Tesoro metal detectors?

Terry Soloman

Gold Member
May 28, 2010
19,423
30,109
White Plains, New York
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Nokta Makro Legend// Pulsedive// Minelab GPZ 7000// Vanquish 540// Minelab Pro Find 35// Dune Kraken Sandscoop// Grave Digger Tools Tombstone shovel & Sidekick digger// Bunk's Hermit Pick
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Terry, your not to bright are you..

Nope, not very bright at all but smart enough to know I only need three detectors, and two of those are Tesoro machines. Eric Foster machines are fussy little things for fussy little people - In my never humble opinion. I've used them, and given them right back to their owners because they are like little whining children that are never happy no matter how you try to please them. I guess Tesoro rebuffed you and your business at some point? Your dislike of the Company is more than obvious and I am sure it has more to do with your personality than it does with the quality of Tesoro machines. Who is the Metal Detector sponsor for your company? Who sells machines to your customers? In my case it is Minelab and Tesoro, because I believe they are the BEST, for what my Company does. You?
 

norbyx

Hero Member
Jun 3, 2012
837
163
San Jose
Detector(s) used
Actual: Whites MXT All Pro, M6 and Tesoro Sand Shark

Ex: BH Platinum, Tesoro Lobo, ST & Tejon, Teknetics Delta, Whites MXT, V3i, Dual Field, MX5; DP Wader, Garrett At-PRO, Fisher Gold Bug 2, CZ-70Pro
Primary Interest:
Other
Terry with all due respect to you and to Tesoro, I see that your detectors advise is extremely biased, always. I might understand that Tesoro pays for your detectors, or that you have some special deal with them, but comon there are other brands and models out there that can perform the same or better.
I am not saying that your knowledge in the matter isnt good, but sometimes reading your posts on advise i see you like a horse with blind folds that can't see past Tesoro or the minelab gpx.

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leprechaun

Bronze Member
Feb 20, 2012
1,996
606
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1
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CTX 3030; The only metal detector I'll ever need
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I'll be glad to follow you around and dig every you don't want.:icon_thumleft:
 

noble

Jr. Member
Sep 21, 2010
93
8
gloucester
Detector(s) used
tesoro and lazers
i always find with the tesoro polo coils you dont need to pinpoint the target is always in the centreof the coil thats my experiance
 

Terry Soloman

Gold Member
May 28, 2010
19,423
30,109
White Plains, New York
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Nokta Makro Legend// Pulsedive// Minelab GPZ 7000// Vanquish 540// Minelab Pro Find 35// Dune Kraken Sandscoop// Grave Digger Tools Tombstone shovel & Sidekick digger// Bunk's Hermit Pick
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Terry with all due respect to you and to Tesoro, I see that your detectors advise is extremely biased, always. I might understand that Tesoro pays for your detectors, or that you have some special deal with them, but comon there are other brands and models out there that can perform the same or better.
I am not saying that your knowledge in the matter isnt good, but sometimes reading your posts on advise i see you like a horse with blind folds that can't see past Tesoro or the minelab gpx.

Sent from my iPhone using TreasureNet

Wow, respect! Way cool Norbyx! I don't know what your level of experience is, but I have used and owned Whites, Fisher, Garrett, Minelab, Tesoro, DetectorPro, and a few others. I now hunt with Minelab and Tesoro - period. That is because I have tried the rest, and always came back to the best. That is my biased opinion, based on 30+ years of messing around in the dirt and sand. With all due respect of course! :occasion14:
 

dirtscratcher

Bronze Member
Mar 18, 2009
1,877
1,350
Columbia falls Montana
Detector(s) used
Minelab Sov GT Explorer XS Tesoro Vaq t2se x705
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I've had a Vaq for a while now, I'm confused when people say best discriminator or best cherrypicker. I hunt places litered with crowncaps and aluminum screwcaps, how do you avoid these. I have the 5 inch widescan it hits these with disc almost maxxed. Digging would be pointless as there areas with 2 or 3 in every swing.
 

G.A.P.metal

Gold Member
Jul 5, 2010
6,468
7,387
"Kan-a-we-o-la" Head on a Pole N.Y. Seneca Territo
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Deus, 11" Low Freq. , 9" X35 Coils, MI 6 Pointer...
Land or Sea Pointer
King Of Spades 40" KS-D SA and 40" KS-S-SA
L
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
I still use a Tesoro Toltec II it was a demo in my MD shop i use it twice a week,my hunting partner bought a ToltecII from me in 93 we hunt all the time togeather with these machines.
We have used alot of detectors over the years,and have many newer ones,but choose the Toltec`s more often,found more gold trinkets with them than any other brands,silver quarters at 7"-10" ya,does the ID meter lie yes witch one don`t.
When i sold detectors in the 90s i was proud to have the Tesoro brand in my store,they sold themselfs with quilty build, great disc. never thought of them as toys,don`t know anyone that does.
Gary G.A.P.metal
 

U.K. Brian

Bronze Member
Oct 11, 2005
1,629
153
Detector(s) used
XLT, Whites D.F., Treasure Baron, Deepstar, Goldquest, Beachscan, T.D.I., Sovereign, 2x Nautilus, various Arado's, Ixcus Diver, Altek Quadtone, T2, Beach Hunter I.D, GS 5 pulse, Searchman 2 ,V3i
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Directly anyone starts to lose an arguement they move the goalposts. No one ever said Tesoro detectors are toys just that they are lagging behind. They fell behind several years back and Arizona Al who was a dealer for Tesoro warned of what was happening with just a few slight tweaks to the latest designs. Don't know if his words had any effect but they did follow up with new models the next year.

Now to get down to facts. Tesoro has not improved its pulse as just about every other pulse manufacturer has, it has gone backwards in hardwiring the coils (Detector Pro improved hardwear, C-Scope, lighter, cheap and a processor, Whites with ground balancing models and the DF coils plus gain and pulse delay controls on the D.F., rather than just one or the other, hoard hunting models have been improved and the coil ranges extended to allow searching for individual coins not just large objects, plus pulse discrimination by hybrid designs or the addition of magnetometer coils). Most manufacturers have worked to reduce pulse delay times because for a sensitive P.I. you need the ability to be able to turn off the current pulse as soon as possible to induce a high voltage spike (can be as much as 400 volts) and then get back as near to zero volts in just a few microseconds.

As for the general range of detectors, recovery speed is why people bought the XP Goldmaxx, Power and now the Deus which are all rather expensive machines. If they wanted an American brand in the past they would pick certain Compass models and today a Gold Bug SE Pro, Teknetics T2 or G2.

Lag behind and you lose sales. When I met up with Jack Gifford, who would come over to detect with Frank Mellish, his importer, every few years just about everyone had a Tesoro for plough soil detecting. Twenty years on and you see a fraction of the amount in use. Doubt if I could buy a Sand Shark except by special order because the sales are just not there for a dealer.

As for my working for a manufacturer or being a dealer unfortunately not, though Garrett users suggest I work for Minelab, Minelab for Fisher etc. I detect for a living and to do that you need to use the best, not one brand whatever it is.
 

TerryC

Gold Member
Jun 26, 2008
7,735
10,996
Yarnell, AZ
Detector(s) used
Ace 250 (2), Ace 300, Gold Bug 2, Tesoro Cortes, Garrett Sea Hunter, Whites TDI SL SE, Fisher Impulse 8, Minelab Monster 1000, Minelab CTX3030, Falcon MD20, Garrett Pro-pointer, Calvin Bunker digger.
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
U K Brian. I have never owned a Tesoro. Don't know if I will. I have been hunting 40+ years. All I will tell you is.... If Terry says it is so, it must be! Don't mess with my bud, Terry Soloman! TTC
 

TerryC

Gold Member
Jun 26, 2008
7,735
10,996
Yarnell, AZ
Detector(s) used
Ace 250 (2), Ace 300, Gold Bug 2, Tesoro Cortes, Garrett Sea Hunter, Whites TDI SL SE, Fisher Impulse 8, Minelab Monster 1000, Minelab CTX3030, Falcon MD20, Garrett Pro-pointer, Calvin Bunker digger.
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Oh, Terry. I bought the book you reviewed... about the Superstitions. TimC and I have a vested interest in the subject... 'nough said. TTC
 

norbyx

Hero Member
Jun 3, 2012
837
163
San Jose
Detector(s) used
Actual: Whites MXT All Pro, M6 and Tesoro Sand Shark

Ex: BH Platinum, Tesoro Lobo, ST & Tejon, Teknetics Delta, Whites MXT, V3i, Dual Field, MX5; DP Wader, Garrett At-PRO, Fisher Gold Bug 2, CZ-70Pro
Primary Interest:
Other
Guys let's all sell our expensive detectors and go out and buy tesoros... they have to be better... Why spend 2000+ for a Minelabs 3030... or 1700 on a V3i when with a vaquero we can all do better?
:tchest:

I don't want to say that they aren't good detectors, I can't tell since I just owned ONE and I disliked it in every sense. They might be good but to consider them the BEST out there is just not my opinion. Now fortunately enough opinions are very personal and each one has one.
 

Terry Soloman

Gold Member
May 28, 2010
19,423
30,109
White Plains, New York
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Nokta Makro Legend// Pulsedive// Minelab GPZ 7000// Vanquish 540// Minelab Pro Find 35// Dune Kraken Sandscoop// Grave Digger Tools Tombstone shovel & Sidekick digger// Bunk's Hermit Pick
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Directly anyone starts to lose an arguement they move the goalposts. No one ever said Tesoro detectors are toys just that they are lagging behind. They fell behind several years back and Arizona Al who was a dealer for Tesoro warned of what was happening with just a few slight tweaks to the latest designs. Don't know if his words had any effect but they did follow up with new models the next year.

Now to get down to facts. Tesoro has not improved its pulse as just about every other pulse manufacturer has, it has gone backwards in hardwiring the coils (Detector Pro improved hardwear, C-Scope, lighter, cheap and a processor, Whites with ground balancing models and the DF coils plus gain and pulse delay controls on the D.F., rather than just one or the other, hoard hunting models have been improved and the coil ranges extended to allow searching for individual coins not just large objects, plus pulse discrimination by hybrid designs or the addition of magnetometer coils). Most manufacturers have worked to reduce pulse delay times because for a sensitive P.I. you need the ability to be able to turn off the current pulse as soon as possible to induce a high voltage spike (can be as much as 400 volts) and then get back as near to zero volts in just a few microseconds.

As for the general range of detectors, recovery speed is why people bought the XP Goldmaxx, Power and now the Deus which are all rather expensive machines. If they wanted an American brand in the past they would pick certain Compass models and today a Gold Bug SE Pro, Teknetics T2 or G2.

Lag behind and you lose sales. When I met up with Jack Gifford, who would come over to detect with Frank Mellish, his importer, every few years just about everyone had a Tesoro for plough soil detecting. Twenty years on and you see a fraction of the amount in use. Doubt if I could buy a Sand Shark except by special order because the sales are just not there for a dealer.

As for my working for a manufacturer or being a dealer unfortunately not, though Garrett users suggest I work for Minelab, Minelab for Fisher etc. I detect for a living and to do that you need to use the best, not one brand whatever it is.

OK Brian, I can see you have "taken off the gloves" and you are looking for a throw down (I know you're old and English so I'll explain that "throw down," is American slang for "fight"). So let's dance!

What are you, 70? Wake up and smell today Brian. Your opinions do not trump facts. Tesoro sales have grown every year, let me type that a little more slowly for you - as I know an anglophile may have trouble comprehending the concept, Tesoro.. Sales.. Have.. Grown.. E-V-E-R-Y YEAR.. since 1982. Do the math Brian. Tesoro spends less money on branding and advertising than A-N-Y Other.. Major.. Metal.. Detector.. Manufacturer.. Why? Because they don't want to, or have to. Jack Gifford designs are copied and tweaked to this day. He worked on and tweaked many designs credited to others, including the Bounty Hunter Red Baron series.

You come across as just another "I know more, I am smarter than you, my detector is better than yours" bloviater, that spends more time on his computer telling me how wrong I am about everything than swinging his metal detector. Your dislike for Tesoro is as obivious as my appreciation for the brand, yet you won't tell us what- which I'm sure is a personal grudge, the problem between you and Tesoro REALLY is. Tsk, Tsk..

I have NEVER attacked a brand like you have Brian. I always state clearly, that I believe Tesoro VLF technology and machines are just as good or superior to ANY other single frequency VLF on the market today. Tell you what, as much as I dislike Englishmen, I will take you out personally deep into the central Arizona desert for some nuggetshooting, and we'll beat each other up verbally for a few hours while we swing for color. After all, a little gold in the poke beats a poke in the eye every time.

Next time you are in the States, seriously now, I'll take you gold huntin' with my GPX 5000, and Lobo Super Traq. Call me! :laughing7:
 

Terry Soloman

Gold Member
May 28, 2010
19,423
30,109
White Plains, New York
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Nokta Makro Legend// Pulsedive// Minelab GPZ 7000// Vanquish 540// Minelab Pro Find 35// Dune Kraken Sandscoop// Grave Digger Tools Tombstone shovel & Sidekick digger// Bunk's Hermit Pick
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Guys let's all sell our expensive detectors and go out and buy tesoros... they have to be better... Why spend 2000+ for a Minelabs 3030... or 1700 on a V3i when with a vaquero we can all do better?...

Interesting thought. Yesterday I was swinging a Tesoro Cibola, Angelika was hunting with an AT Pro, and Paul was using his CTX 3030. Paul and I both found about $8.00 in assorted clad (20-cents in zincolns). Pual got a silver Kennedy Half, a silver rosie, and a gorgous Sterling Silver ring with stones. Angelika scored about $3.60 in clad, and was disappointed at the numurous pennies she dug. I got the Nine-gram 14K ring at 6".

Now we ALL know an Ace 150, Tesoro Compadre, Fisher F2, Whites Coinmaster, yadda-yadda-yadda... could have detected a honking gold ring at 6" but - Yesterday, that Cibola outhunted the CTX 3030 by a nose!
 

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Terry Soloman

Gold Member
May 28, 2010
19,423
30,109
White Plains, New York
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Nokta Makro Legend// Pulsedive// Minelab GPZ 7000// Vanquish 540// Minelab Pro Find 35// Dune Kraken Sandscoop// Grave Digger Tools Tombstone shovel & Sidekick digger// Bunk's Hermit Pick
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
..Tesoro has not improved its pulse as just about every other pulse manufacturer has, it has gone backwards in hardwiring the coils (Detector Pro improved hardwear, C-Scope, lighter, cheap and a processor, Whites with ground balancing models and the DF coils plus gain and pulse delay controls on the D.F., rather than just one or the other, hoard hunting models have been improved and the coil ranges extended to allow searching for individual coins not just large objects, plus pulse discrimination by hybrid designs or the addition of magnetometer coils). Most manufacturers have worked to reduce pulse delay times because for a sensitive P.I. you need the ability to be able to turn off the current pulse as soon as possible to induce a high voltage spike (can be as much as 400 volts) and then get back as near to zero volts in just a few microseconds.
..

I want to address this opinion, or theory, or whatever this is directly.

1) The current hardwired Tesoro Sand Shark performs just as well or better than ANY of the machines you referenced. It does so with a fixed pusle rate, set for maximun depth in ALL water hunting situations. The machine is designed as an IN WATER detector, rated to 200-feet. I don't care what machine you use, in five-feet of saltwater or deeper, you WILL be running a 20, not a 15. On the wet sand you can get away with 15, but 20 gives you a much smoother threshold and the SAME practical depth.

2) Right this minute, "Discriminating Pulse Induction" is lipstick on a pig, marketing hype.

3) Despite all the bells and whistles, all the "new" technology, not one of these machines can do a better job than the Sand Shark, and NONE of them are gauranteed for life.
 

luvsdux

Bronze Member
May 16, 2007
1,767
690
Lewiston, Idaho
Detector(s) used
Multiple Tesoros and Whites
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
As a loyal Tesoro fan I'd like to add one point concerning Id screens and/or other bells and whistles. Whether it's a no frills beep and dig Tesoro (or other) or a very expensive, every enhancement developed to date, all any of them do is indicate there is metal under the coil. Some may give a decent guess as to what that may be, but only by retrieving the target can one really know what it is. My point being, while bells and whistles are and can be nice, one can dig the same targets quite successfully with a very basic machine and have a lot of fun doing it.
luvsdux
 

norbyx

Hero Member
Jun 3, 2012
837
163
San Jose
Detector(s) used
Actual: Whites MXT All Pro, M6 and Tesoro Sand Shark

Ex: BH Platinum, Tesoro Lobo, ST & Tejon, Teknetics Delta, Whites MXT, V3i, Dual Field, MX5; DP Wader, Garrett At-PRO, Fisher Gold Bug 2, CZ-70Pro
Primary Interest:
Other
That is true but than again also PI machines tell you that there is metal down there and even deeper than the vlf ones. So since the theory is dig every single beep than why not get a PI machine??? Oh they don't have a discrimination ... That is right, and discrimination is??? A wild guess of what is down there... Same as a VID machine.
Let's cut the BS any good VID machine can do whatever a Tesoro can do by just not watching the screen, PLUS it has a monitor in case you want to watch it.
Even Tesoro has VID on the top of line... So ??? They aren't tesoros??? They are bad machines? Just because a machine has or hasn't a screen doesn't mean the detector is good or bad, and we all know that if we dig it all than we might find more good stuff, but if you detect for six hours and have to dig 200 holes or in the same six hours you just dig 100 trusting that your $2000 detector costed you that much not just because it can do beep beep as the $300 one but because it has some serious engineering behind it that can save you the trouble and fatigue of digging up every single signal, than we see that VID detectors might have a sense in existing.

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TCosbyJr

Jr. Member
Jun 3, 2012
95
24
Bedford, IN
Detector(s) used
Current: Tesoro Outlaw, BH Tracker IV, HF MD6008
Ex: White's Coinmaster Pro, BH Discovery 3300, Tesoro Cibola
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
After reading more about the Tesoro MD's I went looking to get one. I just bought a Tesoro Cibola off a local guy on Craigslist (got back not even an hour ago), he only used it to find his wife's wedding ring. He met me half way, driving distance, and only wanted $220 cash - looks brand new. Can't wait to try it out tomorrow :occasion14:
 

U.K. Brian

Bronze Member
Oct 11, 2005
1,629
153
Detector(s) used
XLT, Whites D.F., Treasure Baron, Deepstar, Goldquest, Beachscan, T.D.I., Sovereign, 2x Nautilus, various Arado's, Ixcus Diver, Altek Quadtone, T2, Beach Hunter I.D, GS 5 pulse, Searchman 2 ,V3i
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Norbyx, I should not waste your time. You can't argue with nuts its as simple as that. I've already asked when they were running down VDI machines why Tesoro have always had one or two in their line up but no answer. As for the Sand Shark it got outdated plain and simple. You don't keep up and you find you can only sell to those who don't know better. There's dozens of P.I. machines from Britain, France, Germany, Poland, Bulgaria, Russia, even South Africa but of course you have to try them and if you have no friends and no money you can't.
 

Ken~Digs

Jr. Member
May 2, 2012
44
3
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
#1 - Tesoro got it right the years back on vlf & sandshark already (You dont NEED to FIX what's not broken. Thus they dont have to Overthink . Lobo with Correct Coil will Find ANY Target Any other VLF will find.

#2 - "So since the theory is dig every single beep than why not get a PI machine Oh they don't have a discrimination ... That is right, and discrimination is A wild guess of what is down there... Same as a VID machine". (Apparantly You've never heard of Infinium LS ~ Rev Disc. / Iron Check.) Because i prospect natural gold in high Min. Desert is why I have it (200 Submerged fully) is the Only reason I didn't buy a Sandshark. If and when I buy a gpx 4000 , Finny will be Beach & Backup Gold machine - Lobo will always be Companion/ Pinpointer to Either of those PI's for me.

#3 ~ I've Never Heard of a Bounty Hunter landing an Elephant Gold Nugget (but it could remotely Happen like when my Friend got out of Truck with GB2 and found a 34grm. near Goler 3" down in loose Sand.)

[#4 ~ To my experience so far ~ Ears, good grd track & threshold do me the best (I research extensively before i spend any Significant $.) I represent no Detector Company whatsoever. . . . . :headbang:
 

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dirtscratcher

Bronze Member
Mar 18, 2009
1,877
1,350
Columbia falls Montana
Detector(s) used
Minelab Sov GT Explorer XS Tesoro Vaq t2se x705
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Norbyx said it right.I bought a vaq used it for two years dug alot of coins and alot of junk, but few old coins. Have since got an explorer now dig more silver coins on some days than two years with vaq. If your hunting where you can dig everthing like sand or wood chips I'll use one of my tesoroes but not in a private yard where trying dig as few hole as possible. Calling vid a wild guess tells me you have not spent time with an explorer in smartfind, very few suprises.
 

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