Which Tesoro should I get?

[SpiritRelic]

I now know the silver is a extra smooth sound because the detector with such a high freq wants to hit hard and load raspy on low conductors.So i can really just cherry pick deep targets with this extra info.Thanks for help magician. O

 

[kingingkunsan]

Thank you all for the responses. Got a little side tracked at the end of the thread but good information. According to my requests in OP here is a list of Tesoro detectors recommended by you.
1. Tejon -5 votes
2. Vaquero -3 votes
3. Golden Umax -2 votes
4. Outlaw -2 votes

Is it me or is this ALL the Tesoro detectors under 3 pounds? LOL just kidding
I have not made my decision (too difficult) but I am leaning toward Tejon or Golden uMax (for the multi tones). I might just throw all the names in a hat and pick one blindly. I will let you know

 

[LittleJohn]

add another vote to the tejon!

 

[The Magician]

The deciding factor for me would come down to what coil(s) I would want to use. Have a look at the coils available for either HOT or uMax models.

 

[thump7]

Tejon.

 

[kingingkunsan]

I decided to get the Golden uMax. Maybe after I pay it off (with my finds) I will try the Tejon. Thank you all.

 

[Topdecker]

kingingkunsan -

I can't really tell what you've been using in the past, but I had some initial freak-out with my Golden simply because it runs so quietly. Almost eerie And my arm and shoulder don't get the same work out they once did - at least not from swinging a detector.

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[kingingkunsan]

Topdecker- I originally started with a Radio Shack detector. I still have it and let the kids use it if they show interest in the hobby. I learned to hunt by tones with it. Next was a Tesoro Eldorado (i think). It had manual GB and single tone. I did not have it long before I sold it and moved to a Minelab Explorer II. I have used it solely for 10 years. Just yesterday I took the leap and purchased the Golden Umax. I wanted the lightweight and after watching 53silver video on youtube, I knew I was making the right decision. I am keeping the Minelab for now. I am going to use the Golden as my main detector for 6 months. If no increase of silver coins or gold rings compared the Minelab, Then i will go back to the drawing board (maybe Tejon or Vaquero LOL). I am hopeful this will not have to be contemplated due to the Golden's (fingers crossed) stellar performance in those 6 months.

 

[Topdecker]

I did not have it long before I sold it and moved to a Minelab Explorer II. I have used it solely for 10 years.

Yeah. I drove an Explorer XS for 3 or 4 years.

Trust me, you'll be thumbing the battery check on the Golden just to make sure that it is actually on. If you start getting frustrated by depth, just consider the size of the coil on the Explorer and match it.

At the end of last year I decided to shift from looking for old silver to looking for gold and jewelry. Part of the reason for the shift is that basically it makes most places new again - the number of guys wanting to sift through that much trash isn't too high and you have to be a certified digging fool to rack up a lot of success. It is is an experiment, and if it doesn't work out as well as I had hoped, I can always go back to hunting for older stuff. But right now I am extremely satisfied with my old-tones Golden - it is a real joy to use and it is a lot of fun to swing.

I also have a silver umax. I am mentioning it because it has a very descriptive, chatty, informative audio. Like you, I owned an Eldorado, which I kept as a backup - but I never really found it to be especially communicative beyond beep-dig; maybe I wasn't listening hard enough. I don't have any problems with the detector beyond it being extremely boring to use. Anyhow, the silver umax does a good job of communicating about targets - jagged targets often times do not sound even, they can be broken or raspy. Single tone, yeah, but a lot more than just beeps. Anyhow, I am impressed with it too - crazy good detector for the price. Because it is a backup to the Golden, I don't get to use it as much as I really want to.

Deleon... Just got one. Audio is flat, wooden, and that sort of annoys me given that I now know what Tesoro is capable of doing. Target ID flashes and disappears a little too fast too often. For some reason the pin point seems really soft or mushy compared to the golden or silver. But it seems to push the cleansweep better than either the golden or the silver, and pin pointing with that coil is never a problem. I've dug a number of 5.5" targets with the cleansweep on, which means that it will probably get the nod for area coverage jobs. Hard to say too much more as I only have 10-12 hours in on the Deleon. My initial impression is that I would probably be letting this one go if I only used it with concentric coils - but it might be the anointed one for use with the cleansweep. I should also say that I pretty much ignore the TID - I am digging everything non-ferrous, but it is kinda nice to know to look for a nickle or a high-coin.

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[lovee-1]

King...I have been Detecting for many years and during these years have owned most of the common named Detectors sold..I don't know why no one mentioned the Tesoro Cortes.The Cortes and the Tejon both weigh the same at 2.98 Lbs. but there's a few hundred dollars difference in price.The Cortes has an LED Face and several options.The Tesoro is 17.6kHz and the Tejon is 10kHz..You can't beat the warranty on the Tesoro Machines,,Lifetime.I have read that 2nd & 3rd owners of the Machines have sent them in for repair and have been charged Nothing but postage.I like the Tesoro - Cortes because they are so light, you can swing them all day and still go home and have feeling in your arm.The PP (PinPoint) is so accurate i am never digging a foot away from my find,its always dead on.The LED Display on any machine is never 100% accurate but the Cortes is awfully close.I have only owned my Cortes one summer so i haven't used it as much as my other Machines but so far i am more than happy.Now the Depth,I dug a quarter at 10" deep with an approx. 10" x 8 1/2" coil..I have since bought a few other coils smaller & larger to try this spring.There is also another thing you can do for more depth and its called "Super Tuning" the Tesoro.I haven't tried it yet but will and i imagine the guys on this forum can tell you how to do it..I also have a Deep Machine,a Minelab Sovereign GT but they are Heavy.I have dug a sparkler wire at 19" deep with a 15" WOT Coil but you can't swing the Sovereign all day unless you use a bungee or Hip mount the box..There's several short movies on You Tube of Sovereign owners digging inches deeper.Since i have owned the Cortes i like to go to the beach early Monday mornings when the fresh finds are close to the top,with the light weight Cortes i can stay out for hours.This Forum-Site is the best there is and there's always someone that can help or give you info....Good Luck....John