Is the Mojave the start of a new series for Tesoro?

People expect new features from their phones every year... and for people who want to be able to "live tweet" while eating at Arby's and have a wider range of emojis or they feel left behind, the slow pace of Tesoro upgrades might seem a bit quaint.

I'm no technophobe - I have 3 computers, 2 tablets, and I work in a lab. But I still just use my phone as a phone.

And I don't need any new features on my MD. I like my ATP, but there's so much beeping and squawking, I just can't enjoy myself with it for long. I love my Tejon. It doesn't yak; it speaks up when there's something important to say. It makes the whole experience restful and calming.
According to that, why do we need indoor plumbing when an old outhouse works just fine? What's up with all the cell phones when pay phones work. Well, how many people do you see using cell phones compared to how many use phone booths now? No matter how many times you reinvent the same outhouse heater for the winter months or the phone booth. People lost interest in them. Tesoro was in the top of the analog scene, other companies are now surpassing what Tesoro is either not willing or just plain unable to do with analog machines and the release of the Mojave proved that. After those years of R&D of a "new" detector, that's all they could come up with? Even the almighty fanboy Terry has jumped ship now and is started moving on, like that really matters though. lol. I like the Vaq, it works fine for me. I always suggest Tesoro to those looking as to what first detector to get. It's just a shame to see them remaining so stagnant with no hint of moving forward and are just barley holding on to the glory they had 25 years ago. Time does not stand still. It's either crap or get off the bowl and Tesoro seems not willing to do either. Sure some will wait to see if they will make up their mind. Most will get tired of waiting and just go find another bowl...
 

Last edited:
Some people are willing and very eager to believe the hype on the pricey digital models, same people who buy iPhone 10's I guess when their 8's were good phones and already very expensive. More power to those folks, but it takes an awful lot of Barber dimes to pay for one of those units. I still think nothing beats a Tesoro, for a few different reasons, which have already been discussed many times on this forum. If worthwhile changes could be made I think Tesoro would make those changes. Whether there is a bright future for Tesoro or not I have no idea. I hope they stick around.

I like to see my detectors find enough loot to pay for themselves, and it would be hard to convince me that anything is a better tool for the money than a Tesoro. Kinda reminds of the bass fisherman with $50k in equipment going out and catching the same $4 stringer of fish that I catch with my $5k boat and 20 year old rods and reels haha

According to that, why do we need indoor plumbing when an old outhouse works just fine? What's up with all the cell phones when pay phones work. Well, how many people do you see using cell phones compared to how many use phone booths now? No matter how many times you reinvent the same outhouse heater for the winter months or the phone booth. People lost interest in them. Tesoro was in the top of the analog scene, other companies are now surpassing what Tesoro is either not willing or just plain unable to do with analog machines and the release of the Mojave proved that. After those years of R&D of a "new" detector, that's all they could come up with? Even the almighty fanboy Terry has jumped ship now and is started moving on, like that really matters though. lol. I like the Vaq, it works fine for me. I always suggest Tesoro to those looking as to what first detector to get. It's just a shame to see them remaining so stagnant with no hint of moving forward and are just barley holding on to the glory they had 25 years ago. Time does not stand still. It's either crap or get off the bowl and Tesoro seems not willing to do either. Sure some will wait to see if they will make up their mind. Most will get tired of waiting and just go find another bowl...
 

Last edited:
I have never said going digital Walnut and agree newest is not always the best. Of the other brands of analog machines I mentioned. Every one of them now offer a dual freq. model, Tesoro don't. They offer a toggle of either auto or manual GB, Tesoro don't. They offer a two or single tone toggle, Tesoro don't. Tone volume, Tesoro don't. Tone pitch control, one model only with Tesoro. It would be nice to at least offer a few machines with those options for those who want them on an analog unit. The others do and will continue to improve on them. Dual freq was one of the biggest options people replied when they themselves asked what features we would like to have on the new Cazador. Well, we all seen what they finally came up with. Even the name that they asked us to vote on went down the rabbit hole. The Mojave was a step backwards in my opinion, and some others opinion also. But hey, some believe Tesoro can't do no wrong and don't need to do any improvements, that's fine. I like the analog machines and Tesoro also. However, other companies are expanding and improving the capabilities of analog detectors. No, Tesoro has not reached the apex of analog and seem unwilling to even make even a half arse effort to even try to keep up over these past few years. These other companies have proved that. I'll always keep my Vaq. But when or if I decide to get another analog non digital detector, i'll go with another brand if Tesoro has not at least tried something by then. Just because Tesoro themselves has not done it does not mean it's not worthwhile. It just shows Tesoro is unable to do it. Sorry...
 

I have never said going digital Walnut and agree newest is not always the best. Of the other brands of analog machines I mentioned. Every one of them now offer a dual freq. model, Tesoro don't. They offer a toggle of either auto or manual GB, Tesoro don't. They offer a two or single tone toggle, Tesoro don't. Tone volume, Tesoro don't. Tone pitch control, one model only with Tesoro. It would be nice to at least offer a few machines with those options for those who want them on an analog unit. The others do and will continue to improve on them. Dual freq was one of the biggest options people replied when they themselves asked what features we would like to have on the new Cazador. Well, we all seen what they finally came up with. Even the name that they asked us to vote on went down the rabbit hole. The Mojave was a step backwards in my opinion, and some others opinion also. But hey, some believe Tesoro can't do no wrong and don't need to do any improvements, that's fine. I like the analog machines and Tesoro also. However, other companies are expanding and improving the capabilities of analog detectors. No, Tesoro has not reached the apex of analog and seem unwilling to even make even a half arse effort to even try to keep up over these past few years. These other companies have proved that. I'll always keep my Vaq. But when or if I decide to get another analog non digital detector, i'll go with another brand if Tesoro has not at least tried something by then. Just because Tesoro themselves has not done it does not mean it's not worthwhile. It just shows Tesoro is unable to do it. Sorry...

But you have not used the Mojave, correct? Neither have I.
 

I have never said going digital Walnut and agree newest is not always the best. Of the other brands of analog machines I mentioned. Every one of them now offer a dual freq. model, Tesoro don't. They offer a toggle of either auto or manual GB, Tesoro don't. They offer a two or single tone toggle, Tesoro don't. Tone volume, Tesoro don't. Tone pitch control, one model only with Tesoro. It would be nice to at least offer a few machines with those options for those who want them on an analog unit. The others do and will continue to improve on them. Dual freq was one of the biggest options people replied when they themselves asked what features we would like to have on the new Cazador. Well, we all seen what they finally came up with. Even the name that they asked us to vote on went down the rabbit hole. The Mojave was a step backwards in my opinion, and some others opinion also. But hey, some believe Tesoro can't do no wrong and don't need to do any improvements, that's fine. I like the analog machines and Tesoro also. However, other companies are expanding and improving the capabilities of analog detectors. No, Tesoro has not reached the apex of analog and seem unwilling to even make even a half arse effort to even try to keep up over these past few years. These other companies have proved that. I'll always keep my Vaq. But when or if I decide to get another analog non digital detector, i'll go with another brand if Tesoro has not at least tried something by then. Just because Tesoro themselves has not done it does not mean it's not worthwhile. It just shows Tesoro is unable to do it. Sorry...

Now that Minelab brought the Equinox on the market, i think most of the other brands got a beating on their sales. For a long time the Lobo Super Traq was (is) my favorite detector. I have a Deus and an Equinox 800 and both are much better coin hunters then the Lobo that wasn't designed for this job but i used it for that anyway. I'm a parc and recreation hunter and now i have a dillema. If i use the Lobo i miss maybe 25-40% of the coins i find with the Deus and Equinox. But it is almost impossible to find gold with the Deus and Equinox on the places where i hunt because there is so much garbage in the groud and Gold comes up on the Equinox from 2 until 23 or higher. So basicly i have to dig every signal and i don't want to do that. If i use the Lobo, i put my discrimination on 3-3.5 and i lose the pulltabs, bottle caps and other garbage but stilll can find the gold. I had my best year last year with the Lobo with 9 gold rings and 1 golden earing. So now i have to make a choice, do i go for the coins or the possibility to find gold. If i had more time i first would use the Lobo on new places i didn't detect before and use afterwards the Deus or Equinox to clean up the coins but my time is limited. And i also have to say that detecting with Tesoro's gives me more fun then using the other brands.
 

Last edited:
Maybe trade your Lobo for a Vaquero, and thumb the disc knob up and down past the object, evaluating the signal, so maybe you can find the coins and the gold both and not have to make a tough decision like that.
 

Last edited:
If you can afford to spend $650.00, You can buy one machine that does the work of the Compadre; Silver uMax; Cibola; Vaquero; Outlaw; Tejon; DeLeon; Cortes; Tiger Shark; and Sand Shark (Aprox $3,500.00).

Ain't that a shame?
 

If you can afford to spend $650.00, You can buy one machine that does the work of the Compadre; Silver uMax; Cibola; Vaquero; Outlaw; Tejon; DeLeon; Cortes; Tiger Shark; and Sand Shark (Aprox $3,500.00).

Ain't that a shame?

Yeah a real shame since that $650 detector weighs a hell of a lot more and uses a silly battery that I can't get at the Dollar General for a buck on my way to the fields....

Oh but that $650 detector will tell you the date on that penny you just decided not to dig after pushing buttons for three minutes...
 

Last edited:
It's getting harder to fly Tesoro's flag for them. Look at their facebook page, not one post in over 4 years. Numerous good customer reviews, not one like from them. That is a free platform for connecting with customers and advertising able to reach millions of people. Yet, nothing on it when the new coil came out, nothing about the "black" machines, no mention of the Mojave. Over 4 years of absolutely nothing? Looks really good when someone suggests their machines for them. How freaking hard is it to be a little active on a free platform? No youtube videos from them themselves about their models. Again, another free platform to promote your products and again nothing. How long can a company expect their customers to beat the drum for them and not even put a half hearted effort at it themselves. Word of mouth only gets you so far. Not saying they should be as big as Garrett or Minelab. Not saying how they should run their company. Just stating some common sense facts. I think Tesoro should just merge with another company who can put a spark back in them. When customers give your product a five star stellar review on your own facebook page and you don't even hit the like button on that review. That's pretty darn lame, don't care who you are, and i'm saying so. Yeah, this is bashing them and for very reasonable reasons. At least someone is saying something. Time for giving them the benefit of the doubt is running out. Sure, there will be a handful who will continue to worship them and praise anything they do. But, there is less and less of them as the years click by as they continue with the same old thing. A blind man can see that. Yet for some reason junior there can't seem to grasp this or he just don't care. Yes, that's a shame...
 

Yeah a real shame since that $650 detector weighs a hell of a lot more and uses a silly battery that I can't get at the Dollar General for a buck on my way to the fields....

Oh but that $650 detector will tell you the date on that penny you just decided not to dig after pushing buttons for three minutes...

I honestly haven't noticed a difference in the weight from the Vaquero to the Nox600. I'm sure it is more but it can't be much because I couldn't tell a huge difference swing for 4+ hours.

The battery argument is strange to me because I come from the I.T. field and I couldn't imagine everyone running their laptops on a 9volt battery. Not being able to easily get to a battery that should last 3+ years is a small price to pay for waterproofing the machine.


The comments that Peter67 made about Gold maybe true though. My wedding ring and all of my wife's rings and the rings I have found I would have dug with the Nox a solid 9-18 VDI range but the smaller ear ring loops I probably would not have dug unless I was in a dig it all mode because the VDI is often 1. The Vaquero would hit these smaller gold items even with pull tabs notched out. So +1 to Tesoro for that.

It's a real shame the Tesoro doesn't have a better PR team as JLD66 mentioned because they do still have a lot going for them. Facebook is free, Youtube is free, Website updates would go a long way in helping them as well.
I've said it before this company needs to make 2 maybe 3 detectors and market them accordingly and they could really make a strong run because whatever they have in the tech department is solid.

At some point I will probably pick up a compadre to keep in the truck but the average new buyer is not going to know what a gem this machine is and will continue to buy $200-$300 dollar other machines for all the bells and whistles.
 

Maybe trade your Lobo for a Vaquero, and thumb the disc knob up and down past the object, evaluating the signal, so maybe you can find the coins and the gold both and not have to make a tough decision like that.

The Vaquero is better on coins then the Lobo but not so good as the Deus or Equinox. The Vaquero is also to sparky in my ground with low discrimination. With more or less the same discrimination on the Vaquero as the Lobo, i have to dig 3 times more garbage with the Vaquero compared to the Lobo what is to much. I don't think i will use the Vaquero much more. I was even thinking on selling the Vaquero but prices of all second hand detectors are dropped here in Belgium after the Equinox came out. I managed to sell a few of my detectors before prices came down but now i have to give to much discount on the prices i got before to get rid of my detectors and the Vaquero is only 1 year old (i bought it when it was 6 months old)
 

Some people are willing and very eager to believe the hype on the pricey digital models, same people who buy iPhone 10's I guess when their 8's were good phones and already very expensive. More power to those folks, but it takes an awful lot of Barber dimes to pay for one of those units. I still think nothing beats a Tesoro, for a few different reasons, which have already been discussed many times on this forum. If worthwhile changes could be made I think Tesoro would make those changes. Whether there is a bright future for Tesoro or not I have no idea. I hope they stick around.

I like to see my detectors find enough loot to pay for themselves, and it would be hard to convince me that anything is a better tool for the money than a Tesoro. Kinda reminds of the bass fisherman with $50k in equipment going out and catching the same $4 stringer of fish that I catch with my $5k boat and 20 year old rods and reels haha

Tesoro's are good detectors and fun to use. And i like having fun while detecting. My Lobo Super Traq is so easy to set up and easier to use and got my a lot of gold. Compared to other detectors from the same price range i got better results with Tesoro. But i also have to say that for example that my Deus and Equinox are a level higher. I have some permisssions on grasfields where a lot of people where/are comming. I first went over this places with the Lobo and on one of these permissions (Size of 3 football fields) i found 2 golden rings and some silver. Then i took the Vaquero and found some more coins the Lobo didn't found but at one point i was not finding anything more. Then i took the Deus and Equinox over it and found about 50% more coins then i found before and that is a lott. At the place with the size of the 3 football fields i already found about +- 600 euro in coins. So in the future i think when i have the time i will use the Lobo first for possible gold and after that clean up the coins with the Deus and Equinox but it's all a question of time or a lack of time.
 

Last edited:
If you can afford to spend $650.00, You can buy one machine that does the work of the Compadre; Silver uMax; Cibola; Vaquero; Outlaw; Tejon; DeLeon; Cortes; Tiger Shark; and Sand Shark (Aprox $3,500.00).

Ain't that a shame?

This is kind of a false argument Terry, lots of overlap among those Tesoro models. If you have an Outlaw you really don't need a Silver, if have a Vaq you don't need lots of those. Maybe just need just a Vaq and a water detector for whatever type of water you actually do.
 

Last edited:
Folks, there is no bigger Tesoro Fan Boy than me. With that said, and with all the arguments about weight, overlapping, simplicity - whatever, My new Minelab Equinox 600 caused me to sell my Vaquero and Sand Shark Immediately. You cannot compare any Tesoro machine to this new mix of technology. The NOX 600 is EVERYTHING I was hoping the Cazador would be - and More. I'll never sell my Mojave, but the Equinox could put Tesoro out of business.:skullflag:
 

Folks, there is no bigger Tesoro Fan Boy than me. With that said, and with all the arguments about weight, overlapping, simplicity - whatever, My new Minelab Equinox 600 caused me to sell my Vaquero and Sand Shark Immediately. You cannot compare any Tesoro machine to this new mix of technology. The NOX 600 is EVERYTHING I was hoping the Cazador would be - and More. I'll never sell my Mojave, but the Equinox could put Tesoro out of business.:skullflag:

It's true that the Minelab with the Equinox is giving all the brands punches on the nose but i think that from all brands Tesoro will lose the least customers. A lot of detectorists that are using Tesoro have made a choice to go analog and not digital. People who are using digital machines are not so brand loyal now the Equinox came out. Me personal i started digital and went to analog. Yes as a parc hunter i have more results with the Equinox and Deus (as for coins) but the most fun i get with a Tesoro in my hand. I just can enjoy the view of the places where i detect not looking all the time on my display and when i got a double beep i know it's good. Not all the time knowing what it is but i know it's good and that is good enough for me. I also sold some Tesoro's because i just had to many of them but i know i never will separate from my Lobo.
 

The comments about the Lobo are very interesting. So, let me get this straight, you can disc out pulltabs and still hit on small gold rings and larger gold items as well?
 

I'm a simple man.

This is the Tesoro thread, including all opinions about Tesoro, good and bad, criticism and praise.

But if we're going to start pushing Minelabs on the Tesoro thread, a few of us can go over to the Minelab thread and wrestle in the mud too. Suddenly Treasurenet is no different than the other forum where a lot of good people were banned without warning because childish temper tantrums were only allowed if you were someone special. /end my view

Have a good weekend ladies and gentlemen. Temps 10-15 above normal forecast for the next couple of weeks here, be safe.
 

When you use discrimination on the Lobo Super Traq, it goes into a preset ground balance like the Cibola, cutting your depth almost in half. :skullflag:
 

Folks, there is no bigger Tesoro Fan Boy than me. With that said, and with all the arguments about weight, overlapping, simplicity - whatever, My new Minelab Equinox 600 caused me to sell my Vaquero and Sand Shark Immediately. You cannot compare any Tesoro machine to this new mix of technology. The NOX 600 is EVERYTHING I was hoping the Cazador would be - and More. I'll never sell my Mojave, but the Equinox could put Tesoro out of business.:skullflag:

As much as I hate to say this, I agree 100% with you Terry on that one. With the EQ.600 only $50 more than the Tejon and most other mid priced decent machines. I'd imagine all the brand names are having a giant crap over it. Even though the rechargeable battery pack is a big turn off for myself. Have to admit if there was a brand new EQ.600 and a brand new Tejon with a fifty dollar bill on it sitting on a table. I'd grab the 600 without hesitation. Be foolish not too...
 

Location is a factor when discussing Tesoro versus Equinox. Here in Canada the Tesoros work great on our clad. Not so much with the Equinox. Great for finding copper pennies, but sounds off like junk with everything else. I’m just passing along what I’ve heard, but heard from an Equinox owner, so I trust what he’s saying. I know of two that were bought and already sold off in my town. So that’s good enough for me. I won’t be getting one anytime soon.
 

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top