A new Tesoro owner...

[BusDigger]

...well, soon to be, just got done ordering a De Leon Been detecting for 4-5 years, and as you might notice in my sig, my 1st MD was the 250, and recently purchased the 350 because I wanted a back-up/loaner.

I've had that little voice in my head that's been whispering "Tesoro" for a while now....but I've been hesitant to plunk-down the cash for one, until tonight......what the heck, can't take it with ya', right?

I've been happy with the 250 for what it is, actually more than happy, but felt it was time to upgrade to a better machine. Well, perhaps more sensitive is the more appropriate term, as I've felt my current detectors were worth their cost. I'm just hoping to squeeze a few more finds from a more sensitive machine, and hope I've picked the right model.

I guess I'd have to tag myself as a coin-shooter, as that's what I enjoy the most, but also enjoy tokens, jewelry, or about any other relics from the past. I may even return to some of the sites I've hunted previously and see if the De Leon will locate anything I may have missed.

All that said, any De Leon owners (past or present) who wants to share opinions, tips, or tricks is more than welcome to....maybe to get me a bit a head of the learning curve before receiving my new detector. I wanted to retain a T.I.D., not as a main identifier, but more as another "tool" on the machine to assist in ID. How accurate do those of you who've used or use the ID numbers find them (as this will be a new thing for me)? This is something neither of my current machines have, so I'm hoping that I can more clearly ID "good" targets I may have previously chose to pass-over.

Thanks in advance for any advice offered!
Smitty

 

[jabbo]

Welcome to the Tesoro club. The Deleon users seem to love it. I have the Cortes, very similar. The numbers are great because there is 95 of them. Some detectors have icons, maybe 6, not many to work with for accurate target ID. The bar graph is nice too, shows how confident the detector is about the ID. The depth reading is always on, great to know how deep the target is, especially those deeper targets. Pinpointing is dead accurate with all Tesoros. I met a guy with an Ace 350, the detector beeped after the coil passed over the target, Tesoros beep right over the target, big difference. I think you will like Tesoro, they're fun and well made. Dave

 

[BusDigger]

Thanks jabbo! After posting last night, I read through 30 pages of past posts here. I was looking at the Cortes, but didn't want to spend the extra $ just yet, and from what I'd read, there's not a huge difference between them, and the De Leon should still be a nice upgrade from my current detectors. I'd read about the numbers and bars "matching" giving a better indication of the target, which was one of the reasons I wanted this type of detector.

I did notice many users like the 5.75" coil, and mentioned the increased depth, which was one of the reasons for my upgrading. I did a recent air test with both current MD's, which included swapping coils on the two. I felt something deeper than the 5" I measured might get me a few more goodies, plus an electrics upgrade would be a plus as well.

I've got a field I'd found a 1864 2-cent'er in, and just know there's got to be more there, but other than a token, that was all I'd pulled from the field. I'd received a reply email last night after ordering, and was told my new detector would ship-out Monday, so I should have it by mid week (it's supposed to rain the 1st part of the week anyways), but I'm looking forward to getting it!

Smitty

 

[jabbo]

Smitty, the coils I have are 8x9", 7" concentric, 5.75" concentric, 8" round wide scan. They work with my Golden too. The 8x9" is the deepest, the smaller coils don't go as deep as the 8x9. A lot of guys like smaller coils in trashy places. I use only the 8x9 because I want depth and I don't like searching in trashy places. The 8" round wide scan is better in mineralized soil they say, but it doesn't get the depth the 8x9 gets. I had the 10x12" concentric coil but it was too chattery, is heavy, and it didn't give extra depth on dimes, but on quarters it added 1", I sold it. Across the very top of the screen it will say IRON OR FOIL, then NICKLE TAB RING, etc. They give the broadest ID, then the Bars narrow it down more, then the 95 numbers narrow it down even more. Sometimes I work with the Bars only, or with the numbers only depending on how much accuracy I want. The narrow or wide notches will knock out most of the shallower pulltabs and still get ladies gold rings, but not mens or class rings, they get eliminated along with the tabs because they are so similar to the detector. Do some air testing with ladies gold rings and pulltabs . The SUM mode on the Cortes is somewhat useful but not really needed mostly. Tesoros are easy to learn and fun to use. Dave

 

[digginLa]

Hey, I've had a DeLeon for about 5 yrs now and really enjoyed using it, I've found that by watching the numbers and the graph you will get a pretty good idea of whats under the coil, however there are certain things that will fool ya but thats true of any detector I think. For me nickles usually show up between 35 and 40, pull tabs from high 40's to low 60's depending on which ones it is, zinc pennies high 70's to low 80's, with copper pennies, dimes and quarters showing as 95 (all of these readings are for NE La. so yours may be different). I havent found any good jewerly yet so can't give you any help there. As far as depth using the stock coil I've dug pennies and dimes down to 8-9 inches and the old axe head I found a couple of yrs ago was really deep. I also tend to hunt with the detector super tuned as there's not much in the way of ground mineralization here. You'll just have to watch the numbers and dig everything you find at first till you figure out how to match all the info up for the area you detect. I too just bought a new detector yesterday wanting something that might go a little deeper, after reading all the reviews I decided to go with the Cibola. If I can help out in anyway give me a holler and I'll do what I can. Jimmie

 

[BusDigger]

Thanks for the input Dave! I failed to mention in the process of sifting through all of this years posts here, I did find a couple posts which contained an explanation of the "numbers vs finds", which I promptly jotted down. I'll do the same with yours, and all them will help me in the process of IDing targets in combination with the bar graph. I have trouble getting up & down, so the less energy I can spend digging trash, the more I can dedicate to all them old coins laying out there under the dirt just waiting to be found. It doesn't bother me to dig trash (lol, I mean it's not laziness) since it could just as easily be a nice ring as it could a pull tab, it's the getting vertical to continue swinging that's the hardest. I'd also made some notes about some starting points of disc & threshold settings. I like hunting older sites, most of which are private property, and though it seems there's trash regardless, it's much less than more public areas.

Jimmie, I've read the majority of owners have been pleased with them. I was going to hold-off on buying one until next year (especially after just getting the 350), but just couldn't resist......still a few weeks of hunting weather left, and before I leave for the winter, so it'll see some use. Yeah, though I'm still somewhat relatively new to the hobby, I've got a pretty good grasp on it's ups & downs, and am willing to put some time into researching places to hunt. While I've not made any sort of "valuable" finds, the fun I've had has been great, plus it's good for me to get some exercise, and can't think of much I'd enjoy more.

Good to know about the depth of the stock coil, that's certainly more than my current detectors, and should help since I hunt a lot of farm (crop) grounds. I've found several rings, a couple silver, and one gold (class ring) with the 250, but I'm sure my finds will increase with the De Leon. I'll jot your numbers down as well....it seems the different versions I've read so far have all been pretty close to one-another. Appreciate the advice! Hopefully I'll be posting finds here before long.

Have a hunt planned next week (we're getting rain for a few days), so I'll have a chance to put what I'm learning (as well as reading the users manual) to use. We're going to re-hunt a site we'd hit pretty hard last year. We made some nice finds, and it was obvious the site had never been hunted, but there's likely some left.

I'll add some pics of some of this years finds.....

Smitty

Silver thimble

Silver dimes (all from same site where a clothesline once was)

Clad

I'll dig relics too

 

[bhcarl]

I have been useing the deleon since they came out, cant go wrong with it.

 

[BarberBill]

I've been using a DeLeon for several years now. I've done well with the sensitivity set in the 7 - 8 range, disc. at or just under iron. You'll find that good, solid coin hits will lock on and be repeatable left to right, forward to back. If you get a jumpy indication favoring several denominations with a trash indication mixed in, DIG - quite often it will be a coin spill. I use the 8X9, 7"concentric and the 5.75" coils with good results. Also, put in enough hours that you begin to get a handle on the audio. Even though it's a single tone machine, you will get to recognize subtle differences between solid coin hits versus trash. Using the audio plus the tid will sometimes help in the decision to dig or not. I've dug a few targets that didn't sound quite right for typical trash, nor quite right for typical coins that turned out to be goodies so as always, if in doubt, dig.
BB

 

[BusDigger]

Thanks for the additional. I've been continuing to read (some while lurking other sites) just to get a grasp on things, as well as as much varied opinions and info as possible. I'm also happy to read (or so it would seem) that I may pick-up close to 2" of depth, but again, mostly looking for a better ID combination which is built into the De Leon. While I certainly had no regret in my new purchase, I've continued to read enough to feel even better about making it. I've got 3-4 file cards with notes jotted down (and may have more by mid week) that I'll stick in my pocket for the 1st several hunts.

The more I read the more anxious I am to get my new Tesoro

Smitty

 

[Monte]

Maybe you have better ground than around here, but most Ace 250's and other Garrett models and the DeLe

 

[jabbo]

Monte, I hear the soil in Oregon is really tuff to detect in. Hopefully Smitty's soil is mild like our Jersey soil. The preset ground balance works fine here. Smitty, where are you located, have any problems with your preset detectors.

 

[BusDigger]

Will do on the feedback, but I have the sneaking feeling I'm really going to like it. I'm in central Indiana (about 30 miles NE of Indianapolis). For the most part we don't have bad soil conditions, a hot rock now & then is about the extent of it. Like many before me, I'll probably try a number of brands/models of detectors over the years to come (since I'm still fairly new to it), so I'll be kind of working my way up through the ranks.

Got an email today giving me tracking numbers, and I'll have 'er Wednesday. Downside is I have a hunt planned with a buddy, and I won't have the De Leon in time to take. On the upside, we have an old homestead which included an orchard to hunt Saturday....so you can guess what I'll be swingin' this weekend

Just as well.....getting a new detector I'd be totally unfamiliar with, assembling it in the car on the ride to the site probably wouldn't produce the best results anyway, but I'll be ready come the weekend!

Smitty

 

[Monkeywrangler22]

Smitty, my numbers from my D are very similar to BarberBill's. I'm in DFW and hunt primarily schools & totlots. Nickles are usually 38-42 and solid, dimes,copper pennies, quarters & halves (clad) all 95. Note the depth reading on dimes is usually wrong as they are small and it thinks they are deeper than they really are. Zincolns are 80 +/- 5. Small silver jewelry and odd shaped silver jewelry does not read 95 on my D. It falls in the high nickle area, but sounds really good. The one bit of gold I found rang as a solid nickle and I was very surprised to see yellow metal in the hole!

Hi-ten power lines make my D 'sound' funny. You can really hear the trash voice when you're near a hi-ten line, but it still ID's accurately. Also, laugh if you want, but my D hates my laundry washer and dryer. I was running a couple loads the other day prior to detecting, and turned on teh D to check battery, and the display wigged out! I even took it outside into the driveway and it still was unuseable. But it was fine, once the washer and dryer were off...

 

[Sven]

in Ontario Canada are truly enjoying them, they work well locating Canuck coinage.
Must be the sandy black soil mix here.

 

[BusDigger]

MW- Thanks for the info! I've got my notes to take with me on my 1st hunt with the new detector (which I should have tomorrow evening by the time I return from tomorrows hunt). I'll most likely take my own notes as well in case soil conditions play a factor. I usually like to hunt open fields, or older homes, so power lines generally aren't a problem. Really looking forward to the weekends hunt though, it'll be hard to focus tomorrow......hope Old Yeller don't get jealous

Odd about the washer/dryer thing.

Sven- I have a sneaking suspicion I'll feel the same.

Smitty

 

[CladJunkie]

You know I don't have a ID detector, the DeLeon would be a good pick since I could use my CSC from my Silver Umax

 

[Woodchuck]

Good Luck with the Deleon BusDigger I had gotten one as my first Tesoro. I traded it back in less than a month.Due to high mineral problems and such, it wasn't able to peform here.I had to go with a detector with manual ground balance.In fact I sent it to the factory thinking something was wrong with it, Tesoro gave it a clean bill of health, but recommended I get a detector with manual GB they were honest about it. Best of luck!!.

 

[BusDigger]

Thanks! Outside of an occasional hot rock, ground mineralization isn't a problem/concern here. I did take it into my cousins machine shop this morning, and made use of his large selection of O-rings It did make a nice difference in adding a little additional tension to the knobs. Didn't get around to doing any air testing today, but will have to Friday since my 1st hunt with it will be Saturday

Smitty