$$$$$Listing of Tesoro Diablo uMax $$$$$

[TAB.HUNTER]

Don't know where you saw it, but I have owned two, A Gold Bug Pro is way better. Dave Johnson learned a lot in the 10 - 15 years between the two detectors. He designed both of them.

When I was shopping for a gold detector, I vacillated between Gold Bug Pro and the Lobo. The Gold Bug Pro may have a bit more depth, a bit more versatile, but I couldn't get over the cheap look and feel it had. Plus, I LIKE KNOBS! They are more durable than touch pads. I don't know anything about the Diablo, but I'm inclined to think if I had a choice, I would take it over the G.B. I don't need a screen. Also, I love the coil choices Tesoro has. There is more to the versatility of a detector than just the box. Screens are cool, no doubt, but I'll take my 3" X 18" Street sweeper over a screen any day when covering a park!
I'm not knocking the G.B. It seems to be a good machine. I don't know who designed the Lobo; don't know Dave Johnson; have no idea what he has learned in 15 years, and could care less. Bottom line is that the only "improvements" over the past 15 years is how a signal is interpreted. Manufacturers tweek the gain, add larger coils for "greater depth" and so on. It's smoke and mirrors. The VLF signal hasn't changed much. When a manufacturer comes out with a detector that definitively separates pull tabs from gold and rusted can tops from 1/2 dollars, they'll have my attention. Other than that, it's an intelligent crap shoot,+/- 1". So what do we have left to market? QUALITY. That's why I chose Tesoro.

 

[amberjack]

do the guys at Tesoro read any of this stuff on the forums about what people want? if they own the design why not let it out of the cupboard? sure it cant be that hard ??? I would buy one just out of curiosity.

AJ

 

[Dave J.]

Good metal detector designs last a long time, some of the most popular machines nowadays are minor revs of products introduced 15-20 years ago. Metal detection is driven by basic physics and solid design, less than by technology. It ain't cellphone gadgets.

The Diablo uMax was intro'd (as I recall) in early 1996. At that time it was the best entry-level gold machine you could buy. "Best" is usually a disputable statement, but that specific statement is one I don't think anyone will argue with other than possibly a diehard White's Goldmaster fan arguing the "entry-level" point.

The Diablo uMax was not a market success. And not because it was a bad product. Other people have posted in this thread dropping some hints how that happened, no need for me to retread that story.

Not many of 'em were produced, wild guess about 3,000 of 'em. This is nearly 20 years later and they aren't exactly flooding FleaBay. They're not collectible as antiques, so why would an opening FleaBay price be about the same as the original list price new in the box? Damn good metal detector, that's why. Not blazing hot, not packed with "features", just the basics done exceptionally well. One of the best metal detectors I've ever designed.

The Diablo uMax circuit was the foundation for the higher horsepower and more features Lobo ST. Which was a leading-edge product then and is still regarded as competitive. This may sound funny, but I never liked the Lobo ST even though I designed it. The Tesoro gold machine that dialed my number was the Diablo uMax.

I own one. Given to me as a gift by none other than Jim Straight. It's not for sale. Nowadays working for Fisher/Teknetics/BH, I still use it as a "reference standard" in bench and field testing of newer gold machine designs. Diehard gold prospectors who own one may use something else nowadays as their primary beep, but the Diablo uMax is the backup machine they aren't letting go of. Hopefully not for less than original list price anyhow.

--Dave J.

 

[amberjack]

Thanks Dave for the good info and well wanting one even more I found one but sure am not paying over 1K for it but hey that must make you feel good, this might be not the best Question to ask but if you had to pick a VLF today to take small gold hunting what would be your choice ??

I have a F19 that will be going with me this winter and a Makro racer I know both are not dedicated Gold detectors so do I need to add a 3rd machine ?

hard question I guess for you to answer being who you work for so I hope my question is not out of line, the ground is not super hot about medium.

cheers

AJ

 

[Dave J.]

Thanks Dave for the good info and well wanting one even more I found one but sure am not paying over 1K for it but hey that must make you feel good, this might be not the best Question to ask but if you had to pick a VLF today to take small gold hunting what would be your choice ??

I have a F19 that will be going with me this winter and a Makro racer I know both are not dedicated Gold detectors so do I need to add a 3rd machine ?

hard question I guess for you to answer being who you work for so I hope my question is not out of line, the ground is not super hot about medium.

cheers

AJ

My choice of a VLF for gold prospecting? Can't say for sure. The Diablo uMax would definitely be in the running after I took a soldering iron to the differentiator and jacked the gain up so I can hear weak signals on the speaker, I don't like using headphones and do like running a metal detector close to the ragged edge. ...... Since this is the Tesoro forum I'll refrain from naming other (non-Tesoro) machines that would be in the running.

 

[Walknstik]

I will always have fond memories of my Diablo uMax as it found my first gold nugget I ever detected on Christmas day of 2000 outside of Wickenburg, Az! You could of heard me holler clear back in Texas after I did a few cartwheels. Ha! I was still really a "greenhorn" and was trying to teach myself through reading books on prospecting by Charles Garrett and Jim Straight among others and looking back it was ground noise that I chased too much of. I kept thinking that signal may be a fly-turd of a nugget but hindsight I should of covered more ground listening for that more pronounced "zip-zip". Oh well....you live and learn but thanks Dave and Tesoro for the memories that unit gave me!

Randy

 

[amberjack]

Thanks Dave for the good info and well wanting one even more I found one but sure am not paying over 1K for it but hey that must make you feel good, this might be not the best Question to ask but if you had to pick a VLF today to take small gold hunting what would be your choice ??

I have a F19 that will be going with me this winter and a Makro racer I know both are not dedicated Gold detectors so do I need to add a 3rd machine ?

hard question I guess for you to answer being who you work for so I hope my question is not out of line, the ground is not super hot about medium.

cheers

AJ

My choice of a VLF for gold prospecting? Can't say for sure. The Diablo uMax would definitely be in the running after I took a soldering iron to the differentiator and jacked the gain up so I can hear weak signals on the speaker, I don't like using headphones and do like running a metal detector close to the ragged edge. ...... Since this is the Tesoro forum I'll refrain from naming other (non-Tesoro) machines that would be in the running.

A diplomatic answer I am sure so anyway I can read between the lines, I guess all the new stuff does well and getting to know them better is what its all about and like Texadillo said zip zip

AJ

 

[PennyFinder]

Just like to say Dave, thanks again for this wonderful little detector I affectionately call Ol' Yeller. When the sad day comes when I have to to put her down, all I can say is put me down too!

 

[amberjack]

better start buying up cheap goldens they are going to be hard to find in years to come its like anything people want one because someone else thinks they want one, then people want one because well they don't even know why they want one

might be a good machine or might not be I never used one, I did buy a golden and sold it probably faster than any other machine didn't even give it my 100 hr test just had no grunt for what I wanted to use it for.

so anyway each to there own hey I am more interested in a new Tesoro than an old one wheres the new ones

AJ

 

[amberjack]

nearly bought it then I come to my senses

AJ

 

[amberjack]

still there price drop of 5 bucks, if it had a disc mode that would be great duel purpose I would like it more then, guess that's why the Lobo took over.

AJ

 

[walnut]

If it just had a disc it would be the one tesoro I would absolutely have to buy.

 

[Minas man]

This is what I call a reverse auction starting with a big price and then lowering it over time in hopes that someone with deep pockets will pull the trigger.

Minas man