The Tale Of Three T’s ___ Tarsacci , Tesoro, And Technology

[LowTide]

This coming new year provides an interesting contrast between two companies who’s fortune rests on technology.  One company quite established that has either by choice or constraint had a rather stagnant new technology history.  The other a new startup that feels that it has a new technology. And is entering the marketplace at a price point that would be considered by most as a Flagship statement model.  

While the Minelab Equinox has pressured the lowering of prices for some competitors, Tarsacci has demonstrated the confidence to offer a product at close to double the price of the Equinox’s.  If Tarsacci were a new company with limited experience in metal detector design and manufacturing, then success might be more tenuous.  However the principal engineer has a strong background for the task at hand.

On the other hand if Tesoro had the engineering horsepower then I would place my bets on them, as standing up a new company is usually riskier than re-invigorating a known entity.  I’m really sad to say that Tesoro evokes a woulda, coulda, shoulda of Technology from me.

Tarsacci MDT 8000 Data & Reviews

[Guest Tnsharpshooter]

It is not the tech that put Tesoro where they are.

It’s they have no place in the heriarhcy in which to place Tesoro units (meterless) and sell and make a profit.  They were squeezed out.  When you look at price of metered more introductory level and YES the Nox 600, At Pro, etc.

[Dubious]

I'm sure both have something to do with it.  At the entry level at about the same price, a Fisher F22 with digital readout, VID, menus, and multi-tones, probably seems more reassuring to beginners than a Tesoro Mojave with its two knobs and one tone.  (Actually, both are pretty good machines for the money.)  But I think a lot of experienced coin/relic hunters would be quite willing to use a tone-only machine if it otherwise somewhat kept up with the technology.  I have a Cibola and Tejon.  I don't use them much anymore, but it is sometimes nice NOT to have to look at a screen.  Anyway, you are right that Tesoro was being squeezed out of its niches by the decreasing prices of machines in those niches offering screens and more bells and whistles.  It is a pity.

[Rick K - First Member]

I belong to a club in Phoenix which was founded in 1970 or 1971,  Our meetings draw about 40 members on average.  Club hunts about the same or a bit less.  I doubt that more than 20% of our members know how many frequencies or what frequencies their detectors use.  Likewise I doubt that more than 10% of them replace their machines in any given year.

The total market for high end hobbiest detectors is really pretty limited and I seriously doubt that any company can survive selling only to that market.  Minelab saw the writing on the wall for multi-thousand dollar pricing for high end machines - anybody who wants to charge significantly more than $1000 for a hobby metal detector has to offer something really special.

Right now it is hard to see what that would be for even dedicated hobbiest.  Current technology, including simultaneous multifreaker machines, offer nothing totally new in field performance.  

The Equinox hit the sweet spot - offering general detecting performance along with respectable salt beach and nugget hunting capabilities.  That makes it very appealing at the price.

I believe that “table stakes” for >$500 detectors now includes water resistance, ability to use wireless phones, and high residence to EMI.  >$1000 price levels probably need to add multiple frequencies and respectable salt beach performance - which in turn means likely multi freq at the same time - either simultaneous or sequential.

If you want to charge >$1500 you need even more.  Advanced technology to make a real change in field performance.  I’m thinking of changes like significantly superior unmasking - more than mere adjacent target separation - but actually defeating “silent masking” where a tiny bit of ferrous can mask a deeper nonferrous target. Also looking for greater depth in bad ground without losing ID capability at depth.

Salt beach machines have shown no real improvement since the introduction of multifreakers like the CZ, BBS/FBS machines of decades ago.  When you consider that Minelab can charge more than $6k for a nugget detector and you consider that a good season at the beach will likely bring in more gold than your average nugget hunter will see in many seasons, there is still a market for >$2000 salt beach machines which offer increased depth, small target sensitivity and usable iron ID - on any beach - including ones which look like this - which kill the depth on all current VLF detectors including current multifreakers.

[BeachHunter]

I’m wondering just what the Equinox II will do to the market. The more the Equinox shares in CTX tech, like Target Trace for example, the more I see it obsoleting the previous incarnation.

[Dubious]

I agree the Equinox has hit the sweet spot. The Equinox II/CTX successor probably will be priced significantly lower than the CTX was, given the trend.  But Minelab does seem to be able to sell its machines for more than the competition in those higher niches, mainly because there hasn't been much real competition there but also because Minelab does a good job leveraging its reputation and ability to deliver. 

[Redneck]

The jury is still out on the Tarsacci.   Not hearing a lot  about the results on that one.   I hear rumors its a flop in highly mineralized soils.

Some positive posts on the Great salt lake beaches. I 'm taking a wait and see attitude about it.  Not gonna  be a guinea pig on that unit.  

I'm curious to see how the manta performs.   Seems to hold some promise, as there are some videos out.  

 

 

[Cabin Fever]

I’ve heard the same rumor and I have had a hard time getting dirt depth info on this unit. Sometimes the silence speaks volumes. The Equinox is king for depth in my soil but I’m always looking for more.  I’m a greedy SOB!

Hopefully as more units get out we can get a better feel for what it’s capable of. 

Bryan