When I first pulled the Alpha Plus out of its padded gig bag (which also includes a convenient shoulder strap), I was amazed by how light it was. At just 16 pounds, this is the kind of amp you’ll appreciate when your gig is several blocks away from parking (or up a few flights of stairs). And the large, top-mounted handle makes carrying it a breeze, providing the possibility of a “one trip in, one trip out” load-in. The controls are also on top and laid out logically and intuitively. A tiny green LED is lit when the amp is powered on, which is good, because even with the gain and master all the way up, the amp is absolutely silent. With its rugged front grille, the Alpha Plus has a strikingly different look from previous AER acoustic guitar amps (which cover the grille with black foam). The grille adds to the impression that this is a solidly constructed unit, more than able to withstand the rigors of the road.

Workhorse Amp for the Working Guitarist

In addition to working with the amp at home and in the controlled environment of a recording studio, I had the opportunity to test the Alpha Plus in several different live situations: with a singer at a large outdoor graduation ceremony (the amp went direct into an enormous PA system using the convenient XLR out), with a jazz trio at a club, solo at an outdoor farmers’ market, and with a classical guitarist at a wedding. The Alpha Plus excelled in all of these situations. I was particularly curious—and a bit skeptical—about the amp’s ability to coexist with a drummer in a jazz club. Playing my 17-inch Nickerson Virtuoso archtop with a Lindy Fralin humbucking pickup, the amp delivered plenty of volume and big tone without any feedback issues. AER amps are popular with many jazz guitarists, and after using it on a gig it’s easy to see why. The amp’s diminutive size allows it to be placed almost anywhere, and it projects with clarity. Our review amp also arrived with the AER Tilt System (which is not standard with the Alpha Plus but is available separately for $29), a sturdy, fold-up nylon-covered “tripod wedge” that tilts the amp up at a 45-degree angle. The Alpha Plus can also be mounted on a speaker stand using the threaded hole on the bottom of the amp (a mic-stand adaptor is included to make the European standard threads compatible with North American mic stands).

For acoustic gigs, I used a Nickerson FC3 steel-string fitted with a K&K Pure Western system and a Yamaha nylon-string with a stock piezo pickup, alternately running each through Raven Labs PMB and UltraSound DI Plus preamps. While both preamps offered more flexibility with regard to EQ and filtering, running straight into the Alpha Plus was sufficient for achieving quality tone at a decent volume. This amp is plenty loud for solo and small-group acoustic gigs. I did have some minor feedback issues with the steel-string at certain frequencies on the lower strings when in close proximity to the amp. While this was easily remedied using the controls on my external preamps, it would be nice if AER included a notch filter directly on the amp.

Power and Versatility

The Alpha Plus is surprisingly loud for its size and specs. This is due in part to AER’s modification of the original Alpha’s power amp and its use of a super-efficient twin-cone, full-range speaker in a larger bass-reflex enclosure. The three-band EQ section is effective, providing significant variation with even subtle adjustments. There is, however, quite a disparity between the midrange control at 800 Hz and treble at 10 kHz. Considering the inherent properties of acoustic instruments, an upper-mid frequency control would be a helpful addition. Nevertheless, organic-sounding mids and sparkling highs are achievable, particularly when engaging the Colour button, which cuts 700 Hz and boosts 8 kHz by 10 dB. The digital reverb is pleasant and functional, and there is an effects loop on the back for players who want to use more effects.

The Alpha Plus excelled in just about everything I played, from rhythmic acoustic strumming to lead lines to complex jazz chords on the archtop. Considering the amp’s sonic clarity, this Alpha Plus may be best suited to solo fingerstyle players who want every nuance of sound to be fully heard. For those interested in widening the sound field, a line-out jack will drive an AER-powered speaker such as the AG8 model.

Full-Range Portability

For working guitarists who switch between steel-string, nylon-string, and even archtop guitars, the AER Alpha Plus may well be the ideal amp to handle any gig in town or on the road. For those players accustomed to hauling separate rigs for different guitars, this amp is a dream come true. And for those who prefer to play and record mostly at home and need a quiet, unobtrusive amplifier loaded with sparkling, full-range tone, the Alpha Plus fits the bill perfectly