Why Tesoro is not big outside the USA

Peter67

Sr. Member
Oct 9, 2016
277
367
Belgium
Detector(s) used
XP Deus 2
Xp Deus
Minelab Equinox 600
Nokta Makro Legend
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Tesoro Lobo Super Traq,
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USA : lifetime guarantee.
outside USA : 1 or 2 year guarantee

USA : price index 100
outside USA (Belgium in my case) : price index +- 160

The 2 biggest advantages to buy Tesoro : price and guarantee are of the list outside the US. They are overpriced for what you get. I like Tesoro and i still have 5 off them but i never would buy them new at the prices they are listed at. All my Tesoro detectors are second hand. My favorite detecor from Tesoro is the Lobo super Traq but to pay +- 1.177 dollar for a new one is crazy. For the same price i can buy here an XP Deus or Equinox 800. There are also not many dealers who are selling Tesoro. They are great dig and beep machines but i think Tesoro will have a difficult (more then before) time to find customers outside the US. To compare, an Equinox 600 cost here 860 dollar (without discount). An Equinox 800 cost the same as a Lobo Super Traq 1.1177 dollar (without the disount) and an XP light 1.054 dollar.
 

jld66

Sr. Member
Oct 28, 2014
250
234
Maine
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Vaquero with 8x11, 8x9, 5.75 concentric coils.
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Metal Detecting
Even with the lifetime warranty, their not that big here in the U.S. anymore either. With the Equinox 600 at $650.00 as compared with the Cortes at $730.00 and the Tejon at around $600.00. Don't look as if Tesoro is going to be gaining anymore popularity anytime soon or at all for that matter. They also set the price too. Notice that no matter where you look to buy a new one, from a dealer or online, the prices are all the same. Dealers can't play with the pricing or give say a package deal. Every other brand they can, just not Tesoros. If I was a dealer and bought 50 detectors from a company wholesale. I should be able to sell them for whatever I'd want, even at a loss, or give a free pinpointer or hat with one. Tesoro don't allow them to do that. So, dealers promote other brands and I have experienced this first hand myself. Yeah, this is a Tesoro brand specific forum here. But in general forums and detecting facebook groups, very few use them anymore and more and more new comers don't even hear or know about Tesoros as the years go by. We all like them in these forums and give them a good rating. But, in the last 5 years, there are less doing that also. Just look at Tesoros facebook page compared to the other brands. That says a lot as to the direction the Tesoro company has taken under juniors leadership...
 

smokeythecat

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Nov 22, 2012
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Funny, I was at a competitive dig today and 30% of the machines were Tesoros, 30% Whites, 30% Garrett with XP Deus, Minelab and "what kind of machine is that" taking up last place with MAYBE 10% combined. Most of the Tesoros, Garretts and Whites were very recent models. The sample size was 80 MD'ers.
 

jld66

Sr. Member
Oct 28, 2014
250
234
Maine
Detector(s) used
Vaquero with 8x11, 8x9, 5.75 concentric coils.
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Funny, I was at a competitive dig today and 30% of the machines were Tesoros, 30% Whites, 30% Garrett with XP Deus, Minelab and "what kind of machine is that" taking up last place with MAYBE 10% combined. Most of the Tesoros, Garretts and Whites were very recent models. The sample size was 80 MD'ers.

Well, in the state forum I was in awhile back, only 2 of us even owns a Tesoro. In the small half arse local club i'm in. Out of about 50 people, i'm the only one who uses one and quite a few of those never even heard of Tesoro before I first showed up with mine. Those who had used them before said they were good. Oddly, they don't use or even own one now though. Yeah, that is funny. But, i'm no expert or claim to be...
 

smokeythecat

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They are not used heavily way up north there. That's more White's territory. Plus some others. These things can be very regional.
 

jld66

Sr. Member
Oct 28, 2014
250
234
Maine
Detector(s) used
Vaquero with 8x11, 8x9, 5.75 concentric coils.
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
They are not used heavily way up north there. That's more White's territory. Plus some others. These things can be very regional.

Most are the Garrett worshipers, Minelab is 2nd i'd say, a few Whites. Seems around 80% use that AT pro. I did not go on either of the 2 outings last season though, sure it has not changed much and the latest buzz for them now is the AT max. I'm the only one who even uses one with single tone and no screen. They did put out 10 low disc game room tokens with a number stamped on them for prizes a few years ago and I was the only one to find 2 of them and there was a good crowd there. Probably just lucky I guess.
 

smokeythecat

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Nov 22, 2012
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No, I was at a club competition yesterday and the Tesoros were tearing it up. The Deus users did well also. Don't know about the other brands, too many people, not enough time to chat.
 

Terry Soloman

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May 28, 2010
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Fact: Tesoro market share in Europe has had positive growth every year since 2001.

Fact: Tesoro domestic market share has had positive growth every year since 1996.

Fact: Tesoro spends less on advertising and marketing than the other top five metal detector competitors.

Popularity through word of mouth.:skullflag:
 

Oddjob

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Aug 23, 2012
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In Germany I only knew 2 people that used Tesoro, but only knew about 30 hunters personally in Germany.

In Czech, I met about 12 hunters there, and all Tesoro users.

Austria I knew about 22 people and only can recall maybe 3 or 4 people using Tesoro.

Serbia, only knew 4 MDers, all Tesoro.

Croatia I knew 6 people and not one was Tesoro.

MD rental shops in Greece on the beach was about 50 50 with Tesoro and Garrett.

Italy, never met an MDer who lived there, but most the tourist come in with Garrett or Minelab.

Belgium, only ever known hunters there, younger guys in their 20s, both aerospace engineers and both swore by Tesoro as their go to for park and relic and would go into some details that I was never educated in.

Europol and Interpol both unofficially have Fisher and Tesoro in their Gear cages in France and Germany. As well as German LKA/BKA office in Saarland.

In the country of Georgia most the locals nugget shooting use Tesoro, many of the Russians as well until they invest in a GPX; other folks coming in that I have seen around the prospecting camps is pretty much GPX and GPZ.

My daughter had upgraded while we still lived in Europe from an AT Gold to a Tesoro.
 

chub

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Emailed a number of times to be the African agent. Emailed a number of times regarding sales. Would have purchased a considerable consignment. Have a background in electronics .
No response

Since then Ive become involved in another business. Still would have been nice.
Tesoro - Spanish for **** you !

Chub
 

Oddjob

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Aug 23, 2012
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Emailed a number of times to be the African agent. Emailed a number of times regarding sales. Would have purchased a considerable consignment. Have a background in electronics .
No response

Since then Ive become involved in another business. Still would have been nice.
Tesoro - Spanish for **** you !

Chub

garrett and Minelad have it locked in pretty well there. Seen a few Tesoro in Tunisia but all where used by tourist so I am sure they brought them over. Also in Namibia and South Africa, but those where used by ranch workers and the ones I know like my cousins or uncle aunt.... All brought over from the US.

I think you are right though, it would likely do fairly well and put a hurting on Garrett sales.
 

chub

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garrett and Minelad have it locked in pretty well there. Seen a few Tesoro in Tunisia but all where used by tourist so I am sure they brought them over. Also in Namibia and South Africa, but those where used by ranch workers and the ones I know like my cousins or uncle aunt.... All brought over from the US.

I think you are right though, it would likely do fairly well and put a hurting on Garrett sales.

Also a lot of older Minelabs and Fishers in Southern Africa.Whites were here at some time but left. Recently came back with the sport and the dual field PI.(only those two models) Lots of Ace 250s.Saw one Safari in Namibia. Not sure how lucrative detecting in Tunisia is?Can they even wear swim suits? (and therefore drop goodies). I wore shorts on a train in Tunis , hey it was 42C.... needless to say everyone got up and left.
Stayed in Mozambique for a while - wish I had a detector ...for the beach... not the landmines. Illegal to squat, so after the civil war all the abandoned hotels left to weather . very post apocalyptic. Bazaruto most touristy would probably be great.
Ghana, I couldnt afford to get caught with a detector. Already on multiple *tourist entries , I don't think its legal. Coming to think of it maybe the chinese F75 knock offs would do well in central west Africa.
Costa del Sol, can you detect in Spain? Have never seen anyone detecting.

I think Tesoro could survive outside USA. Its a bit late now perhaps. The equinox is just so versatile.Even the screen factor on the cheaper vlf units may have more appeal to new comers? I wanted to experience the light weight and I personally go by tone / audio. They always remind me of 70's CB radios. The squelch knob and the old 10 code. BJ Mckay and his best friend the bear. I think its the gold anodising and the big mono speaker.

Chub
 

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Oddjob

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Aug 23, 2012
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Also a lot of older Minelabs and Fishers in Southern Africa.Whites were here at some time but left. Recently came back with the sport and the dual field PI.(only those two models) Lots of Ace 250s.Saw one Safari in Namibia. Not sure how lucrative detecting in Tunisia is?Can they even wear swim suits? (and therefore drop goodies). I wore shorts on a train in Tunis , hey it was 42C.... needless to say everyone got up and left.
Stayed in Mozambique for a while - wish I had a detector ...for the beach... not the landmines. Illegal to squat, so after the civil war all the abandoned hotels left to weather . very post apocalyptic. Bazaruto most touristy would probably be great.
Ghana, I couldnt afford to get caught with a detector. Already on multiple *tourist entries , I don't think its legal. Coming to think of it maybe the chinese F75 knock offs would do well in central west Africa.
Costa del Sol, can you detect in Spain? Have never seen anyone detecting.

I think Tesoro could survive outside USA. Its a bit late now perhaps. The equinox is just so versatile.Even the screen factor on the cheaper vlf units may have more appeal to new comers? I wanted to experience the light weight and I personally go by tone / audio. They always remind me of 70's CB radios. The squelch knob and the old 10 code. BJ Mckay and his best friend the bear. I think its the gold anodising and the big mono speaker.

Chub

Beach resorts in Tunisia you can wear swim suits, never had luck much on the beach except for the beach chair areas.

Yeah Whites was pretty big back in the 80s.

MDing is legal in Ghana; I have a mate from there who still lives there and he does it, I have done it, many of my family members as well.

Not a real big fan of Mozambique; that place is really borderline. I would rather go to Somalia where they will at least honestly tell you exactly what they are going to try and do to you. Best man win sort of place works better for me than the borderline places.

Spain you can too, plenty good surf and beach hunting in Spain, just go at night, I think it is between the hours of 2000-0600. Best places are where the people go to get hammered, family places are no good.

If you can ever make it over to Jordan they have good nugget shooting; better in Oman or Yemen, but Oman is all wacked right now and Yemen is currently a crap shoot.
 

pinenut

Bronze Member
Mar 15, 2016
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Funny thread. I think that aside from the Tesoro faithful on a few internet forums, the brand isn't even popular here in the US anymore. People I run into while detecting think I'm using something ancient.
I can only imagine how the brand is now perceived outside of the States.
 

jld66

Sr. Member
Oct 28, 2014
250
234
Maine
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Vaquero with 8x11, 8x9, 5.75 concentric coils.
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Funny thread. I think that aside from the Tesoro faithful on a few internet forums, the brand isn't even popular here in the US anymore. People I run into while detecting think I'm using something ancient.
I can only imagine how the brand is now perceived outside of the States.

I've been told it's a dinosaur, how do you know what to dig, etc. Stated in another thread when I was looking for my first machine, no one mentioned Tesoro. I stumbled across a 53silver video on youtube while looking at Minelabs.
 

Lewy

Jr. Member
Oct 29, 2017
79
105
Bournemouth
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Tesoro vaquero , compadre, outlaw, cibola, silver umax
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I purchased my outlaw in the UK and got the lifetime guarantee from tesoro USA by sending it straight to the factory.
 

Rick K

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Jan 3, 2007
756
716
Gold Canyon AZ
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In the 5 years I lived in Oman (plus recent visits) I could find no evidence of either lode or placer gold. Ancient copper mining debris is about it.

Lots of great meteorite hunting, but don’t get caught - it’s illegal.

It is far from “wacked”. Peaceful, beautiful and lovely folks - I never heard an Omani shout - including the kid whose BMW I accidentally backed into!

Oh yes, and the occasional whale skull

B4E44382-A65A-4683-8E59-DED6D7FBCED2.jpeg
 

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chub

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Apr 23, 2017
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Beach resorts in Tunisia you can wear swim suits, never had luck much on the beach except for the beach chair areas.

Yeah Whites was pretty big back in the 80s.

MDing is legal in Ghana; I have a mate from there who still lives there and he does it, I have done it, many of my family members as well.

Not a real big fan of Mozambique; that place is really borderline. I would rather go to Somalia where they will at least honestly tell you exactly what they are going to try and do to you. Best man win sort of place works better for me than the borderline places.

Spain you can too, plenty good surf and beach hunting in Spain, just go at night, I think it is between the hours of 2000-0600. Best places are where the people go to get hammered, family places are no good.

If you can ever make it over to Jordan they have good nugget shooting; better in Oman or Yemen, but Oman is all wacked right now and Yemen is currently a crap shoot.

Somalia....these days I have a family.... Mozambique just needs more time to hone the corruption and crime to come up to par with central Africa:laughing7: . I agree drunken drops are the best. New years day I wish there were three of me!
What would be Tesoros business plan for the next 5 years?

Chub
 

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