AER Acoustic Research Compact 60 amp w/Soft Carrying Bag Black
Description
No sales tax for US customers outside California.
The AER Compact 60 has been the industry standard acoustic amplifier for over two decades for a specific reason: it sounds like your guitar rather than like an amplifier.
Founded in Germany in 1992 with the stated mission of being "the Acoustic People," AER designed the Compact 60 from the ground up around the specific challenges of amplifying piezoelectric pickups — the brittle, quacky, unnatural sound that most amplifiers make worse rather than better. The Compact 60 makes it better. Its preamp circuit is specifically tuned to soften the harsher qualities of piezo pickups, and its dynamic compression keeps the output controlled and natural through the full volume range without becoming audible or unmusical. Tommy Emmanuel plays one. Stochelo Rosenberg plays one. Bireli Lagrene plays one. Jazz archtop players including Gene Bertoncini and Martin Taylor replaced much larger tube amplifiers with one. It is not an accident that the same players keep choosing the same amp.
The technical specification explains part of why: 60 watts through an 8" twin-cone full-range speaker, two independent channels with a 1/4" instrument input on channel 1 and a combination 1/4"/XLR input with phantom power on channel 2, three-band EQ on channel 1 with a Color switch, two-band EQ on channel 2, digital effects including reverb, delay, and chorus, XLR DI output and line out for direct recording or PA integration, and a tuner output. At 16 lbs and the same footprint as a medium-sized carry-on bag, it is genuinely portable — players have reported carrying it as overhead luggage. The stand mount threading allows the amp to be positioned at ear level rather than firing at the audience's knees.
One honest note: the outer foam layer on the grille has been removed because it had degraded, which is a known issue on this generation of the Compact 60. The grille itself is intact and original. This cosmetic detail does not affect the sound or function of the amplifier in any way. Soft carrying bag included.
Excerpts from Real Online User Reviews:
"Doesn't sound like an amp — sounds like a guitar. Hands down the best acoustic amp I've heard." — Guitar Center verified purchaser
"The preamp section seems to tame even the most unruly pickup systems, making them sound clean and natural — most players find it sounds perfect set flat." — AER Amps
"For over 20 years the Compact 60 has been an industry standard for amplifying acoustic guitars and vocals — louder than most amps rated at 200 watts." — Guitar Center
"Jazz musicians have replaced much larger tube amps with the light weight and great sounding Compact 60 — it excels in amplifying electric instruments as well as acoustic." — Thomann
Case/Cover?: Soft Carrying Bag
Color: Black
Dimensions: 10.2" x 12.8" x 9.25" (W x H x D)
Weight: 16lbs
Watts: 60 Watts
Speaker 1 : Twin-Cone Full-Range Speaker
Speaker 1 Size: 8"
Speaker Code: See Pics
Speaker 1 Cone: Original
Extension Speaker Out? No. Line out / DI out xlr
Pedal: No
Grille: Original, outer foam removed as it was degraded
Knobs: Original
Handle: Original
Power Cord: Included
Shipping policy:
When you purchase this item you are hereby agreeing to this shipping policy. Vintage and used amps are sold as-is because they can need service intermittently. Everything is tested here in our shop on the way into our inventory, and again before shipping. We will cover shipping damage, but we cannot be responsible for the failure of vintage components in 20-to-50-plus year old amps. Shipments will require signature on delivery, no exceptions. If there is damage, the buyer must retain all packing materials intact and picture them immediately and send them to sales@maharsvintageguitars.com. Less than 1% of our shipments are damaged in transit, and we are committed to making sure your item arrives safely, but we are taking these additional measures to make sure you are happy with your purchase.
The AER Compact 60 has been the industry standard acoustic amplifier for over two decades for a specific reason: it sounds like your guitar rather than like an amplifier.
Founded in Germany in 1992 with the stated mission of being "the Acoustic People," AER designed the Compact 60 from the ground up around the specific challenges of amplifying piezoelectric pickups — the brittle, quacky, unnatural sound that most amplifiers make worse rather than better. The Compact 60 makes it better. Its preamp circuit is specifically tuned to soften the harsher qualities of piezo pickups, and its dynamic compression keeps the output controlled and natural through the full volume range without becoming audible or unmusical. Tommy Emmanuel plays one. Stochelo Rosenberg plays one. Bireli Lagrene plays one. Jazz archtop players including Gene Bertoncini and Martin Taylor replaced much larger tube amplifiers with one. It is not an accident that the same players keep choosing the same amp.
The technical specification explains part of why: 60 watts through an 8" twin-cone full-range speaker, two independent channels with a 1/4" instrument input on channel 1 and a combination 1/4"/XLR input with phantom power on channel 2, three-band EQ on channel 1 with a Color switch, two-band EQ on channel 2, digital effects including reverb, delay, and chorus, XLR DI output and line out for direct recording or PA integration, and a tuner output. At 16 lbs and the same footprint as a medium-sized carry-on bag, it is genuinely portable — players have reported carrying it as overhead luggage. The stand mount threading allows the amp to be positioned at ear level rather than firing at the audience's knees.
One honest note: the outer foam layer on the grille has been removed because it had degraded, which is a known issue on this generation of the Compact 60. The grille itself is intact and original. This cosmetic detail does not affect the sound or function of the amplifier in any way. Soft carrying bag included.
Excerpts from Real Online User Reviews:
"Doesn't sound like an amp — sounds like a guitar. Hands down the best acoustic amp I've heard." — Guitar Center verified purchaser
"The preamp section seems to tame even the most unruly pickup systems, making them sound clean and natural — most players find it sounds perfect set flat." — AER Amps
"For over 20 years the Compact 60 has been an industry standard for amplifying acoustic guitars and vocals — louder than most amps rated at 200 watts." — Guitar Center
"Jazz musicians have replaced much larger tube amps with the light weight and great sounding Compact 60 — it excels in amplifying electric instruments as well as acoustic." — Thomann
Case/Cover?: Soft Carrying Bag
Color: Black
Dimensions: 10.2" x 12.8" x 9.25" (W x H x D)
Weight: 16lbs
Watts: 60 Watts
Speaker 1 : Twin-Cone Full-Range Speaker
Speaker 1 Size: 8"
Speaker Code: See Pics
Speaker 1 Cone: Original
Extension Speaker Out? No. Line out / DI out xlr
Pedal: No
Grille: Original, outer foam removed as it was degraded
Knobs: Original
Handle: Original
Power Cord: Included
Shipping policy:
When you purchase this item you are hereby agreeing to this shipping policy. Vintage and used amps are sold as-is because they can need service intermittently. Everything is tested here in our shop on the way into our inventory, and again before shipping. We will cover shipping damage, but we cannot be responsible for the failure of vintage components in 20-to-50-plus year old amps. Shipments will require signature on delivery, no exceptions. If there is damage, the buyer must retain all packing materials intact and picture them immediately and send them to sales@maharsvintageguitars.com. Less than 1% of our shipments are damaged in transit, and we are committed to making sure your item arrives safely, but we are taking these additional measures to make sure you are happy with your purchase.