I Like My Little Compadre

[Mike Hillis]

I like my little Compadre.    While it looks overly simplistic its actually a pretty decent metal detector with a full range disc circuit.   I bought it for my wife but then I modded it with a connector so I could switch out coils and now I run my Cleansweep coil on it.  I just set the disc to accept my lowest reading ring and go beep and dig with it.     Since I'm only hunting the top 5 inches of dirt or woodchips I don't need a manual ground balance and the sensitivity setting on mine is just right for my EMI and depth requirements.

The 12 kHz operating frequency combined with the full range disc is plenty sensitive to the targets I'm after. 

And if you like to tinker, its a cheap detector to mod with. 

I like it and can recommend it to any and all.   

HH
Mike

[Steve Herschbach]

Best one knob detector ever made! I don't know that for a fact, but the Compadre certainly outlived all the rest of them, so it gets my vote. New Tesoro Compadre data page

Tesoro Compadre metal detector

Tesoro Compadre control panel

[Noah (FL)]

Hard pressed to beat it in a totlot.  Between the compadre and Mojave I’ve found over a $1000 worth of gold jewelry.  Close to half of that was within 6” of steel poles in playgrounds and swingsets. Ive tried to replicate that with other machines and nothing comes close to their ability to doubl/triple beep on targets laying near big steel. 

They may be simple dinosaurs but they definitely have a place in my arsenal.  

 

[Noah (FL)]

Here’s my favorite Compadre find. Largie in the wood chips. 5-6” deep and about 6” from the center pole of a giant monkey bar tepee thing. Probably lost by a kid who took it from his dads coin collection for show and tell or something similar.  

[Voyager32]

I’m new to detecting, about 6 months, I bought an Equinox 600 and it’s a great detector, But wanted a simple machine to keep in the truck for when opportunity arises for a quick hunt and wanted something that works on our horrible Canadian clad, research pointed me to the inexpensive Compadre, couldn’t be happier, love using it, always puts a smile on my face and it does finds the goodies!

[BeachHunter]

I just picked up a used one in excellent condition on eBay. Looking forward to see what it can do.

It’s amazing you can still download the owners manual at the Tesoro site.

[Steve Herschbach]

I have archived the entire Tesoro website "just in case".

[Noah (FL)]

1 hour ago, Steve Herschbach said:

I have archived the entire Tesoro website "just in case".

Well done sir!

 

[Noah (FL)]

5 hours ago, BeachHunter said:

I just picked up a used one in excellent condition on eBay. Looking forward to see what it can do.

It’s amazing you can still download the owners manual at the Tesoro site.

Did you buy my modded Compadre?

EDIT....just saw your other post so it isn’t mine cause that was 4-5 dats ago that mine sold. 

What size coil did you get?  I’ve only ever used the 5-3/4 and the cleansweep. 

[kac]

Doesn't that use the epsilon coils or are they hard wired on it?

I tend to find more with my Tesoro than I do with my AT Pro, not that the Tesoro is necessarily a better machine but rather I think I tend to pay attention more to the audio and have become used to telling the subtle differences on object types and their depths with a good deal of accuracy.

I think anyone new to detecting should definitely have one in their arsenal and learn it as when they go to a vdi they will do incredibly well.

Gold should fall between the nickel lines and platinum hits on higher line about where square tabs hit.