txop said:
The wife and I both enjoy metal detecting.
You're very fortunate. I wish I had a wife who enjoyed detecting, even if she out-hunted me that would be fine.
txop said:
... we all bought Shadow X2's. We found a lot of stuff.
Understandable since you had a new-to-you detector and it was possibly an upgrade to whatever you used before, if you hunted much before getting the Shadow X2. Also, if you had hunted, you might have taken the Tesoro-based Shadow X2 to some of the same locations you had hunted prior and found targets that were still there. That's also common and even this past year or two I have managed to pull good targets out of some old sites I have hunted dating back to 1983-'90. Stuff gets missed and with a good detector for trashier places, which could be virtually
any Tesoro Discriminator, you can re-hunt and chance upon good targets.
txop said:
Then we switched to ID machines and my finds went down. I end up cherry picking and miss a lot of the good jewelry we use to find.
Finds can decrease for several reasons, but folks have 'cherry picked" even long ago before to the present with and without Target ID by simply using too much Discrimination. Then, too, it can be because they are using Target ID so they concentrate their hunting on more coin=specific sites that might be less likely to have lost jewelry. One other reason is that they have chosen a detector that operates at a frequency that isn't quite as efficient for finding lower-conductive gold chains, rings, pendants and such.
It could be that your good jewelry recoveries might increase if you kept the Discrimination at a comparable low setting like a good Tesoro at the minimum setting, then work the coil slowly and methodically while works potential sites for gold and silver jewelry and recover everything that beeps. Just ignore the display.
txop said:
We have decided to go back to a beeper.
By 'beeper' you must mean a non-display detector, in which case I can only recommend a
good Tesoro model produced today or a some of the former popular models.
The Shadow X2's were good turn-on-and-go models that were, as mentioned, were based on the Silver Sabre µMAX [size=small]
(microMAX)[/size]. The Silver Sabre µMAX is one of the models in my detector battery, which I prefer of the two, and I keep a thin-profile 6" Concentric coil mounted for most hunting I do. They are difficult to find in decent condition but they are out there.
A current model, and the newest from Tesoro, in my arsenal is the Mojave. This device is quite versatile, yet simple, but it does lack the Threshold-based All Metal Pinpoint function. For the bulk of my Tesoro hunting I can get by without it as they can isolate a target quite well with their slow-motion/quick-response design. It seems to work best for me with the new standard 7" Concentric coil.
My 3rd Tesoro is the newer 'black' version Vaquero that I sent to Tesoro for the high-tone modification. I keep the standard 8X11 DD on a spare lower rod for hunting more open areas, but a 6" Concentric stays mounted most of the time because I hunt trashier sites most often. All of these detectors serve me well, and there are a few other current and former models I would suggest you consider, such as: An 'original' Bandido, a Bandido II, or the last series offering, a Bandido II µMAX, or go with the currently produced Vaquero
Yes, there have been a few good turn-on-and-go models, such as the Silver Sabre II and Silver Sabre µMAX and the current Cibola, but I would recommend you consider a model that features an external manual Ground Balance option. Why? Read on ....
txop said:
My wife still has her original Shadow X2 so she is good to go. A couple of years ago I sold mine. ... I need to buy something for me. I was thinking about something in the Tesoro line but certainly open to other brands. I would like something with a 7 inch coil or one I can buy a 7 inch coil for.
You and your wife have been using the Shadow X2, a turn-on-and-go model with a preset Ground Balance, and you abandoned yours a couple of years ago to experience different and more modern featured makes and models. You wife has continued to use here Shadow X2 so that suggests to me that it is working fine and, most likely, she is only using one search coil on it.
In your case, you sold yours to use one or more detectors that offered more features and,
presumably, more performance abilities. If that's the case, then I believe a Tesoro model with manual GB is in your favor because it will provide you the performance ability to fine-tune the GB for any particular hunt site. Also, if you change search coils you will then be able to adjust the GB [size=small]
(they call it 'calibrate' at the factory with preset detectors)[/size] your Tesoro for the different coil in use for any site you hunt.
Therefore, of the currently-produced Tesoro models, my vote is for the Vaquero which, if you note below, is a model I have in my own
Regular-Use Detector Team. I hunt trashier sites and keep a thin-profile 6" Concentric coil mounted full-time, but my 'black' version Vaquero also has the standard 8X11 DD coil on a lower rod for fast changes, and I can quickly and easily adjust the GB for peak performance with either coil in any ground mineral environment.
Another Tesoro with manual GB to consider would be a very clean condition Bandido II [size=small]micro[/size]MAX which, although discontinued years ago, it is still one of the most favored and most wanted Tesoro's on the market today.
txop said:
So which detector would you buy that would be as good or better than a Shadow X2?
For 'turn-on-and-go' it would be the Cibola or Silver Sabre µMAX, and for a manually GB'ed version I would suggest the Vaquero or Bandido II µMAX. Two if these are current production while the two [size=small]micro[/size]MAX models were discontinued, but are some of the hardest to find today because they are so in demand as proven performers.
txop said:
Recovery speed is important also since we mainly hunt lots where the houses have just been demolished and carted off leaving lots of trash behind.
Pick any good Tesoro, use a 6" or 7" Concentric coil, and the lest Discrimination you can tolerate. No more than just iron nail rejection. Work them slowly and methodically, overlap, and dig all kinds of stuff others might likely miss.
txop said:
What does the Vaquero have that the Cibola doesn't other that ground balance adjustment? I was thinking a Cibola would fit my need but watching a couple of youtube video's it didn't look that good on depth. Best I can remember it would even see a buried 8 inch quarter.
Having the ability to tweak the Ground Balance for any site or for any search coil in use is the primary thing, and that's important to me for many sites I hunt. Having versatility is important. That's one reason why I have a Vaquero in my working detector arsenal, but knowing there are times it isn't as necessary and a turn-on-and-go unit will do I also have a Silver Sabre [size=small]micro[/size]MAX and Mojave.
Let us know what you decide to get and how things work out for you, and have great 2018!
Monte
I am sure she would say the same about me