What's your favorite mic for electric guitar amp mic'ing and WHY?

I love using an SM-57 together with a Royer R-121. The 57 captures the harsh, edgy rock attitude--it's just very present and in your face; while the 121 nicely rolls off all the high-end edginess, thus smoothing things out with warmth and body. I usually place each on different speaker types: one a a greenback, the other on a vintage 30, for example, make sure the phase alignment is balls on so there is no cancellation, and then run each through a high-quality preamp, panning one mic hard left, the other hard right. Between the natural differences in the mics and the speaker sources, together with the coloration of each preamp, the stereo field opens up. I also find use for AKG 414's and other various combinations, though the 57/121 combination is very good.
 
When I want a SM57 sound only better I choose my SM56. But most often I choose the Beyerdynamic M400 Soundstar Mark II, A european dynamic with great mids and high end detail. One of my best dynamics. I will have to try the PL80, a vocals mic I adore and an ND357, which I haven't used much since I bought it.

As far as the sound with the Beyer you can hear it here

Lil Sonny Boy Hisself : Hairy Larry : Free Download & Streaming : Internet Archive

and here

So Low - John Shepherd

Thanks,

Hairy Larry
 
Well 10 years ago in this thread the majority of everyone used a 57.

I tend to like a ribbon microphone on guitar cabs. even a cheap MXL $80. one does the trick!
 
Yeah also depends on the sound your going for I like my HM7U on guitar sometimes for a clean glassy/polished sound.
 
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