Mesa/Boogie Nomad 55 112

I love my Mesa Boogie Nomad 55! This is the best club amplifier I've ever found, and I've been through a lot of them. None of the crackle and fuzz of Fender DeVille or Deluxe amps, and much better sound than the Marshall club amps.

I love the 3 independent channels ... and w/ vintage/modern switches on each channel, it's like having 6 separate channels. (I typically like the vintage side of all 3 channels, but that's just because they suit my style better).

Each channel has Gain, Volume, Presence, Reverb, Treble, Mid & Bass controls. It also rocks that the amp's Master Volume is totally independent of each channel's channel volume, so you can set very heavy gain/distortion but keep the volume down if you need without losing any of the drive or sound quality as would happen with most other amps.

Plus there's a solo switch for extra volume or leads, and you can also adjust the amp's power from 5% to 100% on the back, which gives the amp more or less punch or volume.

Separate outs on back for effects loops, another speaker/cabinet, to a slave amp/head, direct to board/recording (or headphones for practice), AND you can swap the 6L6s out for EL34s (w/ bias switch) to get different response type of distortion if you prefer EL34s, but I find the 6L6s kick in quickly at low Master volume because you have separate channel volume and the power adjustment on the back of the amp so you can push them.

Are you kidding, ... in this class of amplifier, nothing beats it. All my friends that play Fenders, Marshalls, Vox, and lots of other brands are constantly wanting to play through my amp instead of theirs.

I set up Channel 1 clean, Channel 2 with a good amount of distortion (but not too much) --
and then I adjust them until I get the relative volumes on both channels to be equal. I use both channels for rhythm - either clean or distorted, depending on the song.

I then set channel 3 up lounder and heavily distorted for leads.
I also use my Tube Screamer over Channel 1 or 2 for leads.
Or you can use the Solo button on footswitch over Ch. 1 or 2.

So LOTS of great sounding options that are incredibly easy to access.

This is also a great studio amp for recording - particularly because of
it's ability to deliver great sound & distortion at low Master volume
and/or through or in combination with the direct recording out

I've never had a problem with the amp's performance or sound quality.

I did bust the 6L6s once when putting the footswitch in the back of the amp
(which is my only very minor complaint about this amp since there's not a lot
of room to squeeze the footswitch into it's resting case in back of amp),
but they are easily replaced. Went to Guitar Center, out in less than 5 minutes.
Now I just carry extra two 6L6s (or EL34s) and the channel tubes (four 12AX7s)
with my normal gig stuff.

Have never had an issue -- I've heard that Mesa Boogie is pretty good about standing behind their products.

This really is one of the most incredible and versatile club amps ever built.

Great clean tones for jazz & blues, or with a mild distortion for blues or rock,
or with the grunge, heavy rock or metal distortion - with nice squealing overtones.

Great versatility for almost any type of gig or situation with lots of tonal options.

3 channels with independent voicing for each. solo boost. reverb. effects loop. Exactly the features I would want in an amp.

Channel one (clean) Decent sounding. Not as sparkley as a fender, but with enough reverb and a strat it sounds alright. use the pushed feature to get kind of a tube screamer tone but the volume increases drastically with this switch.

Channel two (rhythm) I prefer to use this channel as the high gain lead channel. It sounds brighter and more full. Pretty versatile tone. Make sure not to turn the gain, mid & bass all of the way up. Becomes way too muddy and sounds like just noise. Its hard to distinguish different chords. Setting Suggestion: Gain-330, Master-8oclock, Presence-130, Treble-4oclock, Mid-1oclock, Bass-12oclock. with the switch turned to modern.

channel three (lead) Best used as a rhythm channel. Too much gain makes it muddy sounding. Setting suggestion: Gain-11oclock, Master-1oclock, presence-2oclock, Treble-4oclock, Mid-2oclock, Bass-3oclock. with switch turned to modern.

Not the exact tone I am looking for but I can work with it and all of the different features make it very convenient for me.

Mesa quality and reliability. No problems with the amp functionally.

Overall this amp is user friendly and convenient. could be considered the lazy mans amplifier. Once you dial in your tones, which isnt the easiest, its nice to have the 3 channels to choose from, a solo boost, reverb all in the 5 button footswitch & an effects loop.

Great set of features - just can't be faulted

Sound quality is amongst the best you will ever hear from a combo with a single 12" speaker

Had a few problems with the pots, they would basically fall apart, however Mesa Boogie replaced all pots free of charge! - Apparently there was a design fault with some pots - so to avoid problems Mesa changed them all, can't ask fairer than that

First class!

I play in a live covers band, lots of styles from floyd to reggae to rock to country and this amp does it all, most happy with it, there are some samples of the versitality of this amp on our web site http://www.storydogs.com, check it out!

55 watt tutto a valvole 6L6 finali,3 canali eq separata reverbero separato per ogni canale,molto versatile fornito di una bella pedaliera per il cambio dei canali e l'inserimento del reverbero
cono celestion da 90 watt che fa un ottimo lavoro uscita cuffie e direct line per il mixer o il recording...direi che ?? fatto molto bene e ha tutto il necessario per le pi?? svariate situazioni,il peso e l'ingombro sono nella norma (intorno ai 20kg +/-) quindi si trasporta senza eccessive difficolt??.
Il volume ?? soddisfacente per lo studio a casa(non tanto per il condominio con pareti di cartone),veramente buono per la sala prove e per i piccoli e medi club,attaccato ad una 2X12 il suono si apre alla grande e microfonandolo diventa adatto anche a situazioni di palco impegnative,tutto sommato un combo molto versatile ed un ottimo strumento di lavoro e di piacere.

La qualit?? del suono ?? eccellente,ma dobbiamo sempre considerare che un amplificatore molto versatile come questo perde qualcosa in carattere,la dinamica comunque ?? sorprendente ed ?? picevolissimo da suonare quanto a morbidezza e risposta al tocco.

CANALE VERDE(CLEAN):
Ispirato alla serie Mark ?? un ottimo pulito ricco di armoniche e pieno ,ovviamente non ci si pu?? aspettare il clean di un black face
ma sicuramente molto buono e utilizzabile

CANALE VERDE PUSHED:

WOW ...da sballo veramente molto bello si riescono a ottenere ottimi suoni blues e sonorit?? SRV,?? chiaro che non ?? lo stesso suono,chiunque suoni un minimo sa benissimo che per il suono di Steve ci vuole un Fender spinto da un overdrive,comunque il risultato ?? molto buono e apprezzabile...GRANDE!

CANALE GIALLO (CRUNCH):

Anche qu?? c'?? poco da dire un crunchettone della madonna sia nel modo vintage che modern si spazia molto tra suoni hendrixiani o ac-dc style, ma spinto molto diventa un ottimo lead sia dolce (santanoso)che molto rock

CANALE ROSSO (DISTORTO):

Qu?? sono rimasto contrariato,ho venduto la mia road king e mi sono comprato il nomad proprio per motivi di comodit?? e portabilit?? ed alcuni rewiew precedenti mi hanno stupito parecchio.
Infatti alcuni utenti reclamavano una certa mancanza di gain....MANCANZA DI GAIN???
L'ampli in realt?? di gain ne ha da vendere e ci si pu?? fare praticamente qualunque cosa,non ha il timbro della recto sono d'altronde ampli diversi, ma ci si f?? quello che si vuole con questo canale senza tanti complimenti.
Tutto sommato un bell'8 non glielo toglie nessuno, perde un punto giusto sul pulito,che naturalmente non ?? fender o hiwatt e un punto sul distorto che non ?? il classico dual rectified ma comunque un gran bell'ampli con ampia scelta di suoni.

Non lo so e spero di non doverlo scoprire.

Come sopra!

Tutto sommato un gran bell'ampli,la Mesa lo ha progettato considerando le esigenze dei musicisti e ne ?? venuto fuori un gran prodotto.
Unisce infatti versatilit?? e grande volume a leggerezza e trasportabilit??,i tre canali offrono una bella variet?? timbrica pur mantenendo un ottima dinamica e buona risposta al tocco.
Buono per provare a casa,eccellente per la sala prove e locali piccoli e medi ed infine attaccandolo ad una 2X12(nitrocab con coni vintage 30) si ottiene un miglioramento esponenziale sia della qualit?? del suono che del volume,trasformandosi in un ottima bestia da palco.
Di solito ci suono con una jem ed una PRS ottenendo risultati eccellenti,con la mia strato custom shop invece devo smanettarci un po di pi?? per sistemare il suono.
L'unico difetto che gli si pu?? imputare ?? la mancanza di un carattere preciso,lo si pu?? definire come il classico ampli di mezzo adatto al professionista che cerca una buona variet?? timbrica in un'ampli che rimane comunque un high gain,un classico jolly da tirare fuori per tutte le stagioni sonore possibili ed in tutte le situazioni.
Venduta la mia road king l'ho preso pensando di tenerlo un p?? di tempo e poi liberarmene,ma francamente con la versatilit?? che si ritrova devo cominciare a risparmiare perch?? la testata me la devo ricomprare senza permutare questo gioiello che credo far?? parte del mio permanent rig

Circa 2001. I've bought this amp used 1 year ago, I always used it in the gigs in clubs and open air show. I play folk-rock west coast music and I set channel 3 in this way: the gain control at 4/10, vintage type, other controls at half way with little more bass; channel 2: gain at 3/10, vintage type, other controls at half way with a little more high; channel 1: gain at half way, clean type, other controls half way with little more middle and bass.

I use it with a Fender Stratocaster Ultra (with Lace sensor B-G-RR) and another one american standard 2004. I can say that the sound is really good for each channel. This amp gives a full range of tones, so you need to spend some time to find your own sound.

No problems in 1 year. Now it needs to change the pre tubes for the first time.

I've been playing guitar since 1983 and I've got too many tube amps as Fender the Twin, Hughes & Kettner Triamp, Soldano Reverb'o'sonic, Fender Hot rod De Ville... so I can say that Mesa Nomad 55 is one of the best amp I've played and I could change it only with another Mesa Boogie.

After reading the reviews for the nomad, I noticed a big gap in opinions. It seems people either think this amp is perfect or absolutely terrible. In fact, the truth is somewhere imbetween.
This amp is loaded with features, and you can read other reviews to see what those are. Mine is a 99 I think. The amp is fairly versatile, but always has certain nuances to its sound that are either a curse or a blessing. Chaneels 1 and 2 are fantastic, channel 3 needs some work. Very bright and brittle, with a certain amount of drive that you can never get rid of. Channels modes are very nice, but with only one mode that gives a decent clean sound, you're often left with alot of overdrive tones that vary in usefulness. Other than that, this amp's pretty much got all the features you could ever want. Independent controls per channel are great, but constantly having to tweak them to suit your guitar can be a problem.

My setup: 1999 Jeff Beck Signature Strat through analogman ts9 into mesa boogie nomad. This amp is actually very quiet. The amp definetely has a "personality" to it, regardless of how many knobs you can tweak. Like many Mesa/Boogie's the bottom end is typically very, very loose. This creates a great "deep" sound, but in the overdrive channels the bottom end can be very difficult to tighten up, often leaving you lost in the mix. That is the first sonic issue with this amplifier. The drive is increwdibly meelow, fat and warm of channel 2 and 1 pushed, and actually sounds quite nice, but don't think you can get a fender-esque tight bottom end out of these channels. No matter how much you tweak the knobs, the drive personality is still dominant. Channels 3, in my opinion, is almost a complete waste. I'm the type of player that likes mild overdrive and being able to dial in a sound where how hard you play is how much drive you get. In channel 3 there is always a ceratin amount of drive that you can't get rid of. The tone is edgy and trebly, with a fast attack that I found to be rather unmusical. They should have just put another channel 1 or 2 in it's spot and this amp would become twice as good. Its frustrating because you buy a 3 channel amplifier assuming that you're going to have a use for all 3 channels, but when you can't get a good sound out of channel 3 to save your life you're really jst using a 2 channel amp.

Seems reliable, but tubes can always fail. Weighs a ton, so I hope its indestructable.

I have been playing for 12 years semi-professionally and have been on a quest to find the perfect amp for a while now. That quest will have to continue because while the nomad is flashy, expensive, and very deep it has some sonic flaws already mentioned that drag down the whole package. I just sold it to buy a cheaper, lighter, better sounding amplfiier. In my opinion these nomads are more hype than substance, and really don't deliver in flexibility and practicality like it should for its cost and reputation. Good mellow sound, but rather inflexible given the number of knobs that are on this thing. Channels 3 needs work. Channels 1 and 2 are very good, yet loose with a sometimes fizzy top end. I would buy this amp for 400, 500, but not for 1000. You can get better, lighter amps for less money.

Not sure what year the amp was made, but the serial number is below 50. If anyone knows how to date a Boogie please contact me!

This thing is extremely versatile for an all tube amp. 3 discreet channels, with 2 modes per channel, blendable effects loop, seperate EQ/reverb for each channel, direct line out, and a rugged footswitch to control most of the features.

I wish the footswitch had a button to turn the effects loop on/off like my old Marshall pre-amp had, but other than that I think it might have too many features!

Also, the amp has plenty of power. I've never had any problems keeping up with other guitarists/my drummer/or my bass player.

I play a PRS SE Soapbar II and a Fender Strat equipped with Texas Specials. The only pedal I use is my trusty tubescreamer. I usually run a Marshall 1965b 4x10 extension cabinet to fill out the sound.

I normally run the clean channel on the regular mode, and dial in an approximate Fender sound. I have found it sounds a whole lot better if I run it through my friend's open back Avatar cabinet as opposed to the stock Celestion Black Shadow. It gets a lot "fuller" sounding, and a lot closer to a typical "Fender" clean. This channel sounds great with my tubescreamer, which is one of my main requirements when amp shopping.

The orange channel is probably my favorite if I had to pick one. Very smooth gain, but when I kick on my Tubescreamer it gets raunchy as hell. I usually play with the TS off while my singer is in verse, but kick on the TS for leads/riffs/heavier parts. With the volume cranked up and the power tubes cooking this channel gets an awesome lead tone.

I don't use the red channel very often because of my single coil equipped guitars, but on occassion I will grab my friend's Les Paul and wail. The lead channel has a LOT of gain on tap in modern mode, and can pull off the "scooped mid" sound without hesitation. I play in an Indy rock style band so that's another reason I don't really use this channel.

Seems to be built extremely well, the footswitch is sturdy, no scratchy pots, nothing rattling loose from excessive volume, and overall I'm impressed.

I had a tube go out the first week of owning it, but it was my fault for trying to pull it out without releasing the clips that hold them in. Complete stupidity on my part.

Never dealt with them.

This is the jack of all trades amplifier. Not the best on any certain channel, but damn good nonetheless. Plus it's like having 3 amps in one. I hate amps that have common EQ's for different channels, because what may sound good for a clean sound might sound awful with gain on top of it.

Amp is one of the last 100 made. 3 channels,EFX Loop,Master Loudness, Comes with 2 6L6'S and 5 12AX'7s. I play this amp for all styles of music,PLENTY of power,,Loudest Darn 55 watts you wil ever hear.Mesa quit making their (IMHO)their best all around amp.This amp has tone for weeks,can tweak it to ANY sound stage you care to..and built like a Panzer Tank,,I dropped mine twice,,had the usual beer baptism,,no problems of any kind.

I have to many guitars to mention,,except to say i have been playing over 30 years,,all giutars sound great,,some you have to fiddle with,,but hey,,that's any amp..I must admit my Washburn HB 35 with seymore duncan jazz pickups just kills..but any style of guitar plays well,,just spend a few minutes to dial it in.

Being dropped,,soaked in beer,,road damage,,not a thing needed repaired

Have dealt with Mesa about tubes,,were most helpful,,just one hint to those like me who are tone freaks,,Nomadd 55 does not like JAN 12AX's.
I have fiund electro harmonix 12ax's along with winged "C" sed 6L6's do just fine

playing 30 plus,own a couple marshall's,,use them for recording,,ownn a old old Vox AC30,,I keep the Mesa because in overall terms i have found no amp that does so much so well, it's not perfect,,,but comes damm close

No sense repeating specs over & over again. The ?recording out? works pretty decent, but it?s no match for an SM57 into the board.

My Setup = Fender US Special Fat Strats > Dunlop 95Q Wha > Boss TU2 Tuner pedal > Boss OC-3 Octave > MXR EVH Phase90 > Nomad 55 + Mesa 1x12 Extension cabinet both with Celestion Black Shadow 90?s.

I find the Nomad Reverb to be fine. It does get progressively weaker as you go towards more gain, say from Ch1 where it?s very strong to Ch3 where it?s hardly there. That?s OK because, a high level of distortion with a lot of (pre-production) reverb sounds crappy.

If I really want to crank it out, I?ll use the effects loop to go stereo out to the clean channel on my Peavey Bandit 1x12. There I?ll have the Effects Loop at approx. 50% Mix, with a ART SGX T2 Multi-Effect Processor for your usual time-based effects like, Stereo Chorus, Delay, Reverb, Flanger. This setup is so addictive. Sometimes I?ll go for hours and not even realize it!!!

Word of advice ? spring for the $130 bucks for the NEW footswitch!!! The old FU2 has buttons that are spaced so close together that you need to wear cockroach killers to change channels in the heat of jamming

Ch1: Normal ? I use for when I play with my Country fellows. Otherwise I?ll turn up the Gain, back off the Master to compensate when I need a little more FAT (check out the manual for some excellent settings like Twang or ? Hyper Clean).

Ch1 Pushed ? Like an angry little ?champ?, personally, I don?t use it much. I prefer Ch2 with the volume rolled back to achieve this kind of a sound.

Ch2 Vintage ? Definitely my most heavily used channel. Nice ?gunka-chunk? well rounded, excellent sustain. Punch in the Solo button and this thing rips.

Ch2 Modern - I don?t use it much.

Ch3 Modern ? Ultimate heavy sound, back off the Treble and Mid controls to reduce the fizzy nature and it really sings. I love doing drop-D stuff, and add a little delay + wha, and it?s my pseudo Joe Satriani solo for days vibe.

Ch3 Vintage ? definitely NOT a clone of Ch2 Vintage, again I haven?t needed to use it.

As you can see, it?s like I?ve only tapped into half of the Nomads potential. You can spend hours finding new sounds. Personally I enjoy that kind of tone tweaking whereas other players may not. If you want plug and play, this may not be the amp for you (check out the F30 or F50, they kick ass too, and have a very basic front panel layout ? but - no solo button which is why I went toward the Nomad) I?ve found some cool stuff using the manual as a starting point and then experimenting from there.

I?ve done a bunch of gigs with it and haven?t had any problems. Hey ? it?s a tube amp - you must keep some track of the last time you?ve changed them. Was it last year, 6 months ago???? When your sound starts going in and out, or tones begin to sound flat with no changes in EQ ? swap them out. That?s the other beautiful part of a Mesa - you can really do all of that stuff yourself, and not have to worry about biasing.

Mesa Customer Service is the best !!!!!! 5 Star***** I always get to speak to someone, and if they?re not there, they WILL return your call. The receptionist sounds really hot too....

I?ve been playing for close to 20 years and have tried a bunch of stuff. I am partial to 6L6?s so please consider this when weighing my comments. This is the amp I?ve always wanted, that fits my playing and power needs at this stage in my ?so called? career. If I did hit it big, then it would be nice to have stacks of Dual Rectifiers in my back line, but for now if I need that much more I?ll just use power amps off of the Nomad to run 4x12 cabs. I?m currently looking for another Nomad (maybe just the head version) as a backup.

Not sure what year the amp was made. I had it for about a year. I do jazz, funk/rock fusion jazz, pop, classic rock, etc., but I mainly used it for praise and worship events in large and small venues. Also took it to a studio once to overdub guitar tracks for live recording. I think this amp suits blues, rock/classic rock or background guitar for contemporary pop pretty well. Three independent channels with separate controls per channel is a big plus. Effect loops have a level control and sound allright. I think it has direct recording or headphone jacks (not sure) but they are by and large useless in IMO. I can't really think of any major features that you need for serious channel switching that it doesn't have. 50W is adequate or probably too loud for the praise and worship venues that I play where guitar is not really the center of the band chemistry. All tube preamp and power amp sections.

I've recently down-size my rig a bit so right now I only have a light weight custom-shop LP with Seth Lovers, a cheap but awesome sounding ES-175 style jazz box and a strat that I put together. Somehow, my LP sounds really thin through this amp especially for solo work (probably due to the pickups). Stock 57's on LP sounded really nice and full on clean, but I thought they were a bit muddy on distortion, but now I'm starting to think that Seth Lovers are on the opposite end of the spectrum. So I need to find something inbetween. The jazz box doesn't sound good through this amp either. The clean sound from this amp is a bit narrow and focused in the mids for a nice full ambient hollow-body sound. But Boogies are not generally known for the Fender-style big, full, light clean tone anyways, so this is no surprise.

Anyways, because of the above, I always used the amp with the strat. My strat has an original Fender neck with a maple board and extra superlight two piece ash body, custom-ordered from Warmoth (this is a deadly combination). The bridge is L.R. Baggs x-bridge with piezo saddles. The acoustic sound from the L.R. Baggs piezos doesn't sound real/good enough to my ear so I barely use it, and also you sacrifice a little bit of Fendery snappy "quack" due to the piezo saddles that strings sit on, so I don't recommend this. For pickups, I go back and forth inbetween S-S-S and S-S-H but I'm using S-S-H format more nowadays. I used to have 250k pots for both volume and tone becuase I thought the amp was a little on the high-end side (from playing through the LP above and also compared to Heartbreaker that I used to have), but I recently switched back to 500k pots and the amp sounds pretty good. I'm using two Dimarzio Virtual Vintage pickups (blues model in the neck/regular in the middle) and a Seymour Duncan JB in the bridge. Humbuckers are generically darker sounding than single coils, but JB's have enough highs to be compatable with the two Dimarzios.

Overall, the amp sounds really good with my strat:
- The clean on channel one lacks responsiveness and a bit focused in the mids, but with proper EQ, is decent enough for clean rythm works. The headroom is adequate and the breakup point is reasonable. The pushed mode gives you more of tweedy slightly overdriven sound, which I think the blues players would enjoy.
- Channel two is more of an extention of the pushed mode of channel one. The tone is very barky/fat/full/round while the sound opens up and projects more on the modern mode.
- Channel three is for high gain application and definately has the British flavor with a tiny hint of 80's compressed distortion sound. It has tigher bottom, more compressed, crunch and definition than channel two. The vintage mode softens up/rounds out the edgeness a bit. Right on the money for rock, classic rock, heavy blues, etc. The distortion can get pretty heavy & think, but not as much as the Rectifiers.
- The amp is generally quiet. Spring reverb sounds ok.

Never had any problems with it.

They usually return calls within the same day you call and are helpful.

I'm a live/studio musician and have tried/owned various amps in the past. Some old-time Marshall fans don't like Boogies, but Boogies definately have earned its own place in the guitar amp world, and Nomads certainly have that signature Boogie sound (fat-honky-syrupy etc). If you're looking for a channel switching blues and rock guitar amp, give this amp a try.

I bought this amp in december 2004.
This amp is great - the best amp I ever try. You can play all kind of music and you'll always be amazed by pure tube tone - full tone. I play Blues, Hard rock, Progresive rock, and Heavy metal.
I use all features (3 ch, rec out...) for live shows and studio. (6L6 tubes for live performance, EL34 in studio)
This amp loves good guitars. If you have $100 guitar, you'll get $100 sound. I play Ibanez John Petrucci plugged in Nomad 55. Effects: Alesis Midiverb4 and DBX 266XL.

This amp loves good guitars. If you have $100 guitar, you'll get $100 sound. I play Ibanez John Petrucci plugged in Nomad 55. Effects: Alesis Midiverb4 and DBX 266XL.

Clean channel is like all Mesa Boogie clean channels - The best! (I tested it with Fender Strat, Ibanez John Petrucci, some great old USA made Hamer models - sounds great!

Works great, but it's still new. I had problem with reverb, but changing two reverb cables solve the problem.

dont know, No customer support for Croatia (where is that?)

8 years of active playing - lots of amps, preamps, racks, pedal boxes...
Now, like I said: Ibanez John Petrucci plugged in Nomad 55. Effects: Alesis Midiverb4 and DBX 266XL. Hooked up with Planet Wave cables - and you are ready to ROCK

has a lot of features i'll give it that...maybe too many...see other reviews for the details

sounds ok. but ....it is not worth the $$$. it is too brittle and honky-read midrange...yeah i know ya have to work at it to get your sound out of it. why? why would i have to work at it? these are expensive amps. shouldnt they sound good with a standard setting,without all this tweaking,and then just get better as you tweak it.?i honestly wanted to give this amp a chance but it took to long for boogie to repair it...after it died...see reliability.

this is the good part... worked for a bout a two weeks it started acting up. the treble controls on all three channels died and would only work past half way after that they would suck all the tone out so it sounded like a moving blanket was just thrown over it......i took it in to my AUTHORISED RIPOFF CENTER ...READ: BOOGIE DEALER and they said they would fix it...fast forward to SIX weeks later...still no fixed amp...they are waiting on parts and are gonna replace all of the pots on the amp.they said boogie told them to just go ahead and do this...uh-huh....why? that was today.... they told me maybe by the end of the year it would be repaired i said like hell give me my money back &never buy another boogie again....

never bothered i took it straight to the dealer and got jerked around by them instead...

dont buy this amp. it has serious design flaws. boogie wont admit it. but they actually have now. cause they discontinued production. i can honestly say... this amp doesnt even come close to my Marshall DSL in sound,reliability,looks .you name it. it is over priced for the sound it delivers.i have heard the nomad 100 212 and it sounds alot better, but get this,and i am being totally honest here... my friend owns one and its been in for repair 3 times!!! once for the reverb , another for the channel switching and now the clean channel is making alot od strange noises. boogie needs to throw in the towel with these amps they are junk. they can sound decent when they work and have great features. but there is something wrong in the design. you watch they will stop production of the 100 and the 45 next within a year.if your gonna buy a boogie look for an older one maybe a mark2c or a mark 4. i have heard these amps and they can sound great. but i think the new boogies arent what they should be. my marshall sems a litle cheap when com[plared to build quality of the boogie. ok i'll admit it. but they sound killer and they are alot cheaper at least here they are. so good luck if you get a nomad.you'll need it

I bought this amp three years ago and I could not be happier. SO much versatility! You know the specs form reading other reviews so I'll save a half hour of your reading time, because they are so numerous. I use every knob, switch, and input/output on this amp to record, play live, dial in any sound imaginable.

I play with a Schecter C-1+ w/ PRS McCarty pickups, an Ibanez EX series, and a homemade strat-type guitar w/ 3 Texas specials and each not onyly sound great, but sound unique. This Amp lets the tone come through in a blaze of glory. I play everything: jazz, bluegrass, folk, jam, rock, metal, shred, funk, fusion...the list goes on and on, and this amp takes me to all of those palces. My favorite aspect of this amp is thta not only cna I dial in the tone of any guitarist that I listen to and wish to mimic...but I can dial in MY TONE, which is why I bought this amp in the first place. There are many knobs and toggles to twist and flip in order to get to wher eyou want, but the journey is worth it. The tone controls are also very sensitive , which to me, is a good thing. Some have complained of this, but I see it as more oportunity to experiment. You can dial in the cleanest sound ever heard by man, and then boost the treble and all of the sudden you have warm fuzz...a little more and you have more grind. Definitely read the manual, even before you go and try it out at your music shop.

This is definitely a dependable amp...at least mine is...I've read some horror stories about changing tubes every-other-week, but mine have there stock MesaBoogie tubes (now 3yrs old) and they sound great. I take great care of all of my equipment and have never had any trouble thus far. I gig with it all of the time without a backup...sometime I know this will bite me in the ass, but it won't be because my Mesa is junk...every once in a while things need replacing i.e. tubes, switches, etc... No problems after 3 yrs of regular use...I can't complain at all.

I have not dealt with these fine people...My warranty was a 6 yr one, and I don't expect to have to use it.

I've been playing for 8 yrs now, and do not claim to be an expert in the art of guitar; however, I can say that through much use this amp has been kind to me. The sounds that I can dial in (it does become easier after getting used the sensitivity) and the reliability alone would make me buy this amp again if it were lost or stolen. I compared this amp side by side using my #1 guitar (something I recommend everyone do) with Marshall tube and solid state amps, fender tube amps, and a vox AC30 and found this amp to be what I was wanting...not to say anything bad about the other brands, they just did not suit my tonal tastes.

Don't know year, and paid $900 US. A real tube amp. 3 "real" channels with switching pedal. FX loop, outs, speaker out patch bay with ohm matching. Direct out, with speaker mute feature to record. Used on stage and studio.

Les Paul, 335, Tele, Strat and Ibanez "F" hole jazz guitar. This was the amp I waited for all my life. I've only used Fender's and Music Man amps in my life. I've tried many amps over the years, but like most "old school" pickers, I'm a Fender Deluxe guy. I've read otehr reviews and everyone is bitching about the noise when this amp is over driven, and that's like a Strat, "the noise is part of the sound on stage." I didn't want brutal distrotion, as I'm a Blues, R&B, Soul, Funk, Oldie and Jazz guitar player. I did need more than my Fender Deluxe could offer. Fender is the "blues" amp dating back to "T" Bone Walker. Many new era players like Santana and Chris Cain are using Boogie amps. Now I know why. They sing sweet, but are very clean too. They offer many settings of tone and overdrive.

Boogie seems to be way better than Fender, Gibson or Ibanez. They are responsive to players like Paul Reed Smith. Hopefully I'll never have to find out, but most pickers say the try their best.

See above.

Like I said, I need a Fender sound, but with real channels. Fender DeVilles and Deluxes only have two channels with a "more drive" on channel 2. This amp has actual 3 seperate channels, 3 tone settings, 3 reverb settings, and solo "more drive" on each channel. On stage, I need this. Clean for Jazz and Standards. A little bite for Blues and Funk, and some crunch for Boogie tunes - All without fiddling with the knobs all the time. What do they say on TV, "Set It & Forget It.

This is 2002 Mesa Boogie Nomad, 55 Watts, with Custom 90 Celestion Speakers. Three channels (green, orange, red), with 3 separate reverb control, channel master volume, and presence control. It has one toggle switch per channel for 2 different sounds per channel (total 6). It does not have a built in equalizer. For finer tuning, a built in equalizer would definitely be a plus.

There is a separate Master Output, solo boost & effects loop, headphone & recording output, plus a channel switching pedal. I never used the solo boost or effects loop. I prefer preamp & power amp distortion, and will use the effects loop on the mixer board. A slave out is provided to connect to separate power amplifier. I never use a separate power amp.

The downside to all the features is that it will take at least 6 months before you will feel comfortable with it. I have had this amp for more than a year, and I am still finding new tones. I feel like a nomad, traversing the complexity & myriad of guitar tones! If you like plug and play, AVOID THIS AMPLIFIER!!!

Guitar: Schecter C1 with George Lynch Screamin Demon in Bridge & Pearly Gates in the Neck

Style: I play rock, heavy metal, blues; some jazz & alternative. It can perform all styles very well. It will excel in the styles of classic & 80's rock, alternative, blues; as well as country & jazz. It does a a fair job with nu-metal. However, if you like rectifier/Diezel/Bognar/Soldano distortion, this is not your amplifier. The Nomad's distortion is smooth, reminescent of 80's rock & metal; great for blues! It's also mid heavy & bright. If you like to scoop your guitar sound, STAY AWAY FROM THIS AMP! IF you want to chance it, try a distortion or eq pedal, or go for the Nomad 100 (which has an EQ). Mesa Boogie amps lean towards the midrange. I prefer a mid-range tone, ala Santana, Zakk Wylde, SRV, Slash, etc. This amp has tons of mid range complexity!!!

Green channel (8/10): Normal is very clean with much mid range. Can distort at higher levels. If you need headroom, consider a Nomad 100. Custom 90's (speaker) are wonderfully balance, reproducing lows well, and providing much needed shimmer. It is Mark I'ish, and not quite Fender Delux Reverb, Lone Star, F-50. Great for jazz & country due to its warm tone. Push mode is great for blues. When the gain is dialed up (3 O clock), you can get Fender Delux like distorted sounds.

Orange (9.5/10): The vintage mode is the bread and butter of this amp. It is FAT!!! Classic mesa boogie. At lower gain settings, it sounds like a Mark I distorted. Incredible classic rock sounds (iron butterfly anyone?) At higher gain settings, tends to sound like a Mark III, with much less distortion. There are tons of lows. When connected to a 2 x 12 (TQ) Mesa, it provides a heavy, crunchy sound. Great for Metal & Alternative. The modern mode is less useable. The master volume is much louder than any other channel, making it impossible to switch to this channel without bursting an ear drum. There are too much blistering highs. If you set the eq just right & crank the distortion, this will easily sound like a Dual Rectifier with tube rectification & in vintage mode!

Red (9/10): The theme is how tight & fast can you play. At lower Gain settings, the modern mode is reminescent of Marshall Plexi. Great for classic rock (thin lizzy, early van halen, etc) & blues (buddy guy, srv). It cleans up very nice as well. Great alternative to channel ones clean. At higher gain settings (pass 1 o clock), the sound transforms into Mark IV rhythm channel. It doesn't have quite the same distortion as the lead channel, but you can definitely shred (think dream theatre, Metallica)! It provides tons of chunk when connected to a 2 x 12. The bass is set higher so shredding is much easier. The downside of this channel is that it can be too bright. Finally, the vintage mode. One of the best blues sounds at low gain. Sounds much different than the red modern or green mode. Very dynamic & touch sensitive! blues players will love this channel at low gain settings. Higher gain settings sound identical to the modern mode, but it is much warmer. Great lead tone, actually better

Overall, I would rate it a 9. There is an enormous amount of midrange complexity. If you take the time, you can dial in just about any tone you like. I have tried a vintage 30 speaker, it sounded horrible. It loss the tight low end & shimmering highs. The vintage 30 compressed the sound, and brought out even more midrange. I would avoid this speaker, unless you like that tone. If connected to a Mesa Boogie 2 x 12 close back (or 4 x 12), it turns into another animal (since Mesa boogie cabinents tend to sound darker than other cabinents). It isn't as bright or midrange heavy. There are loads of low end. Great for metal/alternative riffs.

Very dependeable! I have change the power tubes once without a problem. I don't have a problem with the fixed bias. This makes changing tubes easier. If you like your tubes to burn out quickly or want a "warmer tone," (p.s. there are so many other ways to get a warmer tone....mahogony body/neck, alnico guitar pickups, different speakers, heavier strings & picks, different types of tubes, etc) you can have the bias adjusted by a guitar tech. I prefer longer lasting tubes. This amp is heavy, & has solid construction. I expect it to last several years/decades. If you gig, always have extra tubes & fuses on hand. As always, great care and attention to subtle problems early will cause your instrument (amp) to last forever.

Tim Mckee & Kevin Robertson are outstanding, knowledgeable support technicians. They always called me on same day, and willing to help. I haven't had a problem with the amp, and did not need service. I don't think I will have a problem. They are prompt, helpful, and very courteous!

If you are a patient individual, in search of that elusive tone & prefer a smooth, mid-range heavy distorted amp; with tons of features, and outstanding service & reliability, consider a Nomad. If you are a perfectionist and want one great tone, consider a lonestar, matchless, komet. If you want over the top distortion, no midrange, overzealous low end & piercing highs, buy a Rectifier. The Nomad is not for everyone, reserved for those who use distortion to serve and not dictate (from Randall Smith).

This is a new (2003) model. Amazingly I got this for 599.00 from GC since it's being phased out. Play mostly Blues (SRV) and old ZEP. This amp had 3 seperate channels AND a SOLO. I thought my CyberTwin was versatile but this thing is amazing. Imagine and amp that has 3 absolutely seperate channels WITH Reverb control for each. What you should know is there is 6 controls for each channel on the front. They are Gain, Volume, Presence, Bass, Mid, Treble. HOW SIMPLE IS THAT? There are 3 clusters of these 6 controls across the board and it's amazingly simple and fast to understand. At first I was a little intimidated but read the book (excellent by the way) and had it down in around 20 minutes. Each Channel has it's own mini-toggle for overdriving the tube just a bit. Head phones and parallel loop effects grace the back in a simple and straightforward manner.

Well, anyone like me who loves different guitar sounds and versatility would understand why I bought a CyberTwin by Fender. But there is NO MISTAKING TRUE TUBE WARMTH. I love the Fender Clean with Reverb and in this setting the Fender shines. I honestly didn't think I could find anything in a true CLASS A amp with versatility until Mesa Boogies Nomad 55.

I play a G&L Commanche (2002) with a gun oil neck and will save up to buy a hand-built guitar or amp. This is a triple single coil that is offset to give it a Z type look on the pickup. The idea was to have them quieter yet slightly hotter by offsetting the pickups just a bit. Well guess what - it works!

Well, if you love that glassy clean reverb tone that only a strat can usually produce, then this is your amp. Why? I mean you could buy a Fender Amp.? Well, that's where the distinction comes in. This amp uses 6L6's tubes which gives that ultra clean and that frankly a EL34 or EL84 can not. Don't get me wrong, the EL's are a great sound too - (more Marshall sounding) What's really cool though is how you can flip to "vintage" and push even the clean tone just a bit to really make it sound like the older blackface twins.

Now, if you like ZEP, Gilmore, etc. you need a Marshall sound too right? well, by having only 55 Watts it breaks the 50w barrier when most amps start using 6L6's. This is a big Power tube and to get that truly thick awesome rock sustain and sound you would normally have to have a Big Wattage Amp pushing the sound so loud it's impractical. This thing just breaks up a little earlier without ear splitting levels and the sound nothing less than remarkable.

Click the Solo footswitch and you have that classic Santana mellow "sustain for days" that made Mesa famous.

True spring reverb with seperate controls for EACH channel is unheard of to me. This alone makes the amp better sounding when switching from cleaner rhythm to a heavily distorted chord progression to a lead.

I hate a noisy amp especially since today's technology can give us much better tolerances and tighter specs. There is nothing smart about having a noisy amp. If you've ever read Aspen Pittmans Tube Amp Book you'll know this is NOT a sign of quality, it's more a sign of poor connections and components.

Well, this thing is amazingly quiet considering the number of tubes in it. Keep in mind this is the "oldest" part of the amp. Tube technology has stayed basically the same for 50 years. The difference is that they are "seated" better and can be matched almost exactly. The only "noise" you might hear is if you crank up the gain all the way WITH the volume, you'll hear a slight hum. But why would you do that anyhow?

If you can't get enough variety between Channel 1 Clean, Channel 2 Marshall / Mesa and Channel 3 Super brutal, then you need multiple amps and the headaches that go with that.

I know everyone raves about what they bought, but I really feel so good about this "GEM" of a find I thought it would help others to at least check this out. MAKE SURE YOU SIMPLY SET THE CONTROLS AT THE STORE TO THE SUGGESTED SETTINGS IN THE BOOK FOR THE SAMPLES OF EACH CHANNEL. YOU COULD LEAVE THE AMP AT THOSE SETTINGS AND BE HAPPY I'M SURE.

I don't gig now but can't imagine this not being miked up perfectly. It's ruggedly built and heavy for a 1 x 12. Much like my Trace Elliot wide cabinet and the workmanship looked flawless.

Mesa actually calls you back PROMPTLY for even the simple questions. NEED I SAY MORE?

I've been playing for 35 years. Have owned everything from big Marshall rigs to digital rack Groove Tubes boutique end gear. But this one, and I mean it would be replaced in a minute.

You know I originally wanted to get one of the Mark IV's since it's essentially the same layout but with more power. But after owning this I can't imagine how more power could make this tone and dynamics any better.

I really hope this rather lengthy review will help someone. I know I read up on these amps plenty before I started driving around in the cold up here in Chicago to find this one. The many contributions are really a treasure and helped me tremendously - I hope this helped someone out.

I won?t go into too much detail, as you probably either already know the features or can read them below. 3 channels, 2 modes per channel, 1x12 Black Shadow speaker, 4:12AX7s and 2:6L6 good for about 55 watts. Independent reverbs, loop, silent switch, and separate solo boost level knob. More features than I typically want, but all are useable without too much headache.

Channel 1 normal: Lots of headroom available. Despite reports below that this channel/mode is excellent, I think it could be much better. It?s not bad; but feels a bit flat and one dimensional to me. It lacks some of the bounce, depth, and sweetness of a truly great clean channel. It?s a bit stiff and lacks any real booty. To its credit, it does sound good in a band context.

Channel 1 pushed: This reminds me of the clean on an old Sunn ? loud, brash, beligerent mids, and breaks up and barks with authority. The tone is thick and firm and the gain can dial in some good barely-overdriven and classic rock sounds. Sounds like a sweaty, obese vintage amp cranked up. I like this mode a lot, but unfortunately don?t have much opportunity to use it in my current band.

Channel 2 normal: This is my favorite mode of the Nomad. The booty is thick, the midrange is syrupy and the highs are sweet and creamy. I use this as for my leads and it is just the ticket. The enormous girth is perfect for single-note comping and harmonizing. The big fat mids cut through without being overbearing and there is a perfect amount of slight looseness on the bottom. This mode itself is worth the price of the Nomad. Vintage Boogie.

Channel 2 modern: This is similar in voicing to the channel 2 normal mode, but with more firmness and control. The booty is firmed, the highs are extended, the presence is increased and it feels a bit stiffer and more defined. Good for edgier solos and more defined chords without sounding too modern. It bridges the gap between channels 2 and 3.

Channel 3 normal: This mode has a much tighter bass, more present highs, and a solid tight midrange. The tone has more bite and edge, but is still pleasing and doesn?t get harsh or raspy unless you use extreme tone control settings. Don?t expect a Recto here ? although there is plenty of gain and moderate aggression, it isn?t as raw as a Recto. It is a bit more refined and has more of a ?modernized-vintage-amp? thing going on. I use this as my rhythm channel. It is great for big chording and sounds killer in a band context.

Channel 3 vintage: Very similar to normal mode, except it loosens up the overall character and gets a bit fatter and less focused. There are some very good tones in this mode, especially if you want a less modern take but more tightness than channel 2 normal. It is easier to push around than the obese tones of channel 2. This channel also sits perfectly in a band context.

The reverbs are pretty nice, as is the solo boost feature.

Although this is a new amp, the reverb switching from the footswitch only works about 40% of the time. This switch is IC-driven and not relay driven, so I?m assuming it is either the footswitch cord or one of the pin receptacles on the amp or switch. Not a big deal to me since the reverb levels are independent for each channel, and probably very easy to fix, but a little frustrating. Although it is too early to give a rating, the amp is very well constructed and all components from the cabinet to the innards appear to be of excellent quality. By nature, more complex amps are prone to more problems, but Mesas have a good track record.

Excellent support, especially considering their size and how busy they are. If you call them, they will call you back, usually the same day, and will make sure you are completely taken care of before they end the call. Can?t ask for more than that. They even manage to remain friendly despite the fact that they certainly have to take calls from young Recto-toting punks with more money than brains.

A good sounding, well-constructed, versatile and gig-worthy amp that I got for $599 new. You can?t beat that. The overall tones are great (although the clean leaves me wanting) and it fits the bill perfectly for modern rock with a vintage nod. I would buy it again if I could get it for the same killer price.

Amp made in 2003
The amp is very versitile and this is a second review that I believe will be very helpful.

I play PRS exclusively the amp sounds very different with each one as they have different pick configurations. The amp is very quiet and has an infinate number of sounds. I have owned it for several months and I am still dialing in preferences.

Up to this point no problems.

I talked to Boogie when ordering an extension speaker and they were very friendly and helpful. I also talked to them about tubes and again very helpful and persistent in paging and leaving messages for me.

My opinion of this amp has increased greatly based upon the fact I added a 12" speaker in an extension cabinet. The additional speaker at least tripled the quality of the sound. If you are planing on purchasing a Nomad plan on buy an external cabinet.

Another problem I had was I was straight lining my effects thru the guitar input. The sound became muddy and I was searching for a cleaner sounding tube set. Well..I finally used the effects loop and the entire situation changed and the amp sounds fabulous.

I would absolutely replace with a Boogie product probably a Nomad because I have figured out how to achieve my sound. I have played many amps including a boat load of old black face Fenders. This amp has all the tone you need and a very expansive distortion even at low volume settings.

Purchased new in 2003. If you're reading this then you've probably seen all of the specs. If not visit the Mesa/Boogie web site. I will say that I wish it had a switchable effects loop (to switch out my processor/effects completely). Also note that some previous reviewers strongly disliked the black knobs because the settings were hard to determine. Mine came with decals you can put on the knobs to help indicate relative positions.

You really need to play this amp with YOUR setup and spend some time with it. It sounds completely different with my American std strat. with EMG DG pickups vs. my ES-335 Gibson. Furthermore, each pickup setting sounds drastically different. When you couple these variables with all of the permutations for gain and tone the Nomad affords you, then sounds and tones seem infinite. This things oozes tone, but you will need to spend a considerable amount of time familiarizing yourself with the adjustments and their affect. As others have said, the clean is not "Fender", but I own a good Fender and this clean is nice in its own way. The dirty channel does not quite get Rectifier nasty, but it does more than I need for classic rock and blues. If you want a Fender, get a Fender. If you need Rectifier distortion, get a Rectoverb (etc.). If you love Boogies, spend some time demo'ing this one.

Fairly new owner so can't say.

I bought directly from Mesa/Boogie at their Hollywood, CA store. They retail and do repair there. Staff seemed freindly and very competent.

I'm a hobbiest that owns a lot more and better gear than I need. Been noodling around for over 30 years. Own American Std. Strat. with EMG active pickups (ala Gilmore), an ES-335 Dot Reissue Gibson, Rickenbacker 360-CW 12 string and an Ovation Elite. I've loved the sound of Boogies since the MK-1 in the very early 70's. I love the boogie sounds and this one has a lot. I chose this particular amp due to its versatility. I'd replace it if stolen. Only wish is that it had a switchable effects loop.

Just purchased this amp believe its a 2003. The features appear to be very good. I had purchased a number of Fulltone boxes in the past that don't seem of much use now. I am still experimenting daily with the controls trying to achieve my "sound".

At this point I am very pleased with the sounds I have found. There are new discoveries all the time. At first I loved the Modern setting on channel three. But I then tried the modern setting on channel 2 and it was even better, less muddy. Channel one is beautiful for clean and jazz tones.

I can't really speak to reliabilty as the amp is brand new. I read the Harmony Central reviews after the purchase and hope that Mesa has addressed all of the problems that have arised out of earlier models. I would like to feel very comfortable with this amp. It sounds great I hope it continues to perform.

I am very close with the dealer I purchased the amp from. I have no reservations about the customer service through him. I am planning on contacting Mesa about the reliabilty indicated in the reviews.

I have a hard time believing it, and my playing doesn't always reflect it, but I have been playing for 40+ years. If the amp were lost or stolen I would probably buy another. I love the workmanship and the flexibility. I chose it because several artists I truly admire play Boogies and I have come to like the sound.

I just want to say the following: Every channel sounds great, and you can get EVERY sound out of it, if you know how to tweak.
For the guys who want more distortion on channel 3: It's not about distortion, guis! This Channel 3 with Gain to 12:00 sounds as deep and heavy as my Recto, BUT: you have to attach a closed 4x12 Cabinet! Don't blame the combo for something it just can't be.
we play heavy rock to metal. I normally play my Recto Top with Marshal 4x12, but in smaller venues, I play the Nomad, and can get my tone!
BTW, I normally play Robin Guitars, FR-Strat Style, but the best matching partner for the Nomad is definitely a Gibson Les Paul, and you can get ANY tone you want!

Wohever rates tone in numbers has completely no point about TONE.

Nomad is by far the most versatile amp I have played. There are few amps that can really handle many styles like rock, pop, and jazz at the same time, and Nomad is one of them.

It is almost impossible to get really bad sound of this amp, once you take the time to learn how to use the controls. There is not just one good sound for each channel, but plenty - it takes several months to explore all the possibilities. Take time to look for the sweet spots, it is definitely worth the patience. It's not noisy, once you put in the right good quality tubes and swap them once in a while. At the beginning, there was a slight extra hum coming from the amp. As soon as I replaced the Mesa stock tubes with better ones, I found out that the slight hum I had experienced was from the bad tubes, not from the amp itself. With the right tube combination, the amp is very quiet, even with higher volumes.

I have owned this amp for two years, and it has never broken down on me. However, as the manual states, if you turn the gain all the way up, it will wear your tubes out very soon.

I haven't contacted Mesa.

I have owned several high-end amps (from Mesa, VHT, Marshall), but this has been the best of them. Nomad is like the swiss army knife - there's a sound for almost any circumstance. I would buy it again, because I haven't found another amp that can cover as much styles as Nomad and still sound so good. It think it's among the most versatile tube amps there is.

I have the 2000 model and bought it new after a terminal failure from a Marshall TSL.
I find this amp to be amazingly versatile - after nearly two years I am finding out most of what it can do.
I use the effects loop to feed a mesa 20/20 power amp with some wet processing.
Features are well described in earlier reviews. I tend not to use the clean channel for gigs as the volume does not match too well with channels two & three.
Plenty of power from 55 watts for all the gigs we play.

Nice quiet amp. I play mostly rock covers. This amp does everything I want and more.
Sounds best with my Gibson standard Les Paul.
I love the sounds and the distortion.
Basically I am writing this review because I was so pissed off reading the reports that slate this amps sound.
I really can't believe that the lousy reviews are based on any real experience. It takes a long time to begin to understand all the tone options, but it is worth every effort.
So you don't like the sound of a Boogie? - O.K., fine don't buy a Boogie!! - but this amp can do most things better than most.
The versatility is staggering.
I agree that the controls are all but invisible on stage - problem solved by bits of sticky paper - not elegant, but easy.
The only other practical problem is that in carrying the amp in to gigs, I often accidentally move the knobs a bit - and as others have pointed out, that changes the tone a LOT - but what a problem to have - how can any amp have too much tone?? -and I can't believe that any half serious musician could really fail to notice a change of tone and not know how to put it back on track PDU!!

I don't think any valve amp is entirely reliable.
Mine has never actually let me down, but I have had one of the pots changed and another is going - as another report says in the last third of the travel.
But this is not much after a couple of years of lugging it around in the back of cars/vans etc.
My Marshall was nothing but trouble.
I would never go to any gig without total backup of everything.

Pot changed under warranty - took two weeks.
I can't be bothered to deal with the current pot problem as it still works and is now out of warranty.

I have been playing for 40+ years and still gigging.
This is by far and away the best amp I have heard.
I would certainly buy another if stolen.
Above all, don't listen to those whinging reports about the sound -
As I said above, I've had this amp two years and I play it nearly every day - I'm not in the first flush of love here - but I do still love it.
Don't just go into a shop or get it out of the box, plug it in and say 'it doesn't work properly' - that way you are just showing your ignorance.
This is an amp for those who want a partner for the long term - not just the lastest gimmick.

2002 model,3 channels with 2 tone sounds each,55 watts, all tube
power, footswitchable between channels also solo boost,reverb on\off.
Each channel has separate controls fo EQ,gain,volume,reverb,presence.
There are several output jacks, recording\headphones,slave and an effects loop.WOW! Nuff said? If you want versatility,like to tweak to
see what this does ect.,and don't like the sound of solid state amps,
you should include this one in your trials.A word of caution,GET THE MANUAL,you can download it from Mesas website.It explains what each knob does in the separate channels because they are not simply duplicates of each other.For a tube amp,I give it a ten. In the stores in my area,there wasn't anything that compared to it.

I currently play a G&L Asat Special with the stock pickups.(P90 style).This amp suites my playing styles well.(Rock,Alt,Jazz,Hard Rock,Blues,you get the pic.)It has a multitude of sounds in it that cover a broad spectrum from crystal clean to ripping,snorting overdrive,BUT you must be willing to tweak to find them all and once you do, WRITE THEM DOWN so you don't forget.It is a little noisy,but this could be the tubes or my pickups,for now it's not too bad.This is not a box stock metal amp,you'll need a pedal to go there.A closed back cabinet would be a nice addition to this amp,I'm going to get one and I can't wait to hear the sound of this amp pushing 4-12's!!HUNDAMAHYAH!!I'm speaking in tongues!!

I haven't had it long,but so far so good.Again,GET THE MANUAL,it has critical information about taking care of the amp,tubes,ect.If you don't read the manual you will wreck the tubes again and again by useing the amp improperly.OK?,OK.

Never had to call,but the first thing I did was go to the website and DOWNLOAD THE MANUAL so I could make sure I used it the right way.
Is there something subliminal going on here? Hmmm.

I have been playing for 18 yrs. I have owned many different amps and guitars.I compared this amp back to back with a Peavey Classic 50,a
Marshall Combo,Fender Hot Rod,and some others I can't remember.While I loved the sound of all of them,and would like to own them all.For my budget,this amp covers a broader spectrum of tones that I need to use for my playing style.I hope this review will dispell some of the negatives I have seen mentioned. They may not all be perfect,(they ARE made by humans),but this amp is certainly NOT junk.BALANCE!!

lots of features. tons of stuff, 3 channels, 'verb, etc... see other reviews. nice looker too

the second and third channels sound like crap. has a nasally high midrange you CANNOT DIAL OUT! needs the 5 band EQ that my Mark IIC has to help it out, but stock? yikes! pretty good clean channel though!!
save your money and buy a Triaxis. Tthat's the most versatile preamp I've ever owned...and with a 2:90 power amp...you'll never even think about owning a Nomad. what a non-musical paperweight these Nomads are....

no problems. Mesa make great stuff (I have tons of it (Mark IIC, Studio 22+, Triaxis/2:90, Solo 50 Rectifier, etc.) but this Nomad sounds bad...REALLY BAD

great folks. always extremely helpful and go the extra mile.

well built with lots of options, BUT IT SOUNDS TERRIBLE! avoid at all costs, Mesa makes other great amps...