Looking to upgrade and need advice

[Fortune Finder 73]

Hello all, Im new to this forum but have detecting about 3 years now with a tesoro cibola and u-max and im wanting to upgrade to a minelab. I have a hard time distinguishing the tones on tesoros and need a detector that will have a visual display and is ALOT better at discriminating out the junk, which I have been digging mostly with the tesoros. Most of my detecting is for coins/jewerly/gold in tennessee soil and about 2 to 3 trips to florida beaches a year. So, my question is out of the e-trac, explorer se, safari, and x-705 gold package which one would fit my needs the best with targeting what i hunt for while having the best discrimination and also would have automatic ground balance? I was hoping there might be some old tesoro users that made the switch to minelab be able to give me some advice. The tesoros are good detectors I just feel that they dont discriminate as well as the minelabs because I end up digging everything.

 

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[Sandman]

I am an old time Tesoro user and hesitate recommending a Minelab to you with a visual display because you feel you need better disc for junk. Most Tesoro's don't give tone to id the target and you need to go with learning the sounds. With a Tejon you can set the first disc setting to disc out Iron and the second one to disc out pull tabs. You can activate the second disc setting to see if it gives a tone. If it does, it is likely a coin because it has higher conductivity. By disc out pull tabs you lose the chance of finding most of the gold rings. Doesn't matter which detector you use.

The Minelabs do have Iron Mask which nulls on smaller iron and still sound off on coins or rings but the display still isn't accurate.

 

[stasys]

hello Fortune Finder 73, my first detector was Tesoro Cibola, my only word about this detectors is DISASTER, even if allot people will dissagre with me.
Now I use old Explorer xs for second year and I still happy, but I know in some situation its have minuses, but less then other detectors for its price. My suggestion buy second hand explorer, you will love it. used explorers price can be like Xterra. from 300to 750$ and they work like Etrac, if you know how to use it. good luck Stasys

 

[dbsmokey]

If you follow sandman's advice, you can still get a minelab: the sovereign. There is no screen to contend with, yet the tones are wonderfully telling. I happen to have one for sale because I want to upgrade to an etrac. Let me know.

 

[Dano Sverige]

By the sound of things i'd go with the 705 if i were you.

 

[birdman]

I just bought an etrac and have been using the cibola and vaquero for the last few years. the learning curve is tough but with some pratice I think it is going to be a killer machine. On my first hunt this past weekend I found a brass key ,IH penny and a wheat and this was a place I had hunted with my Vaquero. I need to pratice but I think the etrac is worth the money if some one does a lot of hunting. If you just hunt every now and then I would say stay with the cibola. The C is a great machine for the money.

 

[CBAILEY]

Explorer 2 is the bomb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

600-700 USED

 

[treasurechicNH]

It depends on what you would prefer in a detector over-all. If you want a machine that excels on land and beach, has tone ID and a small learning curve get a Sovereign, If you are used to the lightweight of Tesoros, but want visual ID and a good machine for all types of conditions get the Xterra My advice is read what people have said about their experiences with these machines to get an idea of what machine is best for you. A new detector is an investment just like buying a new car.

 

[seniorseeker]

We all have a pet machine and perspective and, having owned several Minelab's, I would likely recommend you buy an X-terra 505/707 but I would also seriously consider the 'New' Garrett ATpro, which is waterproof. There's nothing else like it anywhere in the metal detecting world. The ATpro is going to effect the detecting industry just as much as the Garrett Ace250 did; maybe more. It's your call sir.