The Truth About Tesoro!

[rvbvetter]

I'm not sure if free's response was directed at me or not. So I thought I would try to clarify my earlier post a little.
The Tejon has no meter. So no Icons.
It has no tone ID.
It either gives an audible signal or it doesn't.
It does have manual ground balance.
Using the example in my previous post.
If it detects a coin loud and clear (signals are amped) at 8 inches.
Then the same coin at the same spot at 8 1/4 inches.
The Tejon doesn't know the coin exists.
No faint signal, or whisper, or tic, or dink, and I'm pretty sure no Icons.
None, Zip, NADA, doesn't compute, no speaka inglish.

This is my first Tesoro and I would really like to hear some thoughts from some long time Tesoro users. And of course anyone else. HH

 

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[Earl]

You don't mention if this is in the discriminate mode or the all metal mode. I believe the Tejon has a silent discriminate mode. In other words when you are in the disc mode there is no threshhold tone as in all metal. The problem with the silent disc mode is it is like a ham radio with the squelch turned up and you will miss the weak signals. So when in silent search disc mode you will miss the weak signals. In other words, you will either have a signal or you won't, the very weak signals will not break the squelch so you won't know they are there. I hope this isn't as confusing as mud. Just my 2 cents worth. Earl

 

[rvbvetter]

Actually that explains a lot. And yes I was refering to disc mode.
So that explains why no whisper signals. Gee I'm not sure I like that. I've always liked the challenge of pulling just a little more depth out of a machine.
That helps me a great deal to understand the way this Tejon works.
Thank you Earl

 

[rvbvetter]

I definitly agree with you about the solid smooth signals. But the Tejon I'm using doesn't seem to give crackle signals. The wimpy part, I'm not certain about yet. I'll need more time with the machine.
The good signals are all solid. Meaning they are all relatively of the same sound and duration. Where as the bad or iffy signals, If it does give a signal, it is of a much shorter or abrupt length. Making it fairly easy to distinguish the difference.
What it appears to be doing to me is that it throws all it's power or transmitt at it all at once, out to it's limit. And then it drasticaly drops off. To a point where it won't go one millimeter farther. And if there's a coin a millimeter deeper. It will never know it, let alone tell you about it.
Some what like a sprint runner will be ahead of a marathon runner at the beginning, but will soon fall way behind.
( I really like Earls example better)
Any way that's been my experience so far with the Tejon.
Thank you for your response Zeb...uh....Michi....uh..... I mean DH HH

 

[gregl01]

Hey RV, I've noticed on my new Cibola the signal is scratchy on junk and a solid ding on a good target. My only problem so far is learning to thumb the disc to determine targets. If you hunt with the disc set at nickel, any target at that or above makes the same sound. Others say to turn up the disc over the target to id it where it drops out. I still need some practice!!!! Hopefully the snow will end soon
Greg

 

[rvbvetter]

Yeah, I hear what your saying. That's really why I decided to go with the Tejon. Because it has two discriminates. The first one I set just below nickel , so it excepts nickels. And the second one I'll set above nickel, but not high enough to knock out pull tabs. So when I get a hit in Disc 1, I'll push the the toggle forward which engages Disc 2. And if I get no signal in Disc 2 with it set to accept pull tabs but reject nickels. Then it's most likely a nickel. If I still get a signal in Disc 2, then I'll set disc 2 just high enough to reject pull tabs and then sweep the target once more.
If I then lose the signal. It's most likely a pull tab. If theres still a signal, then it's either a coin or some other desirable metal. Or something large.
You can do the same thing with yours too. Set it to accept nickels, then when you get a hit. Turn your disc just above nickel and sweep over the target again. If there's still a signal, then turn your disc up to just reject pull tabs and sweep it again. If there's still a signal, then it's probably a coin. penny, dime, quarter and so on.
You might want to preform a test to see at what point your disc rejects nickels. On mine it rejects the nickel well before the nickel mark on the dial. HH

 

[Sandman]

Rv, the way the Tejon works is a lot like my first detector, a C & G Bobcat. It was a TR machine with the two discrimates that I set like you set the Tejon. The Bobcat had a smaller six inch coil that rested on the ground and being slighly rounded on the bottom you would slide it around. But some SOB lifted it from my car and I bought a new type machine and the learning curve was on.

 

[rvbvetter]

I'm pretty sure I remember the C&G. I never did get to try a TR unit.
I started out with a BFO unit and when I was ready for my next detector. Garrett had their VLF/TR Deepseeker out by then and I bought it. I had occassions to hunt with people that had TR units though. And actually I kind of envy'ed them. Because getting a signal in VLF and then switching to TR to identify it. Could be a tedious and sometimes an over whelming process, especially in a trashier site. I could have hunted in just TR as well, but because the VLF/TR units generally operated in a lower frequency. The TR side didn't seem to perform as well as a TR only unit did. But the VLF side could reach depth's that are comparable to todays detectors.
I also hunted with, what I called Whip Masters (Whites owners).
And if you valued your shins. You didn't walk up on them from their blind side. I could never figure out which was their blind side. So I just gave them plenty of space. Sometimes I think they were knowingly defending their territory with those weapons. But when the Whites slowed down, I then bought one of them. And really liked it. HH

 

[Michigan Badger]

I'm pleased to see the response to this thread! WOW! There has been a lot interest in Tesoro! Good...it's a great brand.

Thanks to all.

Badger

 

[Ty]

>>It's even smoother than the DeLeon and about 2 1/2 to 3 times deeper on coins.<<

I hope the above statement, in your 10-26-06 update; is a typo or whatever, as this would indicate that the Nauty would detect a dime at 20-30 inches which simply isn't possible.

Ty

 

[Shenandoah Digger]

No the Nautilus won't detect a dime at 20-30 inches. But I've dug a large cent at 18 inches. I love my Tesoro's, and obviously most items aren't that deep, unless you're in a plowed field. But the IIb has vastly superior depth than anything else out there. The Nexus, too new to tell. From what I've read, depth is great, disc. isn't.

 

[tntctrm]

Rv, the way the Tejon works is a lot like my first detector, a C & G Bobcat. It was a TR machine with the two discrimates that I set like you set the Tejon. The Bobcat had a smaller six inch coil that rested on the ground and being slighly rounded on the bottom you would slide it around. But some SOB lifted it from my car and I bought a new type machine and the learning curve was on.

i'am about to but tejon in the next week or so. are they as good as they say they are. i know that alot depends on the ground moisture and the minerals, but i have a friend with a nautilus IIb and he said that he loves the tejon. he went on a draw hunt virginia, and a man with a tejon was digging bullets and buttons at 12 and 14 inches. while he was diggind nails.

 

[Boilermaker27]

I have owned more than twelve detectors through the years. I have been relic hunting since the early 1970's. Some of the machines I have used are the Relco; Whites (Coinmaster 4; 5; 600diPro) Garrett; King Cobra (junk);
Nautilus; Fisher (VLF555pro); Teknetics; Minelab (Sovereign; Explorer; Explorer II) and maybe a few other I forgot. I always did my homework first when deciding to buy a detector. The White and Minelab were two very good detectors. The Minelab Explorer II is very good and very deep, but extremely slow in recovery rate between targets, great for deep coins and such. My Minelab Explorer (over ten years old) stopped working and I went to the internet to make a decision on a mid priced detector to buy until I either got my Minelab replaced or repaired. I finally settled on the Tesoro Tejon. I had looked on e-bay and found a number listed through dealers, I bought mine through Dixie Metal Detectors and he highly recommended the detector. At the time I had just found a great civil war site in central Missouri so needed a detector bad, I had the bug really bad, relics were everywhere. The Tejon has a dual discriminate feature which I use by setting the first discriminator to foil, and the second to pulltabs. I have found over 100 minnie balls; 25 buttons; four half dimes; scabbard tips; gun tool; and much more. It easily finds small buckshot with no problem. Good thing about the Tejon is the fact that yuou can move fast because it recovers almost instantaneously. The depth is remarkable to say the least. I have since bought a Minelab Explorer II and went over the site a secdond time but found very little, the Tesoro was able to at least equal the Minelab in depth. You can get this detecotor on e-bay through a dealer for about half the cost of a top end Minelab. I have used one other Tesoro about ten years ago and it also performed great. One thing about the Tesoro is that you do have a lifetime warranty. Take it from me, if money is an object in buying a detector, you can get the Tejon, save hundreds of dollars over a top end model, and find coins and relics as deep as other detectors. For the price of a Tejon you will get an unbelieveably great detector, if you spend the same amount on a mid line Whites; Garrett; Fisher; etc. you will not have the deptch or quality, plus lifetime guarantee you will get with the Tejon. One other thing, it has no meter, which I think is a drawback, but that also adds to the value saved on this detector. By using the two discriminators you just dig what falls in between the two discriminate setting and you will do good. Maybe the only improvement to this detector would be target tone ID. My opinion, top of the line for Tesoro.

 

[Michigan Badger]

jhettel wrote: "...the Tesoro [Tejon] was able to at least equal the Minelab [Explorer II] in depth."

"My opinion, top of the line for Tesoro."

Thanks much for the info and I did end up buying a Tejon and you're right...it's a super detector. 8)

Badger

 

[Mirage]

The truth? From you?!

I've used White's and Minelabs now for a couple years. I did try a Fisher Coinstrike for about 4 months. Now it is time to give a Tesoro a try. Should have a Tejon by the end of the week. Then I'll be scoring big. If not, the real truth will be told!

 

[Michigan Badger]

The truth? From you?!

I've used White's and Minelabs now for a couple years. I did try a Fisher Coinstrike for about 4 months. Now it is time to give a Tesoro a try. Should have a Tejon by the end of the week. Then I'll be scoring big. If not, the real truth will be told!

If it turns out not to be the truth I only misquoted myself

You'll find it a lot easier to learn than that Minelab and about 100 lbs lighter. Just make sure you ground balance it correctly or the depth won't be good. I tried GBing it over iron and it doesn't work.

We all like different things but for me this is the best I've found as of now.

Badger

 

[Gribnitz]

The truth? From you?!

I've used White's and Minelabs now for a couple years. I did try a Fisher Coinstrike for about 4 months. Now it is time to give a Tesoro a try. Should have a Tejon by the end of the week. Then I'll be scoring big. If not, the real truth will be told!

It is very easy to use if your used to using one of those fancy smachy gizmo machines. The only trick you have to learn is ground balancing, and it has to be GB well or you will lose depth or get lots of false signals. When they say barely audible threshold, they mean barely audible. Hold the rod out if front of you and get a threshold that way, then pump it up and down toward the ground at a fairly quick pace until you hear the signal get just a bit louder as it gets closer to the ground. It is better to have a slightly positive GB than nuetral or negative. If you have it balanced right, it is deep and very sensitive to small objects. It is about as deep as most top of the line machines on silver coins, but on brass, lead, gold, it is hard to beat.

My only gripe about the Tejon is how easy it is to accidently knock the knobs off settings. I don't know why they don't just put the rubber washers on the shafts from the factory. It would save a lot of aggravation.

 

[Michigan Badger]

It is very easy to use if your used to using one of those fancy smachy gizmo machines. The only trick you have to learn is ground balancing, and it has to be GB well or you will lose depth or get lots of false signals. When they say barely audible threshold, they mean barely audible. Hold the rod out if front of you and get a threshold that way, then pump it up and down toward the ground at a fairly quick pace until you hear the signal get just a bit louder as it gets closer to the ground. It is better to have a slightly positive GB than nuetral or negative. If you have it balanced right, it is deep and very sensitive to small objects. It is about as deep as most top of the line machines on silver coins, but on brass, lead, gold, it is hard to beat.

My only gripe about the Tejon is how easy it is to accidentally knock the knobs off settings. I don't know why they don't just put the rubber washers on the shafts from the factory. It would save a lot of aggravation.

Excellent post! That ground balance is the whole ball game with the Tejon.

When I first started using mine I didn't have it right and was a little disappointed in the coin garden test. Then I finally learned and it was like a different machine.

Also I find the Tejon needs only minor ground balance adjustments at a site. Actually, most of the time if I get it right in the beginning I don't have to reset it again at that site. The machine tells me if it needs to be set again. It will gradually make more noise meaning the ground minerals aren't being tuned out correctly.

Badger

 

[EDDE]

i like this widescan coil!!! i may be getting a T with the wide scan

 

[Merf]

I am a little disapointed with my Cibola as far as depth goes. I like the detector for it's light weight and ease of operation.
I have had it for about 4 months and made a lot of good finds but after reading all the reports on how deep they are supposed to go I did a lot of measued depth tests in different soils. Testing in average mild soil here in northern Illinois the best it will do with a good repeatable signal is 5 inches on a dime and 6 inches on a quarter. I sent it back to the factory a couple of months ago and they returned it saying nothing was wrong with it.
If they are right and nothing is wrong with it then it is about 1/2 inch deeper than my Bounty Hunter Discovery 3300 and all the stories about great depth with the new hot Cibola are nothing but fish stories. Just my humble opinion.
Good hunting to all, Merf