Need Minelab Sovereign Elite guidance

DaytonaRAT · Dec 2, 2006

Hello everyone,

This is my very first time on this site. I found a nice used Minelab Sovereign Elite that I think I would like to purchase. Fortunately, the person who would like to sell it allowed me to borrow it so I could see if I like it. I took it on the beach in Daytona and dug up a lot of junk. I am used to a Tesoro which is much lighter in weight and tells me the depth of all targets before I dig them up. I like it a lot, but it is highly unstable on wet sand. I have read that the Sovereign is perfect for salt water hunting.

I looked all over the net tonight to find more information on how to set up the notch and discrimination controls on the detector, to no avail. Can anyone who uses a similar detector shed some light on the subject.
Also, why is it that the meter seem to give me the same target ID on everything? I find it hard to believe that such an expensive detector would have such a lousy inaccurate meter. I must be doing something wrong!

Thanks in advance! :P I like this site. I've already learned all kind of cool stuff tonight.

seas1to2 · Dec 2, 2006

first thing on the beach DON"T use the notch or the discrimination. as far as the meter, it will not work in the all metal mode. set your threshold to a slight hum, then use preset on sensitivity, set the disc/all metal switch to DISC..... Disc control an notch control all the way counterclockwise an your ready to go. forgot to add, if your using the meter you must calibrate it. set a quarter on the ground( make sure nothing else is near it) an turn knob on back of meter an get it to read as close to 550 ( 180 if you have the 180 meter) then your set to go. old pennies, dimes & quarters will be at or near the 550, zincs will be 520-535 depending how bad they are ate up, an nickels around the 450... here are some finds with the elite after 1 year of use

DaytonaRAT · Dec 3, 2006

Thank you so much for the advice.

Does that mean I'll be digging up a lot of iron as well since I'm not discriminating, or is it a matter of understanding my meter? I don't have a 180 meter. Everything read around 450 yesterday, which means I probably did not calibrate the meter properly. Also, what about jewelry?
I would think silver would behave like quarters, but what about small gold items (why I am yet to find with my other detector...). Those are some impressive finds you've got :wow:

. Where do you live?

Did you have the modification done to your meter, and if so is it worth it?

seas1to2 · Dec 3, 2006

no I use the 550 meter,. you will not be digging iron, your threshold sound will go quite when passing over iron an the meter will show a negeative #. yes silver with have a high tone an most times the # will be high. Gold can show up anywhere on the scale.I have dug gold reading 220 all the way up to 510. your best bet is to get a bunch of diffrent targets an lay them out an take notice of the sound an meter reading. I am also in FL. These's pic.'s were taken back in oct. an I have found lots more gold since this time.. the Elite was the 1st metal detector I have ever owned.

DaytonaRAT · Dec 3, 2006

Well, I spent a couple of hours on the beach. I followed your advice and hunted strictly on the wet sand. I'm happy to report I found a couple of nickels, 4 pennies, and a pull tab (at about 6 inches). I know that if I can find these, I can find gold.

I can't tell you how much a appreciate your advice. I'm definitevely purchasing this detector! Thanks again.

Mineguy · Nov 15, 2012

DaytonaRAT said:
Well, I spent a couple of hours on the beach. I followed your advice and hunted strictly on the wet sand. I'm happy to report I found a couple of nickels, 4 pennies, and a pull tab (at about 6 inches). I know that if I can find these, I can find gold.

I can't tell you how much a appreciate your advice. I'm definitevely purchasing this detector! Thanks again.

I have an elite: What are good settings for land hunting a large platinum ring?

imalookin2 · Nov 15, 2012

Take the meter off and put it away. Run the machine with no discrimination (disc on but dial all the way down), loud volume and sensitivity about half way or 12 o'clock. Fine tune the disc if you get falsing. Dig by sound. Solid high targets are probably coins or aluminum. Mid tones are closer to nickels. Gold sounds a bit mid tone but there are a lot of variations. Dig everything above the null/iron sound. You do not need the meter at all and it gets in the way. You can also crank up the sensitivity more without the meter and that is what you want.

Most people hip or chest mount the box. You can hunt all day. That machine was designed with the box is low on the shaft. It is a poorly balanced design. Get it off the shaft right away and hip mount it. You can make a cheap hip mount easy. I chest mount so I can wade. You can't wade with a meter. Hope this helps!

imalookin2 · Nov 15, 2012

Mineguy said:
I have an elite: What are good settings for land hunting a large platinum ring?

Did you lose a plat ring? The settings are the same for any type of metal. See my post above. Platinum sounds like foil or a bit lower than stainless steel. If you are hunting a plat ring dig only low low sounds. Take a foil wrapper and listen. Low sound. Plat sound. Never use discrimination on the beach (disc on but dial all the way down) or you will never get plat and a lot of gold.

imalookin2 · Nov 15, 2012

Sovereign Users Video

Here is a great instruction video for Sovereign Gt, it will help you even though your machine is an Elite. The section about iron mask does not apply but most of the rest carries over. When he discusses how to ground balance he is talking about hunting in all metal. In disc mode you do not need to do that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3sMeh6gm1c

TIP, use the search function on here to look for your information. Answers to most of your questions will be found.

Mineguy · Nov 17, 2012

imalookin2 said:
Take the meter off and put it away. Run the machine with no discrimination (disc on but dial all the way down), loud volume and sensitivity about half way or 12 o'clock. Fine tune the disc if you get falsing. Dig by sound. Solid high targets are probably coins or aluminum. Mid tones are closer to nickels. Gold sounds a bit mid tone but there are a lot of variations. Dig everything above the null/iron sound. You do not need the meter at all and it gets in the way. You can also crank up the sensitivity more without the meter and that is what you want.

Most people hip or chest mount the box. You can hunt all day. That machine was designed with the box is low on the shaft. It is a poorly balanced design. Get it off the shaft right away and hip mount it. You can make a cheap hip mount easy. I chest mount so I can wade. You can't wade with a meter. Hope this helps!

Oh I will definitely keep the meter, it's helpful(I sell them as well).Although for the ring I know if it's it platinum I can't really discriminate out anything. I was looking at a ring sample/test chart and their comparable platinum came in at 157 on the meter...pretty low so I don't want to notch or discriminate. I have ordered a "Detecting Buddy" to relieve arm strain.Seems to be the simplest practical device I've seen.

samandnoah · Mar 9, 2014

Does anyone know where this video might reside?

I've been searching old Sov GT threads. This thread, and several others, mention this video. It doesn't exist on YouTube anymore, or not at this link. But I don't know anything about the video so am not sure how else to search for it. Does anyone know of another link or source?
Thanks!
Rich

imalookin2 said:
Here is a great instruction video for Sovereign Gt, it will help you even though your machine is an Elite. The section about iron mask does not apply but most of the rest carries over. When he discusses how to ground balance he is talking about hunting in all metal. In disc mode you do not need to do that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3sMeh6gm1c

Attila · Apr 11, 2014

Thinking of buying a used Sovereign Elite or GT

This topic might be exhausted now however I'd like to get a few views please. I'm thinking of buying a second-hand Elite or GT. I'm aware that the Elite used to be the predecessor of the GT but they are pretty much the same machine.

I've read a lot of glowing reviews about the Sovereign GT. If you have used both, do you think the Elite would be just as good on wet salty sand beaches?
I was told that it should cost me no more than £300-350 second hand. Is that the price it sells these days? One of the big metal detecting shops in the UK has a Sovereign GT still in stock (last one as it is discontinued) and would sell it to me for £770. Is that a price worth paying for or would I be better off with a used one?

Thank you!

Need Minelab Sovereign Elite guidance

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