Hi Everyone, First of all happy 4th to everyone. I asked for some head to head comparisons Tejon vs. Cortes and I guess there is none and the Tejon wins. But I still want to hear from some members who own a Cortes or have owned a Cortes in the past and what they really think about them. The Pro and Cons from really owners, maybe some of their finds and the depths or anything that can help me know more about them. I know that both the Cortes and Tejon are the real higher end flagships of Tesoro so help feed my need for information. Again have a Happy and Safe 4th and Happy Trails to All, Woodstock
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Cortes owners, tell me more.
- Thread starter Woodstock
- Start date
LilloEsquilo
New member
I can't tell you anything about the Tejon as I have never owned or used one.
I do have a Cortes, and I will tell you what I can about that. It's a recent purchase, as I'd always been a Minelab/Whites/Fisher owner in the past. I must say first I love the lifetime warranty on it. Hard not to like that.
In terms of the detector itself, it gets good life on batteries. I use rechargables to save money and the environment. It's lightweight and well balanced. It's a deep machine I would say, and the controls require no complicated setup if you don't care for menus and programming your detector. The controls offer a LOT of options as well.
What would I like to see changed? Well copper and silver all reads 95, so despite being a TID machine, you have no way to know if you're potentially looking at an older memorial, or a wheatie, vs a silver dime. (Some machines can tell you this, though nothing is 100%). So maybe a little more range on the upper end of the scale would be nice. Also tone ID is limited to "sum mode" on this machine which requires you to hold one of the switches. A full time tone mode option would be great. Last but not least, and this is pure pie in the sky wish list stuff, would be the option to change the frequency slightly. Most detectors don't have this, so not the end of the world but it would be nice.
That's really about it. It has a lot of coil options, it's pretty user friendly and easy to get going with (some have a huge learning curve, this one does not, it does have a slight curve but if you've detected before it won't be hard at all). I like it. Now that Detech has their SEF coils available for it, that should make it that much better.
I do have a Cortes, and I will tell you what I can about that. It's a recent purchase, as I'd always been a Minelab/Whites/Fisher owner in the past. I must say first I love the lifetime warranty on it. Hard not to like that.
In terms of the detector itself, it gets good life on batteries. I use rechargables to save money and the environment. It's lightweight and well balanced. It's a deep machine I would say, and the controls require no complicated setup if you don't care for menus and programming your detector. The controls offer a LOT of options as well.
What would I like to see changed? Well copper and silver all reads 95, so despite being a TID machine, you have no way to know if you're potentially looking at an older memorial, or a wheatie, vs a silver dime. (Some machines can tell you this, though nothing is 100%). So maybe a little more range on the upper end of the scale would be nice. Also tone ID is limited to "sum mode" on this machine which requires you to hold one of the switches. A full time tone mode option would be great. Last but not least, and this is pure pie in the sky wish list stuff, would be the option to change the frequency slightly. Most detectors don't have this, so not the end of the world but it would be nice.
That's really about it. It has a lot of coil options, it's pretty user friendly and easy to get going with (some have a huge learning curve, this one does not, it does have a slight curve but if you've detected before it won't be hard at all). I like it. Now that Detech has their SEF coils available for it, that should make it that much better.
Thanks LilloEsquilo~ Seems that you like the Cortes . About the sum mode it seems to be a hassle hold down the switch, maybe they should had put a flip on flip off or a trigger switch. The idea that I don't know what I'm digging, except for the fact that it's might be a coin is the way I like it to be. I really don't like to spoil surprises and just knowing it might not be better than junk is the rush it need to keep swinging on.
About my Tejon, I love most everything about it but I also like some of the stuff the Cortes can do too. It seems both would be perfect if they had full time tone modes. The Tejon has none and that's fine but I'd love it even more if it did.
In the end if I can find a machine that has a simpler display ,light,with tone ID and depth that's equal (or close) to my Tejon I settle with that no matter what the brand. But I'd like to stay in Tesoro country so the Cortes is looking good.
Come on all you other members, I need more Cortes opinions so keep them coming in! Happy Trails and Hunting to All, Woodstock
About my Tejon, I love most everything about it but I also like some of the stuff the Cortes can do too. It seems both would be perfect if they had full time tone modes. The Tejon has none and that's fine but I'd love it even more if it did.
In the end if I can find a machine that has a simpler display ,light,with tone ID and depth that's equal (or close) to my Tejon I settle with that no matter what the brand. But I'd like to stay in Tesoro country so the Cortes is looking good.
Come on all you other members, I need more Cortes opinions so keep them coming in! Happy Trails and Hunting to All, Woodstock
LilloEsquilo
New member
I do like the Cortes. Other machines I have owned and used include Minelab Etrac, Explorer II and Explorer SE, Sovereign Elite and Musketeer Advantage, Fisher F75, Coinstrike and ID Excel, Teknetics T2, White's Eagle II and XLT, and a couple of Bounty Hunters, though that's a secret I wouldn't want the neighbors to know!
So I have some basis for comparisons though with the other manufacturer's machines and not with Tesoro as this is my first. All of the machines I've tried had their good and not so good points, and the Cortes is no exception, though with the Cortes they are mostly quibbles and nice to haves rather than serious drawbacks. Frankly it's kind of nice that all your controls are knobs you can adjust instead of cycling through some menuing system. I'm not intimidated by menuing systems, and I'm fine with using them say in Word, however I don't want my detector like that. I don't care to have to go 3 levels deep to do a common thing like rebalance the ground on the machine, I'm sorry that's a poor design and a waste of my time in the field. Tesoro got a lot right when they designed this.
I've been told it's "old technology", well just about ALL detecting technology is old to be honest, show me what's TRULY new these days? It's just more lipstick on the pig, so to speak, and different colors. They are all VLF machines like we've had since the early 80s, with the exception of a few multi-frequency machines which we've had since the late 90s. I have yet to see a production PI machine that's available and practical so if it exists please correct me. Seriously it's all a bit of a new take on the same old stuff, because the same old stuff works, and because we can't vastly improve it and keep it affordable at the present time. Even the F75 which is touted as being tecnologically advanced, it's still VLF technology with a really fast microprocessor which gives it that great speed. Very good detector, and well done job there, but is it some new alien technology we got because they can abduct some of us? Nope, just a good design using newer faster parts, built pretty much the same way everyone else is doing it. (Please note I'm not trying to detract anything here, I'm just saying there really isn't a whole lot of truly new technology in this field now). So I don't see this as a valid argument, hey there are guys who are still using BFO detectors out there (I pity them, but....) and finding stuff, they know that machine inside and out (and they should after 40 years of using it) and this lets them make decent finds with a machine most of us would want to wrap around the nearest tree.
Some also claim it's overpriced, well honestly the market determines what is overpriced an what isn't. If Tesoro is charging too much, hey there's a LOT of competition out there. The fact they are priced as they are, pretty much proves that it's priced as it should be priced. The F75 is a grand, White's Vision is 1200 and Etrac is 1500 and not a one of those have the lifetime warranty though for those prices, maybe they should?
Sorry if this is long winded as a reply, I know some bash the Cortes but I've tried it's competitors, and I think it's a fine machine, I think they are ALL fine machines in their own way, this one just happens to be my personal choice of machine. I'm replying to the arguments I've heard against the Cortes, and they are just really personal opinion arguments rather than facts just as these are my own personal opinions though I am backing them with facts where I can here.
So I have some basis for comparisons though with the other manufacturer's machines and not with Tesoro as this is my first. All of the machines I've tried had their good and not so good points, and the Cortes is no exception, though with the Cortes they are mostly quibbles and nice to haves rather than serious drawbacks. Frankly it's kind of nice that all your controls are knobs you can adjust instead of cycling through some menuing system. I'm not intimidated by menuing systems, and I'm fine with using them say in Word, however I don't want my detector like that. I don't care to have to go 3 levels deep to do a common thing like rebalance the ground on the machine, I'm sorry that's a poor design and a waste of my time in the field. Tesoro got a lot right when they designed this.
I've been told it's "old technology", well just about ALL detecting technology is old to be honest, show me what's TRULY new these days? It's just more lipstick on the pig, so to speak, and different colors. They are all VLF machines like we've had since the early 80s, with the exception of a few multi-frequency machines which we've had since the late 90s. I have yet to see a production PI machine that's available and practical so if it exists please correct me. Seriously it's all a bit of a new take on the same old stuff, because the same old stuff works, and because we can't vastly improve it and keep it affordable at the present time. Even the F75 which is touted as being tecnologically advanced, it's still VLF technology with a really fast microprocessor which gives it that great speed. Very good detector, and well done job there, but is it some new alien technology we got because they can abduct some of us? Nope, just a good design using newer faster parts, built pretty much the same way everyone else is doing it. (Please note I'm not trying to detract anything here, I'm just saying there really isn't a whole lot of truly new technology in this field now). So I don't see this as a valid argument, hey there are guys who are still using BFO detectors out there (I pity them, but....) and finding stuff, they know that machine inside and out (and they should after 40 years of using it) and this lets them make decent finds with a machine most of us would want to wrap around the nearest tree.
Some also claim it's overpriced, well honestly the market determines what is overpriced an what isn't. If Tesoro is charging too much, hey there's a LOT of competition out there. The fact they are priced as they are, pretty much proves that it's priced as it should be priced. The F75 is a grand, White's Vision is 1200 and Etrac is 1500 and not a one of those have the lifetime warranty though for those prices, maybe they should?
Sorry if this is long winded as a reply, I know some bash the Cortes but I've tried it's competitors, and I think it's a fine machine, I think they are ALL fine machines in their own way, this one just happens to be my personal choice of machine. I'm replying to the arguments I've heard against the Cortes, and they are just really personal opinion arguments rather than facts just as these are my own personal opinions though I am backing them with facts where I can here.
I have owned a Cortes for years now and have detected with or along side of many other detectors. In terms of absolute depth the Tejon is better, but not by as much as some would have you believe. (I haven't tried the SEF coil that is available now, it may gain some extra depth) In reality I do not really want to dig much deeper than i usually do with the Cortes. (up to 8-10 inches on coins). I have won a detecting contest against many other brands and models and have even taken it prospecting in AZ. The only issues I have are well known, the screen is a bit small and hard to read and it doesn't seem to handle wet salt water sand very well.
Hi Jabbo~ So what you, Lillo, and Corteser is that is a great coin machine but lacks tones unless you use the SUM mode. And that requires to flip and hold the SUM switch. And from what I've read the SUM MODE works in AM and Disc, correct? And the display is small and hard to read everyone agrees, and the headphone jack is placed wrong. Other than those design flaws it's a great machine, right?
I love my Tejon but I'd really like to try a Cortes. I've dug tiny targets with the Tejon up to my elbows and I've found coins at 9 to 10 inches. But I would like some target information with an ez to use and read machine that can find coins that deep with. So does everyone think I'd be pleased with the Cortes if I decided to get one? I know some out there say stick with the Tejon so I'm worried if I did that I might regret it, what do you Cortes owner think? Happy Trails and Thanks for All Your Information so Far, Woodstock
I love my Tejon but I'd really like to try a Cortes. I've dug tiny targets with the Tejon up to my elbows and I've found coins at 9 to 10 inches. But I would like some target information with an ez to use and read machine that can find coins that deep with. So does everyone think I'd be pleased with the Cortes if I decided to get one? I know some out there say stick with the Tejon so I'm worried if I did that I might regret it, what do you Cortes owner think? Happy Trails and Thanks for All Your Information so Far, Woodstock
I think your satisfaction will be decided on what your primary detecting style is. If you like to hunt relics and dig deep I would stick with the Tejon. If you are a coin hunter then the Cortes may be just the ticket. (or the Golden if you like tones and the Deleon if you have bad eyes)
LilloEsquilo
New member
The problem with this question is none of us can tell you whether you would like it, or be disappointed with it. All we can tell you is what we know about it, and from there, you pretty much have to decide if it's what you might want.
The good news is, even used they hold their value pretty well and sell easily. You don't find many of them for sale used, so that should tell you something.
My view that it's a good machine and it being my machine of choice doesn't mean it will be your cup of tea, I wish it was that easy but it's not. So you'll just have to think on it, maybe sleep on it, and read the online reviews and decide.
The good news is, even used they hold their value pretty well and sell easily. You don't find many of them for sale used, so that should tell you something.
My view that it's a good machine and it being my machine of choice doesn't mean it will be your cup of tea, I wish it was that easy but it's not. So you'll just have to think on it, maybe sleep on it, and read the online reviews and decide.
First I have to say thanks to everyone with all the info. But I guess it's gonna maybe be a damned if I do and I end up missing the Tejon. 
I've heard good things about Deleon's cause there as deep as the Cortes but they have no SUM for tones and I have kinda bad eyes so the larger readout would be great. But then I've heard the Golden is a good coin shooter and I have to admit I miss tones. I base my digs mostly on my ears with the Tejon but I like tones too.. I really like diggin' older coins and tokens and there not many good sites for relic's way up north in Wisconsin. 
I think the Tejon is a great all around machine and at the same time all I really want is a deep coin machine that has a slight learning curve like both the Deleon and Cortes. Has anyone used a Golden? Is it as deep as the Deleon and Cortes? Cause that might be my idea choice if it's a deep seeker. The Deleon has the plus of a larger display but lacks tones. And the Cortes has the Sum Mode tones but a smaller display. And the Golden has tones and no display. Seeing as I'm into listening and prefer tones the display is just a added bonus. So I guess until I know a little more about the depth of a Golden compared to the Deleon and Cortes and then I can decide with way to turn or stay put with my Tejon. So if anyone can give me a depth comparison on the Golden vs. Deleon and Cortes please speak up and let me know the facts. 
Thanks for all the info so far! Happy Trails to All Until We Meet Again, Woodstock
I've heard good things about Deleon's cause there as deep as the Cortes but they have no SUM for tones and I have kinda bad eyes so the larger readout would be great. But then I've heard the Golden is a good coin shooter and I have to admit I miss tones. I base my digs mostly on my ears with the Tejon but I like tones too.. I really like diggin' older coins and tokens and there not many good sites for relic's way up north in Wisconsin. I think the Tejon is a great all around machine and at the same time all I really want is a deep coin machine that has a slight learning curve like both the Deleon and Cortes. Has anyone used a Golden? Is it as deep as the Deleon and Cortes? Cause that might be my idea choice if it's a deep seeker. The Deleon has the plus of a larger display but lacks tones. And the Cortes has the Sum Mode tones but a smaller display. And the Golden has tones and no display. Seeing as I'm into listening and prefer tones the display is just a added bonus. So I guess until I know a little more about the depth of a Golden compared to the Deleon and Cortes and then I can decide with way to turn or stay put with my Tejon. So if anyone can give me a depth comparison on the Golden vs. Deleon and Cortes please speak up and let me know the facts. Thanks for all the info so far! Happy Trails to All Until We Meet Again, Woodstock