Newly purchased Bandido 2 Umax

DiggerinVA

Bronze Member
Sep 16, 2013
1,669
1,661
Shenandoah Valley, Virginia
Detector(s) used
GPX5000, AT Gold, AT Pro, Whites TDI, Bandido 2 umax, Tejon, Vaquero, Deus 2, ORX and Legend
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Just unboxed my "new to me" Bandido 2 micromax......and so far, I love it! Put it together, slapped a half strength 9v in it and grabbed a couple of test targets I had lying close by. The most impressive thing to me was that even on disc set at 2 or around foil this machine never tried to beep on a few larger rusty iron objects that I dug up with other machines. And most of my machines do like these items. That is one benefit over the Vaquero that I see already. Next thing that impressed me was that the little Bandido hit a large cent out to 12" with a good, repeatable tone....with the stock 8" coil. I cant wait to swing this little beast! Hate that its suppose to rain all day tomorrow.
 

pinenut

Bronze Member
Mar 15, 2016
1,024
1,363
where bigfoot roams
Detector(s) used
Various Tesoro - mostly Bandido II μMAX
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Just unboxed my "new to me" Bandido 2 micromax......and so far, I love it! Put it together, slapped a half strength 9v in it and grabbed a couple of test targets I had lying close by. The most impressive thing to me was that even on disc set at 2 or around foil this machine never tried to beep on a few larger rusty iron objects that I dug up with other machines. And most of my machines do like these items...

Congrats! They're awesome in iron, as is the Silver Sabre microMAX and the Outlaw. I love using all three; steel bottlecaps and most nails rarely make a sound! Keep the concentric on it and everything discs out right where you'd expect.
 

Bill G

Full Member
Jan 8, 2006
241
259
Just unboxed my "new to me" Bandido 2 micromax......and so far, I love it! Put it together, slapped a half strength 9v in it and grabbed a couple of test targets I had lying close by. The most impressive thing to me was that even on disc set at 2 or around foil this machine never tried to beep on a few larger rusty iron objects that I dug up with other machines. And most of my machines do like these items. That is one benefit over the Vaquero that I see already. Next thing that impressed me was that the little Bandido hit a large cent out to 12" with a good, repeatable tone....with the stock 8" coil. I cant wait to swing this little beast! Hate that its suppose to rain all day tomorrow.

Very true friend,

I have found the Vaquero dose better on nails with the disc knob between the first line under the nickel mark, just under nickel or even closer to the nickel mark.(The price we pay for the ED180 disc used on Tesoro 4 pin Hot detectors). This set up seems to makes most of the nails snap and click (a bit higher on the disc than my Outlaw was). The Outlaw on the other hand and the Bandido do great in this area and pretty much knock all the nails out at around the foil mark. The ED120 disc on the Bandido and Outlaw detectors do very well in iron on nails and is really hard to beat in these inviroments, very quiet.

Happy Hunting,
Bill G
 

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Welgund

Sr. Member
Aug 27, 2014
355
478
Colorado
Detector(s) used
XP Deus, CTX 3030, CZ-6a, CZ 5, Tesoro Vaquero, Mojave, Fisher F75 Ltd2, MXT Pro, Makro Multi Kruzer, Deeptech VGG
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Vaquero is more around ED165. Tejon, Eldorado and compadre are true ed180. When hunting in sites with square nails and heavy iron I likes the ED120 disc better than the other disc ranges. I prefer the tones of the older tesoros over the newer ones also.
 

Bill G

Full Member
Jan 8, 2006
241
259
Vaquero is more around ED165. Tejon, Eldorado and compadre are true ed180. When hunting in sites with square nails and heavy iron I likes the ED120 disc better than the other disc ranges. I prefer the tones of the older tesoros over the newer ones also.


You may be right about the Vaquero being around ED165 but Tesoro web page says ED180, could be a typo. I know my Tejon with the ED180 has a wider range than my Vaquero does even though it's listed as ED180 so ED165 makes perfect since.

I personally like the Tejon and the ED180 disc and the Vaquero. I like hearing the the clicks and pops on iron nails and iron trash my self. Also the ED180 does not seem to affect the depth of the detector as near as I can tell when the disc is turned up to higher levels, have also noticed the same traits with the Vaquero.

Happy Hunting,
Bill G
 

pinenut

Bronze Member
Mar 15, 2016
1,024
1,363
where bigfoot roams
Detector(s) used
Various Tesoro - mostly Bandido II μMAX
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
You may be right about the Vaquero being around ED165 but Tesoro web page says ED180, could be a typo. I know my Tejon with the ED180 has a wider range than my Vaquero does even though it's listed as ED180 so ED165 makes perfect sense...

Bill, for some reason Tesoro is now calling the Vaquero "ED120". Seems people may have complained about their calling it ED180, so they made a change on their Vaquero page.
Wierd. When I bought my Vaquero, they were still ED180 too... ^_^
 

Bill G

Full Member
Jan 8, 2006
241
259
Bill, for some reason Tesoro is now calling the Vaquero "ED120". Seems people may have complained about their calling it ED180, so they made a change on their Vaquero page.
Wierd. When I bought my Vaquero, they were still ED180 too... ^_^



pinenut Thank's,

Your 100% right my friend Tesoro has changed the information on their web page so it was possibly a typo. Now it all makes a little more sense concerning the Vaquero. To me the Vaquero (ED120) does seem to click and pop a little more on the nails and iron trash (I tend to like this myself) than the ED120 did on my Outlaw. I think maybe this could have something to do with Tesoro Hot high output design or maybe even the higher frequency on the Vaquero that causes this??

Take Care, 8-)
Bill G
 

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digger27

Bronze Member
May 18, 2011
1,506
3,225
I believe the ED on the Vaq is not 180 but it is not actually 120 either...165 seems about right to me, also.
I think Monte posted once that he had a conversation with the elder Gifford about this long ago and he concurred but they already had info about it being 180 out there before they realized this so they just left it alone.
Now in these days of the internet, information being passed around so much more easily and the politically correct nature of thinking now that all info needs to be exactly true or it is a lie Tesoro changed the Vaq rating to 120ED.
Better to err closer to being right than being proven to be wrong.
What they probably mean it is at least 120...but let it go from there.

Not that it matters much, so many use them and enjoy them and adapt to them no matter where they actually come in on that scale it really is kinda a non issue, to me anyway.
 

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Bill G

Full Member
Jan 8, 2006
241
259
I believe the ED on the Vaq is not 180 but it is not actually 120 either...165 seems about right to me, also.
I think Monte posted once that he had a conversation with the elder Gifford about this long ago and he concurred but they already had info about it being 180 out there before they realized this so they just left it alone.
Now in these days of the internet, information being passed around so much more easily and the politically correct nature of thinking now that all info needs to be exactly true or it is a lie Tesoro changed the Vaq rating to 120ED.
Better to err closer to being right than being proven to be wrong.
What they probably mean it is at least 120...but let it go from there.

Not that it matters much, so many use them and enjoy them and adapt to them no matter where they actually come in on that scale it really is kinda a non issue, to me anyway.


Very good point Friend, :icon_thumright:

Happy Hunting,
Bill G

* Black Tesoro Tejon
* Black Tesoro Vaquero
* Tesoro Sand Shark
* White's M6
 

Stoof2010

Hero Member
Jul 12, 2016
701
520
S.E. Michigan
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Congrats on the new to you b2 Micromax!!!
One of my favorite models! Some don't like it, but I prefer the higher audio frequency.
Does very well in the applications I use it for.
It's modern brother, the outlaw is very nice as well.
Good luck and keep us posted on how it works for you in the future!!
Happy hunting!!
 

devldog

Silver Member
Mar 9, 2012
3,646
6,340
Georgia
Detector(s) used
Whites MXT ALL PRO, Minelab Safari
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
Congrat's to you Digger on your new Bandido. Here's wishing you many finds with your new Tesoro. I see too that you come from a proud line of descendants. My Grandad served too in the Army of Northern Virginia. William E. Jenkins 44th Georgia Volunteer Infantry Co. D'. Dole Cook Brigade.
 

bigtim1973

Hero Member
Oct 12, 2007
751
216
Middle Tennessee
Detector(s) used
XP Deus II & XP Deus
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Hey enjoy my old Bandido umax Josh!! I liked it too. It was just in too good of shape for me to not feel guilty about using it. It works very well. I just kept in in the corner and really never brought it out much. I still have my silver sabre umax and I prefer it just because it has been around the block a few times. Your gonna love that old bandido. Keep us posted on what you find with it. HH, Tim
 

Toothpick

Sr. Member
Sep 9, 2013
480
1,016
Wisconsin
Detector(s) used
XP-DEUS 2, MANTICORE, XP-DEUS 1, Equinox 800, Simplex, 1280x, Gold Bug 2, 12v Gator Gill Hookah
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Hope you do well with it! I just bought one today and cant wait to see how it does in my trashy sites.
 

Stoof2010

Hero Member
Jul 12, 2016
701
520
S.E. Michigan
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
You'll love it toothpick. The audio is higher so be ready for that. I like the frequency though. It's the same high tone I have in my cutlass.
 

OP
OP
DiggerinVA

DiggerinVA

Bronze Member
Sep 16, 2013
1,669
1,661
Shenandoah Valley, Virginia
Detector(s) used
GPX5000, AT Gold, AT Pro, Whites TDI, Bandido 2 umax, Tejon, Vaquero, Deus 2, ORX and Legend
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Pulled a merc. and a wheatie in a "dried up" spot that is loaded with iron trash yesterday. Really like it....best Tesoro in iron I have used. Pulled 4 nails out of the hole before reaching the Merc.
 

Stoof2010

Hero Member
Jul 12, 2016
701
520
S.E. Michigan
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I don't know about better.
But it's too close to call for me.
If you can't find the bandido II micromax, having the option of the outlaw is outstanding!!
3 coil pack is the best deal from Tesoro!!!
 

steve1357

Hero Member
May 17, 2013
981
439
Arkansas
Detector(s) used
Tesoro Fisher Teknetics Garrett
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I don't know about better.
But it's too close to call for me.
If you can't find the bandido II micromax, having the option of the outlaw is outstanding!!
3 coil pack is the best deal from Tesoro!!!

Outlaw?

When are you going to hang a 11x8 RSD on that Vaquero and see what you've been missing?
:hello:
 

Stoof2010

Hero Member
Jul 12, 2016
701
520
S.E. Michigan
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Outlaw?

When are you going to hang a 11x8 RSD on that Vaquero and see what you've been missing?
:hello:

I don't have that coil. I have the epsilon big boy that came with my outlaw lol.
Sending my vaquero in soon for a high tone mod and a checkup. May have rusty throw that one in.
But I've been wanting a smaller coil for it. Either a 53/4 concentric or widescan or the 10" elliptical if I can ever find a dealer that has one with a short cable lol.

I don't really have alot of use for a large coil but I am curious what all the fuss is about lol
 

steve1357

Hero Member
May 17, 2013
981
439
Arkansas
Detector(s) used
Tesoro Fisher Teknetics Garrett
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
:thumbsup::thumbsup:
I don't have that coil. I have the epsilon big boy that came with my outlaw lol.
Sending my vaquero in soon for a high tone mod and a checkup. May have rusty throw that one in.
But I've been wanting a smaller coil for it. Either a 53/4 concentric or widescan or the 10" elliptical if I can ever find a dealer that has one with a short cable lol.

I don't really have alot of use for a large coil but I am curious what all the fuss is about lol

You aint went detecting until you took a shovel with you, digging up railroad spikes and horseshoes over a foot deep anticipating that mason jar of gold coins old buddy.
 

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