Question about operating frequency and new detector purchase...

[cju7250]

OK, here's my question. So i've owned an older White's, a Garrett Ace 250, and a Fisher F5. I had fun with all 3 of these detectors and found lots of junk, but also a few things of value. This being said I always find myself coming back to metal detecting. Last year, just as I was really "getting to know" the F5, I was laid off and had to part with it. But now i'm ready to get back in the game. This time though I want to keep it simple. I know Tesoro has some great machines and i'm by no means a "brand loyal" person which is evident by the last 3 machines i've owned. Anyways, my first thought was keep it super simple and just go with the Compadre. But then I started looking at the Silver Umax???? The other thing, what is the real significance of the operating frequency??? I know my Ace250 was at 6kHz, and the F5 was at 7.8kHz. And now looking at the Tesoro it looks like the Compadre is at 12kHz and the Silver Umax is at 10kHz. I'm not a real tech savvy individual, but I am curious how the higher frequencies relate to different applications? Anyways, back to my decision. Should I stick with the Compadre or go with the Silver Umax? Every detector i've ever owned, I have used a "sniper", or smaller coil as my main coil since i'm usually hunting around old houses, foundations, tot lots, etc. where there's a lot of trash. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[MarcM]

When it comes to mid level freq machines, there's really no difference to be honest.Its when you start getting as low as 3khz which is great on deep silver vs 15+Khz which is great for gold nugget hunting.

I think either the Silver or the Compadre are both excellent choices and you can't go wrong with either.

http://www.hollandsbrook.com/tesoro-metal-detectors/tesoro-compadre/
http://www.hollandsbrook.com/tesoro-metal-detectors/tesoro-silver-micromax/

Give me a call or PM me if I can help or if you'd like to place an order

Cheers,
Marc

 

[BarberBill]

Either the Compadre or the Silver will do you well. However, the Silver is designed to accept different coils which may be a plus for you.
BB

 

[tabman]

I really like both detectors a lot. If I could only have one detector and the choice was between the Compadre and Silver

 

[REVIER]

I hunt with a 5.9 kHz F2, and a Compadre and Vaquero...both at higher frequencies.
I have found tons of coins and lots of jewelry including thin and thick silver chains and gold rings from small to large with all of them so I don't think this frequency thing is that big of a deal.
For me and my park sites and the way I hunt, anyway.
Specialty detectors have their place, for sure, but for all around hunting I think learning your chosen detector well and picking good sites is way more important.

 

[C.J.M.]

ONLY 3 KHZ COIL I KNOW IS THE ONE ON THE M/L X-TERRA 705 AND 70

 

[mike5853]

I wouldn't get too hung up on frequencies. You will read a lot about how lower freqs are better for silver and higher freqs better for lower conductive targets. Any freq in the 7 - 14kHz range is going to be just fine for 99% of your hunts. My Vaquero at 14.3 kHz and my Outlaw at 10.6 kHz hit as well as the Etrac I owned on every target I tested and as you may know the Etrac is a multi-freq detector. Both the Compadre and Silver will do the job for you, with the Silver, as mentioned above, being a bit more flexible..

 

[Lem]

Not sure what your soil condition is, but if moderately mineralized you may want an adjustable ground balance, like on the outlaw
or the vaquero-

 

[cju7250]

Thanks guys, I really appreciate the advise! I guess my only thought when it comes to the choice between the Compadre and Umax is this... With the Ace and the F5, I basically put the "sniper" coil on it after I learned the machine for awhile and it never came off. Occasionally I would put the stock coil back on thinking I would give it a shot for a day. But usually after about an hour or so the smaller coil would end up going back on! My thought is, why spend the extra bucks if I normally only use the smaller coils anyways? Is there something I would be missing with the Compadre that the Um ax would give me? Again thank you for the responses!!! I greatly appreciate your help!!!

 

[Topdecker]

My thought is, why spend the extra bucks if I normally only use the smaller coils anyways? Is there something I would be missing with the Compadre that the Um ax would give me?

You'd gain a little depth, but have to pay quite a bit to get it. I mean, the silver is around $100 more and then you'd have to get the 5.75 inch coil.

The coil on the Compadre is not changeable. If you are sure that 5.75 is sufficient, you sound like the guy they had in mind when it was designed.

Top

 

[MarcM]

It sounds like the compadre is the machine for you so long as you dont have the desire to change coils in the future. Give me a call or PM me if I can help answer any questions about the 2 machines.

http://www.hollandsbrook.com/tesoro-metal-detectors/tesoro-compadre/

 

[GunnarMN]

tesoroes are good on gold rings. its not to say they can not find silver but the sound on silver is a soft one . my blisstool works at 8khz and is good on gold and silver . but it was the 5khz muskiteer that really hit hard on silver but was weak on gold . now the 19.2khz gold bug was super strong on gold but was very weak on silver . I think the khz makes a diffrence. your ace 250. would be best for silver . but i would get a ground balance machine if you can . one good thing about the VAqero is you can turn it back so you at least hear the Iron wich can be helpfull and or even dig it the outlaw goes so quite on nails you dont know they are thear. exept for bottle caps, just my opinion .

 

[KVM2]

If I were hunting for gold items, and were going to use a small coil, it would be the Vaquero..Small 15Kt gold ear ring post on the V was 3.5 inches...in air.. The silver UMax did not see it at all.. However, it does well on rings, including some very thin wedding bands....Coil on the Vaquero was the stock 8 by 9 concentric, 8 inch coil on the silver..The Silver was maxed in sensitivity and below iron. The "V" was at 9 /10, threshold maxed, and disc at just above iron as well...Indoors, and electronic chatter precluded running any higher.Saying "were going to use" a small coil, I don't use a small coil, too slow...I'd rather leave something for the next generation....and, I have the feeling I do very well in that department...Wondering about the 8 by 6 SEF ? coil someone on this forum is wringing out..That is about the smallest.....except, there is a clothes changing area for a baseball field, next to a stream, literally paved with tin/ aluminum cans that dates back to the 30's.. Thinking of taking a rake to it, and borrowing a 4 inch hockey puck coil for the Silver UMax..There is a ring some guy (youngster) in his sixties tried to find that was lost in the fifties...Should be some silver as well????????????????

 

[cju7250]

Thanks again for the responses! I think what I may do is keep my eye open for a used Umax and if I can't find something by the end of February or so, i'll just break down and buy the Compadre? At least that's my thought at this point.

 

[REVIER]

Thanks again for the responses! I think what I may do is keep my eye open for a used Umax and if I can't find something by the end of February or so, i'll just break down and buy the Compadre? At least that's my thought at this point.

No matter what you end up with as a prime detector, I have been recommending that everyone needs to have a Compadre in the arsenal, too.
Not only can it find coins like crazy, the way it finds jewelry for me is almost unbelievable...and so is how easily it excels at that task.
I am talking about chains of all sizes and metals, and all rings especially in silver and gold.
Mine was a used 7" coil model for $130, and it has founds me at least 5X's it's cost in little over a year...if not more.
I am a big fan of building arsenals because sites and conditions and depth requirements can be so different, and even now I am mulling over something new to add to my existing 3 come spring.
No matter what I will never get rid of any of my detectors and that goes double for my Compadre.

 

[ToddB64]

Hi cju7250 !

I bought a new Tesoro Compadre. It's a coin and jewelry magnet and I love it ! I found a Sterling silver cross pendant at 5-6 inches depth with it and always come home with a pocket of coins and of course a few pieces of trash which is to be expected. I usually set the discrimination dial indicator at the "F" in Foil, so as not to miss any small gold rings and other small jewelry items. IMHO, frequency does make a difference and the 12 kHz of the Compadre seems to give it the "edge" on jewelry, Lincoln pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters I find at the Parks. At age 71, I can swing the 2.2 pound weight for 3-4 hours with no arm or shoulder discomfort the next morning. The single 9V pop-in battery is easier to install and remove than other detector brands that use multiple AA penlight batteries. I like the small 5.75 solid coil for getting in closer to "Tot-Lot" equipment frames. Last but not least, dealers are selling for $160.65 ! My advice: Always have a Compadre in your arsenal, whether you decide on the Silver

 

[ToddB64]

cju7250 ........I almost forgot, there's a good article on the Silver

 

[yowow#1]

Hello, the 10-14 kHz Freq. in the tesoros are great for general hunting, i own a vaquero and i love it. The only time i have found where freq. makes a difference is deep silver. i love my vaquero but it can't touch the deep silver program in my whites VX3 in 2.5 kHz, i know this from experience and thought i would just throw that out there to show how freq. does make a difference in some hunting situations. HH

 

[cju7250]

Well, I was doing a lot of research and was tempted to just go with a Fisher F2, with the 4" coil. But came across a Cutlass II Umax and started to do a little research on this machine and found out the coils (5 pin) could be interchanged as long as I got the lower pole to accept the different size hole in the newer coils. Also was a little worried about interchanging coils and them being "accurate", so to speak, but have learned that there may be a little difference in the ground balance with the different coils, but found that to be not such an issue at all. I was reading others post on numerous forums about the Cutlass II Umax and some even suggested they prefer it to the newer Silver Umax? I'm sure this may just be their personal preference, but I really couldn't find any "bad" reviews for this machine. So I went ahead and purchased it, for less than a new Compadre. So i'm looking forward to getting it and getting to know it! Also, the money I saved, I can still get the 5.75" coil and lower rod and still be under the price of the new Silver Umax. If anyone has any input as to what to expect, settings, tricks, etc., i'd greatly appreciate any information!

 

[DigDugNY]

I think some more research needs to be done to show how much frequency does/does not make a difference