Tesoro/Laser Rapier 2 "oldskool cool"

I'm not one of those people that look upon older detectors as obsolete pieces of junk, I'll use whatever I enjoy swinging, fashions and trends mean nothing to me, without the detectors of the past we wouldn't be where we are today. Saying that, I'm not actually sure exactly where we are today, there's far more automation. I believe the older analog units made you a better detectorist because you had nothing to go by but the audio. Because the eyes weren't distracted, the ears paid more attention to the different nuances created by the different targets, be it shallow, deep, on edge or iron, the fewer the features on a machine meant you had to understand exactly what you were hearing. Just because a unit displays 'visuals', does iactually make it better. In recent times a select few sharpened their verbal knives against Tesoro claiming they're relics of the past and a load of rubbish, I personally think that's a crock of crap, the people that publicly slate Tesoro and similar companies usually have another agenda or have a brain the size of a pea.

Laser Rapier 2

Claiming Tesoro units are "relics of the past" all depends on what angle you're coming from, if you're a mindless idiot that buys every new machine that comes out because you've been told that it will find more than anything you've used before. I can see exactly why you might throw ridiculous statements about, also if you're someone that has to have the perceived best and purchases the perceived best because he/she knows it will generate more views for their Youtube channel. I can also see why slamming companies like Tesoro might be something that would appear tangible. But let us remember one thing with this hobby, it's about having fun, many take it way to seriously. I think anyone that's used/uses a Tesoro machine can't deny that they're really fun to use, which, as stated above, is what it's all about. Let's think about this for a moment, if you take a Tesoro and one of the current high end machines on the same 'productive' site would the end result of what's been dug with each machine really be that different?

Tesoro Cibola

I hear many people say that Tesoro went under because they didn't move with the times, that might be so but what if Tesoro presented a set of detectors with exactly the same capabilities just with a few more tonal options like the Tejon, and sold them with the same appearance as all the new machines out there? would they still be around? that's obviously debatable but I'm willing to bet there's a high chance that they would be. Let us not forget it's all about perception, if people think they're using a dated machine then many are clearly going to stop using them. Marketing is a powerful tool, if you can repackage 'old' technology and market it as something 'groundbreaking', I have no doubt that the masses would lap it up, to a certain degree this is already being done. What would've happened if you digitised the ability of the Tejon and put it into a Deus 2 casing? I'm willing to bet a certain muppet over in South Carolina and his dumb followers would be screaming its praises from the top of his benign test garden along with all the other Youtube celebrities.

Why Buy A Tesoro/Laser Rapier 2 In 2023

The answer to the question above is simple, because I wanted to, I couldn't careless about having the best or the latest and greatest. I'm really not fussed at all about the unmasking, separation abilities or the depth. I have other machines that perform really well in all these areas and to be honest the Rapier 2 isn't bad in this regard. Because I have land that I search on a long term basis I can take all my machines over the same ground. Obviously when swinging the Rapier 2 I'm going to be missing the deeper targets but that really isn't a big deal to me because I can go over the same ground with my Nexus and Golden Mask machines. 

The buzz for me with metal detecting is learning how to use each unit I own to their full potential, I've said it before but there are entry-level detectors out there that don't really have any capabilities. These are machines that are very basic in their operation and only detect down 5 inches or so. Units like these are obviously perfect for kids or people that want to try the hobby to see if they're going to like it. These kinds of detectors can't really be pushed in regards to their performance. However, on the flip side, the Tesoro machines can pull off some pretty impressive feats if you know how to push the detector and know exactly what to listen for. For instance, what do targets sound like that are just on the edge of detection? 

Tesoro Outlaw

So lets look at the Rapier 2, what we have here is a pretty basic machine that has a fantastic retro finish, it has a fixed ground balance, no volume control, a pinpoint function, sensitivity, threshold, discrimination and a two tone option meaning you can assign either a high or low tone to a non-ferrous target. It's 'silent search' meaning that you don't get a tone on ferrous targets, they simply don't come through and if they do, due to the setting of the disc dial, you'll get the odd clip and click. When you keep your finger on the pinpoint button this engages all metal mode and produces a true threshold hum. This is a great little feature if you're wanting to add a few inches to the overall depth of the machine. So if you get a scratchy sounding signal in disc mode you can confirm the presence of a deeper metal object by switching to all metal mode. From this you can judge the size of the target to help identify if it's potentially a deep large piece of iron as opposed to a small potential desirable target. 

Trident

When running the unit in disc mode the threshold level still has an effect on depth so I make sure it's turned to the maximum position. If I want to check a target in all metal mode then I will lower the threshold to a quiet, just audible level. Once the target has been checked, taking your finger off the pinpoint button will switch the machine back into disc mode. In regards to sensitivity, I will run this as high as I can without any interference. Lastly the disc can literally be left on minimum and it will knock out most iron. That pretty much covers everything this unit has to offer, it's turn on and go, you don't really have to worry about anything. Sometimes when I don't have much time, grabbing the Rapier and just having a quick scout about is great fun. The unit is super lightweight and a real joy to swing, I'll admit it feels like a toy compared to my Nexus units but who cares, none of shit bothers me. It's all about having a good time and enjoying what you're using. I just love metal detecting, be it with the Legend on the River Thames in London or out in the fields with one of my many analog machines. It's about perfecting the hobby which I've always looked upon as an art form, I choose to use machines that bring the art of metal detecting to the forefront. 

One of the last and main points that I really like about Tesoro machines is their quirky look, they just look as cool as hell and they have so much more character about them than anything else made today. I can wholeheartedly say that if I was going to spend £300 pounds on another machine, I'd rather buy an older Tesoro than the new Minelab Xterra Pro. There's just nothing unique about that unit whatsoever, obviously all your sponsored talking heads and Minelab Detexperts will only sings it's praises but I don't pay attention to any of these desperate attention seeking dickheads. You can fit on the back of a postage stamp how much most of these people know about metal detecting. Give them an analog machine that they have to set up themselves, and I think it would become pretty clear quickly just how much these individuals actually know. Pushing numbers up and down on a screen isn't learning how to metal detect, there is no art in that whatsoever, it's been dumbed right down. People would learn more using the older analog machines of yesteryear as opposed to the entertainment boxes of today.