Myers Depot Metal Detectors

Got a new to me old Detector!!

F

Frankallen

New Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2006
Messages
14
I bought this "Pillar Reale 1" Detector off Ebay the other day. This Company had "Tesoro" to build them to their Specifications. The Company "Pillar Electronics Inc. was founded in 1988 and went out of Business only after 2 years. They made 2 Models the "Reale 1" which was based on the ""Tesoro Silver Sabre" back then and the "Reale 4" which was based on the Original Eldorado. They were built like Tanks!! I took it out today and found a few coins with it! Very quiet and Discriminates very good. I guess that's it for the History lesson. The lesson I learned is ....A Detector does not have to be new to be good'un !!

Frank
 
Never heard of it actually. Thanks for posting a pic and a review, can't wait to see your cool finds. :yes:
 
That Is A Very Interesting Looking Machine To Say The Least.

I'm not sure about those colors though......but, if it found a couple of coins and you had fun, what can I say.
 
The scary thing is that I remember them very well. I never had or used one but they really did a lot of advertising when they came out. I did have a Gold Mountain Cobra back about that time.
 
Kool Deal... I'm looking to find a "steal" on a used Compass... Had one 20 years ago and would love another... Maybe a bit newer... 8)
 
old detectors

I really hate to get caught up in the game of " can you top this " as far as old detectors go, but....................This is my Metrotech mod 220A The vintege is 60s
 
Old Detectors

I thought the whole point of Pillar (and the 4 was a great machine) was that Tesoro didn't make them, Pillar did but borrowed Tesoro circuit design. Then they poached a Fisher or Garrett staff and ended up being forced to close.
That Metrotech was a good design at the time but didn't they have non rainproof coils ?
 
Brian,

If you check the "Tesoro web site under "Company" they plainly state they made the Pillar Detectors!! I think maybe you are getting it confused with the "Gold Mountain" Company which in fact copied one of Tesoros designs( with a few Modifications) when they made the GMT 1650. which is I heard an Outstanding Detector to this day. I think Tesoro sued Gold Mountain which in fact caused the Demise of that Company!!

I heard if you can get you hands on a "GMT 1650" you got yourself a real "Jewel" :yes:


Frank
 
Don't have to...I've got one in my classic machine collection along with Compass 77b, Challenger, Treasure Baron etc. All came from the States at almost no cost when they went out of fashion.
Only problem is there just doesn't seem to be any 1650 coils around any more.
You may be right re the Pillar but I'm certain they had an injunction placed on them which led to their end. Think it was Garrett as well. About the same time Savo Whites (U.K. branch of Whites) modified and started producing their own version of the Whites 6000. The 800 and 8000 models were in a rather fetching green when Whites were always blue. A far more powerful detector. Whites forced Savo into liquidation then took over the assets, killed off the 8000 and then restarted the company under the direct control of the U.S. parent company. Good business practise I suppose but at the cost of a better machine.
 
Those are almost excatly like the regular tesoro line back then. Which in my opinion were very good detectors. The biggest difference between those older ones and their newer ones is that the new detectors have surface mount electronics which make them much, much lighter and smaller. Plus the newer ones have a few more bells and whistles. But make no mistake about it, thats still a good quality unit that should preform very well for you......... as long as you don't mind getting pop-eye arms from swinging that "tank" around!
Hope you find alot of goodies with it.
MoDigger
 
Re: Old Detectors

Brian said:
I thought the whole point of Pillar (and the 4 was a great machine) was that Tesoro didn't make them, Pillar did but borrowed Tesoro circuit design
Click to expand...
.

This came directly off of the Tesoro Website:


In 1989 we started a sister company to Tesoro called Yavapai Industries. My job was two-fold. First, I was to train a crew in Prescott, AZ and manufacture several private label projects that we had in the works. Second, I was to provide a pool of skilled persons to help Tesoro move from Phoenix to Prescott. My first private label project was Pillar metal detectors. They had two models-the 4 Reale and the 8 Reale. Both models were slightly modified Silver Sabre PCBs. The 4 Reale had a factory preset ground balance and the 8 Reale had a manually adjusted ground balance. The owners of Pillar requested that no connection between Pillar and Tesoro be advertised. When Pillar went out of business, we knew the power of the Tesoro name backing a private label. Since then every private label that we have manufactured has had "manufactured by Tesoro" somewhere in its advertising or packaging. We have also made no attempt to modify or change the basic circuitry from any current Tesoro product to manufacture private label product.


So I guess Brian you were wrong. Tesoro did make the Pillar Detectors!!

Frank
 
Yes I checked that straight away. One other correction, I said the 4 was a great machine it was the 8 Reale I had, which was a way of getting an Eldorado with a proper external ground control.
 
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