Bandito/Bandito 2

[D&P-OR]

What are the difference(s) between the original Bandito and the Bandito 2 (as far as features and performance)?-----Is one better than the other in mineralized ground--and--working in iron? (mainly nails)

 

[Woodchuck]

One is the regular Bandito had Grnd Balance knob, Mode switch, disc knob and sens . knob 3 knobs. Bandito II had Grnd . balance knob, Mode switch, Threshold knob, Sens. knob and Disc Knob it had 4 knob controls. Another word Bandito II had a external threshold control

 

[Walknstik]

I got lucky a few years back and found a "closet queen" original Tesoro Bandido which I still use at times today. My original Bandido has the 10-turn manual ground balance adjustment, external threshold adjustment on back of housing, on/off sensitivity and discriminate level control. The original Bandido also has the Discrim/All Metal/Retune toggle switch to switch between modes and the all-metal mode has the normal slower retune speed. The original Bandido II is basically set up the same as the original Bandido(as far as external controls) but it also gave the user the option of a normal all-metal retune plus a fast auto retune which the original Bandido did not have. Both Bandido's had the ED-120 discriminate circuitry and both used 2-9 volt batteries for power. I think either one can handle working around nails...just my opinion. Hope this helps and HH!

 

[D&P-OR]

Thank you gentlemen, appreciate your responses.----I just purchased an original Bandito--seems to be a very nice machine.-----Now to get some 'swing time" in with it!

 

[Monte]

Thank you gentlemen, appreciate your responses.----I just purchased an original Bandito--seems to be a very nice machine.-----Now to get some 'swing time" in with it!

Del, 'Congratulations' on getting Tesoro's first model to introduce the ED-120 Disc. circuitry.

Have you headed south for the season yet where you might have some huntable weather?

Both of these models shared the same rod and control housing package. The 'original' Bandido came with a white-colored 8" 'donut' type Concentric coil, and the Bandido II came with the newer brown 'donut' coil.

Both models have the dinky Threshold tuner control knob protruding through a hole on the back of the control housing, and on the front there is a 10-Turn manual Ground Balance control, variable Sensitivity control and variable Discrimination Level control.

The notable difference is that the 'original' Bandido has one toggle to select Retune/All Metal/Discrimination mode functions. In the 'All Metal' mode, the 'original' Bandido has a slower, somewhat comfortable or functional retune speed, plus the toggle-selected manual Threshold-retune option.

The Bandido II has the one added toggle to select 'Auto-Tune' or 'Normal' which simply means you manually Retune the Threshold when in the 'Normal' setting. The 'Auto' setting is a rather fast Auto-Tune, but when in the 'Normal' setting there is NO 'Auto-Tune.' Instead, if in the 'Normal' setting the operator needs to restore the Threshold when desired with the 'Retune' toggle function.

Both models operate at 10 kHz and the primary power source is two 9-V batteries. However, one of the nice 'emergency needs' of the Bandido, Silver Sabre II and Bandido II is that in a pinch, you can get by with only one 9-V battery. If it is a fresh, full-change battery you will get just about normal in-the-field performance, but the overall run-time will be less than when using two 9-V batteries.

One plus for the first two Bandido's and Silver Sabre II in a similar housing and performance is that they can operate a little quieter in a dense iron littered site than the latter [size=small]micro[/size]MAX versions which have the Low-Noise/High-Gain circuitry. I run 6" Concentric coils on mine and they are deadly in almost any search application. Best of success with yours.

Monte

 

[D&P-OR]

Hello Monte----Thanks for your response.-----This original Bandito I just purchased has the brown donut coil on it.---The coil must have been replaced from the original white one then.----I thought I remembered you or Randy saying that the first two Banditos worked iron a little quieter.----I may try to acquire the 5.75 concentric for it also.---------Del