Finally decided to buy my first detector. After a lot of reading I decided I want a Tesoro. Now to pick a model. I have a budget of about 400-450. I live in SC and will mostly be looking for relics and coins. Mostly hunting in dry wooded area and a little beach hunting. Any input would be appreciated.
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Advice on picking a 1st machine
- Thread starter Joe6112
- Start date
Joe, you are making a great choice with Tesoro. I too live in SC in the lower part of the state just north of Savannah Ga. I use the Cibola and have never had a problem with the preset ground balance in this area. The ability of this detector to seperate good targets from iron is unreal and the depth is on par with machines costing twice as much. If you live in the coastal plain area the Cibola should work just great. However in the upland areas the Vaquero with it's manual ground balance would probably be a better choice. Good luck with your choice and if I can help in any way just shoot me a PM.
Jerry
Jerry
:Left4Dead
New member
I was in the same boat as you , torn between the cibola and vaquero. I chose the Cibola, and with the ground here in MN its works great. I am a very part time hunter like once a week max. 2 kids a wife and kids sports, this summer I found 11 rings! 4 silver, 1 gold w/ diamonds. So the Cibola works great! The only thing would be if you plan to hunt sea water or highly mineral rich soild the Vaquero would be a must. Like many others have said, its not so much the detector as it is the location. If you don't swing over a ring you have zero change of digging one.
Mike
Mike
froggy38383
New member
I would consider the Vaquero if you can afford it, with the 10 x 12 coil for relic hunting.
I have done better at relic hunting with the Cibola and the standard coil than with any other detector I have ever owned.
I have done better at relic hunting with the Cibola and the standard coil than with any other detector I have ever owned.
terry98802
New member
There are tons to choose from, the best detector in the world doesn't do any good if it's sitting in the closet. Find a friend and test drive a few. I've had several different top of the line makes, models and they all claim to do this & they will do that but at the end of the hunt it's all about how you feel. If I had bought this machine I may have found this or maybe this unit isn't working? My fav. by far is Tesoro, my Toltec II has never let me down. I sent it in for a check-up. Even though I was the 2nd owner, Tesoro repaired my unit free of charge 10 years ago (battery connection) and gave it a clean bill of health. My White's are for back up or if someone who wants to try this rewarding hobbie. (Should be a Olympic Sport) lol. Beware of box store units. You get what you pay for.
Joe6112 said:
Nope, it's super easy to learn. Watch all of '51Silver Vaquero YouTube videos and you should be ready go.
Get a Tesoro Vaquero, you'll be glad that you did. Google 'Tesoro Vaquero Reviews" to see what others think.
Here are just a couple of his videos to get you started. You should watch them all.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L10NQcT7YDo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OPkyY1WVrc&feature=related
tabman
Marcus Detectus
New member
Remember one thing. Whatever detector you chose, take the time to learn with it. The detector is nothing without the brain connected to the arm that holds it. Consider this as the same learning curve similar to any college course you may have taken. Time in the field and study (like the knowledge found on these forums) will bring more success. Some of those posting here have years of detecting under their belts, and all have learned at the "University of Hard Knocks" to get where they are.
It's not to say that you have to have a "PHD" attitude to have fun with it, you don't. But depending on how much you get into it, it's worth the effort to know as much "enjoyably" as you can about your new found hobby. The number one things is still JUST GET OUT THERE AND HAVE FUN!
It's not to say that you have to have a "PHD" attitude to have fun with it, you don't. But depending on how much you get into it, it's worth the effort to know as much "enjoyably" as you can about your new found hobby. The number one things is still JUST GET OUT THERE AND HAVE FUN!
Nope...was easy to learn. Well, setting it up was easy to learn. Takes some time to learn the differences in the tones. It's easy to learn what it can (and can't) do. I have a test garden but it will take a few years before it becomes really effective so in the mean time, pick an area in your yard (or at a public park) and thoroughly clean it out all the metal (probably a 3' square) and lay various coins AND jewelry down and run the coil over it...take notes.
Two, see how they read as you make adjustments to your machine (like running the sensitivity up and down, running the discrimination up and down, lower the thresh hold a bit positive and a bit negative)...raise the coil up to 6" to 10" and do it again. Don't forget to take notes!
Three, now lay down the coins (and borrowed jewelry) and do it again but place a pull tab next to it or on top of it...then try a metal washer or metal nut or nail. What kind of readings do you get? What happens when you turn up the discrimination? Hmmmmmmm! Interesting!!!!!!!!
At first, I'd run the first few times (at a park in an actual hunt) with NO DISC. Then I'd run it in the DISC mode maybe 1 mark above (to the right of) IRON...then 2 lines above IRON. AND DIG EVERTHING...that's how to learn it. If you're lucky, you'll learn what you need to know in only 100 hours.
You made a GREAT choice with the Vaquero! The Cibola is a great machine too but...what if this hobby really takes off for you and (through no fault of your own) you find yourself ADDICTED? Now you want to take your detector with you everywhere and you find that the soil is hot, or mineralized...you'll be glad you picked the Vaquero. It's a powerful (and deep) machine. Just to "cherry pick" you have to turn your sensitivity down a bit and turn your DISC knob all the way to the right for the pre-1982 pennies, dimes, quarters, 50 cent pieces, and silver dollars.
Save that clad too. It all adds up and you'll need FIRST (!) the Garrett Propointer and... your VAQ will buy anything else you need.
Two, see how they read as you make adjustments to your machine (like running the sensitivity up and down, running the discrimination up and down, lower the thresh hold a bit positive and a bit negative)...raise the coil up to 6" to 10" and do it again. Don't forget to take notes!
Three, now lay down the coins (and borrowed jewelry) and do it again but place a pull tab next to it or on top of it...then try a metal washer or metal nut or nail. What kind of readings do you get? What happens when you turn up the discrimination? Hmmmmmmm! Interesting!!!!!!!!
At first, I'd run the first few times (at a park in an actual hunt) with NO DISC. Then I'd run it in the DISC mode maybe 1 mark above (to the right of) IRON...then 2 lines above IRON. AND DIG EVERTHING...that's how to learn it. If you're lucky, you'll learn what you need to know in only 100 hours.
You made a GREAT choice with the Vaquero! The Cibola is a great machine too but...what if this hobby really takes off for you and (through no fault of your own) you find yourself ADDICTED? Now you want to take your detector with you everywhere and you find that the soil is hot, or mineralized...you'll be glad you picked the Vaquero. It's a powerful (and deep) machine. Just to "cherry pick" you have to turn your sensitivity down a bit and turn your DISC knob all the way to the right for the pre-1982 pennies, dimes, quarters, 50 cent pieces, and silver dollars.
Save that clad too. It all adds up and you'll need FIRST (!) the Garrett Propointer and... your VAQ will buy anything else you need.
If all I had to spend was $450.00 or so I would go ahead and get a Vaquero ! The next payday I would go to the store and buy the cheapest set of volume control stereo headphones I could find and any kind of digger to get started. The digger goes in your back pocket, good finds in the right front pocket and trash in your left front pocket. You can get extra stuff as your paychecks allow.