Opinions Please Thinking Of Trading AT Pro For Tesoro DeLeon

[Bill G]

I would like honest straight forward opinions on this.

I am thinking about trading in my Garrett AT Pro and getting a new DeLeon in place of it. I have other water proof detectors ( Sand shark and a CZ 21 ) so that is not a factor to keep the AT Pro.

I have a Tesoro Outlaw so all the coils will inner change, this is a plus.

The only concern I really have is the DeLeon does not have a Manuel ground balance and is a fixed GB.

I like the quality and balance of the Tesoro line of detectors and like to use a good ID detector every now and then. I think the balance will be better on the DeLeon but this is not a big factor. The lifetime warranty is good as long as Tesoro stays in business.

Thanks for the feedback everyone,
Bill G

 

[bigtim1973]

You already have one tesoro with a GB so I do not see why a preset GB would not do the job in most areas. Just remember you may be giving up some water hunting with your at pro. Plus you seem to already like the tesoros better so you may be happier already. The AT pro does not seem to lock on targets and jump around too uch on target ID numbers. Good luck, Tim

 

[Bill G]

You already have one tesoro with a GB so I do not see why a preset GB would not do the job in most areas. Just remember you may be giving up some water hunting with your at pro. Plus you seem to already like the tesoros better so you may be happier already. The AT pro does not seem to lock on targets and jump around too uch on target ID numbers. Good luck, Tim

I am not worried about giving up water opportunity with the AT Pro as stated above in the original thread were I mentioned that I own two other water detectors the Tesoro Sand Shark & a Fisher CZ-21 both grate water machines. I was more interested in the accuracy of the DeLeon ID, its depth and over all performance from DeLeon users. Like you said the AT Pro is a little on the jumpy side at times with the VDI numbers. The fixed GB may not be an issue at all with the DeLeon but I wanted some opinions on this. I know that the balance on the DeLeon will be a Little better having detected with a Tesoro Cortez a few times in the past . I have heard the Cortez performs in disk pretty much like the DeLeon and have heard said that the DeLeon does better ???

I really would like to know the depths that folks are getting with the DeLeon and does it really suffer in more mineralized ground or does it do ok.

Thanks for your point of view I appreciate it.
Bill G

 

[jarrow]

You have already formed your own opinion. So why worry about others thoughts

 

[Bill G]

You have already formed your own opinion. So why worry about others thoughts

I may have an opinion but it's exactly that. I am looking for feedback from DeLeon users concerning performance and any issues with the fixed GB and the target ID performance they have got with the DeLeon detector. My formed opinion is not a confirmed one in some areas concerning the DeLeon,. That is why I am asking about it hoping to get information from DeLeon users. I am curious about others thoughts. I am not the least bit worried about them.

Thanks for the feed back,
Bill G

 

[BarberBill]

I've been swinging the D for some time now. IN MY SOIL, I haven't had any problems with the ground balance using the stock coil and smaller. Tried the 10X12 once and picked up a little ground chatter. I've used other preset Tesoros in my area for years with good results, but like you, I have several with manual ground balance should I need it. In use I've found the D to give several more inches of depth over my other umax models, good TID and be generally fun to use and have found many coins and some jewelry with it. I especially appreciate the extra info from the TID when swinging over good grass in parks, yards etc. Generally I find that running with the sensitivity in the 6 to 8 range to be very stable with good resutts and depth. If you swing over a target that bounces around on mutiple coin indications along with some trash indication be sure to dig as that is often a coin spill. All told I've been pleased with the D and grab it often.
BB

 

[CladDog]

My experience with both has led me to believe that while the AT Pro TID can be a little jumpier at times, it is no more or less accurate than the DeLeon. Beyond about 6" in my soil the TID on both machines becomes largely useless.

 

[tabman]

The Deleon is a whole lot better balanced and easier to swing. If it had multiple ID tones I'd be elated.

tabman

 

[Coin$triking Michigan]

I've owned the Cortez and the At Pro and found the Pro a much better detector. The Id on the Cortez was terribly jumpy compared to the Pro. Also, the audio of the At Pro on coins is unmatched in my opinion. So while I love Tesoro, they don't compete with the At Pro forme.

 

[CladDog]

The Deleon is a whole lot better balanced and easier to swing. If it had multiple ID tones I'd be elated.

Tabman, I hope and pray that the Cazador is something very much like what you just described.

 

[Bill G]

Thanks for all the opinions everyone.

I had a long talk with Rusty at Tesoro about my area and the ground conditions out here, he is very familiar with this area. He said my Outlaw will do a better job and felt that the DeLeon would suffer not having an adjustable ground balance. This was my biggest worry in the first place concerning the DeLeon, to bad it is a fixed GB detector. Rusty at Tesoro is the most honest guy in the detector business that I know ( he did not want me to be un-happy in any way with a Tesoro product) and that honesty is so appreciated and I give him a Big Big ....

For now I will look at some other TID units on the market do to my needs and the ground conditions in my area. I like the AT Pro a lot but have future reservations concerning the control housing on the AT Pro. My control housing where it mounts to the shaft on my AT Pro is going in for a cracked plastic mounting pin ( two of them hold the housing in place on the shaft and if both break the control box falls off and from what I have read this has happened to more than one AT Pro out there) Garrett's Quote $40.00 plus parts and shipping cost (out of warranty). Again this has happened to a few AT Pro detectors from my research and may be a common issue or flaw with the AT Pro over the long hall. I am not really happy with this as the detector is only 2 1/2 years old and it's going to cost me big time to fix it ( maybe Garrett will make it right without charging me for the new housing) I will be talking to the service guy after they receive it.The Detector has been babied never abused or dropped hardly used and looks brand new. I hunt with the Outlaw more often than not. Because of this issue when I get it back from Garrett it will be traded in or sold. I don't want that kind of cost again do to a weak mounting system on the control housing. Also I have two other water specific detectors the Sand Shark and the CZ-21.

I will keep researching with an open mind for a replacement TID detector in the $600.00 to $700.00 range.

Happy Hunting To All,
Bill G

 

[tabman]

The Deleon is a whole lot better balanced and easier to swing. If it had multiple ID tones I'd be elated.

Tabman, I hope and pray that the Cazador is something very much like what you just described.

Yep, Tesoro needs something that's deep with tones.

Nothing fancy, a low tone for iron, a mid-tone for pull-tabs etc. and a high-tone that breaks on or just above a zinc penny.

The AT Pro isn't a bad detector except for it being cheaply made and totally out of balance. They need a land use only version that's better built and balanced.

tabman

 

[Bill G]

The Deleon is a whole lot better balanced and easier to swing. If it had multiple ID tones I'd be elated.

Tabman, I hope and pray that the Cazador is something very much like what you just described.

Yep, Tesoro needs something that's deep with tones.

Nothing fancy, a low tone for iron, a mid-tone for pull-tabs etc. and a high-tone that breaks on or just above a zinc penny.

The AT Pro isn't a bad detector except for it being cheaply made and totally out of balance. They need a land use only version that's better built and balanced.

tabman

I agree with all of this statement..

Happy Hunting,
Bill G

 

[Hombre]

Bill G

My wife bought a new Deleon 2 years ago, she likes it just fine and likes to cherry pick the 95 VDI signals as they are almost all the time higher conductive coins. The stock 8X9 coil is not that great in the trash and she likes the little 5.75 concentric coil as it makes the Deleon a lot lighter in weight. I use it some and noticed some quirks like it overloading on shallow nickels that just sound awful but this is overcome by raising the coil over the nickel while still swinging the coil. A person could use this quirk as an advantage as kind of a special tone for shallow nickel range targets. Overload signals from higher conductive coins that are too close to the coil sound like your normal overload, but the overload on nickel range targets is unique. The manual even states that the best quality signals without the "overload" screen indication come from targets 4 to 8 inches away from the coil.

As far as jumping VDI numbers, I have found that by centering the coil sweep directly over the target with little wiggle sweeps seem to make the numbers settle down in a narrow range, this applies to other makes of Target ID machines also. All in all the wife and I are real happy with the Deleon, just a real good and deep detector for our mildly mineralized ground.

 

[Bill G]

Bill G

My wife bought a new Deleon 2 years ago, she likes it just fine and likes to cherry pick the 95 VDI signals as they are almost all the time higher conductive coins. The stock 8X9 coil is not that great in the trash and she likes the little 5.75 concentric coil as it makes the Deleon a lot lighter in weight. I use it some and noticed some quirks like it overloading on shallow nickels that just sound awful but this is overcome by raising the coil over the nickel while still swinging the coil. A person could use this quirk as an advantage as kind of a special tone for shallow nickel range targets. Overload signals from higher conductive coins that are too close to the coil sound like your normal overload, but the overload on nickel range targets is unique. The manual even states that the best quality signals without the "overload" screen indication come from targets 4 to 8 inches away from the coil.

As far as jumping VDI numbers, I have found that by centering the coil sweep directly over the target with little wiggle sweeps seem to make the numbers settle down in a narrow range, this applies to other makes of Target ID machines also. All in all the wife and I are real happy with the Deleon, just a real good and deep detector for our mildly mineralized ground.

Hombre,

I had a long talk with Rusty at Tesoro about my area and the ground conditions out here, he is very familiar with this area. He said my Outlaw will do a better job and felt that the DeLeon would suffer not having an adjustable ground balance and disappoint me. This was my biggest worry in the first place concerning the DeLeon, to bad it is a fixed GB detector. Rusty at Tesoro is the most honest guy in the detector business that I know ( he did not want me to be un-happy in any way with a Tesoro product) and that honesty is so appreciated and I give him a Big Big

I got and understand what you said about little wiggles sweeps with the coil. I do the same thing myself when it comes to TID machines.

Thanks for the input,
Bill G

 

[Sven]

PM'd you............................take a look outside the box.

 

[pulltaber]

PM'd you............................take a look outside the box.[/quote

Sven I looked out side of the box a about two years ago thought I had found the perfect detector I really like it ,has all the features that I hope that the Caz will have.But there fourm is not as friendly as the Tesoro forum. in fact they are just plan rude some time .Thats why that detector is for sell

 

[dan b]

I love my Deleon. Simple to use and works like a champ. It's the only machine I use now. Spend enough time with it and those so called quirks actually work to your advantage. I can tell a bottle cap from a loonie (Canadian dollar coin) 100 % of the time. Dimes are detectable to 9". I don't find the ID overly jumpy at all. For Canadian coins the Deleon is hard to beat.

I can't comment on how it compares to the AT Pro as I've never used one. My buddy has a AT Gold and I seem to be able to out hunt him when we get out on a hunt together, but it might just be that I have more experience on my Deleon. Who knows? In my opinion, there are three factors that lead to success. Most importantly is location. Without targets in the ground the whole exercise is pointless. Second is experience on a particular detector. Third and last, is the machine itself. Drop $2500 on a detector you use occasionally and someone with experience on a cheaper machine is going to run circles around you. I guess my point is use what you have and used it a lot. You will be amazed at what a simple machine like the Deleon can do when you really, really get to know it.

 

[Sven]

I still think Tesoros are the best and my fav beep and dig machines and that's why I now own the Bandido II umax and actually found that I like it better than the Eldo umax.
The Deleon is an excellent easy to use detector , and the price for a used one seems affordable.
I wouldn't give up a Deleon for a AT....LOL

I was inferring in my post if someone was to looking to dump an AT Pro, then to take a good look at the AKA machines.

By the way this Tesoro forum is the friendliest, that's why I always visit every day..............becomes a habit and ritual.

 

[Sven]

I love my Deleon. Simple to use and works like a champ. It's the only machine I use now. Spend enough time with it and those so called quirks actually work to your advantage. I can tell a bottle cap from a loonie (Canadian dollar coin) 100 % of the time. Dimes are detectable to 9". I don't find the ID overly jumpy at all. For Canadian coins the Deleon is hard to beat.

I can't comment on how it compares to the AT Pro as I've never used one. My buddy has a AT Gold and I seem to be able to out hunt him when we get out on a hunt together, but it might just be that I have more experience on my Deleon. Who knows? In my opinion, there are three factors that lead to success. Most importantly is location. Without targets in the ground the whole exercise is pointless. Second is experience on a particular detector. Third and last, is the machine itself. Drop $2500 on a detector you use occasionally and someone with experience on a cheaper machine is going to run circles around you. I guess my point is use what you have and used it a lot. You will be amazed at what a simple machine like the Deleon can do when you really, really get to know it.

Dan, your absolutely right about the Deleon.

You need to change your name from Dan B to Dan Deleon