The Steve Neville Bite Alarm
For 30+ years, the workhorse of bite alarms has been signing one-toners for Terry Hearn, Nigel Sharp and hundreds of other adoring fans
Picking a single word that adequately describes the Steve Neville alarm? That’s as tough a task as the units themselves. Compact? Cult? Durable? Stylish? Every ‘Nevs’ owner would probably pick a different priority. For some it’s their watertight ruggedness, for others it might be their undeniably cult appearance, especially with white PTFE rollers made famous by Terry Hearn in the 1990s.
Steve Neville, a former RAF engineer, began making alarms and bankware in 1990, but it was undoubtedly Hearn who propelled his alarms from relative underground obscurity to mainstream success. Using a magnetic roller and reed switch, this simple-but-effective formula—and the alarms’ trademark piercing tone—struck a chord with carpers everywhere.
The first incarnations featured just an on-off switch. You want to alter the sensitivity? Buy a two or four-magnet roller and manually swap them. Volume control? A Rizla filter fits perfectly in the speaker hole, so bung it up or let it scream.
Even as the alarms have evolved into the wireless age, that classic shape and single metal toggle switch remain. And so does a loyal fanbase happy in the knowledge that when a fish takes line, your little Nev will reliably let you know with a shrill note that will forever be part of carping history.
THE RAREST NEV?
It’s called the Steve Neville Stainless Steel Alarm, and each one was signed by Steve himself…
“The daddy of cult alarms, these are a work of art and highly prized,” grins CARPology’s pal Spencer Humble. “Originally produced in a MK2 format in very limited numbers and again produced in an updated MK3 version in 2016 in even more limited numbers (I won’t tell you how few, it will depress you). Neville reliability in stainless steel polished cases, and bullet-proof in every way. Of course the MK3s also benefited from three level volume control and Steve’s own ‘false bleep avoidance technology’.”
What’s that, you want a set? Firstly, good luck tracking down a set. And secondly, you won’t have much change from £1,000.
