Best way to chain up my gear?

[BumGravy]

Hi there this is my first post here, so sorry if these questions are obvious to you but I really have no idea what Im doing and could use some help

Basically I have a boss BR864 digital recorder, a Marshall 100MGDFX and a Marshall ED-1 compressor pedal and a simple microphone. I was wondering what would be the best way to connect these for recording my guitar.

I am using an Epiphone Les Paul that has had the stock pickups replaced with Seymour Duncan Distortion in the bridge and SH1-59 in the neck. I intend to record on the BR864, and then import the files into my PC and mix everything in Audacity. Here are the options I am considering before I get stuck in:

1) Guitar > compressor > amp > microphone > br864
2) Guitar > compressor > amp > emulated output to br864
3) Guitar > amp > emulated output to compressor > br864
4) Guitar > amp > microphone > compressor > br864
5) Guitar > compressor > br864 (no amp)

I have read through some online guides and while there is good information on micing up amplifiers and tweaking your EQ etc, I cant find any information on the best way to connect gear up and especially where to put a compressor. I realise the BR864 has a compressor on board but I assume I would get a better sound using the Marshall pedal and setting the BR to record dry?

I also assume I would get a better sound using the mic on the amp (if done properly) instead of the emulated output, but Im not sure?

And one last question - If I am recording vocals would it also be worth running the microphone through the Marshall compressor before it goes into the 8-track or would the vocal compression on the BR864 work better?

I realise the best way to get the tone I want is to find it myself, but with so many ways to link my stuff up it would take a lot of tweaking and retweaking and changing stuff around, so it would be nice to know the best place to begin before I start the enless knob twiddling!

[Edit] Sorry, I didnt know where best to post this, perhaps it would be better in The Rack forum?

 

[TelePaul]

Compress the signal before it's amplified, i.e guitar -> compressor -> amp -> mic -> recorder. But keep in mind that a distorted sound will naturally compress.

Avoid the emulated D.I. Mic the amp as long as doing so is practical.

Offhand, I wouldn't advise running your mic through your compressor pedal (or even using it as an FX send). Your recorder may feature a compressor with a pre-set designed for vocals (or you can add compression with audacity).