Well, I sold a loaded, mint, '87 Mark III 1X12 and bought a Mint used Nomad 55 2X12 for much less than I got from the Mark III, and got much better sounds in addition to the extra cash. And I get that better sound with just three outboard devices, instead of the seven I was running on the Mark III. The Nomad is easy to use and can switch from clean smooth jazz to screaming metal to blues with just a push on a foot switch. Other than a reverb that is so weak it's worthless, what is there not to like? Heavy reverb is "out of style" anyway. And it is so much easier to set up than the old Mark III, it is almost impossible to believe these two amps had the same manufacturer! When I bought the Nomad, it was at a local music store where they stocked new Lone Stars and all the other new Mesa line-up amps. I tried them all out, and said "Yeah, whatever." Then, I spotted the Nomad 55 and said "What is that?' The salesman said that it was a used Mesa amp, and I asked to try it out. It looked just like new. And when I played through it, it was an "Oh my God" moment. I asked the price, and it was less than 1/3 of those new Mesa amps that (IMO) didn't sound as good. I bought it on the spot. Then, when I got it home and downloaded the owners' manual from the Mesa web site. I discovered that I had tested the amp using channel 1 for overdrive/sustain, whereas I should have been using channel 2 or 3. Then I had another "Oh my God" moment.
I don't see for the life of me why the Nomad seems to the "black sheep" of the Mesa family. While it can be improved upon with a few outboard effects (like a simple active graphic EQ), the basics are all there for me. Not at all like that horrible, nasal sounding Mark III that I sold for big bucks, on which the tone controls were so intertwined that I never got it set up right. And the Mark III had no "solo boost" feature that (IMO) is so necessary for live performances.
It is said that imitation is the greatest form of flattery. Carvin's V 3 is nothing but a Mesa Nomad with additional tone shaping controls associated with the overall master volume control.
Bottom line, to the OP, you made the right choice with the Nomad 45. And, we certainly need a separate forum for the Nomad. From my experience with Mesas in the 80's and their current line-up, it just may be that the Nomad is the best amp that Mesa ever made.
+2 for a Nomad forum.
