The Mighty Compadre

[pulltabMiner]

I went hunting this afternoon with the Compadre.

After a number of coins recovered from holes with rusted iron, my respect for this sub-200 dollar unit grew by leaps and bounds.

Much is said of the ability of MUCH more expensive units to recover good targets from iron infested sites and it's time this little power house got some press.

On my way home, I decided to put the Compadre to the test by taking it to the Iron Pit. I have hunted some portions of this honey hole completely dry. I mean, I dug up EVERY signal that wasn't iron with my three previous detectors. I have gridded these areas from every conceivable direction.

The Iron Pit is an unforgiving mess of old rusty iron. I recently filled a plastic cup with iron bits larger than a dime from a section by dragging a magnet over it.

So I ran the Compadre through a section I know is still loaded with iron and which I have hunted 100% dry. The very FIRST signal I got was a coin signal!!! It turned out to be a bullet casing but I missed this many times over with my other detectors, one of which is a flagship detector!!

After a few more swings, I dug up a clad dime. Again, I have REALLY gridded this area as it is my honey hole that has given up many, many goodies including silver and gold.

Before I left I decided to open the detector all the way to nickels and bam! I get ANOTHER good signal. It turned out to be a very small machined cylinder in with a very old square nail right next to it.

I know some of this is due to the small coil but a lot of it must be due to whatever magic Tesoro puts into these miniscule units.

I am a believer now.

[Milhaus]

Originally Posted by pulltabMiner

I recently filled a plastic cup with iron bits larger than a dime from a section by dragging a magnet over it.

Man it must have been producing to even go back there a second time. Sheesh

[Terry Soloman]

Great machines!

[fledge]

Originally Posted by Terry Soloman

Great machines!

I second that!!

[roob47]

I have a buddy wanting to get into metal detecting and I am leaning toward a Tesoro to spark his interest , after all if he doesn't like it I can always buy it from him

[sllingshot47]

Originally Posted by pulltabMiner

I went hunting this afternoon with the Compadre.

After a number of coins recovered from holes with rusted iron, my respect for this sub-200 dollar unit grew by leaps and bounds.

Much is said of the ability of MUCH more expensive units to recover good targets from iron infested sites and it's time this little power house got some press.

On my way home, I decided to put the Compadre to the test by taking it to the Iron Pit. I have hunted some portions of this honey hole completely dry. I mean, I dug up EVERY signal that wasn't iron with my three previous detectors. I have gridded these areas from every conceivable direction.

The Iron Pit is an unforgiving mess of old rusty iron. I recently filled a plastic cup with iron bits larger than a dime from a section by dragging a magnet over it.

So I ran the Compadre through a section I know is still loaded with iron and which I have hunted 100% dry. The very FIRST signal I got was a coin signal!!! It turned out to be a bullet casing but I missed this many times over with my other detectors, one of which is a flagship detector!!

After a few more swings, I dug up a clad dime. Again, I have REALLY gridded this area as it is my honey hole that has given up many, many goodies including silver and gold.

Before I left I decided to open the detector all the way to nickels and bam! I get ANOTHER good signal. It turned out to be a very small machined cylinder in with a very old square nail right next to it.

I know some of this is due to the small coil but a lot of it must be due to whatever magic Tesoro puts into these miniscule units.

I am a believer now.

Just for the record: It's not the coil-it's the circuit design.

[rob00000]

Been detecting since the 70's and have owned numerous machines over the years but I must admit there is something so special about the Compadre. I love it!! If you set the discrimination very low & turn it up slowly as you pass the coil over a signal you can very often quess what it is with a high success rate. The very first time I took out my Compadre I found a very small piece of gold in the sand at a volley ball court. It was part of a gold locket. If I remember correctly it's 10KT gold. I took it to a local jeweler who tested it for me. It's very small, around 1/2 inch long & I got a loud signal on my Compadre. You can swing that light detector for hours it's so light. It only takes a 9 volt battery that seems to last a long long time. I have found several pieces of jewelry with it and I just can't say enough good things about the Compadre. I'm so glad I discovered this awesome little underrated detector.

[pine3874]

I have seen quite a few posters that state they can get right next to the posts and equipment in tot lots with the compadre. In fact, that the compadre should be used as the detector of choice for tot lots. I just got a compadre and took it to a tot lot and found that I could get no closer to the equipment with the compadre then with my other detectors. There is no way to turn the sensitivity down on the compadre. I would be very interested to hear from those who claim the compadre can get right next to the equipment without sounding off. I can get just as close or closer to the equipment with my Omega and 5x10 coil than with the compadre.

[SkiWhiz]

Originally Posted by sllingshot47

Just for the record: It's not the coil-it's the circuit design.

sllingshot is correct.

[SkiWhiz]

Originally Posted by pine3874

I have seen quite a few posters that state they can get right next to the posts and equipment in tot lots with the compadre. In fact, that the compadre should be used as the detector of choice for tot lots. I just got a compadre and took it to a tot lot and found that I could get no closer to the equipment with the compadre then with my other detectors. There is no way to turn the sensitivity down on the compadre. I would be very interested to hear from those who claim the compadre can get right next to the equipment without sounding off. I can get just as close or closer to the equipment with my Omega and 5x10 coil than with the compadre.

Yes I agree, the Compadre can not get closer to poles than some other detectors but what it can find in the tot lots is things that no other detector can get a signal on. You can turn down the sensitivity but you have to adjust an internal trim pot.

[pine3874]

Originally Posted by SkiWhiz

Yes I agree, the Compadre can not get closer to poles than some other detectors but what it can find in the tot lots is things that no other detector can get a signal on.

Is that a fact or just a feeling about the Compadre finding things that no other detector can get a signal on in tot lots? Would be very interested in hearing about the side by side tests that have been done to verify that statement.

[sllingshot47]

Originally Posted by pine3874

I have seen quite a few posters that state they can get right next to the posts and equipment in tot lots with the compadre. In fact, that the compadre should be used as the detector of choice for tot lots. I just got a compadre and took it to a tot lot and found that I could get no closer to the equipment with the compadre then with my other detectors. There is no way to turn the sensitivity down on the compadre. I would be very interested to hear from those who claim the compadre can get right next to the equipment without sounding off. I can get just as close or closer to the equipment with my Omega and 5x10 coil than with the compadre.

Your are exactly correct. Some say they can move it near the pole and then back and listen for a double beep. I'd be standing around that pole for 5 minutes trying that ! That's why I have an Ace w/sniper coil. But I don't have ANYTHING that can find gold like the Compadre.

[DIGGER27]

Originally Posted by pine3874

Is that a fact or just a feeling about the Compadre finding things that no other detector can get a signal on in tot lots? Would be very interested in hearing about the side by side tests that have been done to verify that statement.

I found a looney at a tot lot within 2 inches of a huge pole among other coins and junk rings at that same lot next to other poles.

This place had been hit before and these were all missed, but I can always hear that distinct double beep.
Mine has the 7" coil and the sense is turned way up too so I can't get closer than one foot before it goes off.

Doesn't matter...I can hear that double beep every time.

[pulltabMiner]

In saying that the Compadre is good at finding good targets I am not trying to imply that other machines out there are not good.

I used the Ace 250 with great success, finding gold rings and chains and silver coins with it.
I still highly recommend it to anyone.

And I am not suggesting that the Compadre can equal the Etrac or the V3i or the F75.

My point is that for the price, you get a machine that can seriously get you some loot. The Compadre's light weight is a BIG plus to me. Plus, the fact that I don't have to worry about any setting makes it kind of fun.

I again went out this morning and met my friends Patton and gsmith for a hunt. I AGAIN found coins in holes right next to rusted nails and other rusted iron.

I just don't remember finding this many coins next to iron with my other machines. Does this imply that the Compadre is finding coins missed by other machines? Maybe...

[sllingshot47]

Originally Posted by pine3874

Is that a fact or just a feeling about the Compadre finding things that no other detector can get a signal on in tot lots? Would be very interested in hearing about the side by side tests that have been done to verify that statement.

I found a fine gold chain with mine. I RUBBED the ROLLED UP chain-in a ball-on the 5.75" coil of my Silver umax in ALL METAL-NOTHING! Five other detectors-including a CZ-5 in a/m-NOTHING. ONLY a '60's BFO with small coil would give an indication. The Compadre was set to REJECT a paper clip! I was able to get an occasional "tic" while rubbing it on the Silver umax coil. The Compadre gave a smooth signal.

[pine3874]

Originally Posted by sllingshot47

I found a fine gold chain with mine. I RUBBED the ROLLED UP chain-in a ball-on the 5.75" coil of my Silver umax in ALL METAL-NOTHING! Five other detectors-including a CZ-5 in a/m-NOTHING. ONLY a '60's BFO with small coil would give an indication. The Compadre was set to REJECT a paper clip! I was able to get an occasional "tic" while rubbing it on the Silver umax coil. The Compadre gave a smooth signal.

Thanks for the post slling... Very interesting.

[DIGGER27]

Originally Posted by pine3874

Is that a fact or just a feeling about the Compadre finding things that no other detector can get a signal on in tot lots? Would be very interested in hearing about the side by side tests that have been done to verify that statement.

OK, this is the hunt that convinced me that the Compadre is something really special.
http://metaldetectingforum.com/showthread.php?t=86773

This is as close to a laboratory setting as I have ever experienced and I will break it down for you.

This is the site...grassy divider islands in a high school parking lot.



Nobody else has ever hunted this site before I found it and I could tell due to the large amount of targets found during several hunts, including over $20 in clad and a few silver rings and a gold ring.

Over the course of about 9 months, I have hit this entire thing at least 4 times using the F2 with an 8" coil, iron was notched out, everything from foil on up was left in.
I also covered this entire place again probably 2 times using a Vaquero and the standard 9" concentric coil, at least once if not twice using the Vaq and a 10X12 DD coil.
The way I hunted at that time with the Vaq was the disc knob was set a little below foil.

Then I returned with the F2 at least twice and changed the way I hunted to an extremely slow swing with heavy overlapping, iron was still the only thing notched out.

Ryanchappell, (Michael), hunted these same islands with me at least twice before this hunt, once using an Xterra 305, and again using the E-Trac with the standard coil.

The hunt in the link posted above was the last hunt at this site because about 1 1/2 months later I moved to another state.

I had just received the Compadre, used from Skiwhiz, a few weeks before this hunt and since this site was hit so hard before by us and I had thought most of the good targets were found so I believed this would be a great test for the Compadre.

On this hunt Michel and I were spread out hunting different islands but he had just scanned this particular island in the pic and I came over to talk to him and scanned the area he had just gone over.
This time he was using the E-Trac and this smaller DD coil.



The Compadre was set to either all metal or at the highest at the i in iron.
Right in the middle of this island I got a nice solid tone that disced out a little above iron but below foil and I dug this silver chain, (chain only, no clasp), up from about 2-3" in depth, and it was in a straight line, not balled up.
The top necklace in this pic...



This is definitely an area that I can guarantee I had hit at least 1/2 dozen times before with my detectors and coils, if not more, and it was also scanned by Michael with both the 305 and the E-Trac and the standard coil.
In this instance, even though he had that smaller coil on the E-Trac he missed it again.
As a matter of fact, after I dug this thing he actually took it in his hand and had to scrape it on the bottom of his coil to get any reading at all, and it was still not a solid enough signal to dig.
I do not know what his settings were on the E-Trac at the time.

We were both floored, I think he was a little upset.

Eventually he had to go and I stayed another hour and found the other silver chain in the pic and that very small gold ring...so small it barely fits on the tip of my pinkie finger.

Again, both of these were found in another island that was gone over by me and all my detectors before several times.

All of these targets were solid, repeatable signals that anyone would have dug...the chains came in slightly above iron but not as high as foil on both the Vaq and the Compadre, the ring disced out in the ground above the "n" in iron.
Later, in air testing, the F2 would not pick up any of these at all unless iron was notched back in, and it was still an "iffy" signal with the 8" coil at best.

Conclusions.

1). I believe the Vaq would have picked these targets up IF I was hunting with the disc down near iron instead of higher up near foil.
I have since changed the way I hunt in disc while using the Vaquaro in disc because of this hunt.

2). Evidently the iron section on the F2 is very large, it bleeds over into the lower section of foil, and when I knock that out while hunting I am cutting out targets like these and not just iron.

3). I have been doing a little hunting with the F2 and the 4" sniper coil, lately, and I suspect that if I had hunted these areas with that coil and in all metal I believe I might have found these.
At the time I had misplaced that coil and I never hunted this site with it so I guess we will never know.

4). I don't like to upset anybody, but it was really kind of funny to see Michael's reaction when I easily found this chain using my $150 machine vs. his $1200 machine.

5). I don't care what heater you use as a primary hunting tool, anybody that does not also have a Compadre in the arsenal is crazy.

6). There are coils on the market that cost more than this whole detector, and I believe it possesses an uncanny and other-worldly ability to find great targets that others can and will miss...and find them easily.

The day of this hunt I became a believer, and a few days later something moved me to post this to spread the word even further.
http://metaldetectingforum.com/showthread.php?t=87892

This hobby is the most fun and satisfying activity I have ever had in my life, and now the Compadre has made it even more so...and for me will continue to do so forever more.

HH

[Terry Soloman]

You just can't argue with this type of testimonial!

[DIGGER27]

Originally Posted by Terry Soloman

You just can't argue with this type of testimonial!

LOL!
If my wife was a hunter...she probably would!
It's just a basic principle in our lives, but I love her to death, anyway.

[Curbdog]

Just about my entire first year, my setup was a Compadre, ProPointer and Lesche. Target location, recovery, and moving on to the next, didn't get any quicker!

My only reason to sell my Compadre was to get an F2, so I could cover more area. I had the 11" DD along with both stock coils. Once I got a Bandido II uMax, I felt the F2 now clearly had a backup role. I missed the Compadre.

Luckily for me, the local detector store sold Compadres. I approached the owner and offered a trade of the F2 for another Compadre. He knew he could sell the F2 and get at least what the Compadre cost, so we traded.

It felt great to get another Compadre! No regrets whatsoever and I can use the Compadre around power lines/cell towers that would drive the F2 nuts!

Never underestimate the versatile Tesoro Compadre!