Skwerly
Elite Member
yeah, it really is tough to beat the powerful simplicity of a Tesoro.
Besides a Vaquero,what else
- Thread starter fuzzymaster
- Start date
You are the one who has to be happy. A lot of people love the Vaquero. There is a e book for the machine, I had on my Kindle at one time. The question to ask is whether to get the Vaquero with the 9x8 coil or the 11x8 RSD coil ? I love the RSD coil, it would be cheaper to get it the first time around but then the 9x8 is a great coil, many people don't think the RSD coil was worth buying as an extra accessory.Either way I think you will be fine, just something to think about rather than paying the full price difference on down the road.
https://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Tesoro-Tejon-Vaquero-Detectors-ebook/dp/B00GN27CTQ
fuzzymaster
Full Member
Right now I am looking at a Omega. People say they compare to an F70.
DIGGER27
In Memory Of
People say a lot of things all the time.
Many have gone from one to another and declared it better.
Others have gone the exact opposite way and declared that one better.
Many use detectors but never learn them to the extent of other owners and have totally different opinions.
Some try different tools and really, really work hard to connect with them but never do...others click with certain detectors at levels that some that attempted to never could.
All kinds of people in this world, nobody is the same and all perceive life in this hobby differently with different expectations of features and abilities and for many they are always on a quest for that perfect detector...the one that will be better than a the others in their hands.
I believe there is no perfect detector or perfect detectorist, either.
They are all great in their own way, most of them anyway, learn whatever tool you have in your hands well and you can usually find some pretty good stuff.
The Fishers...great.
The Tecknetics and most other FTP units...great.
Mine labs...great.
Whites units...great.
Tesoros...also great despite lacking a screen on most models and usually only having one single tone.
Foreign jobbies...guess what, also great.
A million hunters will give you 742,543 different opinions, some will agree with each other and some will not.
I have used 4 different ones in my career for most of the hours spent doing this hobby and I consider myself lucky that out of everything on the market I have found 4 that I astonishingly really got along with and learned pretty darn well and was successful with all of them.
Or was I successful and got along with and understood all of them to such a deep level because I took the time to learn them so well?
Look at the features of a unit you think you want, compare the prices you are comfortable with and pick one...then go outside and swing it.
Get it in your head you will commit to learning it and you will be successful and have great fun in this hobby.
As you learn and gain experience and wonder what other brands or models might work better for you eventually you will have the knowledge to make a much more informed opinion about that.
That is natural in this hobby but like with most things in life...ya gotta start somewhere.
I've bought many detectors from a relic store in Ringold,GA that have been shop demo units, at prices like a used unit that's seen a lot of outdoor use!
Look for those shop demo units that have never seen dirt but rival "used" prices.
Look for those shop demo units that have never seen dirt but rival "used" prices.
pinenut
Full Member
instead of used Vaquero..
..you could also consider a used Cibola and then add a ground balance pot and a trigger toggle for the pinpoint function. You'll have a detector very similar to the Vaquero, but with even finer adjustment for ground balance. And, it'll cost less than a Vaquero. Downside, is that Tesoro doesn't consider any warranty valid if the detector has been modified.
..you could also consider a used Cibola and then add a ground balance pot and a trigger toggle for the pinpoint function. You'll have a detector very similar to the Vaquero, but with even finer adjustment for ground balance. And, it'll cost less than a Vaquero. Downside, is that Tesoro doesn't consider any warranty valid if the detector has been modified.
fuzzymaster
Full Member
I bought the demo Vaquero for 406. shipped. Plus I bought used, a digger, Garret pro pin pointer and Killer b head phones. Just waiting for everything to get here.
Odd thing, I was bidding on a used Vaquero and it sold for 360..
Odd thing, I was bidding on a used Vaquero and it sold for 360..
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Congratulations.
beephead
Elite Member
You'll be a happy camper with that setup! Congrats!
beephead
beephead
highball
Full Member
Waiting for everything to get There is the hard part
fuzzymaster
Full Member
First MD yesterday afternoon for couple hours. Alot of fun, learned some, and found 2 quarters, 1 dime, 1 nickle and five pennies. Plus a handful of misc junk. Loved it.
Beephead, I found one of your posts on vaqueros, ,https://metaldetectingforum.com/showthread.php?t=226490
and I will be trying out some of these tips tonight with the various pieces I dug up last night, like both types of pull tabs.
Also, I hit a few pieces of iron that didn't disc out until one notch above tab, that puzzled me a bit.
That little chain was gold colored when it came out of the hole, about gave me a heart attack, but it was just plated.
Beephead, I found one of your posts on vaqueros, ,https://metaldetectingforum.com/showthread.php?t=226490
and I will be trying out some of these tips tonight with the various pieces I dug up last night, like both types of pull tabs.
Also, I hit a few pieces of iron that didn't disc out until one notch above tab, that puzzled me a bit.
That little chain was gold colored when it came out of the hole, about gave me a heart attack, but it was just plated.
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beephead
Elite Member
The best settings that I've found for my Vaquero.
Threshold - Use a very slight audible hum on the threshold. If it's set so low that you can't hear it you will lose depth and if it's set too high you will start losing the audio modulation which helps you determine the depth and size of a target. Once you find the sweet spot, mark that location on the discrimination dial with a 'tick' mark. If you change that setting your ears will be thrown off and will have to become familiar with the new setting. A good set of headphones is a absolute must! I use Killer B Wasp headphones with the 'limiter' switch in the on position.
Sensitivity - I set mine as high as I can without the detector becoming unstable in the discriminate mode. Most of the time it's set at full sensitivity and very seldom will I have to dial it back some. Even when I do, it's still in the red. The Vaquero detectors and Cibola that I use will lose noticeable depth as the sensitivity is decreased.
Ground Balance - It's very important to have a slight negative ground balance. Too negative and the detector becomes unstable and too positive and the detector will lose depth.
Discrimination - There are '5' very important points to know and mark on the discrimination dial.
The first point is where a common iron nail just barely discriminates out. I use that setting the most because it's the most effective at unmasking good targets at nail infested sites and will hit hard on very small gold jewelry.
The second point is where a Gatorade Sports Foil Cap just barely discriminates out. Any higher and you will start to lose very tiny baby size gold rings. I use that setting when I'm digging a lot of foil caps or lots of tiny pieces of foil. If you're after small gold rings, never ever go any higher than that point.
The third point is where a modern day pull tab (square tab) just barely discriminates out. That point is very useful at newer parks that are loaded with square tabs and there are no older style beaver tail pull tabs to contend with. At that setting you can still find gold rings, but not the smaller ones that are the most numerous and overlooked.
The forth point is where the older beaver tail style pull tab just barely discriminates out. This setting can be used at older parks that are loaded them. Even at this high of a discrimination setting you can still find the larger gold rings and find plenty of silver coins. You really should never go any higher on the discrimination than this. Just dig the zinc pennies and screw caps.
The fifth point is where a modern zinc penny just barely discriminates out. I very seldom if ever use a discrimination setting that high, because all hopes of even finding large gold class rings are gone. Now, if you're not into digging a lot or can't and still want to find silver coins and modern day coins this setting may suit you.
It's best to use as little discrimination are you can, because you will lose gold rings at higher discrimination settings and you will have less masking of good targets. You really should start off detecting using the lowest discrimination setting until you see what you're up against at a particular site. At the point where nails just barely discriminate out, dig 20 targets. If I only dig 2 beaver tails and 18 modern day pull tabs, I'm going to set the discrimination at modern day pull tabs and dig the occasional beaver tail because I want to stay as much as I can in the gold ring zone.
A discrimination setting depends on the site conditions and how much a person wants to dig and give up.
Tesoro has by far the best discriminators in the business. Use them wisely.
beephead
Threshold - Use a very slight audible hum on the threshold. If it's set so low that you can't hear it you will lose depth and if it's set too high you will start losing the audio modulation which helps you determine the depth and size of a target. Once you find the sweet spot, mark that location on the discrimination dial with a 'tick' mark. If you change that setting your ears will be thrown off and will have to become familiar with the new setting. A good set of headphones is a absolute must! I use Killer B Wasp headphones with the 'limiter' switch in the on position.
Sensitivity - I set mine as high as I can without the detector becoming unstable in the discriminate mode. Most of the time it's set at full sensitivity and very seldom will I have to dial it back some. Even when I do, it's still in the red. The Vaquero detectors and Cibola that I use will lose noticeable depth as the sensitivity is decreased.
Ground Balance - It's very important to have a slight negative ground balance. Too negative and the detector becomes unstable and too positive and the detector will lose depth.
Discrimination - There are '5' very important points to know and mark on the discrimination dial.
The first point is where a common iron nail just barely discriminates out. I use that setting the most because it's the most effective at unmasking good targets at nail infested sites and will hit hard on very small gold jewelry.
The second point is where a Gatorade Sports Foil Cap just barely discriminates out. Any higher and you will start to lose very tiny baby size gold rings. I use that setting when I'm digging a lot of foil caps or lots of tiny pieces of foil. If you're after small gold rings, never ever go any higher than that point.
The third point is where a modern day pull tab (square tab) just barely discriminates out. That point is very useful at newer parks that are loaded with square tabs and there are no older style beaver tail pull tabs to contend with. At that setting you can still find gold rings, but not the smaller ones that are the most numerous and overlooked.
The forth point is where the older beaver tail style pull tab just barely discriminates out. This setting can be used at older parks that are loaded them. Even at this high of a discrimination setting you can still find the larger gold rings and find plenty of silver coins. You really should never go any higher on the discrimination than this. Just dig the zinc pennies and screw caps.
The fifth point is where a modern zinc penny just barely discriminates out. I very seldom if ever use a discrimination setting that high, because all hopes of even finding large gold class rings are gone. Now, if you're not into digging a lot or can't and still want to find silver coins and modern day coins this setting may suit you.
It's best to use as little discrimination are you can, because you will lose gold rings at higher discrimination settings and you will have less masking of good targets. You really should start off detecting using the lowest discrimination setting until you see what you're up against at a particular site. At the point where nails just barely discriminate out, dig 20 targets. If I only dig 2 beaver tails and 18 modern day pull tabs, I'm going to set the discrimination at modern day pull tabs and dig the occasional beaver tail because I want to stay as much as I can in the gold ring zone.
A discrimination setting depends on the site conditions and how much a person wants to dig and give up.
Tesoro has by far the best discriminators in the business. Use them wisely.
beephead
