How do you record your guitars?

[kurtteej]

I have a pretty robust system that allows me to essentially go directly into to my computer to record my guitar and bass stuff. let me give you the picture:

I have an STAudio CPort breakout box that has 8 ins (2 mics with phantom power and 2 midi in/out/thrus plus an optical in that i've never used). I plug my guitar into a JStation and then I plug 2 stereo outs into 2 ins on the breakout box. I use a Roland DR5 to do midi support for things that I don't play (like drums and keys). I play the guitar and the bass thru the JStation.

Does this sound like it could be too 'sterile'? I've been away from recording for a bit, but i'm getting back into it.

[cephus]

Maybe not. I always record with little tube amps and 57s pointed just the right way. I think it sounds good. But I was really surprised how useable the sound was going direct through some effects using the piezo strat bridge I bought. direct used to mean yech for electric guitar. times may have changed> I am interested to see if anyone could post a short sample of some direct to console recordings of emulators that really sound convincing. Is it live or memorex?

[stainlessbrown]

I seem to get the best results by having folks (including myself) use the amp they typically gig with, including whatever effects they use. I suggest (and do myself) record at the same volume I use at rehearsal (which BTW sounds quite loud in a room all by itself).

I use a SM57 about 3' away and slightly off axis, push the gain so a healthy strum of an open E doesn't quite clip.

I've tried going direct, through pedals and pre-amps (I own both a Mesa Studio pre-amp , a V-Twin, and a POD), while I get some interesting sounds, there's nothing ike the dynamics of speakers

For bass, I always go direct (unless you have the luxury of having a room 32+ feet long....

my 2 cents

Stainless
Sacramento

[Humbucker]

Currently I record via my Korg AX1500G using the speaker sims as I don't have a recording amp(sold my Fender Super 60 last summer). I was sceptical about recording this way at first but the results pleasantly suprised me, so I'm pretty happy with it for now. Here's my usual signal chain:-

Les Paul Studio-->Korg AX1500G-->M-Audio DMP3-->M-Audio Audiophile 192-->Cubase SL3

Here's the first thing I have recorded since going the direct in route in terms of guitars:-

http://www.lightningmp3.com/live/file.php?fid=3144

Still need to tweak a couple of things in terms of the bass and drums but as for the guitar tone, I'm really happy and like I said, I'm pleasantly suprised with the results I can get without having to mic an amp.

[Richard Monroe]

I am totally different. I use a POD Pro or a VAMP2 into a Carver PM125 power amp. The power amp ia jacked into a Marshall 1X12 cab with a Celestion vintage 30. The cab is mic'd up with Shure SM7B or Sennheiser e609s or AKG C2000B, then into an Avalon AD2022, then to Digi002 to Pro Tools. So I use amp modelers, but never direct. I believe in moving air in the direction of real microphones. It sounds better to me than anything done direct.-Richie

[Monkey Allen]

Acoustic, mic'd with CADm177, into Presonus Firebox, into AMD, into Guitar Tracks Pro 3...

[IronFlippy]

Originally Posted by stainlessbrown

I use a SM57 about 3' away...

Anything further than a foot away has too much of the room's natural reverb in it. In my case, it means a terrible, terrible sound. I wish I had a well-treated room so I can actually experiment with stuff like that.

I just use a 57 in front of the grill, no more than 4 inches away, unless it's a clean sound, in which case it might be up to a foot away. I position the mic by ear.

If sarcasm doesn't bother you (and you have time to kill) then you might like Slipperman's help:
http://badmuckingfastard.com/sound/slipperman.html

[TMatt142]

Ibanez S-470 --> Boss GT-6 --> BR1180. Direct and it sounds pretty good. Thats what people have told me. May not be "Amazing" or anything but, the people I have had listen to it say they were pleasantly surprised.

[Dr_simon]

My first port of call is usually either a Pod Pro (S/PDIF out) / Pod XT (USB).

If that still doesn't work (I usually get the sound I want out of the pod) either: direct into an Avalon vt737sp

or

use an AKG C414 into the Avalon in front of a Marshall TSL half stack at medium lo volume or

a good old fashioned SM57 (on axis pointing to the very edge of the cone, on the grill cloth) if the amp needs to be cranked !

[faderbug]

amp-mic or simulator direct or clean direct or a combination.