Your Golden µMax was shipped with these parts:

1 Upper Pole Assembly

1 Middle Pole Assembly With Pole Lock

1 Lower Pole Assembly

1 9 x 8 Concentric Searchcoil With 3’ Cable

1 9 Volt Alkaline Battery

1 Operator Instruction Manual

1 Tesoro Warranty Card

If any of these items are missing, contact the Tesoro Authorized Dealer where you purchased your detector immediately.

Assembly of the Golden µMax is simple and requires no special tools. Just install the battery, mount the searchcoil on the lower pole assembly, connect the two pole assemblies together, wrap the excess cable around the pole and plug the cable into the control housing. Finally, adjust the pole length and searchcoil angle and you're ready!

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INSTALLING THE BATTERY

Your Golden µMax is equipped with a battery test switch so that you can always be sure you are getting top performance. (See QUICKSTART for operation.) The battery should be checked after the detector has been on for about 10 minutes and then periodically when used for long durations.

To install or replace the battery, first make sure the SENSITIVITY control is set to POWER OFF—turned completely counterclockwise past the “click.” Remove the battery door from the back of the control housing. Do this by pressing your thumb firmly on the louvered square—at the bottom of the battery door—and sliding the battery door upward in the direction of the arrow.

Check the polarity on the battery and on the diagram inside the battery compartment. Make sure that they match and simply drop a fresh 9 volt alkaline battery into the compartment. Note: If the battery is not installed properly, damage may occur to your detector.

Replace the battery door by sliding it into place making sure the upper mount slots are in line and the lock tongue is snapped in place.

(Above photo depicts the Silver Sabre µMax model; however, battery installation is the same for the Golden µMax.)

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ASSEMBLING YOUR DETECTOR

1) On the lower pole assembly, remove the mounting screw and thumb nut from the pole tip.

2) Insert the pole tip between the mounting ears of the searchcoil and align the holes of the pole tip and washers with those of the mounting ears.

Note: The pole tip should fit very snugly into the mounting ears.

3) Insert the mounting screw through the holes in the mounting ears and pole tip—entering from the side opposite the cable connection.

4) Install the thumb nut on the mounting screw and tighten by hand.

Note: Do not overtighten the thumb nut. It should be snug but not too difficult to loosen up.

5) On the middle pole assembly, depress the two spring buttons and slide the middle pole assembly into the upper pole assembly until the spring buttons click into the holes, thus locking the two assemblies into place. Tighten the pole lock to secure the two assemblies together.

6) Slide lower pole into middle pole until spring buttons click into the first set of adjustment holes. Turn pole lock to tighten, thus locking the assembly into place.

7) Wrap the cable around the pole leaving enough slack near the searchcoil to permit searchcoil adjustment.

Note: Do not allow the cable to flop loosely over the searchcoil. Since the detector is sensitive enough to “see” the tiny wires in the cable, a floppy cable can cause false signals as the searchcoil senses the moving wires.

8) Plug the male cable end into the female connector on the control housing and tighten the cable thumb nut. You are finished!

Note: You will want to adjust the pole length and the searchcoil angle to your preference.

(Above photos are shown using the Bandido II µMax model; however, assembly procedures are the same for the Golden µMax.)

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ADJUSTING THE POLE & SEARCHCOIL

The pole length should be adjusted so that the detector does not become uncomfortable or tiring after long periods of use. The detector grip should rest in your hand with your arm relaxed, your elbow straight but not locked, with the pole extending out in front of you at the approximate angle shown in the photo.

You should be able to swing the detector back and forth in front of you—using relaxed shoulder movement—while keeping the searchcoil as close to the ground as possible. This swinging movement is often called a “sweep.”

The searchcoil should not touch the ground during your sweep. The pole length should be adjusted to allow this without having to lift the detector with your elbow or shoulder. The searchcoil should rest about one inch above the ground while you are standing erect. The angle of the searchcoil should allow the bottom to be parallel to the ground.

The pole length is adjusted by loosening the pole lock, then depressing the spring buttons and extending or shortening the pole until the spring buttons click into the set of holes that give you the most comfortable pole length. To adjust the searchcoil angle, simply loosen the searchcoil thumb nut slightly and move the searchcoil into the desired position. Tighten the searchcoil thumb nut by hand so that the searchcoil will hold in place.

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QUICKSTART

The Quickstart is designed to teach you how to use your new Golden µMax. It provides a quick and easy means of learning your detector and the concepts behind all of the functions.

You will need the following items:

Here’s what you will do:

Prepare for the Quickstart

Place your assembled Golden µMax on the nonmetal surface. Make sure that there are no metal objects near the coil and remove any jewelry from your hands and wrists.

Start with the controls as shown in the photo below:

Perform Audio Battery Test

Turn the SENSITIVITY knob from OFF to about 7 or 8. You may hear a brief beep. This is just the detector turning on and does not signify anything. Push the MODE switch to the left and release. The switch is spring loaded and will pop back to the center position.

If the battery is fully charged, you will hear 6 or 7 beeps. As the battery drains, you will hear fewer and fewer beeps. When you hear only 1 or 2 beeps, it will be time to replace your battery.

Adjust THRESHOLD

Now turn your THRESHOLD knob clockwise until you hear a slight but steady hum. You will have to turn the knob to somewhere between the 1 o’clock and 3 o’clock position to get the best hum.

The purpose of the threshold tone is to give you a reference to judge targets by. In the field, some targets may be small enough or deep enough that they will not be able to generate an audio signal by themselves. By monitoring a threshold, you already have an audio signal so changes will be easier to hear. However, if the threshold is set too loud or too soft, small changes in the signal will be hard to hear. Take some time to find the right threshold level for you.

Perform Air Test in All Metal Mode

Once you have set the correct threshold hum, you are ready to perform an air test in the All Metal Mode. Changes in the volume of the threshold will indicate signal strength. Try waving your targets in front of the coil. Start from a distance of 10 to 12 inches away from the coil and slowly work your way in. Then try starting 6 inches from the left or right side of your coil and working your way to the center of the coil. Notice the changes in the audio signal. Your strongest signal will always be closest to the center of the coil, but additional information can also be learned by the signal strength. A smaller or deeper target will give a less noticeable change in the threshold than a larger or shallower target will give. Take some time and try all of your targets at different depths to find out how your detector sounds.

 

Adjust the SENSITIVITY

We are now ready to switch the detector into the Discriminate MODE. Go to the mode switch and flip it all the way to the right and into the DISC position. The first thing that you will notice is that the threshold hum stops. The discriminate circuit uses a silent search mode, meaning that no sound will be heard until the coil goes over a target. The most common use of the detector will be to hunt in the DISC MODE and switch to ALL METAL to pinpoint a target. This will give you the advantage of ignoring unwanted targets and not having to listen to the threshold hum until you are ready to recover a target.

The all metal circuit uses a single channel to detect various metals. The discriminate circuit uses two different channels, then amplifies and filters the signals and then compares the two to determine whether or not to beep at a target. While this is a great advantage for ignoring unwanted targets, it can make the circuitry more susceptible to interference. A number of outside conditions such as power lines, highly mineralized soil and wet salt sand can cause interference. The SENSITIVITY knob is used to raise or lower the power to the operational amplifiers, which changes the gain. Gain is the measurement of how much a signal is amplified. The higher the gain the more depth and sensitivity to small objects a detector has. Unfortunately, any small interference that is amplified can cause the detector to become erratic. The SENSITIVITY control is used to find the best gain setting in any location without letting the detector become unstable.

The SENSITIVITY knob is numbered from min to 10 and then has an orange area called the Max Boost zone. For most normal hunting, anywhere in the numbered zone will work very well. However, the Max Boost will allow you to increase the power to the operational amplifiers to the point of overload. An overload situation will not hurt your detector, but it will maximize the gain that is used by your detector. This can, in certain conditions such as low mineralization in the soil, cause your detector to penetrate deeper into the ground and become more sensitive to small objects.

Take some time to try waving targets in front of the coil with different sensitivity settings. Notice that the higher the sensitivity setting, the farther away from the coil the target can be and still get a response.

Check and Identify Discriminate ID Tones

Your Golden µMax detector has several different audio tones. As you were testing the sensitivity, you may have heard some of these tones. In this section of the Quickstart, we will take the time to identify each of the tones and what it means.

The first tone that we will talk about is the “saturation tone.” When a target is too close to the coil, it creates a very large signal. For most non-ID machines this is no problem. However, with target ID features, this can cause some problems. We have created a very specific double beep signal that lets you know when a target is very close to the coil.

Start with any of your targets and start waving it about 4 inches away from the coil. Slowly move the target towards the coil until you hear the double beep. At that point the detector is telling you that it is saturating and will not identify correctly. Also remember that the size, shape and composition of the target will also affect the saturation signal. A large iron horse- shoe will cause more saturation than a silver dime. When you encounter this signal in the field, just lift your coil up about 2 to 3 inches and the signal should stabilize. Take some time to find the saturation point for your targets.

Next we will wave different targets at the coil and see what kind of response the machine gives us. Start by waving your quarter about 3 to 4 inches away from the coil. You will hear the detector's highest tone. This tone will cover from zinc pennies up to all of the silver coins and silver jewelry. Next wave the pull tabs at the coil one tab at a time and note the tones. All pull tabs will fall into the two middle tones. The second highest tone will cover most of the pull tabs, some gold rings and screw caps. Now wave your nickel. The tone you are hearing will cover foil, nickels, gold rings and some pull tabs. Please note that there is some overlap of both gold rings and pull tabs. This manual will go more into detail about that in the “Set Notch Window Width” section. Last wave your iron target. You should hear the lowest tone of all. This tone covers iron and foil. Some iron targets such as washers or other oddly shaped items may produce a “rolling tone.” This tone is a combination of both high and low tones. It may start high and go low or start low and go high. Take some time to try your targets and get used to the tones they create. You may also want to take a selection of other targets and see what tone they produce.

Perform Air Test in DISC Mode

As discussed before, the Discriminate Mode is used to filter unwanted targets from good targets. The principle behind this is pretty simple. The detector sends out a signal and then receives it back creating a small electronic field. As metal passes through the field that the detector generates, it causes a change in the received signal. The amount of change that each type of metal causes is fairly constant; therefore, we can tune our detectors to miss the targets that we don’t want to find. The change is based on the type of conductivity that each target has. The general list of conductive targets is as follows: iron, foil, nickels, gold jewelry, pull tabs, screw caps, pennies and silver coins starting with dimes and working up to silver dollars. This list is meant to be a guide only. There is a point that some gold rings and some pull tabs overlap. Also the depth of the target and its orientation in the ground can change the received signal. A coin that is flat to the coil will produce a better signal than a coin that is on edge. Take some time now to try different combinations of depth and orientation of your targets and find out how your detector responds.

We are now ready to discriminate targets from each other. We will start with the DISCRIMINATE LEVEL at MIN. Please notice that the DISCRIMINATE LEVEL knob has words that correspond to the items that are discriminated out. There is also an arrow between Iron and 5¢. This is the recommended discriminate level when using the notch filter. This manual will go more into detail about that in the “Set Notch Window Width” section.

All four targets (the iron, nickel, pull tabs and quarter) will respond with a good audio signal at the MIN setting. Next, we will turn the DISCRIMINATE LEVEL up to the preset arrow. This should be high enough to knock out the iron target and still get a positive response on the nickel, pull tabs and quarter. When you are done with the preset setting, turn the DISCRIMINATE LEVEL to the 5¢ setting. This level is high enough to knock out the nickel. At this time the iron target and the nickel should give no response, while most of the pull tabs and quarter will give a solid response. Next, turn the DISCRIMINATE LEVEL just past the PULL TAB marking. At this time most or all of the pull tabs should not give any response. Only the quarter should give a strong audio signal. Now roll the DISCRIMINATE LEVEL all the way to MAX. Notice that the quarter is still responding. The discrimination will not go high enough to lose most silver coins.

This air test was designed to show you quickly how your Discriminate Mode works. Each machine may be a little different than all the others, so you may want to take some time and try different targets to find the responses of your machine. At a later date, you may also build a test garden to test your detector in the field.

Set Notch Window Width

There is a very distinct difference between the regular Discriminate and the Notch Filter Discriminate. While both filter out unwanted targets, the regular Discriminate Level knocks out everything below the level it was set at. The Notch Filter Discriminate works only in a certain band and does not affect the targets below or above it. This gives the detector the advantage of losing most of the pull tabs and still keeping nickels and gold rings. The Notch Filter Discriminate has two settings—NARROW and WIDE.

NARROW covers most pulltabs and WIDE covers pull tabs and most screw caps.

While in either Notch Mode, the NOTCH WIDTH knob becomes active. This knob controls the edge of the notch window in the nickel/pull tab/gold ring area and allows you to determine what targets will be inside the notch window. Turning the knob counterclockwise, towards the wider part of the graphic, increases the size of the window and the number of targets that are discriminated. Turning the knob clockwise, towards the thinner part of the graphic, decreases the size of the window and allows more targets to be found. After you are finished with the Quickstart, take some time to familiarize yourself with the NOTCH WIDTH control. Find the setting that best suits your hunting style and the local conditions.

NOTE: No detector can guarantee to discriminate out all of the pull tabs and respond to all of the gold rings. The Golden µMax uses the Notch Width knob so the user can determine the amount of Notch Filter Discrimination that is right for their location and hunting style.

With the DISCRIMINATE LEVEL at MIN, move the NOTCH switch to the left into the NARROW position.

For simplicity, we will only work in NARROW Mode. Try WIDE Mode after finishing Quickstart. At this setting you should be getting responses from the iron target, the nickel and the quarter. Depending on the type and alloy of your pull tabs, some may be responding at this setting. Next, wave the nickel about 3 inches from the coil and slowly turn the NOTCH WIDTH counterclockwise to increase the notch window. As you turn the knob, first you will get a broken signal, then the nickel will no longer respond. Check your other targets. Only the iron and the quarter should give a signal. Then using a pull tab, slowly turn the NOTCH WIDTH knob clockwise to see if the pull tab will respond. Due to the numerous alloys in pull tabs, your tab may respond quickly or not at all. Return the knob to the 12 o'clock position and check your targets once again. You may want to take the time to get more targets and test your NOTCH WIDTH settings.

Next, with your NOTCH WIDTH set at 12 o’clock, turn the DISCRIMINATE LEVEL knob to the preset arrow and check your targets. Only the nickel and the quarter should respond. Now turn the DISCRIMINATE LEVEL knob up to the PULL TAB level. Only the quarter should respond now. By using the regular Discriminate with the Notch Filter Discriminate, you will be able to knock out most of the junk targets that plague a detectorist. But if the DISCRIMINATE LEVEL is set too high in the Notch Mode, it will override the notch settings and you will lose the valuable nickel and gold ring targets.

Conclusion

Congratulations, you have just finished the Quickstart for your new Golden µMax metal detector and in the process have learned quite a lot about your detector. But experience is the best teacher. I would recommend that you get out and practice with your detector as much as possible. Any time spent using your detector will give you valuable experience.

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OPERATING TECHNIQUES FIELD USE

Handling Your Detector

The detector should be held in a position that is comfortable for you as shown in the “Adjusting the Pole & Searchcoil” section in “Getting Started.” Swing the detector from side to side in about a three foot arc, overlapping succeeding strokes well. This motion is called a “sweep.” The Golden µMax was designed to get maximum depth without the frantic pace required of earlier motion detectors, so go at a pace that is comfortable for you. In fact, trying to hunt too fast may even cause a loss of depth in heavily mineralized locations.

Regardless of which mode you are using, try to keep your searchcoil height constant and close to the ground. Most people tend to raise the coil at the end of a sweep—much like a pendulum—especially if in a hurry. Try to avoid this, as any increase in height from the ground will cause a corresponding loss of depth.

In areas with well-kept lawns, the easiest way to maintain a constant searchcoil height is to allow the coil to rest on the grass as you sweep from side to side. In rough and rocky areas, it is best not to “scrub” the coil on the ground, as the rocks will act like abrasives and wear away the coil bottom (an optional coil scuff cover will protect against this). Sweep the coil as close to the ground as possible without touching. Hitting the ground or rocks may cause a false signal much like a desired target would. Sweeping the coil too high above the ground results in a loss of depth.

Planting a Test Garden

To better learn how your detector will perform in the field, it would be helpful to bury some coins and trash metal items in an area that you know is clear of other metal objects. Check the area with DISCRIMINATE LEVEL set at MIN to be sure it's clear of trash, then bury the targets at least 1 foot apart and from 3 to 5 inches deep to start. Make a map of the area to be sure you know what each target is and how deep it is. Practice on these targets to familiarize yourself with your detector’s target response. This will also help you learn the proper sweep speed for best operation. This type of practice area is often called a “test garden” or “test bed” and is one of the best tools to help you develop your metal detecting skills.

Recognizing False Signals in Discriminate Mode

When operating in the DISC Mode, some “false signals” may be caused by 1) heavy concentrations of trash metal objects, 2) very large trash metal objects, or 3) electrical interference. These signals are generally short, choppy sounds and sound different than “good signals” (good target response sounds).

At the end of your sweep, as you reverse the coil direction, the detector is most susceptible to trash-induced noise. There are two ways to tell whether these sounds are good deep signals or trash “noise.” The first is by repeatability. Trash-induced noises will not be regular as you sweep the coil over the suspected target several times, whereas a good target response will be repeatable. The second method is to switch to ALL METAL Mode and check the target response sound. If the response is weak, it may well be a deep, good target. But if the response is very strong, it is probably trash. Note that a coin close to the surface can give a double beep sound, but it is regular and repeatable. Raising the coil an inch or two will restore the single beep on surface targets.

Recovering a Target

If the target is shallow and the soil is soft, you may be able to “probe” and find the exact location of the target before you dig it. Since filling all holes after you recover the target is so important, digging a small precise hole is best. If the target is deep, you may need to dig a larger hole. As you dig, occasionally check the hole with your detector to see if you have moved the object, can probe it or have already dug it. Be sure to fill all holes after you recover the target. Be sure to protect your hobby by leaving the site cleaner than you found it and with all holes filled!

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RECOMMENDED RECOVERY METHODS

Adapted from "Tools 'N Techniques" By Robert H. Sickler

METHOD 1 - "PROBE AND DRIVER"

Used in less moist lawns where targets are not so deep (1 to 4 inches) and where “plugging” is objectionable. This method requires more practice but is much less damaging to grass than Method 2- “Plugging” shown in the next section.

After pinpointing the target, use a nonmetallic probe such as a modified fiberglass fishing rod or a metallic probe such as a blunted ice pick (the former causes less damage to the target) to locate the target depth (Figure 1A). Next insert an eight-inch screwdriver on center just above the target and rotate slightly to open the ground (Figure 1B). Now insert the screwdriver just under the target at an angle and lever the target to the surface (Figure 1C). Brush all loose dirt back into the hole and close the hole by exerting pressure all around the opening (Figure 1D).

 

METHOD 2 - “PLUGGING”

Used only where allowed in natural wooded areas and very moist lawn areas. Plugging in hard dry ground can damage grass roots leaving yellow “dead spots” in time.

After pinpointing the target, use a six-inch sturdy hunting knife to cut three sides of a four-inch cube around the target center (Figure 2A). Cutting a “hinged” cube-shaped plug rather than a complete cone-shaped plug will properly orient its return, prevent its removal by a lawnmower, and lessen the chance of scratching the target. With the knife blade, carefully pry against the cube side opposite the “hinge” and fold back (Figure 2B). Sweep the searchcoil over the plug and hole to isolate the target location. If the target is in the plug, carefully probe until located. If the target is in the hole and is not visible, probe the bottom and sides until located, then remove it (Figure 2C). Repeat sweep for additional targets. Replace all loose dirt with the plug. Seat the plug firmly with your foot (Figure 2D).

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GENERAL INFORMATION CARE AND USE

Basic Care

The Golden µMax is a sturdy instrument, but it is not designed to withstand abuse. In caring for your Golden µMax, there are several important “DO NOTs” to remember. DO NOT use it to pry rocks loose or to beat bushes out of the way. DO NOT drop the machine into water. DO NOT use it unprotected in the rain. DO NOT leave it exposed at night where dew could form on it. DO NOT store it in places that could get extremely hot (next to a woodstove or in an attic). DO NOT leave it in the trunk of a car or in the back of a hatchback-style car where high temperatures could build up. DO NOT store it with the battery installed as batteries may leak. DO NOT spray lubricants such as WD-40, or any type of cleaners, solvents, sealants or other chemicals into or onto the electronic parts, switches or controls. And finally, DO NOT attempt to modify or repair the detector’s electronics as this will void your detector's warranty.

THE WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER DAMAGE RESULTING
FROM AN ACCIDENT, NEGLECT OR ABUSE.

Protecting Your Investment

Often detectorists are disappointed when their new detector slowly becomes less and less responsive and seems to have lost some of its original peak performance. You can help prevent this from happening to your detector by following these basic care and protection guidelines.