Choosing a first detector for the wife?

The new detector may end up like most exercise machines. Staying in the closet. A lot of time is spent on the knees digging. I wouldn't spend a lot to start with. You can get her a new Tesoro Compadre for about $160 with warranty. Even people who gravitate to more sophisticated machines often keep their Compadre. I am thinking I may even want one, and I have some very expensive machines already. White's also makes good beginner machines for around the same price. I believe they call them coin masters. Fischer's F-2 is a favorite as well. Check you tube videos for the machines that catch your fancy.

It really is a great hobby that can get one interested in history and research. (like finding out where the old buildings are in your area. Old buildings = people= old lost coins). Plant a nice piece of jewelry in your yard and let her find it. You may become a detectorist's widow. She may not want to come back in the house. I usually find something of interest most times I hunt. Not usually of great value, but of interest. Sometimes I look at what I found and wonder what in the world was that thing anyway.
 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

DR.ÖTEK Metal Detector, Waterproof Gold Detector, Pinpoint & Terrain Modes, Professional Metal Detector - Grab it through Amazon!
Last edited:
Terry Soloman said:
I must disagree. For the novice/new user, you simply set the discrimination at maximum, and let them dig silver and clad - That is how you learn.
Click to expand...

Fine for silver only. You can do the same thing with an F2. Disc out the entire iron/gold range. Then you can get a signal depicting the difference between a silver dime and a silver quarter on the F2. Not on the Tesoro. Depends how fast you want to learn. When you finally decide to try for the gold, the F2 gives different tones between gold and silver, rather than thumbing a knob back and forth.

It's all preference.
`
 

Last edited:
Phantasman said:
I believe Tesoro's are the most unforgiving for a noob. Hear a beep, it's metal. Plan on digging just about everything until you can master the single sound it makes.

For my wife I'd get no less than the F2. Easy to use and learn and light. Tesoro's are great machines. I had three. If you are going to have to have a Tesoro, I'd get the DeLeon for a noob. But until you have a good idea on metal conductivity, I'd let the computer (screen) assist you, or you could get discouraged.
Click to expand...

Totally agree. Tesoro is no fun for a beginner unless you are prepared to dig every target until you learn what it is telling you. I would go with the Fisher F2, F22,or a Teknetics Eurotek Pro. (all in the $200 range). The F44 ($349) is another great option, but is a bit more advanced with adjustable GB, etc...
 

Last edited:
westside bengal said:
Hi all, new member here.

I am wanting to buy my wife a detector. We are complete MD noobs.

She is 58 and not really the most computer savvy. I am thinking lightweight and simple is best.

The struggle I am having is defining simple. To me and reading about Tesoro's...turn on and go...seems the easiest.

Other folks try to tell something like the Garrett Ace 350 or Eurotek Pro (something with a screen) is easier for beginners. I am not convinced and feel if you don't don't have the knowledge it can be set up wrong and miss stuff.

So, if Tesoro is the way to go for a beginning detector how do I pick one? I am thinking about a budget of $200-$300 budget and that leaves me the Compadre, Silver uMax and the Cibola as choices.

For a complete noob, who really won't know what she is doing and will likely dig most anything that beeps for awhile, can someone explain to me which one you would buy and why? Also if you really think a display unit is the way to go please don't hesitate to speak up.
Click to expand...

You are a very lucky man with a wife who will MD with you ! Congrats !
 

atomicscott said:
Totally agree. Tesoro is no fun for a beginner unless you are prepared to dig every target until you learn what it is telling you. I would go with the Fisher F2, F22,or a Teknetics Eurotek Pro. (all in the $200 range). The F44 ($349) is another great option, but is a bit more advanced with adjustable GB, etc...
Click to expand...

C'mon AtomicScott! That is just plain disinformation. Why are you such a hater? Tesoro discrimination is one of, if not THE best discrimination available. You set it at Nickel, and yes, you WILL dig a lot of pulltabs, canslaw, and Gold, just like EVERY OTHER VLF machine. If you set it at Max, you'll dig Clad and Silver, and maybe an occasional Screw Cap.

Make your suggestions, but don't trash Tesoro because you dislike the way the Company handles its business. :skullflag:
 

Last edited:
Yesterday I hit the front yard of a mid-fifties house and had ball detecting it. The grassy area was around 40 x 60 feet. I set the discrimination on my Cibola just high enough to discriminate out nails and went to swinging. Normally on homes of this era I usually find a silver coin or two. On one front yard of the same size and era I found 8 silver coins. I always have high hopes. I dug and dug, but all I was finding was modern clad coins, a bunch of nickels and trash. Not even a single wheat penny could be found! Not a good sign at all. I finally cornered a sterling silver ring and silver war nickel (1944) before heading for home. Rest assured if there had been a gold ring in that front yard it would have been mine. Running up the discrimination and eliminating the the possibility of detecting a gold ring takes a lot of the fun out of detecting for me. There is nothing any simpler, more productive and fun than beep and dig. Period

I've owned and still own various detector brands, and I strongly recommend the Tesoro Silver µMax for a beginner detector. It's a FIVE STAR detector at a very affordable price. Tesoro Silver uMax Metal Detector Reviews

tabman
 

Terry Soloman said:
C'mon AtomicScott! That is just plain disinformation. Why are you such a hater? Tesoro discrimination is one of, if not THE best discrimination available. You set it at Nickel, and yes, you WILL dig a lot of pulltabs, canslaw, and Gold, just like EVERY OTHER VLF machine. If you set it at Max, you'll dig Clad and Silver, and maybe an occasional Screw Cap.

Make your suggestions, but don't trash Tesoro because you dislike the way the Company handles its business. :skullflag:
Click to expand...
Oh Terry, you cannot attack Phantasm? I was just agreeing with him! Why such a hard-on for me? Haha. I will say the Compadre does make a good first detector. Just many more options/features are available for a few bucks more.
 

Last edited:
It's hard for many of us old timers to remember the "learning process". You have to think of not knowing anything, like a noob. Many have started with Bounty Hunter and graduated. Many started with the Ace 250. Tesoro's are absolutely great detectors. But sometimes, and as most have proven, it is a specialized way of hunting that you "grow into", not that you start at point zero.

There is a point when a noobie detects and says "hey, I get it". It just takes longer with a Tesoro than many screen help detectors. Once you get how a detector is detecting, you can bypass the screen and get better depth with a Tesoro, because they understand what a broken tone is. But you can go crazy trying to know the difference between a pure tone and a broken one, as a new user. Learn the basics, then Tesoro's shine.

The Vaquero is one of the best detectors ever. But unless your go to Detecting 101 class, it's going to be really tough to use it at it's peak advantage.

Tesoro has lost out over the years of not seeing the potential of new hunters or keeping up with newer technology. The Compadre is a Silver is a Vaquero depending on the controls. You can't live on the uMax forever. Either get with it, or let everyone else pass you by.
 

Last edited:
I must be an extremely exceptional person. My first detector was a Tesoro Compadre and right out of the gate I had no problem whatsoever in learning how to use it. It was super easy to learn how to use. In fact I took it on a trip with me when I visited with my uncle and let him have a shot at using it. I set the discrimination just high enough to discriminate out pull tabs and told him to dig all repeatable audio signals. He filled his pockets with coins right out of the gate at a school site that hasn't ever been detected with just minutes of instructions from me. Nothing to it! I'm glad that I didn't have to explain to my uncle what all those numbers and different tones mean on one of my bells and whistle detectors.

I've bought, used and sold a lot of different detectors through the years and I wouldn't hesitate for a moment in recommending a Tesoro Silver µMax for a first detector. They're really fun to use and work exceptionally well!

Tesoro Silver uMax Audio Response On Different Targets - Discrimination Set At 'iron'.
Notice how the audio changes when I raise the coil as I sweep over the different targets.
Target Order

1) Can Slaw
2) Foil Sports Drink Cap
3) Dime
4) Quarter
5) Small Silver Ring
6) Larger Silver Ring
7) Medium 14K Gold Wedding Band



tabman
 

tabman said:
I must be an extremely exceptional person. My first detector was a Tesoro Compadre and right out of the gate I had no problem whatsoever in learning how to use it. It was super easy to learn how to use. In fact I took it on a trip with me when I visited with my uncle and let him have a shot at using it. I set the discrimination just high enough to discriminate out pull tabs and told him to dig all repeatable audio signals. He filled his pockets with coins right out of the gate at a school site that hasn't ever been detected with just minutes of instructions from me. Nothing to it! I'm glad that I didn't have to explain to my uncle what all those numbers and different tones mean on one of my bells and whistle detectors.

I've bought, used and sold a lot of different detectors through the years and I wouldn't hesitate for a moment in recommending a Tesoro Silver µMax for a first detector. They're really fun to use and work exceptionally well!

Tesoro Silver uMax Audio Response On Different Targets - Discrimination Set At 'iron'.
Notice how the audio changes when I raise the coil as I sweep over the different targets.
Target Order

1) Can Slaw
2) Foil Sports Drink Cap
3) Dime
4) Quarter
5) Small Silver Ring
6) Larger Silver Ring
7) Medium 14K Gold Wedding Band

YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qt4V8G6KVeI

tabman
Click to expand...

I agree, if you like to use disc the Compadre is very easy to use. However it is hard to disagree, that the F2 is a lot more machine for the extra $40. If you choose to hunt in trashy sites with zero discrimination, I would take the F2 any day over the Compadre. Also, you can grow with the F2 due to all the available coils. Not an option with the hard-wired coil Compadre. Another big shortcoming.
 

That's why I highly recommended the Tesoro Silver µMax.

tabman
 

I after extensive use and testing I sold my AT Pro. It couldn't keep up with my Tesoro detectors.









tabman
 

Best idea may be to see if you can find people with detectors, and let her try theirs. She may fine one that She likes.
If she don't like it, she will not use it. Maybe someone on this forum is local to you.

Single tone analog machines do have a quicker recovery time, but the other machines will be a lot quicker in figuring out if you want to dig the target. Most everything is a compromise. It takes a while to figure out the features that you like the most.

Here is a good cheap beep and dig beginner machine that sells for $80
 

Last edited:
atomicscott said:
No surprise. At Pro is not ground breaking. I notice you did not dismiss the Omega, lol.
Click to expand...

If it's in my signature, it's a decent detector. If you can find a location that's doesn't have too much EMI and you're in the mood for cherry picking silver coins then the Omega will do a really good job for you if it's not too trashy and it is set up correctly. Keep in mind that I'm using the Omega like a Tesoro detector by discriminating out everything up to and including the pull tabs that are on the test board and digging everything that beeps. The VDI numbers on the display are bouncing around from 68 to 78 during the test and is giving a mid tone. The detector is telling the user that the quarter on the test board is likely trash, a larger pull tab, a screw cap, a zinc penny, or maybe a Indian head penny. There is no high tone or VDI number to indicate that there is a silver quarter on the test board. I've tested the Omega with a single tone and with 3 tones. Either way it only gives a mid-tone during the test. The Omega is a good detector, especially versions 5 and 6.

The Minelab x Terra detectors are the worst that I've ever used when it comes to unmasking targets in trashy areas. Their recovery speed is really awful. They didn't hang around on my signature list for long.



tabman
 

Last edited:
tabman said:
If it's in my signature, it's a decent detector. If you can find a location that's doesn't have too much EMI and you're in the mood for cherry picking silver coins then the Omega will do a really good job for you if it's not too trashy and it is set up correctly. Keep in mind that I'm using the Omega like a Tesoro detector by discriminating out everything up to and including the pull tabs that are on the test board and digging everything that beeps. The VDI numbers on the display are bouncing around from 68 to 78 during the test and is giving a mid tone. The detector is telling the user that the quarter on the test board is likely trash, a larger pull tab, a screw cap, a zinc penny, or maybe a Indian head penny. There is no high tone or VDI number to indicate that there is a silver quarter on the test board. I've tested the Omega with a single tone and with 3 tones. Either way it only gives a mid-tone during the test. The Omega is a good detector, especially versions 5 and 6.

The Minelab x Terra detectors are the worst that I've ever used when it comes to unmasking targets in trashy areas. Their recovery speed is really awful. They didn't hang around on my signature list for long.

YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9d5vPPv4xYk

tabman
Click to expand...

I love how people use videos to judge a detectors ability as if people watching the vids will get the same results in their own soil & hunting conditions. The X-Terra with 6" 18.75 khz coil was simply MILES ahead of the Vaquero in trashy sites. Even with the stock concentric coil I still dug way less trash than with the iron-hugging Vaquero. Funny, I never noticed anybody complain about the iron masking of the X-Terra until now. BTW, I no longer own the XT 505, so no reason to bash it on my account, lol. The only way I found this out was to hunt the same pounded out sites back to back and compare finds. Not some nail board test, etc...
 

I your going to progress to to more advanced hunting,and you will.
It would be beneficial to buy a machine with the screen and the 1-99 scale.
Why,because in trashy ground where a lot of activities took place is much much easier to
hunt if you can run with iron still being detected,with its low tone grunt and a good target giving off its mid-high tone blip
in the maze of trash.
It's faster and catches yor attention where as a single tone really useless because every target will sound the same
and if you disc.out iron you will lose the benefit of hearing a good target mixed with the iron.
And in clean ground vid #'s work great like on my gamma a 57-58 is a Nickle,59-62 is pulltabs and a 82-83 is a dime,not trash.
So a Fisher or Teknetics that uses vid #'s is my recommendation.
Happy hunting
 

the delta 4000 in my local northern Florida soil dues great --only cost about 279 bucks and is light and easy to use and had visual VDI 0 -99 range ..
 

Here we go again.

Tesoro is of the DEVIL. Stay away from their magic it WILL posses you. If you hold one up side down remove the coil cover and look at it with a maginfing glass you can see the numbers 666 imbossed on it, i think? Look very hard. See it? I knew you could . There now don't you feel better? Use the farce!!! Use the farce!!!
You have been forewarned.
Now go buy a Tesoro and stop this thread from going down the rabit hole, PLEASE.


Oh and by the way do you think Tesoro might build a new machine in 2016?
 

Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

This just in! Copper rods for Tesoro.

⬅️ Previous Thread

Sand Shark vs. Tiger Shark

Next Thread ➡️

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 3 (members: 0, guests: 3)
Metal Detecting Stuff

Latest Discussions

Back
Top