AER compact 60/2 amp.

Rodney Garrison · Post by **Rodney Garrison** » 3 Apr 2006 2:54 pm

Roger Watson from Burkburnett , Tx uses one of these amps with his stable of Carter Steel Guitars. That duo seems to have "That Sound" I've been searching for. Does anyone else have any comments + or - on these amps. $858 delivered from Dreamworks.com.

Ian Finlay · Post by **Ian Finlay** » 3 Apr 2006 3:54 pm

I was looking at these myself recently. Check the archives (search function). There's some useful opinions there.

Ian

Terje Larson · Post by **Terje Larson** » 4 Apr 2006 9:58 pm

I have used it for a gig. Mind you I don't play steel at all, I play elelctric balalajka, so I don't have a lot of low notes to worry about. I plugged the instrument through the amp as well as the vocal microphone and it's a pity it didn't really work as well for the instrument as it did for vocals cause it was beautiful to sing through. For the solidbody instrument it sounded a bit thin. The high notes got really piercing.

Rodney Garrison · Post by **Rodney Garrison** » 5 Apr 2006 1:18 am

Thanks Terje, I guess I'll ask Mr. Watson to let me plug into his amp and give it a test run. But the best i recall , it had "that tone" I want.

Thomas Ludwig · Post by **Thomas Ludwig** » 6 Apr 2006 6:27 am

I use this amp with my nonpedal steel guitar in a trio without drums. The sound is very clean and clear, but in a larger band I would take a bigger amp.
Thomas

Terje Larson · Post by **Terje Larson** » 8 Apr 2006 5:46 am

Rodney, if the AER amps only had "that" tone for me I'd be so happy. Especailly I think if the AER Alpha had "that" tone cause otherwise it's the smartest amp I've seen in my life. I could sing through it, play through it, it has all the ins and outs I will ever need, perfect for home practice, and it weighs about the same as a packet of milk. <font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Terje Larson on 08 April 2006 at 06:47 AM.]</p></FONT>

Rodney Garrison · Post by **Rodney Garrison** » 8 Apr 2006 1:56 pm

Terje, Tell me more about the instrument you play. I know nothing of it. I've played with Mr. Watson at a small church and on stage in an auditorium and the amp seemed to have the volume requiredfor a steel guitar. I've looked at the Roland Cube also but it doesn't have the features the AER has. Thank you for your thoughts and replies.
Rodney

Terje Larson · Post by **Terje Larson** » 8 Apr 2006 10:12 pm

The balalajka is a three stringed Russian folk music instrument originally. Mine is a solodbody version made in Sweden by a violin maker (and that in itself is a very long story). I tune it in 5ths (which is not the traditional tuning) and as the three lowest strings of a violin, GDA low to high.

I am drawn to the sound of the pedal steel and often try to emulate it the best I can on this instrument. It's not really possible but that never stopped me.

About the amps... what features does the AER havve that the Cube does not have? You know, tomorrow I'll be in town and I'll try that AER Alpha out once more cause it's the perfect amp for me if ti wasn't for the tone of it. So far it sounds too crisp for me, in a bad sense. Otherwise the amp is perfect. Loud enough, small enough. A little too expensive for it to be fun but I can live with it.

Rodney Garrison · Post by **Rodney Garrison** » 9 Apr 2006 12:48 pm

Terje, You sound like a strong willed man who is putting your talents and skills to the test. GO FOR IT !!!. As far as a comparison of the 2 amps ,I believe there is no question. The AER will be my choice. I'm just not ready to pay the price right now. I'll bet there are some "sleeper" amps out there that we have not yet discovered.
I'm at an age where weight is a factor in any equiptment I purchase. As a former bass player, the BIG rigs took their toll . RG