PP Mod on an Excalibur II

WaterScoop

Bronze Member
Sep 12, 2017
2,181
3,712
SW Washington
Detector(s) used
Nox 800,
CTX 3030,
XP DEUS,
Excalibur II
Garrett AT Max,
Whites DFX,
Vanquish 540
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Wanted to do it two years ago but life got in the way. I want to try again to get my Pin Pointing Modification on my Excalibur done.

Does anyone know where I can get it done? KellyCo had a guy a few years back but he is no longer with us. Does anybody know if they still do Excalibur Mods?

If not then who would you recommend?

Thank you in advance
 

Upvote 0
Kellyco no longer has a repair center, Barry passed away, his brother Dave, my hunting partner is who was doing the mods, he is no longer with Kellyco.
 

Minelab's repair shop will do it for you.
 

I would love this mod for mine also
 

Minelab's repair shop will do it for you.

Do you have a lead you can pass over where I can start. Name, phone#, Minelab is a big company from down under..LOL

Thank you in advance :)
 

Tony Eisenhower does them too. He's done two of my Excals. Quality work! Contact him at [email protected]
 

I won't name any names, there's a couple here who sometimes do mods. We'll let your post here see if you get an offer. Kellyco did mine prior to the loss of our friend who did them before he went to the great stomping grounds above.....

Entirely new and different machine with the mods.....

Edit: At the same time you get the mods done, switch it to a straight shaft. It'll be an all day swinger versus an elbow cranker......
 

Last edited:
I recommend doing all the mods you have planned while the machine is apart. Headphone upgrade and a bigger coil are both things I like. Carbon fiber straight shaft is also a great upgrade IMO.
 

Hard to believe I started the Pin Point modification fire 10 years ago and it is still going strong. I remember Treasure_Hunter and Empty Pockets were the first to do the coil change fittings a few years before that...And that's still the Hot ticket also...

I stopped for it turned into a Job...rather be out in the water being a pirate..

One thing to consider on the PP mod is, being able to hear the faint disruptions..the stock headphones for sure need replaced.

https://www.detectorrepair.com/


Here is the info on the repair center in Pa... Tony E does good work also...

HomeBannerResized2.png

OBN0015.jpg
 

Hey, good to hear from you my friend.

I was very lucky to have the mods done several years ago, whole new machine - really really good mod, about the best choice an owner can make.

Good luck out there in getting your mod done - the best choice in mods you can ever make
 

I recommend doing all the mods you have planned while the machine is apart. Headphone upgrade and a bigger coil are both things I like. Carbon fiber straight shaft is also a great upgrade IMO.

Not familiar with the headphone upgrade . What’s the difference vs stock headphones? Bigger coil where do I get the larger coil and what are the costs. I appreciate any information you might be able to share. I had done some of the footwork On the mods 2 years ago but can’t find my notes.

Again thank you for your help. I truly appreciate your time.

Cheers
WS
The Great Pacific Northwest
40C1788F-485B-4C14-93D0-624DB7CCEF10.jpeg
 

Remote PP and headphone upgrade I would do but a larger coil is not for me. To each his own. I've had bad luck with Grey Ghost headphones.... Ed
 

Not familiar with the headphone upgrade . What’s the difference vs stock headphones? Bigger coil where do I get the larger coil and what are the costs. I appreciate any information you might be able to share. I had done some of the footwork On the mods 2 years ago but can’t find my notes.

Again thank you for your help. I truly appreciate your time.

Cheers
WS
The Great Pacific Northwest
View attachment 1858912

The headphone upgrade gives you better sound quality. I find the stock headphones a bit "tinny" sounding, like being on the end of a tin can telephone we used to make as kids. As for coils, there are several options depending on how big you want to go. I have both the 15" Coiltek WOT and the NEL 15" Attack coils, along with the stock 10" and 8". I prefer the NEL. It's actually a hair bigger than 15" and seems to be more stable and better at pin pointing the target IMO. These mods were made a few years ago, so, I can't tell you what the cost might be. I don't imagine the price of the coils have changed much, but, labor to install them might have. I think I paid around $300 for the WOT and $240 for the NEL, but, do a search to verify. If you contact Tony, I'm sure he can give you a quote.
 

Hey guys, I am researching on the website and I found this old thread, I am wanting more and more an excal with mods so I can have the best of both worlds, by any chance does anyone here is selling their fully modded Excalibur? I honestly should buy a new one but I don't want to go thru the hassle of finding someone to mod it. PM me if you plan on selling yours and we can speak.
 

A mod Excal is not cheap, I wouldn't sell mine for less than $1700 and it is not new. Are you just wanting the pinpoint switch or do you want coil mods too?
 

Excal memories

The first 3 Excals pin point mods were done by Barry/Dave. I dropped them off at Kellyco in Jan 2016 with Barry. Barry started the mod than passed before finishing the mods. When I called Kellyco and heard of his passing I was shocked. I eventually talked with Barry who I had met before and Barry said he would finish them after taking some time off. I said no problem, I understand. Barry had them done by April and after we talked I asked him if he could bring them to the Treasure Hunter's picnic in Wabasso and I would pay him there and save a trip to Orlando. Barry was too busy to make the trip to the picnic but he had Ray bring them.

At the picnic I met up with Ray, paid him and got my Excals. Also, Stu Auerbach came to the picnic and I chatted with Stu for a while about scoops. Meanwhile, Ray was selling raffle tickets for an Excal they were giving away. He sold 40 tickets for $20 @. I bought one and yup I won it. That's the one in the box.

I had the box autographed by Capt. Jonah Martinez, Danny Beckingham and Bill Bartlett. The salvage crew that recovered the 1715 Fleet anniversary find of gold escudos (about $6 million). I witnessed that find from the beach starting on July 29, 2015. Helluva a memory.

I hope Dave is doing well. I live near his old hometown. Tell him I said hello.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_1417.JPG
    IMG_1417.JPG
    27.5 KB · Views: 113
Barry's brother Dave who ran the Kellyco Repair Center taught Barry how to repair the detectors, Dave designed and set up the repair center at Minelabs request as a back up to the repair center in Chicago because of the volume of work. In 2015 the repair center techs in Chicago quit and the repair center at Kellyco became the primary repair center for Minelab, Minelab at the time told us they would hire new techs in Chicago but they never did, and this forced Kelllyco repair center to became the only Minelab repair center in US in 2015.

Dave was a Aviation Maintenance Officer on aircraft carriers and he is an electronic wizard. Barry didn't do the mods, Dave did. Barry was a former NASA tech, worked on space coast for NASA. I know this because I worked for Minelab, based in Kellyco repair center and I helped with the repairs and the mods, but it was Dave who was the man in charge and did 95% of the mod work, not just on Excals but mod work on all detectors. Barry unfortunately had a stoke one night and passed away about 10 days later. Barry was Dave's youngest brother. Barry and I were good friends and Dave and I are very good friends, we still detect together and we fish together.
 

Last edited:
I meant to say that after Barry passed Dave finished the mods. I remember Dave said Barry had already cut the wires and prepped them for the mods. When Dave checked them and saw the mod was started he felt compelled to finish them for me. That's how conscientious Dave was even during that period of mourning.
 

It's nice that you all still keep his memory up high, I wish that legend was still around us. May God have him in his kingdom.
 

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top