New Nomad owner with questions

[wheels_detroit]

I just bought my first Mesa: A Nomad, on a deal I couldn't pass up. The local music store here is no longer carrying Mesa's, so the few they still have in stock are being sold dirt cheap. Got my Nomad 45 2x12 for 700$.

The questions I have follow:

My Nomad came with Celestion Vintage 30's. Are these the "Normal" speakers for this amp?

I do not see near as many postings for the Nomad on this forum as I do for other Mesa's; anyone know why?

What would be the best extension cab to pair with the Nomad, another 2x12 w/ Vintage 30's, or a different set of speakers to make a different tone. If so, which speakers?

Thanks for reading, and your expertise and opinions if you answer.

 

[fdesalvo]

Congrats on the score! I cannot answer your question, but am curious about these amps, as well. What sort of music do you play and what tones are you getting from your Nomad? Could you say it sounds like any particular band or is better for one style over the other?

 

[dylan7620]

the vin 30s are probably stock, as i've seen many combos come with them.

nomads are kind of an underdog in the mesa line. they are a great all around amp that are extremly vesitile. but i think mesa's approach to taking the gain down (compared to its predecessor the dual caliber series) is why so many have a problem with them. leaving most of the high gain territory to the mark and rectifier series, though it should be noted, with a boost in front they can scream and take on just about anything out there. but it does so with finesse, its not nearly as agressive as say a peavey 5150 or a recto.

mesa seems to have answered some calls in leaving the basic line more basic, enter the F-Seires: a stripped down two channel design with a great clean channel and a gain channel that can satisfy a black sabbath fan as much as it can a korn fan. no frills, just a plug and play tone machine.

 

[cvansickle]

My Nomad always sounded tight and punchy through a closed back 412.

 

[Supertaster]

Hi,

Nomads are great amps. I have the 2X12 55w version (with 6L6s instead of the EL84s that yours has). Mine has the Celestion Black Shadows. From memory the 45watt version did come with other speakers.

Why are they less popular? Here are the only reasons I can think of:

1) Some of the early Nomads had dodgy pots. Even though the problem was soon fixed, I think the line's reputation suffered. Also, the design of the knobs can make it hard to see your settings (mine came with a pack of stickers that could be used to mark the knobs)

2) The reverb is weak. It's OK on channel 1 but on 2 & 3 it's very subtle. If I remember correctly the reverb in these is tranny powered, not tube powered. It sounds good to me, but there's just not enough of it

3) The biggest problem, and one that is shared by any 3-channel combo of this sort, is that it has a reputation (undeserved in my opinion) of being a jack of all trades, master of none. The nu-metal guys want their rectos (even though the third channel on this can come very close to a recto) while the blues/hard rock guys want their Mark series' (which the second channel of this can again come close to).

Mesa replaced the Nomads with the F series (awesome amps as well), which are basically stripped-down versions of the same.

It's actually an amazingly versatile amp and can be set up to sound superb on all three channels.
Here's a tip for dialling in your sound:

Keep the master volume at about 12-1 o'clock. Use the Channel Master Volumes (the middle ones on the top of each channel) to set your overall volume. Opening the power stage of this amp up makes it sing.
Set up like this, the amp sounds great at any volume: bedroom or stage.

Matt

 

[dennq45]

My Nomad 45 single 12 has a black shadow.

 

[Gary K]

A friend also has a Nomad 45 2x12 with V30's, so I suppose its somewhat common.

-Gary K

 

[jvk]

Having owned a Nomad 45 for a while now, I've worked out the best tones, but like the others, I found the reverb quite weak on Ch2 & Ch3, so I've modded the circuit and now it sounds like it's being played in a cathedral, it's HUGE.

I've also modded Ch2 to mimic Ch3, so that I could mod Ch3 to be less flubby, and more recto-ish, even though the recto has one more tube stage on Ch3, but the results are pretty good.

One tip: Ch1 is no one-trick pony: for a killer bright lead sound, use the pushed mode and turn the gain & treble up, it sounds awesome.

My combo has a Black Shadow inside.

 

[Supertaster]

jvk,
What did the reverb mod involve? I did a reverb mod to my Mark III years ago and it improved it no end.
Cheers
Matt

 

[jvk]

Hi Matt,

it involves removing 2 resistors and replacing them with wire links. i could show you on the schematic, and will post pics soon.

Jonny

 

[Supertaster]

Thanks,
That would be great.

Matt

 

[wheels_detroit]

Thanks for the inputs to my questions.

As for the type of tones, I seem to be able to mimic Santana using Ch3, can go for any type of clean on ch1, putting distortion pedal in front of ch1 gets high gain, and ch2 is a mid-heavy blues tone. That's what I have so far.

Anyone in the Charleston, SC area, I am transfering there next summer; will be trying to get a band together. More of a group that plays originals, with some interpretations of covers. I play several different acoustics also, and like to have a eclectic mix of music, tones and sound.

Anyone interested?

 

[jonmy7]

Hey jvk I'd love to see the Reverb mod details too... Doesn't sound too hard

 

[jvk]

I posted this mod in this thread:

http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?p=70294

 

[ylo]

I agree with everything posted so far. As for speakers, I don't think you can beat the Trad. 4x12 (V30s) for Ch 3 recto-type sounds. If you want better cleans, go with a brighter speaker (maybe a Jensen or Weber) in a combo cab.

The V30 (open back) that you have now is pretty good compromise. I think a C90 would sound a little darker, more like a closed back 4x12 with V30s, if that's your thing.

 

[vexed73]

My Nomad 45 came with VIN. 30's but I replaced them with Jensen Neos. Vin. 30 are just too harsh for my ears. The jensens are similar in voice but smoother making them a little more vintagy sounding.

 

[fabien]

I've got a Nomad 45 1x12 that originaly came with a Mesa Black Shadow C90. I purchased a 2x12 Carvin Legacy cab with 2 V30s. The mix of the MC90 and the 2 V30s is quite good but I recently replaced the MC90 with a V30 because when using the combo by itself the lead tones were a bit shrill. The V30 makes them more creamy. The MC90 has slightly better clean though, more balanced, the V30 can be a bit honky but in a band the V30 cuts through much better. Of course it's all a matter of taste but for overall use I prefer the V30s and I prefere them in a 1/2 open cab. I play Jazz and fusion.
I'm now looking for a Celestion G12H30 to put in the 2x12 cab along with a V30. Seems to be a great combo.
A short time ago a friend and I A/B'ed (or A/B/C'ed) the Nomad on the MC90, a V30 and a Rola Celestion G12-65, very interesting how different they sounded. G12-65 was quite vintage creamy and noticably less loud, MC90 balanced and punchy but leads a bit shrill and V30, well V30!
I don't know if your amp has been played a lot already but it's worth to take the 20 minutes speaker break in on channel 1 with the master volume and bass full open, high, mid, gain and channel volume 1/2 open, chunking open chords and palm mute to get the cone moving, it does improve the bass response dramatically (but much less your relation with the neighbours), the speaker really opens up.

Fabien