I have to disagree, even though I would like not to, but we have to face reality. Jack Gifford started Tesoro and had some very good ideas and brought out a number of very versatile detectors that I liked back then, and even like today. The problem was that when Tesoro got started we had a number of things happening in the metal detecting industry. Tesoro had some good models, but they got even better with the coming on the Inca in mid-'83 that gave use the first 2-filter, slow-motion/quick-response detector that handled iron nails quite well.
That was very good news, to me, because I hunted a lot of old town sites, homesteads and other out-of-the-way locations as well as urban tough-to-hunt places that abounded in iron nails and a lot of brush and/or building rubble. The fast-motion 4 filter types we had been using just couldn't match the Tesoro performance. But that was also an era of very rapid new feature advancements from the original Teknetics, White's and other big names that competed for the top spot as we saw a surge of Target ID models then Tone ID circuitry added to them or to non-display detectors. By 'surge' I mean a serious rapid growth in the hobby, but those years also reflected when the industry kind of peaked from about '83 to '86.
When I went to work at Compass Electronics in mid-'87 Ron Mack and I discussed how the industry had been trending over the past few years, and during the next year-and-a-half we saw many little guys fold, new start-ups spring-to-life and wilt in just a few months to a year or so. There have really been very few 'advancements' in technology, just a few folks who have improved the performance of their models, and managed to lighten the weight and make a few cosmetic changes for improved balance. For the most part, the last 15 to 20 years has really brought us a lot of decent performing detectors and many prices for them have dropped a bit to make things more competitive .... at the lower-to mid priced range.
So Tesoro's competition have had, and currently has, a lot of offerings in the same price range .... but with features not offered in those price ranges by Tesoro.
Also in the latter '80s we saw more mail-order discounting, but that really changed with the coming of the Internet and websites and forums and forum sponsoring, etc., etc. That cut into a lot of dealers sales and the number of smaller dealers and many bigger dealers have dwindled. This has really been noted in the number of far fewer Tesoro Dealers than there used to be, and the Tesoro Distributors I've spoken with for several years have confirmed the drop off in dealer numbers and especially in dwindling Tesoro orders and sales.
When they cut a deal with the big outfit a coupe of years ago, that was kind of a signal to many, not just me, that things are not running so smoothly at Tesoro. Now, don't get me wrong because I have enjoyed many favored detectors from Tesoro and keep at least one in my personal arsenal ... but in this day and age and with the market smaller and more competitive ... and I feel still dying off a bit in the hobby ... it has to be a struggle. You need a knowledgeable design engineer with the modern-day smarts to make a competitive detector, with features the majority of buyers demand, and a production goal to produce and market them such that the retail price will be very competitive.
I don't see that kind of funding based on the long-delay in a new model entry [size=small](what was it, eight years from the Vaquero to the Outlaw?)[/size], and that was basically a re-do of a proven oldie, not anything really new and competitive. Sadly, and I mean it, I think it is a matter of insufficient funding and quality engineering and aggressive marketing that has left Tesoro where they are in the industry, and I don't see a lot of promise in the near future.
We're into Fall and the daylight hours are dwindling day-by-day. I hope there's some way of Tesoro hanging in there and being able to come-to-life with the new year as we start to see more sunlight. It can be done, but it won't be easy, won't be cheap, and would likely mean a few changes in what we have, or will have, from Tesoro from product offerings to warranty offered.
Just my best guesses based on a bit of experience and time in the industry. Okay, it's 2:10 PM and the sun will be setting out here in western USA in just a few hours, so I'll take my Bandido II µMAX, and other proven gear, and head out for some nice Fall weather detecting.
Monte
