Tiger Shark - Why would some reviews say its fine in salt?

DetectorOCD

Full Member
Sep 22, 2010
110
1
Dallastown, PA
Detector(s) used
TESORO!
Tiger Shark - Why would some reviews say it's fine in salt?

I keep hearing how the tiger shark will false in salt (especially in the waves) yet, the Tesoro review in their periodical says that although it chirped a little, a slight bump down in the sensitivity eliminated it. Just how bad is it in the salt water? I was considering one just because I want to hunt water next year (mostly fresh) and just the beach on vacation. I love Tesoro, so naturally they were my first choice for a water machine. :)
 

Terry Soloman

Gold Member
May 28, 2010
19,422
30,105
White Plains, New York
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Nokta Makro Legend// Pulsedive// Minelab GPZ 7000// Vanquish 540// Minelab Pro Find 35// Dune Kraken Sandscoop// Grave Digger Tools Tombstone shovel & Sidekick digger// Bunk's Hermit Pick
Primary Interest:
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Re: Tiger Shark - Why would some reviews say it's fine in salt?

DetectorOCD said:
I keep hearing how the tiger shark will false in salt (especially in the waves) yet, the Tesoro review in their periodical says that although it chirped a little, a slight bump down in the sensitivity eliminated it. Just how bad is it in the salt water? I was considering one just because I want to hunt water next year (mostly fresh) and just the beach on vacation. I love Tesoro, so naturally they were my first choice for a water machine. :)

Like most VLF machines, you will lose depth and stability on a wet saltwater beach, or in saltwater. How much? Depends on how well you can ground balance it, and how good you are on the headphones. The Tiger Shark is built for Fresh water - where it cannot be beat, period. In Saltwater, the Sand Shark is superior.
 

Sandman

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Aug 6, 2005
13,398
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In Michigan now.
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Excal 1000, Excal II, Sovereign GT, CZ-20, Tiger Shark, Tejon, GTI 1500, Surfmaster Pulse, CZ6a, DFX, AT PRO, Fisher 1235, Surf PI Pro, 1280-X, many more because I enjoy learning them. New Garrett Ca
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Re: Tiger Shark - Why would some reviews say it's fine in salt?

What the heck makes everyone think all the salt concentrations at the beaches all over the world are the same and have the same amount of black sand? If a Tiger Shark or any detectors behaves one way at one location it could behave differently somewhere else. Turning down the sens if it keeps on chirping is always a good practice as it works perfectly fine at lower than half. I've used the Tiger up and down the east coast and there were some places I could have used a different unit like my Excal or CZ-20. You don't go golfing with only one club, why handicap yourself by using the wrong detector at every location?
 

Terry Soloman

Gold Member
May 28, 2010
19,422
30,105
White Plains, New York
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Nokta Makro Legend// Pulsedive// Minelab GPZ 7000// Vanquish 540// Minelab Pro Find 35// Dune Kraken Sandscoop// Grave Digger Tools Tombstone shovel & Sidekick digger// Bunk's Hermit Pick
Primary Interest:
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Re: Tiger Shark - Why would some reviews say it's fine in salt?

Sandman said:
What the heck makes everyone think all the salt concentrations at the beaches all over the world are the same and have the same amount of black sand? If a Tiger Shark or any detectors behaves one way at one location it could behave differently somewhere else. Turning down the sens if it keeps on chirping is always a good practice as it works perfectly fine at lower than half. I've used the Tiger up and down the east coast and there were some places I could have used a different unit like my Excal or CZ-20. You don't go golfing with only one club, why handicap yourself by using the wrong detector at every location?

Exellent point.. :notworthy: :notworthy:
 

OP
OP
DetectorOCD

DetectorOCD

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Sep 22, 2010
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Dallastown, PA
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TESORO!
Re: Tiger Shark - Why would some reviews say it's fine in salt?

Sandman: I understand what you're saying. I know beaches are different all over the world. I just wondered just how tolerable it would be in my location. I guess I should have specified that I was looking to use it on the East coast around Maryland and maybe down to Florida for a vacation sometime. Did you have any experience with it in Florida?

Thanks!
 

Sandman

Gold Member
Aug 6, 2005
13,398
3,992
In Michigan now.
Detector(s) used
Excal 1000, Excal II, Sovereign GT, CZ-20, Tiger Shark, Tejon, GTI 1500, Surfmaster Pulse, CZ6a, DFX, AT PRO, Fisher 1235, Surf PI Pro, 1280-X, many more because I enjoy learning them. New Garrett Ca
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Re: Tiger Shark - Why would some reviews say it's fine in salt?

DetectorOCD said:
Sandman: I understand what you're saying. I know beaches are different all over the world. I just wondered just how tolerable it would be in my location. I guess I should have specified that I was looking to use it on the East coast around Maryland and maybe down to Florida for a vacation sometime. Did you have any experience with it in Florida?

Thanks!
Yes I have used it in Fl. up and down the east coast and Galveston also. Florida at some locations lacks black sand so it is stable with the salt mode turned on, sometimes it isn't needed either. Either way any chirps are way different from any targets. If a detector isn't chirping, is it because it isn't sensitive enough or has to much disc dialed in. The Excal operates way different and ignores iron and most salt minerals, but it also costs lots more and has trouble finding gold chains.
 

willie d

Silver Member
Jul 13, 2005
4,007
394
Close enough to the beach
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**Tesoro Tiger Shark** Tesoro Silver Umax** Minelab Sov Gt w/WOT coil** Whites 6000Di Pro SL**
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Re: Tiger Shark - Why would some reviews say it's fine in salt?

DetectorOCD said:
Sandman: I understand what you're saying. I know beaches are different all over the world. I just wondered just how tolerable it would be in my location. I guess I should have specified that I was looking to use it on the East coast around Maryland and maybe down to Florida for a vacation sometime. Did you have any experience with it in Florida?

Thanks!
I use the Tiger Shark on the West coast of Florida. I have absolutely no problems in the water.
 

therover

Full Member
Feb 23, 2008
163
12
NJ
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CZ6a (2),Infinium, E-Trac,CZ20, X5, CZ20,X-Terra 705, Treasure Baron Goldtrax, XL-Pro
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Beach & Shallow Water Hunting
Re: Tiger Shark - Why would some reviews say it's fine in salt?

Sandman made an excellent point that a lot of times is not understood. 'Chirping' can be fine as long as TARGETS sound different. If the unit is totally unstable and unuseable, that is a different story. Also, he is correct in that there are some salt water beaches were almost any single frequency detector will work, due to no mineralization and very low concentrations of salt water.

Been hunting salt water beaches in NJ and other spots for over 25 years and there are times when I want the unit on the edge, that includes both VLF and PI units. The conditions of the beach play a MAJOR role in how a detector is going to work. Tuning the unit where it will work and where you can understand what the unit is doing is very important.

That being said, it is known that there are better salt water units that the Tiger Shark ( just due to the fact that they are made to work better due either being multi-frequency or a PI). But since the OP stated he will be hunting mostly fresh water and occasionally hit the salt water beaches, then I would think that the Tiger Shark would be a wise choice. Shoot, hip mount the unit and you can hunt the dry sand all day long.
 

johnwon2

Jr. Member
Jun 21, 2011
56
38
Jacksonville, FL
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Tesoro Tiger Shark & Equinox-800
Primary Interest:
Beach & Shallow Water Hunting
Re: Tiger Shark - Why would some reviews say it's fine in salt?

I use a Tiger Shark in Jacksonville and it works great on the beaches. I use it in salt mode in the water because of the black iron deposits and it does chirp a bit, but there is a completely different tone when you find that target. I bought this detector because I wanted something for both the beach and the parks and mostly on the beach, I knew my kids would be there with me and I wanted something waterproof in case they soaked it by accident. If I had to choose a detector again today, I'd select this detector. I use the 10" coil on it and it is still really easy to pinpoint with as well.

John
 

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