Getting frustrated with my Tesoro Compadre

adalabama

Jr. Member
Jun 15, 2013
87
28
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Usually I keep my discrimination low on iron, since where Ive been hunting Ive been finding alot of old nail, and old horseshoes. I like to find that stuff.
Today I went to a park. Had my disc turned low and had constant tones. I didnt want to waste time with cans and pull tabs so I turned it up, way up... all the way up! 1st beep, dig up a pull tab. 2nd beep I dig and dig and dig. Im excited... Im digging, 6" down now still a good beep. finally my pointer finds it.. a crushed coke can! UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Its very frustrated to dig crap when I am set to avoid crap.
 

fella

Bronze Member
Oct 24, 2012
1,805
853
Wisc
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I've found every Tesoro I've ever had to be very good on aluminum trash. Crushed cans can give off a good tone, but if you know how to size the object before you dig, it's shouldn't be to much of an issue!
 

rainyday101

Hero Member
Dec 1, 2012
779
346
Peshtigo, Wisconsin
Detector(s) used
Tesoro Tejon, Tesoro Silver uMax, Tesoro Tiger Shark
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Fella is right. They will all pick up an aluminum can. You can avoid them though. When you pinpoint a coin your pin point area is really small, about the size of the coin to be exact. When go to pin point and you notice the pin point area is larger and you have a solid hit don't waste your time digging, it's either large metal or an aluminum can. You can't disc those out because their conductivity is too high. Set disc setting just before zinc penny to avoid most trash and still get pennies, dimes, quarters, halves, and dollars. About the only thing that will fool you then are crushed twist off bottle caps and if you hit them from both directions, one direction may not give a clean tone so that you know it is not a perfect target. I still dig most of them though because sometimes they are coins on an angle or edge. That is the disc setting I use in really trashy areas, which it sounds like you were in. When I first started with my silver umax I dug my share of DEEP aluminum cans until figured out the pin point sizing trick.
 

luvsdux

Bronze Member
May 16, 2007
1,767
690
Lewiston, Idaho
Detector(s) used
Multiple Tesoros and Whites
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Yes for sure. Those buried aluminum cans hit like gang busters and you can pick them up DEEP.
Luvsdux
 

JunkShopFiddler

Bronze Member
Feb 15, 2013
1,053
1,059
SW Indiana
Detector(s) used
Garrett GTP 1350
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
All good advice so far, also if you think you may be on a can, lift your coil up 3 or more inches off the ground, if you still get a loud hit it is most likely something you don't want...unless of course you're somewhere between Richmond and Birmingham, and you're looking for the lost Confederate Gold...in that case, DIG!!!
 

OP
OP
A

adalabama

Jr. Member
Jun 15, 2013
87
28
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Went out again today. We have nicknamed the TC "Canmaster". Im thinking about getting an f2.
 

Chris R

Full Member
Feb 17, 2013
113
93
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
That f2 will do the exact same thing on cans. You will have to size the object in the ground the same way with either detecter.
 

Dtektor

Jr. Member
Jan 3, 2012
87
17
Eastern NC
Detector(s) used
Tesoro Vaquero w/ 9x8 & 5.75 coils
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Yup! My daughter and I found an entire 6 pack of crushed beer cans in one hole on the dry sand in Nagshead, NC! Talk about a signal!!
 

crazy4coins

Sr. Member
Jul 9, 2013
467
58
Detector(s) used
Fisher F2, Garrett Pro Pointer, Lesche Digger
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
However, it might be a little harder to size the object with the compadre due to it's lack of a pinpoint feature. Unless you're looking for stashes, if you get a solid signal and dig down 8+ inches without finding the target, there's a good chance that it's gonna be a coke can. Another thing that you can do, like others have mentioned, is raise the coil off of the ground. If you're still getting a solid signal when the coil is a foot+ off of the soil, chances are that it's going to be a large piece of junk.

Currently, I own the f2. Like every other detector, it loves cans, but using he strategies stated above, you can learn to cut down on finding deep, big junk. That being said, this is true with the compadre as well. The F2 will not be a major improvement from the compadre. The compadre is a great machine (super sensitive to small jewelry too) and will serve you well. You just have to spend a little more time and learn what the machine is telling you. Then you will be a happy hunter!
I hope this helps!
C4C
 

Ronzie

Hero Member
May 27, 2009
755
473
Southern Ontario
Detector(s) used
Tesoro Outlaw w/Garrett pinpointer

past machines - Minelab Explorer SE Pro/ Garrett GTI 2500 /Garrett GTAx1000
I love the pinpointing on my new Outlaw. Does what you guys are saying, it tells you the size of the object really well.
Haven't had any experience with the compadre.
 

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
However, it might be a little harder to size the object with the compadre due to it's lack of a pinpoint feature. Unless you're looking for stashes, if you get a solid signal and dig down 8+ inches without finding the target, there's a good chance that it's gonna be a coke can. Another thing that you can do, like others have mentioned, is raise the coil off of the ground. If you're still getting a solid signal when the coil is a foot+ off of the soil, chances are that it's going to be a large piece of junk.

Currently, I own the f2. Like every other detector, it loves cans, but using he strategies stated above, you can learn to cut down on finding deep, big junk. That being said, this is true with the compadre as well. The F2 will not be a major improvement from the compadre. The compadre is a great machine (super sensitive to small jewelry too) and will serve you well. You just have to spend a little more time and learn what the machine is telling you. Then you will be a happy hunter!
I hope this helps!
C4C
Actually, I have owned both and found much more clad with the F2 in the same spots I hunted with the Comp, and much less trash. The Compadre is the best thing going for the price, but the F2 (even with 4" coil) is definitely deeper. That being said, I loved my Compadre and like you said, Crazy you need to lift the coil (even 6-8" is enough in many cases) as well as size the object. The pinpoint on the F2 really helps a lot when sizing up an object. Pinpointing on the Comp is very easy, but sizing up the target is easier when in no-motion all metal (like the F2 in pinpoint)
 

crazy4coins

Sr. Member
Jul 9, 2013
467
58
Detector(s) used
Fisher F2, Garrett Pro Pointer, Lesche Digger
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
That's interesting, Scott. I have heard that the compadre definitely isn't the deepest detector out there, but it is very sensitive to small jewelry.
It also really depends on a person's hunting style. Some people like having a screen, others like beep and dig.
 

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
That's interesting, Scott. I have heard that the compadre definitely isn't the deepest detector out there, but it is very sensitive to small jewelry.
It also really depends on a person's hunting style. Some people like having a screen, others like beep and dig.
Either way, screen or beep & dig, depth is depth. The F2 airtests deeper and finds 'em deeper in ground. 7-8" dimes are not uncommon for my F2, I have never found a dime that deep with Compadre. But I have found some very small sterling earrings with my Comp.
 

jarhead0341

Jr. Member
Oct 12, 2013
46
49
Illinois
Detector(s) used
Tesoro Compadre
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I am able to hear the breaks in the sound now but sometimes it seems like this Compadre has trouble with sizing up an object. I got used to deciphering nails and cans by the length of swing although after 5-6 inches deep they both sound identical to coins. This can be very irritating at times. On the positive side-This machine never misses a coin and you get some bonus aluminum to take home:censored:
 

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