Carvin Nomad

357mag

New member
Anyone here have experience with Carvin amps? I did have a 100 watt VTX many years ago. I mean this was like in 1979.

The Nomad is a Vintage Tweed Style all tube combo amp. It doesn't have a gain control but rather a Soak control. I always use the dirty channel so I'm really interested in the amps balls.

I know it's not gonna replicate a Marshall but am curious as to the sound of it. I would be using it just by myself.
 
Re: Carvin Nomad

I've always wanted a vintage 16 myself, anxious to see what people say here about the nomad. I doubt it's very marshally; probably more...carviny. I thought the x100b would be boogie-y, but it was just carviny. Not bad, but kinda unique and not for everyone.

I picture the nomad probably like peavey's classic 30 in sound.
 
Re: Carvin Nomad

I plugged into a Nomad or a Bel Aire at the Carvin store in LA when I visited there in '97. It was really nice. The overdriven tone was meaty and had some of that magical character that you usually only hear from boutique amps.
For the money that Carvin sells them for, you'd expect a good but rather generic sounding amp. The Carvin Vintage series really have a personality, and a bad attitude.

It's not a 'tweed' overdrive just suited for blues either. That amp definitely sounded rock n' roll.
 
Re: Carvin Nomad

Keep in mind they run on EL84's, which leads me to beleive that they won't sound much like a tweed or a Marshall. Pure extrapolation on my part, though.
 
Re: Carvin Nomad

Some of the Marshalls run on EL84's also. At least the DSL401 does. That has also been discontinued.

Seems like these companies are always discontinuing stuff...

Carvin amps seem to get high praise. I'll keep them in mind.
 
Re: Carvin Nomad

Keep in mind they run on EL84's, which leads me to beleive that they won't sound much like a tweed or a Marshall. Pure extrapolation on my part, though.

You are correct.

I had a Belair, the 2x12 version of the 1x12 Nomad. The clean channel was killer. The Soak was only ok. Mine came w/Carvin spkrs, and w/those, it was only somewhat useful when playing the Soak (OD) channel. It got muddy fast. I had some Celestion V30s laying around, so I tossed those in. Big improvement. Not awesome, but it did have some very usable sounds. Others have had similar experiences w/various spkrs.

The clean channel was great w/either the Carvin spkrs, or the V30s.

It takes OD pedals well. So, if you consider the price, they are a pretty good deal, even if the Carvin spkrs are not all that good on the OD channel. The Carvin spkrs they have now are not the same as the ones I got around 2001, so the sound may be different.

I also had a V16. Mine was from the period when they were shipping them w/V30s. Not a lot of clean headroom, and it's a small 1x12 combo, so it's a bit boxy sounding on its own, but, sitting in a band mix, it is a pretty cool Savoy Brown blues rock sort of amp! I really enjoyed it. I sold it purely due to an overseas move.

I sold that Belair to a mate who loves a good clean sound, and he really likes it.
 
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Re: Carvin Nomad

I have owned about every modern Carvin amp you can name including several of the Vintage series amps. The Vintage series amps have great cleans and the crunch side is just ok. To me it lacks definition on the crunch side at higher gains. However it is really cool for those crunchy bluesy in between tones. They are really well built amps so if you just need a little crunch and a solid clean killers. Want a Marshally tone look somewhere else as this is NOT it unless you mod um!
Check out Carvins stuff right now on ebay as they have some KILLER blow outs going down right now.
For a solid Marshally rig look hard at the MTS.
 
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Re: Carvin Nomad

Anyone here have experience with Carvin amps? I did have a 100 watt VTX many years ago. I mean this was like in 1979.

The Nomad is a Vintage Tweed Style all tube combo amp. It doesn't have a gain control but rather a Soak control. I always use the dirty channel so I'm really interested in the amps balls.

I know it's not gonna replicate a Marshall but am curious as to the sound of it. I would be using it just by myself.

How's it goin...I owned a Belair (2x12 combo)...and loved it...except for the "soak" channel. The preamp of this unit is laden with diodes...so it's like a "hybrid" distortion. Up until it reaches 5-6 on the gain knob it will do real nice, throaty grind-a'la AC/DC. Try reachin too far and it will just flatline. The compression kicks in and the amp sounds like you've thrown a blanket over it. The cleans though...are heaven sent-IMHO...better than a Fender!

Now, if you've got your heart set on one-they are awesome amps...there is a guy named Hasseler or something like that...that has a set of mods to the amp that are supposed to be really sweet. I never got the opportunity to give the mods a chance as I became a father and the sale of the Belair covere quite a few diapers...but, once I get a job, I'll be looking for a Belair. The build quality is excellent. One other thing...if you have no problem playing with pedals, that's how I got the best sound out of mine!!! I ran a second hand DOD American Metal through a Boss 7 band EQ into the front of the clean channel...sweet, especially at low volume/SPL's. The EQ on the "soak" channel is set up different and one of those mod's changes that to ape the clean channel. Oh, and the EL-84's sound great and really shine at lower levels...but tend to quickly go into compression. I think the trick to this is to get some graded tubes from Bob over at Eurotubes. I think if you found a set that didn't compress so quickly...eh, now I'm rambling...:friday:
 
Re: Carvin Nomad

I saw a Youtube post with a Tonelab doing a Soldano clip...if that is for real, I think I might have found my bone tone!!! That was the bomb!:friday:

It definitiely nails the amp tones it sets out to. I use the 50w Plexi amp setting mostly. Check one out, you won't be disappointed. I have one of the older models with the separate pedal board. The new one is more compact. I haven't tried that one yet, but if they've left everything the same, it's got to sound good.
 
Re: Carvin Nomad

A guy named hasserl on another forum had a page dedicated to the Nomad/Belair, and he showed a way to remove the diodes in the gain channel, and replace it with a resistor and rid the amp of that blanket effect. I did it to mine, and it worked great. I can't particularly remember what it sounded like exactly, because this was quite some time ago.
 
Re: Carvin Nomad

Hey...I found some of that carvin vintage mod info...



Hasse Modifications for the Carvin Vintage Series Amps

This is the place to access all of the modifications Ihave for the Carvin Vintage Series amps, i.e. the Nomad/BelAir/VT 50 amps.

Note that the mods are now all in pdf format. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader in order to read them (available free from Adobe). I've made this change now because the pdf files take up much less room on my website and they are easier for you to download and save to your computer. You may do as you wish with these, but I ask that if you share them or use the info that you would give credit where it is due.

I do sell kits for any of the mods I have posted on these pages. Electronic parts are available in many places, and you may have your sources already. If not it makes it a little easier to go with one source where you can get all the parts you need for the job, and be assured they work properly. And that is the benefit my kits bring. Plus my assistance if you need it.

Please contact me at hasserl@netzero.net for information on kits.

Also, I perform these mods, as well as other mods, repairs, services, etc. on amps for people who do not want to do them themselves. Not just for people local to me, but people ship their amps to me for mods quite often. You can ship just the chassis to save on shipping charges, I don't need the entire amp. When I do these mods for people I go ahead and set the bias for the tubes sent with the amp, and give the amp a good once over. If it need serviceing such as pots and jacks cleaned, and/or tube sockets retensioned, I can do that for you also. If you want more info on this service please contact me at the same email address listed above.

Thanks,
Richard
aka hasserl

Clipping Diode Removal Mod ------------



Tone Stack Mod -------------------------


Cathode By-Pass Mod --------------------


Presence Control Mod -------------------



Attitude Control Mod ---------------------



LED Channel Indicator Mod -------------



Master Volume Mod ---------------------



How to check/set the bias ----------------



FS22 LED Mod ---------------------------


Video Demo --------------------------------


Note: The first four mods listed above (Clipping diode removeal, Tone stack, Cathode By-pass and Presence Control mods) I now refer to as the Stage I mods, in order to differentiate them from the new set of mods that I call the Stage II mods. The Stage II mods are much more extensive than the Stage I mods and involve changes to almost all of the resistors and capacitors in the lead channel. I do not have detailed instructions written up for the Stage II mods as they are intrended for someone with more experience who can work from a schematic, due to the more extensive nature of the mods. The Stage II mods are partly similiar to the Stage I mods, but go much further, and though they address some of the same circuits the values of the components used are different.

If you are new to doing these types of mods I suggest you stick to the Stage I mods, plus the Attitude and/or Master Volume mods, as you feel comfortable doing them. The Attitude mod is a standard part of the Stage II mods. The Master Volume is not. Niether is the LED mod.

The results of the Stage I mods are like you've removed a heavy blanket from the front of the amp. They open it up and let it breath better. The amp will have more gain, and the gain is much more useable. Gone is the muddiness of the stock channel.

The Attitude mod lets you adjust the whole attitude of the amp, going from the stock mild setting to one that's much more aggressive. This lets the Clean channel of the amp get nice and dirty when you turn it up. Or leave it turned all the way down for the stock sound. This mod does effect both channels.

The Stage II mods greatly smooth out the distortion while also giving the amp a decidedly Marshall flavor. Except with more gain than is available from a stock vintage Marshall. You will be shocked at the incrdebile sounds available from this little amp with the Stage II mods!

If you make this mod, please drop me a line at hasserl@netzero.net and let me know how it went, and any other comments, suggestions or questions.
 
Re: Carvin Nomad

Duuuuuuddddeeee!!!!!
wheres the link?
just what i've been looking for
pleases share

Ehd

EDIT: dang it just searched on the phrase " Hasse Modifications for the Carvin " and found it

sorry to be of bother
 
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Re: Carvin Nomad

Dat is troo! :)

Should be here on Friday 10/16/09 or Monday 10/19/09. Then I have to give her the DLT test, so give me a few days to a week before I post my findings.
 
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