New Minelab SDC 2300 Update

[PhaseTech]

The Minelab clip on knuckle protector has been an addition on new SDC's for a while now, maybe several months?? 

They are really nice fitting, and have a very nice finish to them - unlike many of the 3D printed versions around. 

 

[WesD]

Any prices for the parts yet?

If expensive or  hard to purchase, at least the battery swap can be made fairly cheap.  ebay has 18650  in two C cell length adapters for $7.50. I've used them for quit awhile and they work fine, Just needed a bit of sanding as they were tight to fit.  Samsung batteries for another $15, and charger for $20, will have you all setup.

[Skookum]

Called Minelab, N.A., today.  Asked if there was information on whether there would be any accommodation for those still under warranty.  Phone support just received the first official upgrade info, yesterday.  Sounds unlikely, but further details need ironing out.  One point made was that current old stock is still needing to be consumed.  It sure would be nice for those of us who just got one to not have to pay a lot for some of the "fixes".  I haven't seen any prices, yet, either.

[Gold Catcher]

The SDC has found me more gold than any other detector I own. But as always, it depends where you hunt. Here in the Motherlode, where most hunting terrain is in steep canyons, the SDC is the go to detector. Not only because it fits in my backpack but also because it is just made for hunting gold in shallow mineralized ground. It picks up gold in ground conditions where VLF's are completely useless. The threshold can be a bit chirpy, that's why I hunt mostly with sensitivity 2 or sometimes 3 (rarely). However, in open fields, like in most deserts, the GPZ is king by far and nothing comes even close to it. The knuckle guard is the single most important addition for the SDC and I bought mine at eBay from Australia long time ago. The SDC with the SP01 audio booster is the killer combination and I can highly recommend this combo, although it slightly adds to the weight and the SP01 cable has a bit of a slack when the unit is clipped onto the SDC. Pinpointing works great with the small round coil, just tilt up.  My only issue with the SDC is that the detector is not balanced well and my arm gets tired sooner than using the GPZ (both with ML harness). The swing arm on the SDC is a good idea and I will give it a, it works miracles for the GPZ which I would never use without it.

[Skookum]

After some time has passed for further clarification, it appears that the upgrades will not be covered under warranty.  Owner's are told that they should contact their local dealers and see what they might do to accommodate for the changes.  I'm not exactly sure what that means, but that's the official story.

[Steve Herschbach]

The was never a chance Minelab was going to hand this stuff out for free to existing owners. That’s not how they do business. What it means, is if you are an existing owner and want this stuff, you can contact a dealer to buy it.

[Skookum]

I suppose it makes sense from their point of view. Why should they want to lose money on giving away free accessories? The SDC has always been popular without them. In contrast to a new owner’s point of view, it’s like they are fixing know issues. (Yeah, we know the steering wheel gets really hot in this car, so we’ve included a plush steering wheel cover for you with your purchase. ?)  At the end of the day, to them maybe it’s more like a new version than a fix. Makes me wonder if there is a new MSRP.