Musketeer manual GB - Am I doing something wrong?

[DCMatt]

I picked up a slightly used Musketeer recently. So far, I'm pretty impressed with the performance for the $$$.

I read the "tips" on the Minelab site and the guy says there should be a constant tone when you click the GB knob out of "Fixed" mode. I don't get any tone. Just some chatter - which goes away when I reduce the sensitivity a bit.

Can anyone with hands-ons experience with this machine tell me their experience regarding GB?

Thanks.

DCMatt

 

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[Sandman]

I would make sure you have a threshold tone before switching it over out of fixed.

 

[Old Relic]

I have the same situation with my Advantage; no tone when taking the GB out of fixed. Like you, the only sound is a quiet chatter if the sensitivity is turned high enough. I, too, wonder why. To the best of my knowledge, the Advantage doesn't have a threshold sound.

Old Relic

 

[DCMatt]

I traded email with Minelab customer service. They told me there should be a tone when it is switched out of fix mode. I get tone when I'm moving the knob but it stops when the knob stops. I guess it's a bad GB adjuster.

I'll be sending mine in for service this winter. Not sure when, but probably in February when the ground is frozen and it's too cold to detect.

Based on the serial #, mine is 2 - 3 years old, but I bought it used so I don't know if it had the problem from new. It was barely used so I assume it had the problem from the factory. Not that it matters at this point, but Minelab only covers warranty with the original owner - no matter how old the machine is...

DCMatt

 

[Old Relic]

I bought mine used, too. Did Minelab give any cost estimate to repair it?

Old Relic

 

[DCMatt]

I bought mine used, too. Did Minelab give any cost estimate to repair it?

Old Relic

No. After I got the first email from them, I didn't persue it any further. I'll get in touch with them when I'm ready to let the MD out of my hands for a few weeks.

I'm still having good luck with it and getting better depth and discrimination than with my other detector. I got some great tips from another TNet Musketeer Advantage user. He explained the "language" of the Musketeer. He said the "pip-pip" or clipped signals are ferrous and the "woo-woo" or smooth signals are the ones to dig. I thought, "Yeah, right! Pip-pip and woo-woo... " But he was right-on. I got silver the first day at a site loaded with coal clinkers where I had already hunted with my other machine. I was convinced and my partner got a serious case of detector envy - he had to buy a new machine. I'm still fooled by big, deep iron though... And still need some pinpointing practice... I also wish the thing wasn't so darn heavy!

I'll bump this thread back up to the top after I contact Minelab. If you get more info, please do the same.

DCMatt

 

[Old Relic]

I called Minelab this morning. They need the coil and control box. Turnaround time is about a week plus shipping delay both ways. Estimated cost is $30-$80. The address is:

Minelab USA
871 Grier Drive, Suite B1
Las Vegas, NV 89119

I'd be interested in any other insight you might have gotten into the language of the Advantage. Feel free to email me.

Old Relic

 

[EasyMoney]

If you have a cell phone (on OR off) near a detector, or a pacemaker, or are near powerlines or substations, or radar, or incandescent lights, or burgler alarm systems, or relay towers, or radio towers, or tv towers, or etc, it will affect the sensitivity of almost any high powered detector and can easily quell or alter the auto or standard threshold. In fact, it could be working so hard to compenste for it that it goes into overdrive..

Try taping a coin, or especially a small piece of steel (1/4" to 3/4") to the bottom or top of the coil. This (sometimes) helps to desensitize it. Anything larger than a 50 cent piece may drive it crazy though, but it won't hurt the detector. This is an old trick used many years ago to calm the sensitivity down on more highly powered Fisher 440 and Garrett Master Hunters in the super-low freq 3-7 Khz) ranges back in the 70's. It was used to enable one to hunt easier in scrap steel and scrap iron sites. Up to a certain point, the larger the item taped the more the taped-on item desensitizes it. Too much and it will make it inoperable