Last Days For Tesoro?

[Steve Herschbach]

Rick Kempf passed this to me and it does not look like good news. It is being reported most of the people at Tesoro have been laid off.

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/tesoro/589971-tesoro-laid-off-all-factory-staff.html

Tesoro was not a real old company, since it was founded in 1980, actually making it the newest of the major U.S. manufacturers. Still, the company made its mark with lightweight, high performance detectors. Tesoro was also noted for many years for its exceptional support of the independent metal detector dealer. However, that policy changed after founder Jack Gifford passed away in 2015 and the company seems to have been on cruise control ever since.

There are probably not too many people surprised by this, but if true it marks a sad day in metal detecting history.

[Rick K - First Member]

sad about Tesoro, but it was basically - the walking dead for a good while now.  Rusty Henry was a pillar of their operation and when I heard that he was “retiring” I figured that the end was near.

[LowTide]

I hate to even say this but it would present a possible opportunity for a Chinese company to come in and take the production offshore.  They would benefit from the goodwill and history of the Tesoro brand name.  And if they are already making detectors they could then use the Tesoro name on them.

[Tiftaaft]

Very sad news.  ~Tim

[rled2005]

My first detector I bought was from Jack's advice; The El Dorado in 1984 I think. I kept it and a Silver Sabre until about a year and a half to 2 yrs. ago. I really like the simplicity and power of the Tesoro's. Very sad to hear that they may close. Their customer service was excellent!

[NCtoad]

I had to send my mojave in a while back because it was so noisy.  Got two messages from Rusty at Tesoro...one on my cell and one on my home phone that it was a bad coil and they replaced it and it was on its way back to me.  When I opened the box, there was also a handwritten receipt of what had been done to it and he mentioned in the note that they had included a new battery compartment cover!  How often do you experience that today?

[Noah (FL)]

The last two times I spoke with Rusty before he retired seemed to hint at the end being near.  

Without a true multi tone target ID model its hard to compete.  With all the tech in our hands these days from cell phones to streaming TV and all the in home google toys its hard to get people to buy an analog product with knobs and switches. Even our vacuum cleaners are going robotic.  

Guess I better grab a brace of 5.75 Compadres to keep in the closet.  Definitely won’t ever be caught without one for hoovering jewelry out of the wood chips!!!!!!

Best wishes and thanks to the Tesoro family!!!!!

[Johnnysalami1957]

Great, I sent my machine in last week to be checked out and now nobody picks up the phone or gets back to me.

[jmaryt]

15 hours ago, LowTide said:

I hate to even say this but it would present a possible opportunity for a Chinese company to come in and take the production offshore.  They would benefit from the goodwill and history of the Tesoro brand name.  And if they are already making detectors they could then use the Tesoro name on them.

jeees! don't wish for that! we don't need another chinese company making metal detectors to sell here!

(h.h.!)

j.t.

[jmaryt]

5 hours ago, Noah (FL) said:

The last two times I spoke with Rusty before he retired seemed to hint at the end being near.  

Without a true multi tone target ID model its hard to compete.  With all the tech in our hands these days from cell phones to streaming TV and all the in home google toys its hard to get people to buy an analog product with knobs and switches. Even our vacuum cleaners are going robotic.  

Guess I better grab a brace of 5.75 Compadres to keep in the closet.  Definitely won’t ever be caught without one for hoovering jewelry out of the wood chips!!!!!!

Best wishes and thanks to the Tesoro family!!!!!

honestly,you should also consider grabbing a "brace" of mojaves too!  may really skyrocket in the future! .no excuse not to have one in the car, when you are traveling,and want to hunt tot lots and curb strips

(h.h.!)

j.t.