Vaquero arrived today...I like it already!

[CZconnoisseur]

Thanks to the generosity of a fellow forum member, I am now a proud owner of a Vaquero with the stock 8x9 coil. I took it out into the yard today and immediately felt the weight, or lack of it, as well as the faster recovery time.

I didn't find a whole lot since the house was built in 1978, but I did dig every target that registered above iron and found a few coins, a few pulltabs, some foil, and a few nails. Some of the small nails seemed to false, but I did have disc set very low and wasn't bothered by this. I did find a square pulltab at 5" deep which sounded clear and actually disced out just beyond "tab" on the Disc knob.

Also found some very small rivet heads at 2" or so, and was happy to find them! This is a very sensitive machine and I'm still learning it but I have no doubt that this one will be a keeper mainly because of the recovery speed. I didn't try to "open it up" as there was significant EMI around the house. Switching frequencies seemed to help somewhat. Sensitivity was around 8, threshold at 2:00 position, Disc was just above IRON, and the machine was a little chatty at 1/4 turn negative after GBing the machine, so it ended up around 1/8th turn negative.

Also started a coin garden with a 6" deep nickel, 6" deep Wheat, and an 8" copper penny. I can hit the nickel and Wheat fairly easily, but the 8" penny is out of range at the moment. These three coins are only 3 feet from the front door and there's a lot of interference (and likely a lot of iron)...I did it this way because I want true field conditions for a coin garden - sure, you may be able to hit a 12" quarter with a Vaquero in clean ground...but what about within 3-6 feet from a house with buried electrical lines, etc

I won't get out to hunt with it until I get some quality headphones...and then it's ON! There are two places I have in mind already....

 

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[Terry Soloman]

Experiment with your gain (Sensitivity) in the soil you are testing in. See how much you can use without chattering or falsing. This does add depth - BUT, using too much sensitivity in highly mineralized soil can cause a loss of depth. Get to know your machine and keep it balanced. Quick Tip - Use the Pinpoint button to ground balance rather than switching back and forth in All Metal.

 

[Welgund]

Welcome to the Tesoro cult. They are definitely hard to out down after you start using them and learn there language. You will be amazed at the amount of treasure you will find. I only use two coils on my vaquero anymore, the 8 x 11 RSD widescan and the 5.75 concentric. Keep us informed how it goes and if you have any questions just ask.

 

[Rawhide]

Sounds great, new machines are always fun. Digging beyond 7 inches always takes a lot of practice. I sually hunt by sound once I get the machine settled down, but I dont own a tesoro yet. Its good to know we all find some common ground with all the different types of detectors out there.

 

[smokeythecat]

Mine likes gold, Civil War breastplates, silver merc dimes and anything else it can get its little grubby paws on.

 

[tabman]

I always thought you should be swinging a Tesoro. It will take a little time for you to learn the best settings for your area and dirt. You may want to download 'Mastering the Tejon and Vaquero Metal Detectors'. It really is a good read.

The best headphones after trying a bunch for the Vaquero - Killer B Wasp headphones. You will get a little extra depth with them. Plus you won't get your ears blasted, because they have a 'limiter' audio circuit.

Good Luck! Lets see some pictures of your finds when get rolling!

tabman

 

[Honest Samuel]

After all that I had heard here about detectors, I will purchase a Vaquero in April or May.

 

[luvsdux]

Glad you're liking the Vaq from the get go. It'll serve you well.
luvsdux

 

[Pointman]

Good tips. I've used almost every set of phones out there. I absolutely like the Killer Bs brand. I own 3 sets and I keep a few other brands for people to use because I don't like sharing them.