Questions From A New Silver uMax User

[E-Trac-Ohio]

I've always found the design of the Tesoro machines interesting and I know they have a very loyal following - but I've never used one before.
My interest in reading more about the Tesoro line recently is two fold.

My Wife likes to go casual hunts now and then - so we got her a Garrett Ace 250 for Christmas a year ago - but she dosn't really like it that much - so I decided to put it up fpr sale.
She wants a simple turn on and go machine to have fun with - so I told her about the Tesoro Compadre and Silver uMax - she said she'd like to try the Silver uMax.

My second reason for wanting to get a Tesoro machine is that I've read that some of the guy's in the E-Trac forum have had good luck hunting the heavy iron areas around old home sites in fields with them. Some great finds have been made at these E-Trac pounded sites - by going in with a Tesoro - swinging fast and if it beeps - dig it !

So here are my questions ... I'm going to order a Silver uMax next week - I like smaller closed / solid type coils - they are better in heavy iron and don't hang up on stubble in fields.
So ...I would rather have a 7" coil than the standard 8" coil that the machine comes with from the factory.

(1) - Will a dealer swap these coils for me when I place my order - so I don't have to buy two coils for this machine ?
(2) - Is there a big difference in the way Tesoro "Wide Scan" coils perform compared to the Concentric coils ?

What's your opinion ?

Thanks your replies and Good Hunting !

 

[jld66]

the 8 inch round coil that it comes with is pretty small. i do not think a dealer would swap the coils out for you either. lots of people would do it then. it comes with its coil. want a different coil, have to buy it separately.

 

[tabman]

I have used and still use a lot of different brands of detectors and without question Tesoro detectors are the most fun to use. I've done a lot of testing and have found that all the bells and whistles can not correctly ID a good target that's in close proximity to a junk target. Truth be known, I don't have to dig as many targets as I do to find coins that other detectors can correcting ID using numbers or whatever, because my ears can easily ID those easy targets as well. I'm finding and digging old silver coins, jewelry and relics that others have passed over because their detector said it was junk, because it was next to some trash. Those iffy audio signals can be rewarding in heavily pounded areas that others have given up on. I don't feel that an area has been thoroughly detected until I go over it with one of my Tesoro detectors.

I've used the smaller 5.75 inch coil and the 7 inch coil on the Silver µMax and found that the stock 8 inch doughnut coil works best for me. It has good depth, good separation and is big enough to handle larger areas. Some people don't like the hole in the middle of the coil because it sometimes hangs up on stubble. I've never found that to be a big problem for me and I really like having the hole so I can zero in on a target. I'd still have my Silver µMax, but my Outlaw can do what it can do and then some, because it has a ground balance to handle bad ground if needed. Both have a great audio response and carry a lot of info once you learn their language. Your wife is going to LOVE her Tesoro Silver µMax.

One other thing, you just never really know what treasure you're going to unearth if you keep the discrimination set low and start digging. Gold chains, neat relics, gold rings etc. That puts excitement into detecting.

http://www.findmall.com/read.php?17,1755256,1756064

tabman

 

[BarryL]

the 8 inch coil that comes with the silver is a very good coil , most of the targets in my area are from 6 to 7 inches deep as for as coins so the 7 inch coil is my preferred coil , I no longer own the silver but it was the first Tesoro detector I owned , have owned many other older models as well I primarily use my Tesoro built Shadow X2 but just purchased another Deleon and will be installing a 7 inch shadow coil on it anyway good luck on the silver your wife will love it

 

[Lakota]

ET-Ohio, I run the Cutlass uMax ( grand dad to the silver) just got recently a 7" solid and a 10.5" donut for it and like the 10" a lot. haven't played to much with the 7", though I'm sure I will eventually.

Doesn't take long in the Tesoro forum to see what Tab is talking about when it comes to finds, Heck my F75 being gone for the upgrade just helped me fall in love with my First detector all over again

And yeah I like mine very much in the iron. The disc. on the uMax is great. Takes a hell of an item to break through the disc on my machine. And often enough when that item comes along its pretty easy to tell its big rusty trying to pull one over on you... But you know I like to give every repeatable target a chance to be something great


Good luck with your next purchase and remember when you are out swinging that uMax instead of your etrac!!! That it was for the wife


Lakota

 

[Iamrobin]

She will love the silver umax . I find myself using it more then any detector I own. If
I'm hunting a area and my max depth is 6" or less . It's my go to detector .

 

[Lakota]

She will love the silver umax . I find myself using it more then any detector I own. If
I'm hunting a area and my max depth is 6" or less . It's my go to detector .

Robin, I am getting clean soft silver tones at 7-8" easy now with the 10.5" coil. Have gotten to those depths before on silver coins with the 8" donut, but the signal was more faint then it is now ( with the exception of a 1950 Franklin half lol that one was very noticeable and soft round sounding at 8-9", like the dimes are with the new coil), But I totally agree. The Cutlass/Silver bangs hard on anything in the 5-6" range, loves those nickels and like wise the gold.

 

[Rainyday101]

With the 8" stock coil, in my soil, I have found the depth max on coins to be 7" maybe 8" with ideal conditions. There for sure are deeper detectors, but up to it's max depth the Silver is hard to beat. The disc is very effective and it will easily separate coins from trash if you slow down the swing speed in those trashy areas. Like Tab and others have said the 8" coil is a great all around coil. I like the open center because it pin points dead center in the middle of it. I also have a Tejon and it is insanely deep, but I prefer the sweet audio of the Silver over the Tejon.

As Tabman has stated and echoed in many post, when you hunt with a Tesoro your only target indication is audio. Because that is all you have you spend less time analyzing and more time digging.

When you find yourself using the Silver all the time, remember, you can always just tell your buddies you are just testing your wife's detector!

 

[TallTom]

...She wants a simple turn on and go machine to have fun with - so I told her about the Tesoro Compadre and Silver uMax - she said she'd like to try the Silver uMax.

...So here are my questions ... I'm going to order a Silver uMax next week - I like smaller closed / solid type coils - they are better in heavy iron and don't hang up on stubble in fields.
So ...I would rather have a 7" coil than the standard 8" coil that the machine comes with from the factory.

(1) - Will a dealer swap these coils for me when I place my order - so I don't have to buy two coils for this machine ?
(2) - Is there a big difference in the way Tesoro "Wide Scan" coils perform compared to the Concentric coils ? ...

I've had a Silver uMax for almost three years, first with the 8" donut concentric (stock) coil. A little over a year later,
I bought the 11" round DD widescan solid coil. I was happy with the 8" coil, but I often like to scan fairly large
areas on beaches and in parks, so I thought the 11" would help me cover more ground, as well as find slightly
deeper targets and be a little less sensitive to junk and mineralized soil. (I'm in Southern California, and most
of my local dirt is NOT badly mineralized, but some ocean beaches are, even in the dry sand. And if I go up into
the mountains, I'll find more mineralization.)

After I installed the 11" widescan coil, I've left it on the detector virtually constantly. I've really enjoyed it.
I haven't done any precise testing, but it seems to give me a little more depth, it definitely lets me cover
more ground on each swing, and I've even discovered that I prefer pinpointing with it. I've also found that
I can use this coil on wet salty sand beaches with more success than I could the concentric. I need to turn
down sensitivity a bit, but I can at least detect shallow targets (3-4" maybe) that way. From what I've read,
that should also be the case for mineralized soil, at least up to a point.

To answer your first question, I'd be surprised in any authorized Tesoro dealer will sell you the Silver uMax
with a substiture coil. I bought a Vaquero about 10 months ago and tried to get it with the 12x10 widescan
DD Tesoro coil instead of the stock 9x8 concentric. They wouldn't or couldn't do it. I had to buy it with
the stock coil and then order the DD coil later, once I decided I really wanted a DD coil on it.

I'm happy with my Vaq, but I was happy with my Silver, also. The Silver is still my backup and loaner machine,
and I'll probably never get rid of it. It works great! I don't think the 11" DD widescan coil is available any more
for the Silver, but it was solid and should work in stubble pretty well. Not so well in small confined areas, of
course. Maybe you can get a good deal on a used one.

--Tom

 

[Iamrobin]

She will love the silver umax . I find myself using it more then any detector I own. If
I'm hunting a area and my max depth is 6" or less . It's my go to detector .

Robin, I am getting clean soft silver tones at 7-8" easy now with the 10.5" coil. Have gotten to those depths before on silver coins with the 8" donut, but the signal was more faint then it is now ( with the exception of a 1950 Franklin half lol that one was very noticeable and soft round sounding at 8-9", like the dimes are with the new coil), But I totally agree. The Cutlass/Silver bangs hard on anything in the 5-6" range, loves those nickels and like wise the gold.

I only have the stock 8" coil . I may have to check out a 10.5. Thanks for the info.

 

[grouser]

I gotta put a vote in for getting here the Clean sweep coil,,, I can cover some ground with that baby and it pinpoints effortlessly.