Should I sell my Tesoro Lobo and buy a Garrett AT Gold?

[100acre]

A couple of years ago a buddy of mine that lives in the deserts of Colorado talked me into buying the Tesoro Lobo Super Traq. Not really thinking that I was going to spend most of my time detecting in the eastern United States where it's predominantly more wet I went ahead and bought that machine. I had also thought that I was eventually going to be moving somewhere to the Northwest and to a drier climate. I also appreciate the digital readout on the Garrett as opposed to the Tesoro only using tones and sounds which sometime don't always work as well for me. . My interest now is all about water hunting for relics and other goods and treasures. Would it be in my better or worst interest to sell my Lobo super track and get the submersible Garrett AT Gold? The Tesoro from what I understand it's a great machine but more for dryland prospecting. What do places typically offer you on used machines? It's only two years old but I only used it maybe a half a dozen times. Am I just better off keeping the Tesoro Lobo and maybe eventually getting an AT Gold later on? Last question, what are your thoughts on buying used machines that no longer have a good warranty?
Thanks.

 

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[Terry Soloman]

First, The Tesoro "Lobo Super Traq" is the updated machine. It is designed to be used in All Metal, as a gold nugget shooter on Dry Land. Unless you are hunting RAW gold nuggets, you do not want EITHER machine.

It sounds like you want the AT Pro (15kHz) if you want an all-around, deeper, water resistant machine. The AT Gold is too high strung (18kHz) for regular park, coin and jewelry hunting.

 

[100acre]

First, The Tesoro "Lobo Super Traq" is the updated machine. It is designed to be used in All Metal, as a gold nugget shooter on Dry Land. Unless you are hunting RAW gold nuggets, you do not want EITHER machine.

It sounds like you want the AT Pro (15kHz) if you want an all-around, deeper, water resistant machine. The AT Gold is too high strung (18kHz) for regular park, coin and jewelry hunting.

Thanks Terry, I already have the AT Pro, I was just looking for an affordable under water gold machine. I guess I've been watching too many Aquachigger videos. Plus finding gold in the water seems better suited to the AT Gold. What do you mean by high strung? I'd love to have a MineLab or something of similar quality, I'm just on a limited budget right now.

 

[Fletch88]

For relics, coins and gold in the form of jewelry the ATPro is what you need and already have. I would keep the LST if you ever go prospecting for naturally occurring gold nuggets.

 

[thaigler]

For relics, coins and gold in the form of jewelry the ATPro is what you need and already have. I would keep the LST if you ever go prospecting for naturally occurring gold nuggets.

Ditto :-)

 

[Terry Soloman]

...What do you mean by high strung? ...

The higher operating frequencies are great for shallow, tiny targets. They LOVE deep iron as well. Lower frequencies are better for deeper, coin-sized targets. Double D coils better in high mineral soils, Concentric coils deeper in neutral, lightly mineralized soils.

 

[100acre]

The higher operating frequencies are great for shallow, tiny targets. They LOVE deep iron as well. Lower frequencies are better for deeper, coin-sized targets. Double D coils better in high mineral soils, Concentric coils deeper in neutral, lightly mineralized soils.

How does somebody tell they're in a highly mineralized soil area? I meant to ask this on the main forum but .....and I did order the smaller 5x8" coil when I bought my AT pro.

 

[Terry Soloman]

The red and deep black soils can be packed with iron and other minerals. You need to make test beds in your soil and experiment with your coils!

 

[DiggerinVA]

I have many hours on both the AT pro and the AT gold.....the Gold is by far my favorite. It is just as "usable" as its counter part and works great in high trash areas with the stock 5x8 coil. It does have the benefit of a true all metal mode which ads a good bit of depth. Also, seems to handle hot soils better than the AT pro.....I use mine with success to coin hunt and hunt iron filled sites. Probably my favorite metal detector out there.