Tejon or Compadre for Coins and Jewelry

[texasgold]

I've regretted selling my compadre and thinking of getting another one and modding it to accept other coils. Would this suit me as well or better than a Tejon? Just not sure how the Tejon is on coins and jewelry and know the Compadre is deadly already. Trying to get the best deal going...a Tejon is almost $600 new and with one coil. I can mod a compadre cheap and still have money left over for 2-3 coils for that kind of money. Not really interested in the other models right now; just comparing the two at the moment. Thoughts?

 

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[DiggerinVA]

are you going to put a sensitivity mod on the compadre aswell? Because, although i love my little compadre....it would not be one of my top choices for deeper. older coins since you cant run it hot. Tejon would be ok but is really a relic machine.....I would look at Vaquero, Cibola and Silver Umax out of their new line up.

 

[DiggerinVA]

If Silver Umax would have went 2 inches deeper on a silver dime in my soil....it would be my favorite detector!

 

[texasgold]

The dual discriminators are what attract me to the tejon. I think I could set them up to get nickels and act as a kind of coin check feature. I'd likely just mod the compadre at first to swap coils then consider other mods later. I just dislike having to mod something to get it like I want it instead of coming from the factory set up how I like it.

 

[tabman]

are you going to put a sensitivity mod on the compadre aswell? Because, although i love my little compadre....it would not be one of my top choices for deeper. older coins since you cant run it hot. Tejon would be ok but is really a relic machine.....I would look at Vaquero, Cibola and Silver Umax out of their new line up.

You got that right!

tabman

 

[DiggerinVA]

After enough hours on your machine....you will hear the "roundness" of a coin....about 80-90% of the time i can call a coin when my son hits one with his compadre. i usually set his disc at nickel. Pulltabs tend to sound rougher and blair a little.....just takes practice.

Tejon is a great machine....but can be a handful with its extreme sensitivity and touchy GB.

 

[texasgold]

I'd heard that about the tejon as far as the sensitivity and gb goes; so maybe just more of a learning curve? Here is another thought as well, someone on another forum recommended a lobo st as a great coin shooter, besides what it was designed to do. Does that hold any water here?

 

[DiggerinVA]

I have no experience with lobo.
I have had/used : Tejon, Cibola, outlaw, Eldorado umax, silver umax, compadre, Sand Shark and Deleon. and just acquired a Vaquero.

 

[texasgold]

Yeah, I'm not too serious about the Lobo as a coin shooter after doing a little more reading on the subject. The Cibola and Vaquero I tried out were ok, just did not like the pinpoint on them; prefer the VCO type pinpoint. Hey Tabman, wanted to say hi to you; miss your posts from over there somewhere else that I will not say here. At least nothing else changed, you are still tearing it up out there in the dirt with your finds!

 

[DiggerinVA]

Just a thought: yo can buy a Vaquero and a Compadre for around the price of the Tejon....

 

[DiggerinVA]

I strongly recommend you look at used Eldorado Umax or Bandido 2 Umax....as the have a flip switch for AM instead of the PP button.....great machines!!!

 

[tabman]

The dual discriminators are what attract me to the tejon. I think I could set them up to get nickels and act as a kind of coin check feature. I'd likely just mod the compadre at first to swap coils then consider other mods later. I just dislike having to mod something to get it like I want it instead of coming from the factory set up how I like it.

Keith Southern is doing a mod on my 8 inch coil Compadre. I'll let you know how it turns out.

tabman

 

[texasgold]

Digger, I'd love to have an Eldorado umax or Bandido II umax but they are rare and pricey! The Outlaw I had was ok, just could not master that darn retune button! Never could tell if I was pinpointing or detuning or just what I was doing there. Wish it was just a VCO pinpoint instead. If I could have figured it out then I'd have kept it. Tab, be sure and post on here how it turns out. I'm not exactly experienced with working on electronics; done some basic stripping and soldering but not something I'm really comfortable with.

 

[DiggerinVA]

The outlaws have problems with those buttons...only downfall of the Outlaw. Watch ebay...everyday you will find one....mine was like new in box....$350. Also if you dont need GB...the SilverSabre Umax's are greatly praised machines.

 

[DiggerinVA]

Keith Southern is doing a mod on my 8 inch coil Compadre. I'll let you know how it turns out.

tabman

I would love to have a Silver Umax with a GB mod.

 

[DiggerinVA]

could that be done?

 

[texasgold]

Yep, seen one with the GB mod done.

 

[tabman]

I've regretted selling my compadre and thinking of getting another one and modding it to accept other coils. Would this suit me as well or better than a Tejon? Just not sure how the Tejon is on coins and jewelry and know the Compadre is deadly already. Trying to get the best deal going...a Tejon is almost $600 new and with one coil. I can mod a compadre cheap and still have money left over for 2-3 coils for that kind of money. Not really interested in the other models right now; just comparing the two at the moment. Thoughts?

If you like the Compadre, you might consider the Silver µMax. You can change coils, It has a sensitivity control knob, you can switch from the discriminate mode (ED120) to a motion all metal mode. It also has a super sweet audio tone and it detects deeper than the Compadre. Then again, the Compadre is a pretty amazing machine itself.

Google - 'the amazing tesoro silver umax'.

tabman

 

[texasgold]

I've owned the Silver umax and while it is a great little detector, I prefer the Compadre over it. Whats not to like though right? Also, for some reason the discrim knob on the compadre is easier for me to thumb up and down on the left side of the detector face plate rather than on the right like the rest of the Tesoros.

 

[Olegrumpy]

Me too, I regretted selling my Compadre.

I can understand that a manufacturer, be it Tesoro or another one, has to have a cheap entry-level model to hold up with the competition.

Here in EU, I can drive maximum 60 miles and buy 4 different models of the Compadre.

I am convinced that the preset sensitivity, the fixed GB setting, the broad iron range and the frequency are the only reasons why the Compadre is such a good coins, and especially gold jewelry detector.

By buying a Compadre w/connector (EU) or modding one (US), you can have a set of the best of three worlds : 5.75", 7", and 8". The 9x8" coil too, if you've got one on another detector.

I would go for the Compadre if you want to hunt for gold jewelry and use little disc, and for the Vaq over the Tejon for two main reasons : 1x9v battery vs twox4 AA holders, and the dual disc is dangerous : a deep signal in disc 1 can be silenced, though good, in disc 2 because it's too deep for that 2nd disc setting.

Plus I really like those ORIGINAL µMAX designs, adding screens and AA batteries ruins it (speaking about design). Just MHO, and not bashing those Deleon, Cortes and Tejon, but I do not consider them to be true "µMAX".

HH

Grumpy