Tesoro for a beginner?

[DannyB1954]

Are any of the above specifically better at handling highly mineralized areas? A lot of black sand around me, will that be an issue?

Shop for a detector that has a low frequency. They handle bad ground better. DetectorPro makes their detectors at a low frequency of 2.4kHz. Also get one with a smaller coil. large coils can get overwhelmed in mineralized soil.
You can see if there is a detector club in your area and ask what works well there.

 

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[atomicscott]

Shop for a detector that has a low frequency. They handle bad ground better. DetectorPro makes their detectors at a low frequency of 2.4kHz. Also get one with a smaller coil. large coils can get overwhelmed in mineralized soil.
You can see if there is a detector club in your area anask what works well there.

Low frequency detectors do little good on small, low conductivity targets such as gold, lead & nickel & work better with silver and other high conductors. Most vlf gold detectors are at least 19 khz or higher. White's GMT is 48 khz, Fisher Gold Bug 2 is 70 khz.

 

[jld66]

I'm having a hard look at the XP deus for my christmas present next year. that looks like a heck of a machine. the only thing is the coil battery needs to be replaced by a deus guy. the control box and headset ones can do yourself. other than that, looks darn good and is very light weight.

 

[mtsheron]

I'm having a hard look at the XP deus for my christmas present next year. that looks like a heck of a machine. the only thing is the coil battery needs to be replaced by a deus guy. the control box and headset ones can do yourself. other than that, looks darn good and is very light weight.

I sold the Deus and ended up with a Fors CoRe. Don't get me wrong, the Deus is a very capable and programmable machine. Problem is for most, it has a long learning curve and one to fully get the most out of this machine does great to buy the book by Andy Sabisch and attend his one day school! Even then, it will take time to master the Deus. Some estimate 40+ hours to get the hang of that machine.

I think it is a great machine......just very busy!

 

[atomicscott]

it don't take long to though. i set my disc at about 10 o'clock and dug everything at first. then started to realize the differences in tone. though i have yet to find any gold, between tone and turning disc knob, can guess pretty good what things are. those flattened aluminum screw caps like the ones off quart beer bottles get me every time. they sound so good and bury the disc. have not got use to them yet and dont think i ever will. haha

As far as looking for natural gold, you will want to be in AM (no disc). Dig every target until you recognize the 'zip' & 'boing' sounds. The zips are the targets that are non ferrous (usually) & the targets that 'boing' or bounce around (actually seems like the target is moving sometimes) are usually ferrous targets (or hot rocks). I never found any natural gold with my Vaq, but found plenty of small lead (2-3 grain size) & other targets, in high mineralization gold-bearing areas. With a smaller DD coil, the Vaquero will do fine for the money.

 

[DannyB1954]

Low frequency detectors do little good on small, low conductivity targets such as gold, lead & nickel & work better with silver and other high conductors. Most vlf gold detectors are at least 19 khz or higher. White's GMT is 48 khz, Fisher Gold Bug 2 is 70 khz.

First thing to consider is the ground that you are working with. In black sand, (OP's stated soil), a higher frequency machine will still not find smaller objects and gold. The minerals in the soil will interfere. Manufacturers add different filters to reduce this, but filters also reduce depth. Compass brand had machines that were 100kHz. They didn't work well in mineralized soil. I would stay under say 7kHz which is still a pretty good all round coin machine.
A better choice for a bad soil machine would be a pulse induction, or PI, type of metal detector. Unfortunately they do not discriminate well, and nobody makes one cheap. I took one out to a park and got some really deep beaver tails. Digging a foot deep to collect trash does not equal fun.

 

[Terry Soloman]

First thing to consider is the ground that you are working with. In black sand, (OP's stated soil), a higher frequency machine will still not find smaller objects and gold. Compass brand had machines that were 100kHz. They didn't work well in mineralized soil.

Sorry Danny, but you keep posting bad info. My Tesoro Lobo Super Traq, and my Fisher Goldbug II have BOTH found small gold in heavy black sand areas.

 

[atomicscott]

Sorry Danny, but you keep posting bad info. My Tesoro Lobo Super Traq, and my Fisher Goldbug II have BOTH found small gold in heavy black sand areas.

Terry, I gotta back you up here! We got guys with GB Pro's (19 khz) out here that find plenty of nuggets. Lucky Joe is a good example. White's GMT, Lobo's, X-Terra 705, they all find the small nuggets. Granted a PI is the best way to go for deeper nuggets, but VLF's around 15 khz & up do very well. I thought this was common knowledge

 

[Terry Soloman]

Terry, I gotta back you up here! We got guys with GB Pro's (19 khz) out here that find plenty of nuggets. Lucky Joe is a good example. White's GMT, Lobo's, X-Terra 705, they all find the small nuggets. Granted a PI is the best way to go for deeper nuggets, but VLF's around 15 khz & up do very well. I thought this was common knowledge

Gosh, reports of Hell freezing over are starting to roll in!

 

[RobRieman]

What? You two are playing nicely? [emoji4]

 

[Fletch88]

Gold bug pro was on tip of my tongue while reading through these post. You won't be disappointed.

 

[DannyB1954]

Sorry Danny, but you keep posting bad info. My Tesoro Lobo Super Traq, and my Fisher Goldbug II have BOTH found small gold in heavy black sand areas.

Describe the keep part. In post #5 the OP states he has black sand to deal with. The higher the frequency, the more the detector will pick up the black sand and not the target. Whites GMT has a specific feature for measuring this. It is not finding the gold mixed in with the black sand. it is finding the black sand so a dry washer can be set up to get the gold out of the sand. In his original post he also said he wants an all round machine that can be used for coins. a lower frequency will go deeper in bad soil. Frequency - Serious Metal Detecting
If you are looking for coins in black sand the lower frequencies are better. If this were not true, all machines would be 20kHz or higher. Fisher labs and White's both incorporated very low frequencies in the CZ and V3i series detectors. I guess they just did that to spread bad info. Minelab and XP Deus also seem to be in error. Funny how you are so smart. Why even have pulse induction detectors? You can do it all with an 18kHz machine.

It's one thing to say you disagree, it is another to talk down to someone. Maybe when you post I should be less diplomatic in my replys.

 

[trsynsh]

So I know that I sort of accidentally started a debate here, which wasn't my intention, but I'm learning a lot here guys - so feel free to keep at it.

 

[jld66]

So I know that I sort of accidentally started a debate here, which wasn't my intention, but I'm learning a lot here guys - so feel free to keep at it.

ah, dont worry about it, happens all the time. i have seen some on the facebook groups that really get out of control. people getting booted out of the group. all because someone asks what kind of detector would be good for a first one. haaha. some of us like to get Terry's blood pressure up also. LOL

 

[Hobojo]

Oh , did I mention you'll also receive this new glove for our new and improved handshake?


Na just kidding

 

[Terry Soloman]

Describe the keep part. In post #5 the OP states he has black sand to deal with. The higher the frequency, the more the detector will pick up the black sand and not the target. Whites GMT has a specific feature for measuring this. It is not finding the gold mixed in with the black sand. it is finding the black sand so a dry washer can be set up to get the gold out of the sand. In his original post he also said he wants an all round machine that can be used for coins. a lower frequency will go deeper in bad soil. Frequency - Serious Metal Detecting
If you are looking for coins in black sand the lower frequencies are better. If this were not true, all machines would be 20kHz or higher. Fisher labs and White's both incorporated very low frequencies in the CZ and V3i series detectors. I guess they just did that to spread bad info. Minelab and XP Deus also seem to be in error. Funny how you are so smart. Why even have pulse induction detectors? You can do it all with an 18kHz machine.

It's one thing to say you disagree, it is another to talk down to someone. Maybe when you post I should be less diplomatic in my replys.

I'm Sorry you don't get it Danny. Go in peace.