Review: Silver Sabre 1983 Original Model

[Michigan Badger]

Lately I've been hearing so much about the old original Silver Sabre that I finally located one. It was really beat-up and cost me $150 but it was worth it! In fact, at twice that price it's a steal.

The Silver Sabre is probably the ideal detector for yards, parks, and other high trash sites. It has a discriminator that one must use to believe. Why Tesoro ever abandoned this model is more than I can figure. Maybe they had to in order to do that super light micro thing? The Silver uMax isn't this machine.

Anyway, I took my old beat-up job to a site I had hit very hard with my Tejon, DeLeon, Nautilus IIb, and Minelab Excal. I wasn't there but 15 minutes and I dug 6 coins. All were memorials but had been there some time. They ranged from 1-5 inches deep.

Later I returned and dug a very old pocket knife and a few more coins including a 1919 wheat at a good 6+ inches.

The crowning find was a brass part to an old lamp that was laying under an iron bolt! The bolt totally discriminated out but the smaller brass part signaled through.

This detector has replaced the Tejon for me while hunting trashy sites.

My old Sabre came with only the 7 inch coil but it still will get a good signal on a freshly buried memorial penny at 5-6 inches deep. Trust me, that's not bad for fresh buried!

The tone quality is supreme!

This old machine is a great buy in any condition just so it works. But even if it doesn't, Tesoro is know for their service.

Badger

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Agony and Death on a Gold Rush Steamer: The Disastrous Sinking of the Side-Wheeler Yankee Blade - Grab it through Amazon!

[SaginawIan]

Very interesting indeed! I have wondered about this model. I know how much you like your Tejon, so for you to say that this is your go to machine in trash is saying alot about it's abilities. Great review. I look forward to seeing pictures of your finds with this one. It's interesting that depth is so good with this '83 detector - that tells me that technology hasn't gotten a ton better in the last 20 years. Is the discrimination better with the Silver Sabre than other tesoro models that you've used?

Ian

 

[Michigan Badger]

Very interesting indeed! I have wondered about this model. I know how much you like your Tejon, so for you to say that this is your go to machine in trash is saying alot about it's abilities. Great review. I look forward to seeing pictures of your finds with this one. It's interesting that depth is so good with this '83 detector - that tells me that technology hasn't gotten a ton better in the last 20 years. Is the discrimination better with the Silver Sabre than other tesoro models that you've used?

Ian

Hey, great to hear from you again, Ian!

I haven't tried the Silver uMax yet but one is being delivered to me next Thursday. I'm wondering how it will do up against this old beater.

I've heard lots of good things about the Silver uMax. One fellow who is known to be an expert told me that the Silver uMax is very different from the old Silver Sabre line. Some call the new Silver uMax a Sabre but it really isn't. This doesn't mean the S. uMax isn't as good...it could be even better. It's just different, that's all.

As for the DeLeon and Tejon, the old Sabre with tiny 7-inch round coil isn't as deep out in the field (I think). But in trashy areas I think it's vastly superior to it's more powerful siblings fixed with their bigger web coils.

Anytime you can fresh bury a modern junk clad penny at 5+ inches and get a good solid coin tone, you've got a good detector. I've had major $$$$ brands that I don't think could do this.

As for the Tejon, it's still the supreme machine in my book. It's features and smoothness set it upon the throne. But I must admit that I was very surprised at the performance of such an old detector. I do sort of wonder now about how far we've really come?

We'll see how the uMax compares next week.

How you been doing with your uMax?

Badger

 

[SaginawIan]

I'm pretty sure you'll love the Silver Umax. I still do and I use it all the time. I have been alternating the Silver Umax and Tejon this summer. I've found 6 indian heads, a shield nickel, and 2 v nickels as of late. The Silver and Tejon are about neck and neck with finds, with the Tejon getting the nod for depth and the Silver being the more stable and easy to use. I gotta tell you the Silver seems to make better finds than other detectors I have used. I'm not sure what it is. It may be the way it works with MY style of detecting. It could be the coil or the fact that it's simple. I just don't know, but I like the way it works. I think the 8" coil is just perfect and I want to try one on the Tejon. I also want to try the 9X8 on the silver. I've been thinking about picking up a Vaquero just for the heck of it. My DFX is still waiting to get out this summer - I still love that machine and it is awesome, I've just been tied up with these Tesoros for now. I'm actually starting to prefer non target id detectors - it's much more fun to detect that way and less stressful. What have you been finding this summer? Let me know what you think of that SIlver umax when you get it,

Ian

 

[BuckleBoy]

The thing I like about the uMax is its stability. It is easy to tell a good target from the background noise--unmistakeable in fact. My Fisher 1266-X is a noisy machine with all the pops and cracks from partially discriminated iron targets. The uMax is light and simple, and I would imagine if you hunt with max sensitivity and low discrimination it would make a good machine to hunt freshly plowed relic fields in the fall with. Tesoros seem to respond well to targets with no halo on them. I can't wait to take it out and give it a whirl at the relic sites this fall. (I'm sure I'll have my Fisher in the trunk too, just in case...)

Cheers,

Buckleboy

 

[Michigan Badger]

Ian we're way up here near the bridge so old coins are hard to come by. I do mostly lumber camps and the small villages in northern lower Michigan.

As for depth, I have a feeling most of the quality VLF machines these days get close to the same depth. It's things like you mentioned about the Silver uMax that sets one detector apart from another.

What you wrote is what I found with the old original Silver Sabre. It just finds more than my Tejon and Nautilus IIB. I hunt rather small areas and check them very carefully with the Tejon or Naut and then go over them with the old Sabre. The Sabre justs beeps and I dig another good target. I can't say that I understand it. I wouldn't say the Sabre is deeper, it's like you wrote, it just finds more.

I've been digging mostly old lead toys, wheat pennies, crosscut saw blades, spoons, horseshoes, axe heads, square nails, rifle and shotgun shells (some 10ga.), and a few Indian pennies. Nothing really unstanding lately. Nothing like the great things you're digging. I haven't even bothered to post the stuff here.

Anyway, I do look forward to the uMax. I plan to run it with a 10x12 concentric coil I bought recently. I've heard it will get 10+ inches on a quarter with that type of coil. We'll see.

Badger

 

[Michigan Badger]

The thing I like about the uMax is its stability. It is easy to tell a good target from the background noise--unmistakeable in fact. My Fisher 1266-X is a noisy machine with all the pops and cracks from partially discriminated iron targets. The uMax is light and simple, and I would imagine if you hunt with max sensitivity and low discrimination it would make a good machine to hunt freshly plowed relic fields in the fall with. Tesoros seem to respond well to targets with no halo on them. I can't wait to take it out and give it a whirl at the relic sites this fall. (I'm sure I'll have my Fisher in the trunk too, just in case...)

Cheers,

Buckleboy

My old Silver Sabre just loves relics. I'v e had to dig some mighty deep holes already.

I know what you mean about the Fisher being a little noisy. I used to be a devout Fisher person. They've made many great machines.

Really, all the major brands are good today. Some just have that extra something that makes them deliver.

HH

Badger

 

[SaginawIan]

Just a few more good things about the Silver Umax.

Today I have even more reason to love the Silver Umax. I hunted a small sidewalk tear up in an old part of town that I have hunted the two previous days with the Tejon and I thought I had found it all. Well yesterday I found an 1869 indian head, 1890 indian head, and an 1887 SL dime. All at 3 inches. I totally missed all three of these earlier and I got to thinking how it happened. Simply put, I think the Tejon was crackling on the deep iron nails and caused me to miss the shallow targets above them. I was probably running it too hot or not hunting careful enough. It is worth noting that the Silver Umax gave unmistakable good signals on all three coins.

I'm no engineer but I think the Silver Umax is tuned perfectly somehow. It is a good combination of power and discrimination. It is super on small relics and coins within 6" deep. It probably has something to do with the coil size and operating frequency. I'm not saying the Silver is better than the Tejon - the Tejon has better features and is deeper to be sure. It's just that the Silver Umax definitely finds things for me.

There is something about this detector that makes it really fun to use. Like Buckleboy said, there is no mistaking a good target. If it is repeatable in both directions and not chopped, it's a good target. No other analysis needed. Plus, you don't even need pinpoint, just X the target. I will be using this model for a long long time. I am looking to pick up a silver sabre to try it out. I'm also thinking about a Vaquero, but I'm starting to think that manual ground balance is not necessary for my hunting conditions . . .

Ian

 

[Michigan Badger]

Great post Ian.

As for depth, try a 12x10 coil on that uMax. On my original Sabre it pulls coin-sized nonferrous targets that my Tejon can't even get a beep on. I've found with the old Sabre fixed with the big coil it works in trashy areas just as well as the small coil does. The only thing is, if there's a lot of trash by the coin I'll get a broken good signal.

I actually think it's like Tesoro has tried to tell us. The Tejon was designed mainly for relic hunting out in the more trash free locations such as CW areas. I think the uMax line was made for trashy house/park sites and thus reads the good targets better in those areas.

I've also noticed the old Sabre has a much more powerful discriminator. I'm always digging large square nails with my Tejon no matter what I set it on. With the original Sabre I dug a brass part the size of a half dollar that was laying under a very large iron eye bolt with nut. The bolt wouldn't make a sound but the brass sounded loudly. My Tejon would have sounded the same on the bolt as it would on the brass.

I don't know how tight the Silver uMax discrimination is but those old Silver Sabre's had a discrimination that was something to behold. Even on zero discrimination they still won't detect tiny rusty nails. But, they will in all-metal mode of course.

Anyway, I'm always watching for good used Sabres. I hope the Umax is just as good or better.

Badger

 

[Gribnitz]

The Silver UMAX is a great machine for the price tag. There aren't many...if any machines out there that can beat it's depth and disc abilities out there in the same price range. BUT, saying the Umax is as deep as the Tejon is misleading. If you strap on the 10x12 conc and compare it to the Tejons 8x9 conc....maybe, but it is not going to be much deeper and it's heavier with that bigger coil weighing you down. You are also going to lose the disc abilities using a big coil when the 5.75 on the Tejon is almost as deep as the standard 8x9, which is a better discriminator picking in the trash and you still have the duel disc to check targets. Large iron is impossible to see through with any detector and it is almost impossible to completely disc out no matter how much disc you set the machine at.

When people tell you that a new machine found all sorts of targets that the others missed, I would guess 90% that their coil didn't pass over that spot before even if they swear they were in that spot before, and 10% the new machine performed better. It is hard as hell to get an 8 inch coil to cover 20 acres, much less 100 acres of ground. That's why a site is never truly hunted out and people still find nice things in parks and hard hit fields.

 

[l.cutler]

I have a Shadow X2, which is actually a Silver Umax. While it is not as deep as my Tejon no matter what coil I put on it, it is fantastic in those trashy areas where I can't even ground balance the Tejon.

 

[dfx-kevin]

with 15 inch coil it cant be beat

Im dying to find another one. mine was left behind when i left the marines my buddy i loaned it to was on ship when i got out--- ouch! with a 15 inch coil it cant be beat will match my whites dfx in depth wise the cool thing with the tesoro is the sound would ring when it was a silver coin and could tell the difference between dime or quarter

Lately I've been hearing so much about the old original Silver Sabre that I finally located one. It was really beat-up and cost me $150 but it was worth it! In fact, at twice that price it's a steal.

The Silver Sabre is probably the ideal detector for yards, parks, and other high trash sites. It has a discriminator that one must use to believe. Why Tesoro ever abandoned this model is more than I can figure. Maybe they had to in order to do that super light micro thing? The Silver uMax isn't this machine.

Anyway, I took my old beat-up job to a site I had hit very hard with my Tejon, DeLeon, Nautilus IIb, and Minelab Excal. I wasn't there but 15 minutes and I dug 6 coins. All were memorials but had been there some time. They ranged from 1-5 inches deep.

Later I returned and dug a very old pocket knife and a few more coins including a 1919 wheat at a good 6+ inches.

The crowning find was a brass part to an old lamp that was laying under an iron bolt! The bolt totally discriminated out but the smaller brass part signaled through.

This detector has replaced the Tejon for me while hunting trashy sites.

My old Sabre came with only the 7 inch coil but it still will get a good signal on a freshly buried memorial penny at 5-6 inches deep. Trust me, that's not bad for fresh buried!

The tone quality is supreme!

This old machine is a great buy in any condition just so it works. But even if it doesn't, Tesoro is know for their service.

Badger

 

[Sovereignelite]

Speaking of Sabres...One of my best machines was a Golden Sabre II. Loved the notch and actually found some pretty deep coins with it. Well I haven't had that for years, but just found one on ebay with the 8" coil and was "adjusted by Tesoro" to use that large concentric 10x12 coil that I think was designed for the Umax series. I hunted one of the best sites back in 1995 it was the ruins of an old sanitarium. I found several IH's at 8"+. My main machine is an Etrac and Sovereign GT but i am excited to take this old friend for a spin!