Minelab CTX 3030 vs Fisher CZ3D vs Tesoro Tejon Ground Test

[Colosprings73]

Hey All,

Here are are the videos that some of you were asking me to do to show a true comparison of these 3 detectors.

I have to break this into 2 threads as I can only post 5 Videos at a time.

I live in NC so the ground has red clay and ground can be ok.

We made a test bed with clad coins at various depths.

Depths were 6", 8" and 11".

I made sure ALL machines were ground balanced and noise cancelled if possible.

The tests finally prove what I should in my air tests.

Of the 3 machines:

CTX 3030: I most proficient at the CTX 3030. I have to come to know its language very well and know what I am digging 95% of the time. The draw back is the depth. I again can verify that the CTX does NOT go as deep as other machines. Its major advnatages are that it DOES let you know whats in the ground PROVIDED it is not too deep, it has GPS and can plot the finds you make on the GPS map and upload them to your PC to overlay them on Google Earth and it has the ability to have updates uploaded to the CTX for better performance. I just recently did the most recent update and it changed my pinpoint system and made it MUCH better. Major downside is.......you guessed it......WAY TOO EXPENSIVE!!!

CZ3D: This machine I am getting better and better at it the more I use it. There is a DVD that you can get really help you with the use of the CZ as it is a very good and somewhat popular machine to those who have been in this for a while. The major plus to the CZ is that it is a Nickle magnet....seriously!!! Downside is the WEIGHT....it is really heavy with the large 11" coil, so I have to mount the box on a belt..PITA!!! There is a Mod so you can mount it under the shaft and have the display on the top, however I read it is a hard mod and you need parts.

Tesoro Tejon: I have to say I LOVE this machine and the Tesoro brand of machines. Out of all 3 I tested...the Tesoro was the CLEAR winner at depth. The more you use the Tejon the better you will become at knowing if it is a coin or not. It does have a large learning curve and is NOT just a beep and dig machine. The Tejon has a language all its own. You have to decipher the sound to gain a better idea of what is in the ground. It is soooooo light weight...I can swing it for hours with no problem. Lifetime Warranty to boot, wow I am sold!!! I plan on getting some more Tesoro units to fill my arsenal. Will be using Tesoros until the end.

Here are the 3 overviews of the 3:

ID'ing Learning Curve Depth Price

CTX 3030: GREAT MODERATE AVERAGE VERY HIGH

CZ3D: AVERAGE MODERATE GOOD MED/HIGH

Tesoro Tejon: AVERAGE HARD GREAT LOW/MED


Here are the videos from the Test Bed and I hope this helps any of you looking at any of these machines.










Just a side note I am not affiliated with any of these companies nor have a vested interest in one company or the other.......just a fair and honest comparison to show you the pros and cons of all three machines that I WILL keep and use.

Thanks for watching and HH.

 

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[Scanman]

Seems strange no one commented? Nice job, I enjoyed your video's. Thanks for taking the time to share!

 

[Ronzie]

Good comparison's. Surprised you put the learning curve of the Tejon as hard. I have the Outlaw and by far my Explorer SE had the hardest learning curve.
Out of those 3 machines hands down I'd get the Tejon ($590). The CTX 3030 is a joke at $2500. No way it should cost $1900 more than a Tejon LOL. I was a diehard Minelab guy but then I used a Tesoro and now I don't need a Minelab.

 

[pwcguy]

What settings are you using on the CTX?

 

[Terry Soloman]

Seems strange no one commented? Nice job, I enjoyed your video's. Thanks for taking the time to share!

That happens whenever a Tesoro kicks butt. Either the high end owners ignore it and hope it will just go away, or they call the poster a liar. Of course, I am a Tesoro Cult Member, so I AM biased!

 

[Ronzie]

That happens whenever a Tesoro kicks butt. Either the high end owners ignore it and hope it will just go away, or they call the poster a liar. Of course, I am a Tesoro Cult Member, so I AM biased!

I hear you. I was a diehard Explorer SE user and wondered why anyone would want a Tesoro. Then I tried one, then I bought one and the rest is history.
I now consider myself a Tesoro Cult Member as well. If you'll let me. LOL

 

[U.K. Brian]

If your going to cover Pros and Cons then you will have to get down to a salt beach and repeat the tests when the results will be very different.

 

[Silver Searcher]

True Tesoro's are great machines, but they have not moved with the times.

SS

 

[dirtscratcher]

True Tesoro's are great machines, but they have not moved with the times.

SS

How hard would it be for Tesoro to at least make there detectors multitone, bounty hunter can do it come on Tesoro.

 

[U.K. Brian]

Were great machines. No twin, triple or multifrequency detectors and the pulse machine is almost stone age.

 

[Terry Soloman]

Ahh, here come the "Bashers." Same old, tired arguments. Some folks just can't stand the simplicity and quality Tesoro offers. Others get it and are out there finding the goods with these quality and deep machines!

 

[Digger]

I realize the Tejon is a fine detector I just prefer a little more out of my detectors. Some 20 some years ago I would have been happy using something basic like the Tejon, but today I like a little more information before I break ground. Not bashing and I couldn't care less what others choose to use. I just happen to want a full featured detector.

 

[Ronzie]

That's one of the reasons I like Tesoro because they don't sound like R2D2.
Simply, easy and it kicks my Explorers arse and the Tejon is even better & deeper. Metal detecting isn't rocket science. Imo having a screen or something you can program doesn't make a better detector, just a higher price.
At the end of the day I'd dig the same stuff as any of those higher $$$ machines.
I'm not bashing any other models, just my opinion. I truly thought I'd be a Minelab guy for life.

 

[Fletch88]

That's one of the reasons I like Tesoro because they don't sound like R2D2.
Simply, easy and it kicks my Explorers arse and the Tejon is even better & deeper. Metal detecting isn't rocket science. Imo having a screen or something you can program doesn't make a better detector, just a higher price.
At the end of the day I'd dig the same stuff as any of those higher $$$ machines.
I'm not bashing any other models, just my opinion. I truly thought I'd be a Minelab guy for life.

I kind of went 180 full circle from what you did! I was a diehard Tesoro fan and then tried a Sov GT and it was downhill from there. I like Tesoro and appreciate their whole story and business practices, but when I head out the door to that new site, I'm going to grab the ML. It's all in personal preferences I guess. My first VDI machine was ATP which for some reason I hated.

 

[Digger]

Same here. I started out with a basic beep-N-dig type detector and spent years learning the language of the detector. First time I used a good VDI detector I realized the computer was smarter than I was. Hum? It really boils down to if you prefer to dig a lot or not. I don't buy the idea people can tell what is in the ground just from the sound. I used sound for some 25 years and was damn good, and I was never good enough to say yup, that's a dime at 3" all right. In fact I'd personally challenge ANYONE who thinks they can take their beep-N-dig and tell more accurately what is about to come out of the ground than I can with my VDI machine. Of course, being able to tell what is in the ground isn't that important to some, and, you can never be 100% sure even with a computer. That is where personal preference comes in.

I spent several years lying to myself that my ears were better than any computer and refused to even give the new VDI detectors a chance. Once they went digital, as a programmer, I realized I was only fooling myself. No human ear can identify a digital signal more accurately than a computer. That's just foolish. My days of digging everything that beeps is long gone. I want to know what I'm going to be recovering, or not. I'm getting too damn old to be bending down for everything that makes a peep lol. That said, I don't blame any one who wants to. That is how you not miss a thing.

I respect those who choose to hunt without a good display machine but it's just not for me anymore.

 

[Silver Searcher]

Same here. I started out with a basic beep-N-dig type detector and spent years learning the language of the detector. First time I used a good VDI detector I realized the computer was smarter than I was. Hum? It really boils down to if you prefer to dig a lot or not. I don't buy the idea people can tell what is in the ground just from the sound. I used sound for some 25 years and was damn good, and I was never good enough to say yup, that's a dime at 3" all right. In fact I'd personally challenge ANYONE who thinks they can take their beep-N-dig and tell more accurately what is about to come out of the ground than I can with my VDI machine. Of course, being able to tell what is in the ground isn't that important to some, and, you can never be 100% sure even with a computer. That is where personal preference comes in.

I spent several years lying to myself that my ears were better than any computer and refused to even give the new VDI detectors a chance. Once they went digital, as a programmer, I realized I was only fooling myself. No human ear can identify a digital signal more accurately than a computer. That's just foolish. My days of digging everything that beeps is long gone. I want to know what I'm going to be recovering, or not. I'm getting too damn old to be bending down for everything that makes a peep lol. That said, I don't blame any one who wants to. That is how you not miss a thing.

Digger...while what you say is true to digging in the US, it certainly would not work over here, you would be walking away from valuable items.

SS

 

[Fletch88]

I would love to hunt over there! Maybe one day it could happen!

 

[twoauers]

Looking for my first one and this has help a lot, well not and tkank you for the info

 

[U.K. Brian]

While I can agree that the CTX is not that deep a detector it will tackle most tasks without extra cost. Buy the Tejon in Europe and the first thing you should do is send it off to be modified, so extra cost, but even then its never going to be a salt beach machine. So you then need to go and buy a second detector at further cost. More credit should be given to Minelab and Fisher with their CZ range for providing true multi-purpose detectors.

 

[Digger]

While I can agree that the CTX is not that deep a detector

HUH? The CTX is every bit as deep as the E-Trac which in my opinion is as deep as it gets here in Kansas. Now I understand depth may have different requirements over across the pond, but a blanket statement like that is just misleading.