The learning curve on the higher end detectors can be steep and frustrating. If you are looking for instant gratitude and treasure look elsewhere. I use the Excalibur II and love it. It finds everything. Depth is going to be the catch point. PI machines have the best depth and will find deeper targets than multi frequency machines. Multi frequency machines allow you to pick what you want to find. The catch here is that gold has such a broad response that if you tune out pop tabs and bottle caps you tune out a section of gold frequencies as well. That does not bother me. Yes I would hate to give up a chain or ring but the 5000 pop tabs I had to dig up before it probably took the shine out of finding the ring. Either way, if you can get your hands on an original Excalibur in good condition, that is the way to go, if you are hunting for an Excalibur II, I would say try to get one as new as you can used or just buy a new one. Learn its tones and settings "before" you dive with it. At 40 hrs. of use you will just be starting to understand its tones and functionality. It is a great machine (little cumbersome) and if you treat it well it will last a long time and easily pay for itself, hopefully a few times over. I know a couple guys who own new trucks paid for free and clear courtesy of the Excalibur. (rare)
JW Fisher is awesome and they are very proud of their machines as well. even if I had money to burn I still just wouldn't bring myself to pay that kind of money for a PI machine that will have me not only digging more holes but deeper ones. That's my .02.
Matt
P.S. I did find a gold wedding band in the first 15 minutes of my first outing with my Excalibur (Pure luck). No gold since. tons of coins though.
