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Minelab Excalibur 1000

Price: $1000
Avg. Score: 4 stars 3.86
Based on 64 reviews

Avg. Durability: 1 star1.00
Avg. Ease of use: 2 stars1.80
Maximum detection depth
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Thoroughly convinced by the results

September 16, 2009
I purchased my Excalibur II with 10-inch coil earlier this year. I bought a second one for my wife who shares my enthusiasm.
I hunted a local beaches that have been hunted before by others. I pulled coins up to 16" down - heavily corroded indicating they had been there quite some time.
I then moved into the water with it and within 30 minutes had a solid gold identification bracelet.

There is a learning curve with the Excalibur II. Go to Youtube and search for excalibur metal detector. There are several beach hunting videos that will give you a great start for free. Understand that AM = All Metal which is the "Pinpoint" setting on the excalibur.

Clive Clynick has written a number of helpful books. I purchased "Finding Gold, Silver and Coins with the Minelab Sovereign and Excalibur; Advanced Methods for Finding Gold in the water with the Minelab Excalibur; and his latest - Advanced Field Methods for the Minelab Excalibur. You will not fully understand them on the first read. Don't get frustrated - go use the machine and then re-read them. It will fall into place and you will be finding things others missed.
I have taken over $20.00 in change plus silver rings, chains, gold charms and the Gold braclet over the summer. In my humble opinion, the ability to hunt land and water, the discrimination capability provided by this instrument and the deep penetration achieved make this unit well worth the cost.

Overall Rating 5 stars!

590

Three year owner

September 12, 2009
I bought the Excalibur 1000 3 years ago when I had some extra bucks. Was expensive but the reviews I read justified. The first year I was dissapointed. Dug up 100s of pop tops. I live in the springs area of Florida and after three years of hitting the springs and beachs found lots of coins, a gold ring, bullet casings, charms and a musket ball. Getting to know the tones is important. It has hit things 9-12" deep in sand on the beach and thing deeper that I gave up digging on. The pinpoint feature is truely that. X over a spot and it is within 2 inches. One or two hand sholves down and you will scope up the target. Charge hold for a good 4-5 hours of hunting.

good hunting

So would I do it again. Yes.

Overall Rating 5 stars!

240

The best!!

August 29, 2009
I have been using metal detectors for a good 30 odd years now. I've had a series of different detectors, land and underwater and admittedly many were a lot easier to "get a hang of" but I must say that the excalibour 1000 can't be beat. It took me the best portion of two seasons till I was really "in tune" with how this detector was designed. The initial "Orchestral" sounds have to be understood till they settle down after their analysis of the metal/ground. You will have to experiment and be patient at first but once you have understood the sounds and "snaps" etc you find things as if it's going out of style, of course the goodies have to be present if you are to find anything! These days I just have to go into the water with my "baby" and I find coins everywhere, gold, silver, bronze.... you name it!!!

This machine will satisfy you with out a doubt but you will need to practice patience. I have the first of the series which were fitted with blue head phones which would fall off with the slightest of water resistence, they will be refitted with the second yellow series one of these days, and the knobs I needed to replace with some screw-on type that would not fall off. O. Barns from Madagascar basically mentioned everything that you need to know concerning the "negative" things this detector has but I love my 1000 and would recommend it to anybody! Practice makes you perfect and don't forget to recharge the batteries over night! Happy hunting. Leon

Overall Rating 5 stars!

310

Excalibur 1000 in Hawaii

July 20, 2009
I've owned my Excalibur 1000 for 10 years now and I live in Hawaii. Here is Hawaii the all detectors have a hard time. I've also owned a White's Surf Master PI which had even more problems. My Excalibur has served me well here in Hawaii. The finds I have are to many to list. If you come to Hawaii please don't expect to find jewelry the minute you step in our waters, it just doesn't work that way. Somedays I don't find anything at all, but its not the detectors fault. The Minelab Excalibur 1000 is truly a great water machine to use and I won't be giving that up anytime soon.

Overall Rating 5 stars!

263

LEARNING IS THE KEY!

January 24, 2009
I purchased my Excalibur 1000 from Kellyco (Wanda is terrific)a few years ago before I even knew how a beach detector operated, just threw in my money and expected the gold to show up. The learning curve was so frustrating that the unit was for sale a couple of times that first year. Man am I glad nobody was willing to pay because it all changed as soon as I bought a book from a profesional treasure hunter and Excalibur master named Clive James Cylnick. My Gold, silver, watch and sunglass collection grows every time I go out!

I've since read four books on the excal and beach hunting and just ordered his newest work. I mounted the unit on my lower back as described in his excal book and it's my baby. Changed out 2 knobs for larger ones (mode & sensitivity) and of course the straight shaft is a must. Head phone build quality sucks to be honest. Tape up the outer drain holes to seal in more sound. Love this detector, getting good at it. Buy the book and you will be WAY ahead of the game!

Overall Rating 5 stars!

646

Great Unit

November 21, 2008
Use it, enjoy it and never will you regret it... this metal Detector is wonderful, fun and something you will not want to put down. Too all the LBGT Comunity. I personally know a good about of couples who own the Minelab units. GO FOR IT, my friends. My partner & I love it. Susan McCool-Coulombe

Overall Rating 5 stars!

832

THE BEST EVER ! ! !

November 21, 2008
This unit is very enjoyable to use. Perfect and Fun. Minelab is the best Lynn McCool

Overall Rating 5 stars!

527

Minelab Excalibur 1000

July 10, 2008
I have used the Minelab excalibur for 10 years and have found coins from 1675 to 1800's. This machine is simply the best for finding coroded or salt disguised treasures. This machine does not waste your digging time which is crucial to a long day on the beach. Reliability 100% perfect with no failures. Try to find a used one for sale and see how well they hold there value !! Only serious detectorist need to buy this machine !!

Overall Rating 5 stars!

888

A flawed masterpiece

June 15, 2008
I've been diving using U/W metal detectors for 35 years, and as concerns sensitivity and general detection ability, I like the Excalibur best. But having said that it is far from being a perfect machine, and strangely, Minelab doesn't seem interested in taking the steps necessary to improve its design - the 2008 model carries on the same problems as the previous generation. (I know numerous users have written to them on the following problems, as I have - this was confirmed to me during phone calls to MInelab some 4 years ago!). The major problems relate to the ergonomics of its design.

Basically the Excalibur it is a land use device that is waterproof. The balance and design is fine on land but but not a good U/W design. Even when using the short shaft underwater the weight becomes tiring on your arm. (just try lying on your stomach on the floor, hold the Excalibur in front of you with an outstretched arm and try sweeping the unit back and forth, then imagine trying to do that for an hour or more - this is basically what a diver has to do).
The problem is that the bulk of weight is too far forward of your hand. A better design would have been to have the battery pack and instrument pod positioned further back over your forearm.(I've actually done this modification to my unit and it is a BIG improvement).

The other point that Minelab don't understand is that the mounting of the battery pack and instrument pack either side of the tubing arm in a vertical plan actually creates a noticable drag when sweeping horizontally underwater. Again a layout of these two packs in a horizontal plane corrects this and makes the unit easier to handle underwater.

Finally as regards design flaws is the type of knob/shaft combination used on the controls. After some time the controls seem to become a little stiff and the knobs spin on the metal shaft. Especially underwater, when it is harder to feel the knobs slipping on the shaft, this can mean your detector is not actually set on the indicted setting.

As far as the electronics go I have nothing but praise except for one area. The battery charging system is something from the 1960's. NO battery charge indicator to let you know you are actually charging the unit whenever it's plugged in, and NO battery charge status indication. And the battery charger connection plugs for any underwater device released in 2008 is simply sub standard - basically they've just gone with the cheapest solution. (As an example of what they could have done my sealed unit electric toothbrush charges without any metal to metal contact - to charge just place the indentation in the base of the unit over a plastic knob on the charger - no chance of corrosion or bad connection and a seemingly ideal solution for any device that has to work underwater).

So in summary, a great unit as regards its detection ability, sensitivity and screening befitting a $1,000+ unit as long as you want to use it on the beach or wading in the water. But if you're working a wreck site it's a tiring unit for a diver to use underwater for extended periods. And the battery charge system is junk.

Overall Rating 3 stars

2044

Junk=minelab excaliber

February 25, 2008
I didn't learn the first time, this is my 2nd one in 6 months they both work exactly the same, they don't. If you want to spend all your time fooling around adjusting and listening to a lot of undecernable noise that finds you nothing, then this is the machine for you (not to mention the weight of the thing)the dealers will tell you it's the best detector made and somehow people listen and put out the big bucks only to find out the only valuable thing this one will find is your wallet. I have been detecting for over 35 years, if you want an easy, super light, inexpensive, beach machine get the White Beach Hunter I.D. and really enjoy the hobby. I took this one from coast to coast in 07 and found so many goodies I can't list it all. Good luck.

Overall Rating 1 star

7640

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