin, sparkler wire, piece of crab cage, or nail with any of my Minelabs....

All my detectors have paid for theirselves in one way or another, the Minelabs with Diamonds, Gold and Silver...........

Good luck and good hunting........................................

 

[gollum]

JD,

Sorry to break the news to you, but the Excalibur is/has always been designed as an UNDERWATER METAL DETECTOR. While it is great to use on the beach or while wading, it is not designed for that, and may not be comfortable for everybody (mostly due to weight and balance). As an underwater metal detector it is fantastic as it is, but if you wish to use it for a purpose other than what it was designed for, you might need to make some adjustments to suit your needs. If that involves you having to spend a few bucks, just do it.

I bought one of the first Excals in 1997. It worked flawlessly for me until about a year ago when I got an Excal 1000. I honestly don't know why yours is so short if you're only 5'10" I'm 6'4", and both of my Excals have had enough height adjustment for me. My only problem was when I hip mounted it, I was not able to swing it with both hands as the cable wasn't long enough. Did I whine to Minelab? Nope. I just went with a different coil that had an extended cable length.

I've used them diving and wading. I have hip mounted mine, changed coils (with the addition of the waterproof connector), and changed headphones. The Excal is not for everybody. Yes it's heavy out of the water, and the balance is crap, but when it's underwater (what it was designed for), it works wonderfully.

Best-Mike

 

[Jury Duty]

Mike-

With all due respect, here is an excerpt from Minelab's web page for the Excalibur II:

"This amphibious detector can move from land, beach, wet sand conditions to underwater depths up to 200ft (66m) seamlessly"
http://minelab.com/consumer/page.php?section=282&pId=22&pNm=Excalibur II&x=y

Unless by amphibous they meant "Excalibur is/has always been designed as an UNDERWATER METAL DETECTOR" and seamlessly meant "you might need to make some adjustments to suit your needs. If that involves you having to spend a few bucks, just do it" then manufacturer does not represent it that way. As far as "whining to Minelab"; I haven't. I posted a comment to an online forum that just happened to contain some very defensive metal detector owners. Although I was pretty miffed with the Excal when I made the original post I actually thought some of the other Excal users would get a kick out of it. By simply reading through the comments on this forum, it becomes fairly obvious that most or all of the guys that use the Excal didn't like the way it was set up have modified it in some fashion.

I did research this quite a bit before purchasing it. I bought it pretty much exclusively for the shallow water and have no real intention of using it on land. I have been out on land several times with it in order to get familiar with the operation and pinpointing prior to really doing any serious water detecting with it. I never expected it to be light or the greatest relic hunter ever.

My original point remains valid- the coil hits my feet. There are a number of users who would agree that the OEM stuff that comes with this detector is fairly substandard and it seems wrong to have to buy new stuff to make a new machine work. Whining/Crybaby- No, not really -if I bought a car and had to replace the tires on it before I could drive it I would not be happy about it. I might buy the new tires because I had already spent a substantial amount for the car and I really liked it otherwise but to grin and enjoy buying the tires while adamantly defending the manufacturer for not properly outfitting the vehicle- not likely.

Next time I post a negative opinion I will make an effort to reference a less beloved machine. Good luck to all.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

JD

I personally do not mean to appear to be jumping on you about your negative opinion. I guess what I don't understand is you say you researched it before buying, yet you seemed to be shocked to discover a minor problem that is already known and the simple mod to fix it.

You say the OEM with the Excal is substandard, mine still has the original headphones, and coil and work fine, I changed the shaft, but even with the stock shaft if a harness was added to adjust the balance it would work fine. I am a little over 5'10 and did not have a problem with the original shaft and coil hitting my feet, only the weight and balance.

The tiny "flaws" or disadvantages on the shipped unit are miniscule compared to the major advantages the Excal has when water hunting. I think a year from now these problems will seem very minor to you when you see how it has performed for you.

When I am in the water hunting, the only detector I hate seeing someone enter the water near me with more then an Excal is a Sovereign GT, and luckly, waterproofed Sov GT's are very few and far between......


Good luck and good hunting.............

 

[PMike]

Just a guess, but aren't these made in Australia? If so I wonder if maybe they are outsourcing them to some of the Aborigines....just couldn't resist offering this and since every other theory has already been offered I figured it couldn't hurt.

Mike

 

[Jury Duty]

Treasure_Hunter-

Thanks for not jumping. I really wasn't aware that the shaft would be that short and it annoyed me. I knew I would probably end up modifying it at some point, I was just very disappointed that I had to do it immediately. I really don't mind spending a few bucks, money really isn't the issue, I just feel like I'm not spending it because I want to but rather because I have to and that bothers me. I'd rather have some time to use it a bit as it comes before decided if and what to change. We don't have a good source for parts around here and the time and research required to buy stuff over the internet is frustrating.

I don't disagree with anyone here that the advantages of the Excal outweigh these issues. The fixes are very minor. As you said, most of them are widely known in the community and that is big part of why I question Minelab's decision not to implement these fixes in production to make this a better product out of the box. I'm not trying to convince anyone to buy another product or insult their weapon of choice. Not a hard feelings thing, just my opinion/observation. Please take it with a grain of salt/sand, whichever the case may be.

 

[gollum]

JD,

First off,I guess I (and everybody else where) misread your post. What it looked like was you posting a copy of a letter you sent to Minelab. I suppose from your last post to me, you were just venting.

As far as it being too short, my ONLY guess is that they shipped you two dive shafts instead of one dive and one land.

You misunderstood both my post and the Minelab Ad (I think). When I read it from their website (which I did before I last posted), it looked to me like they are referring to its' operation being seamless from land to water. Since I have been using Excals for the last 11 or so years, I guess I am so familiar with their quirks going from water to land, I don't give it any thought. I just know that when I buy an Excal for the beach and wading, I KNOW I will hip mount it, and likely throw on a 15" WOT Coil. I'm 6'4" and 265 pounds. I humped an M60 and a 110 pound ruck all over Central and South America, so the weight and balance aren't really anything I think about.

If I read the ad correctly, and they were referring to its' operation being seamless, my post is absolutely correct. If I was wrong and they were referring to ALL aspects of using it (operation, ergonomics, weight, and balance), then I was wrong. Maybe they left the ad's wording slightly ambiguous on purpose . It wouldn't be the first time a company did that.

I am also in no way a Minelab Junkie. If I found another detector that did what I need better than what I have (without having to get a second mortgage), I would certainly get it (I'm still waiting for the Pulse devil Nemesis .

Best-Mike

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

JD, sent you PM............

 

[txkickergirl]

I read the post and thought it was suppose to be a joke..guess not

The first thing I replaced was the shaft to a straight shaft, yes it was an extra expensive but was worth it and the first time I used it I paid for the cost of the straight shaft. I hated the armcuff as well, but I know most water hunters do not want it attached to their arm for scooping purposes. I think minelab should offer a choice of the straight shaft or s shaft. I am short so can't complain about the length. Can you post a pic of your detector because something just doesn't sound right, its almost like you are missing a part of the shaft or perhaps it was somehow a shorter shaft that was sent to you.

Sometimes detectors choices are just what you feel comfortable with and maybe the excal just isn't the right one for you. If you just got it perhaps you can trade it back to the dealer for something else.

 

[Jury Duty]

TH- Thanks

TX- I'm going to but the stuff to make it work. I'm just not thrilled about buying it.

 

[PDJ]

I'm not understanding this also. Could you please send a pic of you -- actually using the excal. I agree w/ others that maybe you got some 'wrong' part. But again the picture would help. I have the excal -- I am 6' and have no problem at all! Also, someone mentioned losing a yellow disk for the knob and going on ebay. I had a knob break and called minelab direct. They immediately sent me free of charge not one but a few new knobs and a few yellow caps to go w/ it -- Free. Someone also mentioned improving the excal by allowing you to easily change the coil and headphones -- Wouldn't that be a potential source of leaks / problems since it is designed to be used underwater?
Good luck

 

[bwirth1999]

OKAY i'll tell ya what i'll do for you.. I will take that Excal off your hands for 50bucks, and give you my Fischer LD 960... Seems It should be plenty long for you and is very light.

 

[becket1]

From Minelab:
Dear J.D.,
We at Minelab are very sorry you have inadequate shaft length, and that your knob is falling off.
We simply don't know how to warranty that, sorry."


Sorry, too many long inside "Fay days"

 

[EARTHLING]

STRANGE............. mine came with a walking shaft and diving shaft when i bought one 5 yrs. ago

 

[Jury Duty]

I guess I was wrong.

THE MINELAB EXCALIBUR II IS THE BEST MADE METAL DETECTOR OF ALL TIME! I never should have doubted it. I am an idiot.

Not only is this machine perfect but it MAKES IT'S OWN GOLD. Never again do I need to worry about tides or weather or crowds. If conditions aren't good at the beach I just use it in my garage or at the mall. I swing a couple of times and then lift the coil to uncover the precious metals (sensitivity at 6 produces gold nuggets, anything higher and you get gold rings and coins).

Someone here offered to buy my machine. I can't even imagine selling it at this point because I have quit my job and picking up the gold scattered around the Excal is now my main source of income. I tried to keep working out of loyalty to my former employer but, with all the trips to the refinery and all, I just couldn't keep up.

The only issue I continue to have is the control knobs, Minelab has refused to help with those but I think I have a solution that requires minimal hardware but may require help. I'd like to send a SPECIAL THANKS TO BECKET1 for offering to HOLD MY NUTS while this work is completed.- Thanks, Bud, but I have this one under control. Your continued PMs are unnecessary- I prefer to communicate in the forum.

 

[becket1]

Jury Duty,
If you are getting a bunch of pms from becket1, it isn't from me. I posted that reply in the forum simply as a good-natured joke that you obviously took too seriously. I was on this forum previously and could'nt remember my password, and since my mail is changed, cannot retrieve it, so had to re-register. Point is, I am not a newbie, and am not a troll blowing through here to give anyone grief. Sorry you are having such a hard time with your machine, no worries intended.
Becket1