My very first detector was a SS II and it was a goodie. Still is. The only one I like better is the SS uMax. Or the Bandido, or the Eldorado.... okay, any uMax format!
Here are some tips that will help you with your SSII. They were written for the uMax series, but they directly apply to the SSII, as well:
- Keep the SENS down. These units are deep enough for 80% of usage and will sound off cleanly over good targets - and will get squirrely over trash if you drive them too hard. You dont need it as high as you think you do. You'll find 7-9 is adequate for most uses.
- Save the upper limit SENS Boost for cleaner areas.
- Dont bother with the pinpoint mode. All you need is to slow down and pinpoint in the DISC mode, as it works well at pinpoint speed. When they say "slow-motion VLF" at Tesoro, they mean it. This saves time and is another benefit of using a Tesoro.
- The DISC is razor edged, as are all Tesoros and with a little usage, you will learn where things ID at.
Practice this with a nickle, a square and ring pull tab and a zinc cent. When you learn where your machine cuts out on each of these, mark the spot on the DISC dial. Now you have a reasonable TID detector! This is the way I learned before I had my first TID unit and this ensured I dug more, instead of peering at some screen.
- For general hunting, set your DISC at a bit below nickel. Test this on foil bits and balls. For relics go lower to iron or even all metal. It is very good at overlooking small iron bits up to bottlecaps.
- However it will signal on large iron, and seems to love steel washers. But it gives a scraggy, chop-edge sound, not at all like good targets - which always sound smooth. With practice, you'll get it.
- Slow down to "process" signals as you pinpoint sweep over them in DISC. We're not talking a hover or crawl here, mind you. It's going to be about half to a third of normal hunt speed.
Trash will come through with choppy edged sounds as mentioned above and the DISC, when thumbed up as you do this, will let you know what the target ID range is. When done as a sequence, it is very "flowing," and improves your efficiency.
- You will find the the SSII is tonally subtle, with a lot of nuance to the tone - but, you have to slow over targets and "process" them as told above to learn what it is telling you. All long-time Tesoro users understand this and do it instinctively, but it can be lost on a newcomer if no-one tells them.
- Finally, you have the ability to "SuperTune" your SSII. I first learned of this in an article by Bob Stricker, some years ago. Here's how to do it:
Set the threshold at the usual low hum, per the instructions. This control is on the rear of your SSII. Once you've done that and have established the normal "hum", crank it up into the higher ranges, all the way to max if you want, and then switch back into DISC mode.
Once "SuperTuned" this way, if you get over a really deep target, the detector will overcome the DISC lower signal limit and signal on that deep target.
Of course this will kill the ability to pinpoint in AM or even use the feature, so it may not be right for all settings. And it may blast you on shallow targets, so it isnt really needed all the time. But when you are in clean areas with the potential for deep targets, as in farmfield relic hunting or in the dry sand at the beach (this is an OPTIMUM place for it), it can be a help. Also, if you arent sure about an "iffy" target, which might be deep, you can go into this mode and check it out. Cool, huh?!
And here is my final tip to you...
- Buy the best, long trowel you can afford and make it your goal to wear it out.
The Silver Sabre II is great. You can find lots of stuff with it and you have a nice useful detector at not a lot of money (in your case, none). Plus, Tesoro will repair it free, should it need some TLC.
Happy Hunting,
David
