I've decided to drastically short this post. The original was just too long.
I recently got back into detecting after a 15 year absence. I was trying to find a good detector to start with and after awhile I decided on the Compadre.
Then I let people talk me out of it. They told me it was for kids, that the technology was too old and its capabilities too limited. They also complained about the coil being hardwired into the unit so you couldn't interchange coils.
I let myself get talked into buying a different detector, one with more features, but I didn't like it so I traded it in for another, and then another. Finally I found myself not having as much fun with the hobby anymore because I was going nuts trying to get a perfect land machine.
I finally had to stop myself. I didn't need perfect. Perfect does not exist. Every detector, from the Compadre up, has their advantages and disadvantages. It all depends on the user's skill and where they are choosing to hunt.
I wanted simple. I wanted fun. Was that wrong? No.
So I just bought a Compadre, the unit I planned to buy in the first place.
The Compadre is simple to use. One discrimination knob. That's it. No TID screen, which I think is too inaccurate both on target id and depth. And this comes from experience using several. You just have a single tone on the Compadre, but the power and crispness of the tone can tell you a lot. It will teach you a lot.
The 5.75" coil is perfect for trashy areas. Sure it doesn't cover as much ground, but at 2.2 lbs you can swing the Compadre for hours and not get tired.
Depth is fine, between 6" and 7", a little deeper in the right conditions and on larger targets. Since I don't relic hunt, what more do I need? Honestly, about 80%-90% of targets are dug within the first 6" not matter what machine you use.
I have the Garrett pinpointer, so pinpointing accuracy with the detector isn't as big an issue, but with practice would be fine even without the pinpointer.
And at 12 kHz, the Compadre seems to me to potentially be better on small gold then even the uMax.
And then there's that lifetime warranty.
Using a basic machine will help me figure out what my preferences really are and which ones mean nothing to me. If I had done this in the beginning, I could have saved myself a lot of money, time, and aggravation.
Sure, I'll get another detector one day, but I doubt I'll stop using the Compadre.
Yep, The Compadre is a great little Machine. I have a Sidewinder which is kinda a Compadre on steroids. It operates at 12Khz like the Compadre but has a sesitivity knob like the Soilver Umax and a pin point button like the Cibola with a toggle to switch from a threshold based all metal mode to a silent search disc. mode.
LST, BDHI,Infinium,Sov XS,6000DI Pro SL,Scorpion, V-SAT,Spectrum XLT,Gold Spear & a few others.
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Re: Why I Chose To Buy A Compadre
Yes I agree there is not much wrong with the Compadre and it is far from being a toy.
As far as the accuracy of TID readouts is conserned you will find that with all single frequency fixed ground track machines that as the ground mineralisation increases, the accuracy of the TID reading decreases and becomes more jumpy or skittish.
Those detectors that provide target ID in the GB All Metal mode are much more accurate in mineralised ground than the fixed GB type.
There is also several single frequency other brand machines that are very accurate with their TID over a wide range of mineralisation and also the multi frequency machines are very accurate and consistant.
I have an 30 year old machine that is deadly accurate in the TID All Metal Ground balance mode.
I've been bouncing between a Silver and a Vaquero; but what you are doing, Smudge, might be a good way to go. Particularly for someone like me who has little experience with non-TID detectors; would give me experience before upgrading later if I chose to.
My only concern would be not having a sensitivity adjustment, which I use quite a bit on my Ace 250. Do like the 5.75 coil on the Compadre....too much masking with the Ace 6x9 at times.
I've been bouncing between a Silver and a Vaquero; but what you are doing, Smudge, might be a good way to go. Particularly for someone like me who has little experience with non-TID detectors; would give me experience before upgrading later if I chose to.
My only concern would be not having a sensitivity adjustment, which I use quite a bit on my Ace 250. Do like the 5.75 coil on the Compadre....too much masking with the Ace 6x9 at times.
Decisions, Decisions
Dick
I don't know what Iowa soil is like, but like I say its pretty mild here in Florida. I'm not sure the impact of factory set sensitivity, but I'll post my finds and let everyone know what I figure out.
Director-Search & Recovery Team of Oakland County.
Aug 2005
In Michigan now.
Excal 1000, Sovereign GT, CZ-20, Tiger Shark, Tejon, GTI 1500, Surfmaster Pulse, CZ6a, DFX, AT PRO, many more.
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All Types Of Treasure Hunting
Re: Why I Chose To Buy A Compadre
Tesoro's are very forgiving even in mineralized soil and still reach quite deep. The Compadre is no slouch for finding targets and giving lots of fun. Too many hunters think they NEED all the options that the top of the line detectors give and end up worrying that they have the setting wrong.
We need a car to go from here to there and then load it down with trash we don't need like heated seats, etc.
(C) Sandman, 2005. All Rights Reserved.
"TIME IS THE ONLY THING YOU NEVER GET BACK, WHY WASTE IT SWINGING A DETECTOR THAT ISN'T UP TO THE TASK."
Sovereign Xs-2a, Excalibur II, E-Track, White's V3, Tesoro Lobo ST, Tesoro Golden, and others
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Re: Why I Chose To Buy A Compadre
"Color is very overrated" said the blind man.
To each his own ... if you are happy with the Tesoro Compadre why should anyone else's opinion matter?
Yes ... they are a good American made metal detector and backed by a great warranty.
It's easy to pay for one with the coins you will find.
Great detector for tot lots where the targets are not very deep.
Fisher 1270 with 5", 8",5x10",10-1/2",12" HotHead Coils, Fisher CZ-5 with 8",10-1/2" coils, Tesoro Compadre
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All Types Of Treasure Hunting
Re: Why I Chose To Buy A Compadre
I bought one for my 9 yr old son I hunt with a Cibola he finds coins and Nick knacks just as deep as the Cibola he says that his Compadre is a Bad Boy I am begining to believe it the only advantage the Cibola has on him is interchangeable coils and pinpoint button and just a little better discrimination. He's saving all the change he finds so when he gets bigger he can buy a little more advance detector but I think he is going to have a rough time finding one that does any better! See ya Happy Hunting
Funny how this thread is seven months old and keeps coming back to life!
More folks should read it buddy...
"The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions, that I wish it to be always kept alive. It will often be exercised when wrong, but better so than not to be exercised at all. I like a little rebellion now and then. It is like a storm in the atmosphere"
Last week my sons and I detected several FL Gulf Coast beaches. I used a Sovereign GT while my sons used a Vaquero and a Compadre. Interestingly, in the dry sand the little 'toy like' Compadre kept pace with the much more sophisticated machines.
The Compadre is anything but a toy. To date on dry sand, the Compadre holds the record in my stable for most coins found in the shortest period of time, 57 in about an hour. When my sons asked me if I'd leave a detector with them to use I handed over the Vaquero. Though the V is a great machine I can live without it. The Compadre - hmm, not so much.
Simple, light weight, high quality. And, most importantly, fun!!!!!
I love my new compadre! Just got to take it out to the beach for the first time last Saturday. It's nice and simple...just beep and dig. It's a blast, plus the smaller coil not only helps with pinpointing but it makes you move slower, ensuring that you'll miss less targets. Invaluable for a newbie like me. The light weight is also a major advantage, my dad's Sov GT was great to use but after a few hours my arm felt like it was gonna fall off, I can see why some guys have elbow issues. Need some more practice I guess
Thanks for the great B-Day present dad (TJC45)! BTW the Vaquero's working great
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It operates at 12Khz like the Compadre but has a sesitivity knob like the Soilver Umax and a pin point button like the Cibola with a toggle to switch from a threshold based all metal mode to a silent search disc. mode.
Originally Posted by Dick from IA
