Happy_Hour
New member
If a 5 inch coil was attached to any of the Tesoro's models, past or present, it would be like having a Compadre with added features...True or False...
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Compadre
- Thread starter Happy_Hour
- Start date
Stoof-tabsallday
Well-known member
I'm far from a compadre expert, but here's my understanding. Correct me if I'm wrong...
The compadre has ed-180 descrimination which isn't available on models near this price range. Also it's factory tuned to pair perfectly with whichever coil model it is (either 5.75 or
. Some people mod them for sensitivity and other things, but many will tell you it's tuned correctly from the factory to do what it does best... turn on, beep, and find stuff. With a proper ear and time, you can pick out the subtleties in the tone and how it "strikes" or lack thereof.
I'm still learning my 8", but already know what some bad targets are.
It's a great, fun machine especially for the price!!!
The compadre has ed-180 descrimination which isn't available on models near this price range. Also it's factory tuned to pair perfectly with whichever coil model it is (either 5.75 or
. Some people mod them for sensitivity and other things, but many will tell you it's tuned correctly from the factory to do what it does best... turn on, beep, and find stuff. With a proper ear and time, you can pick out the subtleties in the tone and how it "strikes" or lack thereof. I'm still learning my 8", but already know what some bad targets are.
It's a great, fun machine especially for the price!!!
REVIER
Well-known member
The Compadre is a throwback machine to earlier times.
True 180 ED in disc, does not have the high gain aspects of most modern detectors.
It is unlike anything else in the Tesoro line for the most part, the only other model in their line up right now with that 180 ED is the Tejon but they are still different beasts to a certain extent.
The ultra light weight, perfect balance and amazing abilities of this thing makes it different and ultra special in my eyes.
Adding small coils to other Tesoro models does not a Compadre make.
True 180 ED in disc, does not have the high gain aspects of most modern detectors.
It is unlike anything else in the Tesoro line for the most part, the only other model in their line up right now with that 180 ED is the Tejon but they are still different beasts to a certain extent.
The ultra light weight, perfect balance and amazing abilities of this thing makes it different and ultra special in my eyes.
Adding small coils to other Tesoro models does not a Compadre make.
The 12khz makes it hotter on gold than the the rest of the 10khz tesoros, and less sensitive to iron than the Tejon which I think runs at 17-18 kHz.
I can't remember using another Tesoro that does the double beep on coins next to iron as well as the compadre. The silver umax does it a bit, but it isn't nearly as sensitive to gold.
The vaquero is deeper, but it lacks all the quirky audio characteristics that the compadre has.
The Cortes is also deep with OK ID display and fairly hot on jewelry, but I have to keep the coil a foot or more away from steel play structures / swing seats or else I get an overload.
Now, my old golden sabre ll I used to have was everything a compadre should be.... But it was only half as deep as a compadre.
The compadre is special. Having said that, after my first year detecting, I've never been able to get myself to dig every target that beeps above iron/foil again. It's just starts to feel like too much work and takes the fun out of the hobby for me.
I can't remember using another Tesoro that does the double beep on coins next to iron as well as the compadre. The silver umax does it a bit, but it isn't nearly as sensitive to gold.
The vaquero is deeper, but it lacks all the quirky audio characteristics that the compadre has.
The Cortes is also deep with OK ID display and fairly hot on jewelry, but I have to keep the coil a foot or more away from steel play structures / swing seats or else I get an overload.
Now, my old golden sabre ll I used to have was everything a compadre should be.... But it was only half as deep as a compadre.
The compadre is special. Having said that, after my first year detecting, I've never been able to get myself to dig every target that beeps above iron/foil again. It's just starts to feel like too much work and takes the fun out of the hobby for me.
First... Tesoro doesn't make a 5" coil. They do offer what they call a 5.75, but that coil measures 6" across the center-width and that's what I call it. It's my personal favorite coil size for the trashy sites I hunt and I have a 6" Concentric coil mounted on each of my three favorite Tesoro models.Happy_Hour said:
Second... They don't make a 6" coil to fit ALL of the models in their line-up, past or present.
Third... If all the other Tesoro models "would be like having a Compadre," then that would mean all the other models would have the Compadre limitations that make it the low-end, low-dollar model it is. Instead, most of the other Tesoro models DO have "added features" and some of those definitely make them a better or more versatile detector than the Compadre. Added performance or functional "added features" such as:
• Interchangeable search coils.
• Additional search modes/functions, such as a Threshold-based All Metal mode or All Metal Pinpoint feature.
• Some models have a good Notch Discrimination circuitry like the former Royal Sabre, or the Pantera and the latter turn-on-and-go version, the Golden Sabre II.
• Some models had Tone ID, such as the two-tone models mentioned above, or the Euro Sabre that had the Iron Audio and Non-Iron Audio response.
• There were models with a more limited lower-end Discrimination adjustment like the Inca, first two Silver Sabre's, Royal Sabre, Golden Sabre and Golden Saber Plus, and almost all the models before the original Bandido brought us the expanded ED-120 Discrimination in March of 1990, twenty-six years ago, and then we got the first fully versatile land model with ED-180 Disc. range, the Eldorado in '01. Yes, the Compadre came out in mid-'00 w/ED-180, but the Stingray's and original Lobo had that feature first.
• Most models had an external Sensitivity control, and many had a variable Threshold control as well as an external manual Ground Balance.
• The Compadre's preset Sensitivity and preset Ground Balance, for the supplied 'fixed' search coil, meant that it might not be quite at the peak of performance under more challenging ground mineral environments.
I guess the better way to answer your suggestion is this:
The Compadre is an 'OK' entry-level detector, with added versatility over many competitive models due to the ED-180 Discriminate adjustment range, however it does copme with some limitations.
It lacks search coil interchangeability.
It lacks necessary adjustment functions to gain peak performance in most challenging environments, such as an All Metal mode and an external Ground Balance control to adjust to different search coils and/or adjust to varying ground mineral conditions.
It lacks a Threshold-based Pinpoint function.
The Compadre is what it is ... a reasonably versatile, but limited, 'entry level' detector that can work 'OK' for more average hobbyists.
Monte
REVIER
Well-known member
Hey Monte...much respect coming from here.
You are a legend in this hobby, your knowledge and experience is also legendary and to paraphrase the words my mother used to mention to me often growing up...
"What you forgot I will never know."
However in this case I think you are looking at this wrong.
You hunt some very tricky sites out west, areas where capabilities of detectors and coils really count and where experience using those coils probably count even more.
I am sure you have spent more hours in regular soil and normal park sites than I probably ever will, also.
However...I am not sure why you would ever want to compare or think of this detector in terms of what what seems like some pretty rigid and tight range of approved features and bench marks.
Your list is logical and definitely true about what it lacks, but in my mind this is kind of looking at it as a half empty thing.
I don't think anybody in their right mind would think of this and the be all and end all shock and awe tool that will tackle every situation on the planet.
It was never designed to be or marketed or positioned for that position in the vast hierarchy of all the Tesoro detectors that came before it, came after it or will ever come out in the future.
It seems to me the Amigo that came before it and the current generations of Compadres that came after, were positioned to be only one thing...a cheap entry level unit that does make a decent, (but not perfect), and as you said "OK" metal detector for many that are entering the hobby to attempt to get loyal users into what we call in sales the "itch cycle"...something to start with but more intended as a stepping stone in the future to more advanced, more expensive and more lucrative models as hobbyists progress in this great hobby we all enjoy so much.
It fills that need just fine in my opinion but like many simple inventions in the past I believe it surpassed that mark and became more than just the sum of its circuits, diodes, potentiometers, wires and parts for those of us that has seen some special abilities it seemed to possess.
I have read several statements from Tesoro reps over the years that have said as much and they begrudgingly admitted that they probably, accidentally made the thing too good...I am pretty sure over the years it has probably cut into the sales of upper end models which is the opposite of what was actually planned.
In my experience it does a few things better than I have seen on any detectors I have ever swung or heard of reading thousands of posts on many forums over the years.
As far as I can tell there is nothing out there that can find targets in the vicinity of, near, next to or even leaning on big metal like tot lot iron, fence poles and bench legs...nothing.
It does it so easily and effortlessly too.
Not only have I listened for that double beep and found great targets in tot lots totally scoured by others next to that big iron, I once found a coin in the chips below a huge, wide, thick metal step only a few inches off the surface...a feat that to this day still boggles my mind.
I have found coins and extremely tiny rings and other pieces of jewelry in total trash pits in my public parks, gold and silver jewelry, so close to trash that I could not believe the solid report I heard.
Talking chains, mine has found me more overall than all my other tools and I am referring to any size chain down to the extreme tiny and thin varieties that are usually invisible to most other detectors.
Would I recommend this one as the main hunting tool for every site possible and for anyone forever...heck no.
Would I recommend this as a specialty tool that absolutely every hunter should have in their possession even if only used sparingly and under certain tricky situations...absolutely yes and I have done this exact thing for many years.
I also need to mention the absolute joy and fun I have using it in my oh so trashy park sites I spend my time in, something about that 180ED and what seems to me the more than excellent discrimination abilities that I utilize when using my thumbing technique when hunting.
I have a Vaquero and other units with screens too but there is an extra dimension of fun that is hard to explain in this thing...the fact that mine has paid for itself almost 10 times over is actually secondary to that fun thing.
So to sum up this is not going to be best at everything, ever, but the best at a few things, definitely.
There is no amature or pro golfer out there that would ever get mad at or knock a putting tool because it would be absolutely no good at driving off of tees, getting out of roughs or blasting out of sand traps...that would be ridiculous and short sighted.
But ask any one of them that play that sport if they do it without a putter in their bag and I would hazard a guess you would not find one.
Monte, for your uses the Compadre would not be a tool that would probably get much use at all if ever, but for me and many other hunters because of the way we hunt and the places we hunt this is more than just a tool we use, it is something way more.
There is a reason there is a whole church built up around this thing and those of us that are true believers sometimes find it hard to explain our exact feelings about it to non believers but that has always been the way of the world and in life.
You are a legend in this hobby, your knowledge and experience is also legendary and to paraphrase the words my mother used to mention to me often growing up...
"What you forgot I will never know."
However in this case I think you are looking at this wrong.
You hunt some very tricky sites out west, areas where capabilities of detectors and coils really count and where experience using those coils probably count even more.
I am sure you have spent more hours in regular soil and normal park sites than I probably ever will, also.
However...I am not sure why you would ever want to compare or think of this detector in terms of what what seems like some pretty rigid and tight range of approved features and bench marks.
Your list is logical and definitely true about what it lacks, but in my mind this is kind of looking at it as a half empty thing.
I don't think anybody in their right mind would think of this and the be all and end all shock and awe tool that will tackle every situation on the planet.
It was never designed to be or marketed or positioned for that position in the vast hierarchy of all the Tesoro detectors that came before it, came after it or will ever come out in the future.
It seems to me the Amigo that came before it and the current generations of Compadres that came after, were positioned to be only one thing...a cheap entry level unit that does make a decent, (but not perfect), and as you said "OK" metal detector for many that are entering the hobby to attempt to get loyal users into what we call in sales the "itch cycle"...something to start with but more intended as a stepping stone in the future to more advanced, more expensive and more lucrative models as hobbyists progress in this great hobby we all enjoy so much.
It fills that need just fine in my opinion but like many simple inventions in the past I believe it surpassed that mark and became more than just the sum of its circuits, diodes, potentiometers, wires and parts for those of us that has seen some special abilities it seemed to possess.
I have read several statements from Tesoro reps over the years that have said as much and they begrudgingly admitted that they probably, accidentally made the thing too good...I am pretty sure over the years it has probably cut into the sales of upper end models which is the opposite of what was actually planned.
In my experience it does a few things better than I have seen on any detectors I have ever swung or heard of reading thousands of posts on many forums over the years.
As far as I can tell there is nothing out there that can find targets in the vicinity of, near, next to or even leaning on big metal like tot lot iron, fence poles and bench legs...nothing.
It does it so easily and effortlessly too.
Not only have I listened for that double beep and found great targets in tot lots totally scoured by others next to that big iron, I once found a coin in the chips below a huge, wide, thick metal step only a few inches off the surface...a feat that to this day still boggles my mind.
I have found coins and extremely tiny rings and other pieces of jewelry in total trash pits in my public parks, gold and silver jewelry, so close to trash that I could not believe the solid report I heard.
Talking chains, mine has found me more overall than all my other tools and I am referring to any size chain down to the extreme tiny and thin varieties that are usually invisible to most other detectors.
Would I recommend this one as the main hunting tool for every site possible and for anyone forever...heck no.
Would I recommend this as a specialty tool that absolutely every hunter should have in their possession even if only used sparingly and under certain tricky situations...absolutely yes and I have done this exact thing for many years.
I also need to mention the absolute joy and fun I have using it in my oh so trashy park sites I spend my time in, something about that 180ED and what seems to me the more than excellent discrimination abilities that I utilize when using my thumbing technique when hunting.
I have a Vaquero and other units with screens too but there is an extra dimension of fun that is hard to explain in this thing...the fact that mine has paid for itself almost 10 times over is actually secondary to that fun thing.
So to sum up this is not going to be best at everything, ever, but the best at a few things, definitely.
There is no amature or pro golfer out there that would ever get mad at or knock a putting tool because it would be absolutely no good at driving off of tees, getting out of roughs or blasting out of sand traps...that would be ridiculous and short sighted.
But ask any one of them that play that sport if they do it without a putter in their bag and I would hazard a guess you would not find one.
Monte, for your uses the Compadre would not be a tool that would probably get much use at all if ever, but for me and many other hunters because of the way we hunt and the places we hunt this is more than just a tool we use, it is something way more.
There is a reason there is a whole church built up around this thing and those of us that are true believers sometimes find it hard to explain our exact feelings about it to non believers but that has always been the way of the world and in life.
Happy_Hour
New member
REVIER, 
.....Well stated opinion without the bashing...
.....Well stated opinion without the bashing...
REVIER
Well-known member
Happy_Hour said:REVIER,
No reason to bash...different strokes for different folks and all hunters visit sites where conditions vary widely.
If there was one perfect detector for every situation this would be a very boring hobby I would think with way less choices of tools to enjoy and learn...even if that fantasy detector produced on every hunt every time.
Monte is one of the Yoda's in our little world, I know that full well, but I started the Church of the Compadre so a little preaching is in my blood, I guess.
Happy_Hour
New member
..........................................................REVIER AND HIS FLOCK OF COMPADRE USERSREVIER said:Happy_Hour said:REVIER,
No reason to bash...different strokes for different folks and all hunters visit sites where conditions vary widely.
If there was one perfect detector for every situation this would be a very boring hobby I would think with way less choices of tools to enjoy and learn...even if that fantasy detector produced on every hunt every time.
Monte is one of the Yoda's in our little world, I know that full well, but I started the Church of the Compadre so a little preaching is in my blood, I guess.
REVIER
Well-known member
What you can't see is slingshot practicing in the bathroom because he is a loud and vocal member of our choir.
It never helps, he is always way off key and horrible but we love him anyway.
Most of us vow to never discuss the almost unbelievable abilities this thing possesses, after all there is a lot but probably still a finite amount of treasure to be found out there.
The more that use and understand this little thing the less there will be to find.
Still, I break this rule often...can't help myself evidently.
It never helps, he is always way off key and horrible but we love him anyway.
Most of us vow to never discuss the almost unbelievable abilities this thing possesses, after all there is a lot but probably still a finite amount of treasure to be found out there.
The more that use and understand this little thing the less there will be to find.
Still, I break this rule often...can't help myself evidently.
Just a quick comment as I will be tackling a few more posts before I head out the door in about an hour for one of the iron-littered and challenging ghost towns I like to hunt.slingshot said:I'll have to add that Monte sits on the back row of our Church! We still appreciate him coming,, though.
I keep a Royal sabre on hand so he doesn't feel alone.
Along with me today are my "regular travel" models that stay on the back seat and floor of my pick-up, ready to do service ... and that means ready for a variety of sites. This is an old farming/ranching area ghost town. Tomorrow will be an 1870's gild mining town site, and next week we'll hit some more places but likely take a break and work a POW or CCC camp.
So today, a Makro Racer 2, Makro Gold Racer, Nokta FORS Gold + and FORS Relic are ready, each with a coil mounted that I prefer when I grab them ... and my always travelling Tesoro Bandido II w/6" Concentric and I might just take my "turn-on-and-go" Silver Sabre [size=small]micro[/size]MAX for a few of the sparser-target areas back towards the old school and site of the old church.
At times I do enjoy 'simpler' models, and yes, I have owned quite a few Compadres and Amigo II's before as well. Two problems with them that I found were:
1.. They didn't allow me to change coils, if I needed/wanted, and lacked some of the control functions I like to have.
2.. I have often acquired many of my Tesoro's, since I was a dealer, as used units. I have seen too many Compadres arrive that have been in the hands of 'tinkerers' and the internal trim pots were quite messed up. It bothered me, but bothered me even more that many folks who hear about a Compadre and acquire a used one also end up with a detector others parted with because they messed up the performance and got rid of it. Then it works terrible for the new owner, if it works at all, and I have met many people who have been turned off to Tesoro products all on account of a bad Compadre experience.
Now, if they would have acquired a really nice condition older unit, they might have enjoyed better success and a nicer operating detector. Those like an older Silver Sabre II, an original Bandido, or an earlier unit like the Inca or one of my favorites back in '86 and '87, the Royal Sabre like you own. It was one of the few Tesoro models I ever enjoyed using the thinner-profile white 8" stock coil on when I worked a lot of park and school and other grassy sites Coin Hunting .... when there used to be a lot of coins to find, many of them still older dated specimens. I'm still looking for one of the early white 8" coils that is in decent condition.
And yes, you are correct. I enjoy going to Church each Sunday and, coincidently, I usually DO sit on the back row or close to it. Just in case the talks seem to drone on and get me sleepy I can step outside and breath some fresh air ... then not to disturb anyone, I just slip off to home, change my clothes and get in a bit of detecting time. Doing my part to convert some of those dirty, sinful condition looking lost souls into better-looking condition and invite them to 'gather' with my 'congregation' of other recovered lost ones where I take them in at my 'shelter.' I try to serve the 'older' lost ones, of course, so I am off on a mission shortly. My three favorite Tesoro's in my active 'flock' to help find all I can that have been scattered out and many people today have lost sight of them and wouldn't even recognize their old-looking appearance.
Monte
Speaking of which,Monte- I have noticed, with the exception of the penny, mine has a sometimes weaker-than-seems normal response on freshly dropped quarters. And yes I finagled (Texan) with my g/b. Would a viable option to double check the g/b be to find a weak coin signal in tougher mineralized sites and see if rotating the trimmer gives an improvement? I can get the rise in signal on the positive side, but nothing on the negative side. Thanks.Monte said:Just a quick comment as I will be tackling a few more posts before I head out the door in about an hour for one of the iron-littered and challenging ghost towns I like to hunt.slingshot said:I'll have to add that Monte sits on the back row of our Church! We still appreciate him coming,, though.
I keep a Royal sabre on hand so he doesn't feel alone.
Along with me today are my "regular travel" models that stay on the back seat and floor of my pick-up, ready to do service ... and that means ready for a variety of sites. This is an old farming/ranching area ghost town. Tomorrow will be an 1870's gild mining town site, and next week we'll hit some more places but likely take a break and work a POW or CCC camp.
So today, a Makro Racer 2, Makro Gold Racer, Nokta FORS Gold + and FORS Relic are ready, each with a coil mounted that I prefer when I grab them ... and my always travelling Tesoro Bandido II w/6" Concentric and I might just take my "turn-on-and-go" Silver Sabre [size=small]micro[/size]MAX for a few of the sparser-target areas back towards the old school and site of the old church.
At times I do enjoy 'simpler' models, and yes, I have owned quite a few Compadres and Amigo II's before as well. Two problems with them that I found were:
1.. They didn't allow me to change coils, if I needed/wanted, and lacked some of the control functions I like to have.
2.. I have often acquired many of my Tesoro's, since I was a dealer, as used units. I have seen too many Compadres arrive that have been in the hands of 'tinkerers' and the internal trim pots were quite messed up. It bothered me, but bothered me even more that many folks who hear about a Compadre and acquire a used one also end up with a detector others parted with because they messed up the performance and got rid of it. Then it works terrible for the new owner, if it works at all, and I have met many people who have been turned off to Tesoro products all on account of a bad Compadre experience.
Now, if they would have acquired a really nice condition older unit, they might have enjoyed better success and a nicer operating detector. Those like an older Silver Sabre II, an original Bandido, or an earlier unit like the Inca or one of my favorites back in '86 and '87, the Royal Sabre like you own. It was one of the few Tesoro models I ever enjoyed using the thinner-profile white 8" stock coil on when I worked a lot of park and school and other grassy sites Coin Hunting .... when there used to be a lot of coins to find, many of them still older dated specimens. I'm still looking for one of the early white 8" coils that is in decent condition.
And yes, you are correct. I enjoy going to Church each Sunday and, coincidently, I usually DO sit on the back row or close to it. Just in case the talks seem to drone on and get me sleepy I can step outside and breath some fresh air ... then not to disturb anyone, I just slip off to home, change my clothes and get in a bit of detecting time. Doing my part to convert some of those dirty, sinful condition looking lost souls into better-looking condition and invite them to 'gather' with my 'congregation' of other recovered lost ones where I take them in at my 'shelter.' I try to serve the 'older' lost ones, of course, so I am off on a mission shortly. My three favorite Tesoro's in my active 'flock' to help find all I can that have been scattered out and many people today have lost sight of them and wouldn't even recognize their old-looking appearance.
Monte
Love this Tesoro forum, there is always so much to read, I love hearing people's experiences and thoughts on machines. I have had both the 5 3/4 and 8" compadre. I have used it relic hunting around trasy iron infested cellar holes and city parks that date from the 1800's here in new England mild soil in the north east. After owning way too many metal detectors I think the compadre is something special.. I have found many great finds from the 1700 to 1800 with the little beast. now some were deep 7" plus with using headphones and a trained ear. And I did crank up the sensitivity trim Pot to get every inch of depth I could in my mild soil. And I noticed the disc trim pot was a little off so I adjusted to my liking. At its price point it's my favorite machine. There are many other metal detectors I absolutely love too ! I currently don't have a compadre but I really want to find a 7" coil model. Even though most of my finds around colonial sites are "5 to 10" I know the compadre can squeak out nice Relics in the rust up to about 7". And will save the deeper items for another detector.
Have a great weekend everyone.....I know iam as there is not bugs and heat to deal with yet !
Have a great weekend everyone.....I know iam as there is not bugs and heat to deal with yet !
I have 2 x 7" coil modals , just bragging really and they are like new I only use them on special occasions like when a new king gets coronated etc.. 
I really do not know how I happened to find the concentric one new in the box shame to use type new, and I still wonder if I did a bad bad thing drilling out the coil to fit a plastic nut/bolt but I cant take it back so I have to be happy with it right
thinking a mount on the trophy wall ( which I don't have) might be a great place for it to live
I don't often get nostalgic but reading this thread has me all Tesoro eyed welling up with pride , ok ok stop the cheesy music and queue the dancing girls its party time
here at Tesoro tell time.
ok I am done had my fun and now off to do something constructive like wash the cat.
AJ
I really do not know how I happened to find the concentric one new in the box shame to use type new, and I still wonder if I did a bad bad thing drilling out the coil to fit a plastic nut/bolt but I cant take it back so I have to be happy with it right
thinking a mount on the trophy wall ( which I don't have) might be a great place for it to live
I don't often get nostalgic but reading this thread has me all Tesoro eyed welling up with pride , ok ok stop the cheesy music and queue the dancing girls its party time
here at Tesoro tell time.ok I am done had my fun and now off to do something constructive like wash the cat.
AJ