Shopping for First Detector

oldblues · Sep 29, 2011

Well I thought I had decided on a Fisher F2 but I have seen soooo much positive info on the Compadre that I am leaning towards it.
I want to search for coins and for small gold (possible prospecting) and something else for relic hunting? :icon_scratch:

Sandman · Sep 29, 2011

Welcome to Tnet. :hello:

You can't go wrong with a Compadre even if you run the car over it, Tesoro will fix it.

vaquero44 · Sep 29, 2011

definitly go Tesoro light as a feather straight forward machines and as Sandman says lifetime warranty and they have good depth!

Smudge · Sep 29, 2011

For coins and gold jewelry, the Compadre is tops.

Gold prospecting, probably not the best, though it could work. You probably want a dedicated gold detector for that.

Same for relic hunting.

No one machine does it all I'm afraid.

oldblues · Sep 29, 2011

Is the Silver Umax worth the extra $$ ? I like the idea of being able to change the coil or should I just start with the Compadre and later buy something more sophisticated? From the posts on this website it looks like you guys use several detectors.

froggy38383 · Sep 30, 2011

If you can possibly afford it go one step further and by a Cibola, it is a great deep little detector. I like every Tesoro I have tried.
I own or have owned a Cibola, Tiger Shark, DeLeon and Sand Shark.

I bought a new 1266X and used it for a few years. Then I bought a new Cibola. It looked like a toy when I received it. It has been a great coin shooter and relic hunter, my finds were far better with it than my 1266X. Where I lived the 1266x never worked well. I bought and sold a Cibola, I missed it so I bought a second new one.

I do not think you can go too wrong in buying any Tesoro product.

Smoogle · Sep 30, 2011

oldblues I bought a silver umax and have been very happy with it . I've used it with 8" and cleansweep coils, both found the goods... as all of the above experience screams ... LIFETIME WARRANTY.

rws51 · Sep 30, 2011

The Compadre is a great detector to start out with, but I think the Silver µmax will give you more options. With the Compadre you are stuck with the 5.75" coil which is not a bad thing because it is great in the trashy areas, but with the Silver you have the option to add the smaller coil or the larger coils plus having a sensitivity control is an advantage. Either detector will do a great job finding coins and jewelry but I would buy the Silver µmax just because it gives you more flexibility to your hunting conditions.........HH.

Roger

oldblues · Oct 2, 2011

Well I bought the Compadre and this old man is excited and hoping that it will arrive by next weekend. After seeing the excellent video on how to customize and improve the harbor Freight pin pointer, I also picked one of those up.
Thanks for all the friendly advice and I have enjoyed this website a lot.

ToddB64 · Oct 27, 2011

Hey oldblues !

How are you doing with your new Compadre.......any good finds ?

Todd

oldblues · Oct 28, 2011

Well, Ive only tried detecting a couple of times and so far I have found a bunch of nails and I am sore for a day or two (arthritis) afterwards but man it is fun! The home site where I wanted to search is some distance away so I don't get there often. The place has potential but I just found out that there was also a blacksmith shop in the same general area so I see a lot of iron in my future.
At least I have been able to practice a little with the discrimination knob and learning to listen but at this point it is too tempting not to dig everything.

Sandman · Oct 28, 2011

Oldblues this is how it starts. Next thing you know you'll want a new detector with more options. Remember the ground is older than we are and anything can be in there for us to find. Read all you can on the hobby and Subscribe to Western & Eastern Treasures magazine to keep up with the new detectors. Most of us have more than one just cause we like to learn them too.

ToddB64 · Oct 28, 2011

oldblues said:
Well, Ive only tried detecting a couple of times and so far I have found a bunch of nails and I am sore for a day or two (arthritis) afterwards but man it is fun! The home site where I wanted to search is some distance away so I don't get there often. The place has potential but I just found out that there was also a blacksmith shop in the same general area so I see a lot of iron in my future.
At least I have been able to practice a little with the discrimination knob and learning to listen but at this point it is too tempting not to dig everything.

oldblue...........Most of us older folks have met arthur-itis. At age 70 I have one or more of the "itises" in both shoulders and lower back.......yup, it's easy bending down, but painful raising up ! But metal detecting is so much fun, I ignore the discomfort and go for at least three hours until I'm just plain tired in the legs from doing squats ! :laughing7:

You picked a winner with the Compadre for silver and gold jewelry and coins. To get rid of most of the iron & steel, nails, etc. without losing the good stuff, try setting your discriminator dial indicator at the "F" in Foil on the faceplate. LARGER trash will be hard to discriminate out altogether though.

I'm sure you know, the more hours spent hunting, puts the odds in favor of swinging over something good ! Just keep at it ! :wink: