Tesoro metal detectors?

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
Isn't it astonishing that on a thread started over two-years ago, and with over 150 responses, you can count the Tesoro haters and detractors taking part in it on one hand? :occasion14:

I only wish I would have had so many opinions on both sides when I was looking at the vaquero. Every brand has a company man that preaches thier praise and gets mad at any negative opinion. The whole point is to research and probaby the best way is throw out the over the top positive and negative.
 

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
Its Terry that doesn't seem to like the Vaquero (Tejon way better in his view). Unfortunately the Tejon doesn't cope as well with alkaline and magnetic soils. The Tejon can also have more problems with EMI. Vaquero smoother running, less chatter, faster autotune whilst the Tejon has more gain. Gain doesn't help in Arizona where I have family. I remember Sandman agreeing that those who say the Tejon is better than the Vanquero "haven't tried to use it west of the Rockies".

Must not forget that Vince (of Tesoro) said that the Vaquero is deeper in bad ground.

At least Terry HAS admitted to using Minelab, having posted on Treasure Net only a few weeks back that you should only use U.S. machines.

Treasure Hunter...Norbyx has repeatedly given his view on the Vanquero along the lines of post #31 "disliked it in every sense". #46 quoted by T.S. is him being sarcastic. This is similar trick to my being quoted as "I can't recommend buying a Deepstar" when the actual post in context was "for $2000 when you can no longer get them repaired". A kids trick but no doubt catches a few.
 

Last edited:

Terry Soloman

Gold Member
May 28, 2010
19,421
30,104
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
Its Terry that doesn't seem to like the Vaquero (Tejon way better in his view). Unfortunately the Tejon doesn't cope as well with alkaline and magnetic soils. The Tejon can also have more problems with EMI. Vaquero smoother running, less chatter, faster autotune whilst the Tejon has more gain. Gain doesn't help in Arizona where I have family. I remember Sandman agreeing that those who say the Tejon is better than the Vanquero "haven't tried to use it west of the Rockies".

Must not forget that Vince (of Tesoro) said that the Vaquero is deeper in bad ground.

At least Terry HAS admitted to using Minelab, having posted on Treasure Net only a few weeks back that you should only use U.S. machines.

Gosh U.K., if only you knew what you were talking about it would make you much more credible.
 

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
Sorry if you want to keep telling lies you will have to have your posting history deleted.

Here's a post from Rod, a friend of yours, on the best gold machines.... Extensively used all three models, GMT (still have one), Lobo Super Trac and Gold Bug 2. In my opinion the Super Trac is the least of the three suitable for gold hunting. In fact I can't think of a situation where I would purposely prefer the Super Trac over the GB2 or GMT.
Your answer "GREAT POST ROD" and must not forget the thumbs up you gave him.
 

Terry Soloman

Gold Member
May 28, 2010
19,421
30,104
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
Keep trying U.K., and MAYBE one day you'll get it right - or have a stroke. Whichever. :occasion14:
 

atomicscott

Bronze Member
Aug 18, 2011
1,564
1,055
Riverside CA
Detector(s) used
Current: Nokta Makro Simplex+, Teknetics Patriot, Fisher Gold Bug (original), GP Pinpointer (Garrett Clone) Lesche. Owned: Omega 8000, Minelab X-Terra 505, Fisher F2, Tesoro Vaquero, & Compadre, Whit
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Keep trying U.K., and MAYBE one day you'll get it right - or have a stroke. Whichever. :occasion14:

As long as you don't end up having to buy gold nuggets on ebay and claim them as finds, you are getting it right.
 

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
Here's a post from "Diggers" "The east European brands are making great strides so why not Tesoro. They use to be top dog in the UK but since then they have taken a big drop as the newer brands have stolen the show"

The answer could be in Steve Herschbach's post "I hate to say it but I think Tesoro is not really in the running anymore when it comes to new detectors. It takes more money than they seem willing to invest to enter the 21st century. Can anyone really imagine them coming out with a Deus type product. Or a CTX 3030 ? Or a V3i ?
Just a few examples but you get my drift."
 

NWMP

Hero Member
Nov 20, 2009
591
503
Riding a unicorn in the Saskatchewan mountains
Detector(s) used
Tejon, AT Pro, Simplex, Legend, and I still go home with a hand full of clad and junk some days.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
VDI screens and numbers are a GIMMICK, plain and simple. If you are discriminating out iron and foil with a Tesoro, if you get a repeatable signal you dig it with confidence - period. If you are relying on VDI numbers as to whether or not you dig a target you WILL miss treasure. No hobbyist that has been doing this for more than five-years relies on VDI screens - we trust our machines and our EARS.
.

With all due respect sir, I disagree. I have owned a Tesoro Tejon for several years now and it is indeed a wonderful deep(er) relic machine. But I find that I rarely use it now unless in an isolated fur trade site etc. My AT Pro has too many useful features packed into it, to leave it at home. I find that the added screen info helps me to make a better educated guess as to whether a target is worth digging or not. And the varied tones allow me to judge targets by tone or sound. While I do like my Tesoro and I "get it" about learning the target sound nuances, I still find that the Garrett A T Pro gives me much more information. I still make the ultimate decision whether to dig or not with either machine. So I'd rather have more information to base a decision on, than less.
 

Last edited:

NWMP

Hero Member
Nov 20, 2009
591
503
Riding a unicorn in the Saskatchewan mountains
Detector(s) used
Tejon, AT Pro, Simplex, Legend, and I still go home with a hand full of clad and junk some days.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Its Terry that doesn't seem to like the Vaquero (Tejon way better in his view). Unfortunately the Tejon doesn't cope as well with alkaline and magnetic soils. The Tejon can also have more problems with EMI. Vaquero smoother running, less chatter, faster autotune whilst the Tejon has more gain. Gain doesn't help in Arizona where I have family. I remember Sandman agreeing that those who say the Tejon is better than the Vanquero "haven't tried to use it west of the Rockies".

Must not forget that Vince (of Tesoro) said that the Vaquero is deeper in bad ground.

At least Terry HAS admitted to using Minelab, having posted on Treasure Net only a few weeks back that you should only use U.S. machines.

Treasure Hunter...Norbyx has repeatedly given his view on the Vanquero along the lines of post #31 "disliked it in every sense". #46 quoted by T.S. is him being sarcastic. This is similar trick to my being quoted as "I can't recommend buying a Deepstar" when the actual post in context was "for $2000 when you can no longer get them repaired". A kids trick but no doubt catches a few.

I detected a fur trade site in north central Canada with a guy. The soil was rich black loam that was water saturated as it was spring. The guy with me using the Vaquero was reaching down and pulling up trade rings/buttons etc. from astonishing depths, under these ideal conditions. Regardless, that machine was going very,very deep and I am a die hard believer in Vaquero depth, as I was standing right there using my Tejon, which is no slouch either. I prefer multi tones and screens, but I KNOW for a fact that these two Tesoros are deep units.
 

Terry Soloman

Gold Member
May 28, 2010
19,421
30,104
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
Here's a post from "Diggers" "The east European brands are making great strides so why not Tesoro. They use to be top dog in the UK but since then they have taken a big drop as the newer brands have stolen the show"

The answer could be in Steve Herschbach's post "I hate to say it but I think Tesoro is not really in the running anymore when it comes to new detectors. It takes more money than they seem willing to invest to enter the 21st century. Can anyone really imagine them coming out with a Deus type product. Or a CTX 3030 ? Or a V3i ?
Just a few examples but you get my drift."

This is VERY simple: Will a "Deus type product, or a CTX 3030, or a V3i," find anything a Vaquero won't? The answer is no. Do they have higher prices and more "features" needed to justify those higher prices? Yes.

This is a fundamental argument. I hunt with CTX 3030 and Deus users ALL THE TIME. None of them find ANYTHING deeper or smaller than my Vaquero. Do they dig fewer holes than I do? Yes. Do I pull more GOLD than they do? Yes.

For me, that is the end of the argument.
 

Rawhide

Silver Member
Nov 17, 2010
3,590
2,185
SouthWestern USA
Detector(s) used
Nox 800, Etrac, F75, AT Pro. Last two for sale.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Terry, when I was in the Army we were taught tolerance for those less fortunate such as Marines. I think your personality is leading your answers. I find it very hard to believe a Tesero is gonna keep up with a newer, modern machine. The science behind them is the same. But the programing and design is not. Tesero makes a good product and I would own one if I didnt already have one of the newer machines that produce. Also the operator makes a difference on any machine. I understand you are a expert with the Tesoro, I hope I can visit some day and you can school me on the Tesoror. But Im seeing some great stuff with with my own brand, and I am prejudiced I guess.
 

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
This is VERY simple: Will a "Deus type product, or a CTX 3030, or a V3i," find anything a Vaquero won't? The answer is no. Do they have higher prices and more "features" needed to justify those higher prices? Yes.

This is a fundamental argument. I hunt with CTX 3030 and Deus users ALL THE TIME. None of them find ANYTHING deeper or smaller than my Vaquero. Do they dig fewer holes than I do? Yes. Do I pull more GOLD than they do? Yes.

For me, that is the end of the argument.

I own both types ive found gold with all of them everone will sound off on gold. Its up the user to dig. If the guys you are detecting with wanted to dig a bunch of junk they would dig as much gold as a matter of fact maybe more because with tone and vdi they could just ignore all those pesky high tones and cocenrate on the low and mid tones. Its all about how we like to detect if you want to dig everything which takes away from the fun factor. Somehow i get the feeling Terry takes beating everyone in finds as the only measure of success.
 

atomicscott

Bronze Member
Aug 18, 2011
1,564
1,055
Riverside CA
Detector(s) used
Current: Nokta Makro Simplex+, Teknetics Patriot, Fisher Gold Bug (original), GP Pinpointer (Garrett Clone) Lesche. Owned: Omega 8000, Minelab X-Terra 505, Fisher F2, Tesoro Vaquero, & Compadre, Whit
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Terry, when I was in the Army we were taught tolerance for those less fortunate such as Marines. I think your personality is leading your answers. I find it very hard to believe a Tesero is gonna keep up with a newer, modern machine. The science behind them is the same. But the programing and design is not. Tesero makes a good product and I would own one if I didnt already have one of the newer machines that produce. Also the operator makes a difference on any machine. I understand you are a expert with the Tesoro, I hope I can visit some day and you can school me on the Tesoror. But Im seeing some great stuff with with my own brand, and I am prejudiced I guess.

Well said.
 

Terry Soloman

Gold Member
May 28, 2010
19,421
30,104
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 Soloman

Gold Member
May 28, 2010
19,421
30,104
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
I own both types ive found gold with all of them everone will sound off on gold...

Do you dig nickel's and pulltabs with your Minelab's and your Teknetics? Because if you are not, you ain't finding any gold. The ONLY thing I don't dig is iron. Last time I went out with a CTX 3030, it still couldn't tell me if that iffy target was a gold ring or a pulltab. Fill us in with your wisdom DS, because I am willing to learn!
 

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
Do you dig nickel's and pulltabs with your Minelab's and your Teknetics? Because if you are not, you ain't finding any gold. The ONLY thing I don't dig is iron. Last time I went out with a CTX 3030, it still couldn't tell me if that iffy target was a gold ring or a pulltab. Fill us in with your wisdom DS, because I am willing to learn!

I dig alot of both and very few pieces of gold. I get a few but Western Montana would probably not be on anyones list for lost jewerly. You know good and well no detecter will tell the difference least of all a tesoro. Like i said before every detector ive had will go beep on a gold ring its up to the user from there.
 

Terry Soloman

Gold Member
May 28, 2010
19,421
30,104
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
I dig alot of both and very few pieces of gold. I get a few but Western Montana would probably not be on anyones list for lost jewerly. You know good and well no detecter will tell the difference least of all a tesoro. Like i said before every detector ive had will go beep on a gold ring its up to the user from there.

BINGO! This is the entire point. Since NO machine - regardless of its price point or visual aids - can tell the difference between a good target and a piece of aluminum, how can ANYONE say the CTX or the Deus or any other machine is "more advanced," or a "better" machine than my $450.00 Vaquero coupled with my ears? Point blank - they can't. They can believe they have an advantage because they paid three-times more for their equipment, but they are just kidding themselves. After 30+ years of detecting with dozens of different machines and several different brands, I decided to just trust my experience and stick to my belief that if it is a solid, repeatable target - Dig It!

I Like Tesoro, because it is a SOLID, dependable detector, that has found as much or more treasure as ANY other Brand - AND, it is made in my home state by people I know, have met, and call my friends.

Some people like Whites, some like Garrett, and some just like to use the "newest," or "trendiest," or something made in Turkey. God Bless 'Em!
 

Oct 15, 2011
3
0
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I have an older Tesoro Silver Sabre II and can't say enough about it. It even kept me in taco and burrito money/change during a tough stretch when money was tighter than it is now. Like anything else it's a matter of knowing your equipment. This machine has even found me enough to "upgrade" to a Minelab Quattro, which is a great machine but switching brands takes some getting used to.
Anytime I go out I ALWAYS have my Tesoro, as it is my reliable go-to machine. Any machine that pays for itself AND it's "replacement" is top notch in my book.
 

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
BINGO! This is the entire point. Since NO machine - regardless of its price point or visual aids - can tell the difference between a good target and a piece of aluminum, how can ANYONE say the CTX or the Deus or any other machine is "more advanced," or a "better" machine than my $450.00 Vaquero coupled with my ears? Point blank - they can't. They can believe they have an advantage because they paid three-times more for their equipment, but they are just kidding themselves. After 30+ years of detecting with dozens of different machines and several different brands, I decided to just trust my experience and stick to my belief that if it is a solid, repeatable target - Dig It!

I Like Tesoro, because it is a SOLID, dependable detector, that has found as much or more treasure as ANY other Brand - AND, it is made in my home state by people I know, have met, and call my friends.

Some people like Whites, some like Garrett, and some just like to use the "newest," or "trendiest," or something made in Turkey. God Bless 'Em!

They all beep on a gold ring. Some will give a mid orlow tone and a vdi in the gold range and the tesoros will go beep like they do on anything and everything. The only situation they are close is dig everything site. Still wont use mine if only because of where the headphone plug and the way it squeaks when you swing it just like all three others ive tried.
 

Terry Soloman

Gold Member
May 28, 2010
19,421
30,104
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
Well, at least you didn't say "Your Mother wears Army boots!" :laughing7:
 

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Top