Ray in CA
Hero Member
- Joined
- Oct 11, 2007
- Messages
- 983
- Reaction score
- 16
- Golden Thread
- 0
- Location
- Quincy, CA
- Detector(s) used
- Minelab Safari with SEF 8x6; coming soon: FORS Gold+
- #1
Thread Owner
Hi folks!
Well, I'm a bit overdue for my second review. I actually wanted to write it last week but other stuff got in the way. But I'm glad I waited because as some of you know I scored big just recently with a possible 1916 SLQ (I'm gonna get it checked out by an expert this week to determine whether it is a 1916 or 1917). This review will be relatively short, as it's kinda late right now and I don't feel like sitting at the puter for an hour typing all this up.
Now last I wrote I was having problems not with the Silver uMax but with pinpointing and depth concerns regarding the 12x10 spider coil being mated to the Silver uMax. Well, those concerns are now gone. Why, you ask? Well, as you recall I was still getting familiar with my new Silver uMax, but now that I have about 2.5 months of use under my belt those concerns have been worked out because I decided to devote as much time to the 12x10 coil as I was devoting to the stock coil. And this has resulted in boosting my confidence in using the former as much as the latter.
I have to say first, though, that the stock coil is surprisingly a really good coil. In fact, most of my silver coin finds have been with this coil (probably because I have used it more), including the 1911 Barber and no date SLQ. In wetter soil, I can actually hit a dime or penny at 6-7". In dryer ground I would say that 5" is average. But on to the 12x10...I have yet to hit a really deep coin with this coil, but I am confident that if it was there I wouldn't miss it. I have picked up non-coin items at depths of 9 and 10", so I know it can go deep. But what I really like about this coil is the following:
1. Good targets always give a solid, distinct signal on the Silver uMax (excepting some memorial pennies).
2. More ground covered quicker.
3. Pinpointing coins is relatively simple...just throw the detector into all metal mode and pump the coil up and down until the strongest signal is in the center of coil.
4. When using high discrimination (set to zinc), I can miss most memorials and yet still get the wheat pennies at good depths.
5. When using low discrimination (set between iron and foil, my preferred setting) I won't miss small gold despite the large coil size.
6. Despite being a large coil, it is relatively light and the more I use it the more I get used to it being on.
Granted, there are many variables involved when dealing with metal objects in the ground, but after using the 12x10 extensively I can honestly say that it is an awesome coil that I will be keeping for a long time. Between it and the stock coil, I really have no need for any other coil. They both serve my needs very well.
Now, back to the Silver uMax itself...I just love this machine! When I had my B2uMax I was impressed with its simple discrimination abilities, and it's good to see the Silver uMax doesn't fall behind in the least. Like I said, my preferred setting is between iron and foil because I don't wish to miss any small gold. But sometimes I crank it up to zinc when I need to do a fast hunt or if I'm in a really, really trashy area, and all I really want to find is silver. Well, that's how I found my SLQ the other day...disc cranked up high with only less than an hour to hunt an area before dark. Even with the disc on high the quarter still sang to me that sweet tone that says "good target...dig!" Not only this, but the SLQ was only 6" from a wheat penny. So I had two targets going on at the same time. This is where the smaller coil can come in handy, because one can easily separate the two close targets after carefully swinging the coil a few times in different directions. I got the '44 wheat out first, then closed in on the second good signal...BAM...there was my SLQ down about 4". When I found the silver religious pendant with small chain at a park (this time with the 12x10 coil), the difference in tone in the grass was obvious between the small chain and pendant. The pendant gave a solid "dig me" signal while the chain gave a broken signal. I concentrated on pinpointed the good signal and dug out the pendant, the attached chain following without any damage to it.
I bought this unit mainly because I wanted to find silver coins, and it is doing a great job thus far. But it is doing an equally good job on gold and gold plated items and silver jewelry, small copper rings, wheats, and nickels, and something quite new to me–buttons. All of these will give a distinct, solid signal when going over them with either the stock or 12x10 coils. Sometimes out of curiousity I will dig not so good signals, but I have yet to dig up anything worthwhile while listening to these. But I know that sometimes one has to dig those "iffy" signals just to be sure.
Well, I'm out of time for tonight but not out of thoughts on this detector. Let me just close by saying I am very impressed with this little machine. I bought it as a demo unit for $219, and it has performed flawlessly thus far. I added the 12x10 for another $100, so total of no more than $319 was spent on a detector and extra coil, which not only makes my wife happy but me as well, especially since I have been finding some great stuff left and right in less than 3 months. I do not believe I will be selling this unit anytime soon, so don't ask.
Take care everyone,
Ray
Well, I'm a bit overdue for my second review. I actually wanted to write it last week but other stuff got in the way. But I'm glad I waited because as some of you know I scored big just recently with a possible 1916 SLQ (I'm gonna get it checked out by an expert this week to determine whether it is a 1916 or 1917). This review will be relatively short, as it's kinda late right now and I don't feel like sitting at the puter for an hour typing all this up.
Now last I wrote I was having problems not with the Silver uMax but with pinpointing and depth concerns regarding the 12x10 spider coil being mated to the Silver uMax. Well, those concerns are now gone. Why, you ask? Well, as you recall I was still getting familiar with my new Silver uMax, but now that I have about 2.5 months of use under my belt those concerns have been worked out because I decided to devote as much time to the 12x10 coil as I was devoting to the stock coil. And this has resulted in boosting my confidence in using the former as much as the latter.
I have to say first, though, that the stock coil is surprisingly a really good coil. In fact, most of my silver coin finds have been with this coil (probably because I have used it more), including the 1911 Barber and no date SLQ. In wetter soil, I can actually hit a dime or penny at 6-7". In dryer ground I would say that 5" is average. But on to the 12x10...I have yet to hit a really deep coin with this coil, but I am confident that if it was there I wouldn't miss it. I have picked up non-coin items at depths of 9 and 10", so I know it can go deep. But what I really like about this coil is the following:
1. Good targets always give a solid, distinct signal on the Silver uMax (excepting some memorial pennies).
2. More ground covered quicker.
3. Pinpointing coins is relatively simple...just throw the detector into all metal mode and pump the coil up and down until the strongest signal is in the center of coil.
4. When using high discrimination (set to zinc), I can miss most memorials and yet still get the wheat pennies at good depths.
5. When using low discrimination (set between iron and foil, my preferred setting) I won't miss small gold despite the large coil size.
6. Despite being a large coil, it is relatively light and the more I use it the more I get used to it being on.
Granted, there are many variables involved when dealing with metal objects in the ground, but after using the 12x10 extensively I can honestly say that it is an awesome coil that I will be keeping for a long time. Between it and the stock coil, I really have no need for any other coil. They both serve my needs very well.
Now, back to the Silver uMax itself...I just love this machine! When I had my B2uMax I was impressed with its simple discrimination abilities, and it's good to see the Silver uMax doesn't fall behind in the least. Like I said, my preferred setting is between iron and foil because I don't wish to miss any small gold. But sometimes I crank it up to zinc when I need to do a fast hunt or if I'm in a really, really trashy area, and all I really want to find is silver. Well, that's how I found my SLQ the other day...disc cranked up high with only less than an hour to hunt an area before dark. Even with the disc on high the quarter still sang to me that sweet tone that says "good target...dig!" Not only this, but the SLQ was only 6" from a wheat penny. So I had two targets going on at the same time. This is where the smaller coil can come in handy, because one can easily separate the two close targets after carefully swinging the coil a few times in different directions. I got the '44 wheat out first, then closed in on the second good signal...BAM...there was my SLQ down about 4". When I found the silver religious pendant with small chain at a park (this time with the 12x10 coil), the difference in tone in the grass was obvious between the small chain and pendant. The pendant gave a solid "dig me" signal while the chain gave a broken signal. I concentrated on pinpointed the good signal and dug out the pendant, the attached chain following without any damage to it.
I bought this unit mainly because I wanted to find silver coins, and it is doing a great job thus far. But it is doing an equally good job on gold and gold plated items and silver jewelry, small copper rings, wheats, and nickels, and something quite new to me–buttons. All of these will give a distinct, solid signal when going over them with either the stock or 12x10 coils. Sometimes out of curiousity I will dig not so good signals, but I have yet to dig up anything worthwhile while listening to these. But I know that sometimes one has to dig those "iffy" signals just to be sure.
Well, I'm out of time for tonight but not out of thoughts on this detector. Let me just close by saying I am very impressed with this little machine. I bought it as a demo unit for $219, and it has performed flawlessly thus far. I added the 12x10 for another $100, so total of no more than $319 was spent on a detector and extra coil, which not only makes my wife happy but me as well, especially since I have been finding some great stuff left and right in less than 3 months. I do not believe I will be selling this unit anytime soon, so don't ask.
Take care everyone,
Ray
), but if you wait a couple or few hours things return to normal. 
