ampfixer
The only thing I have added to both locations is Izotope Nectar 2. I use that because it very quickly gets me in the ball park to test ideas.

 
Can you elaborate? I know Nectar emphasizes the presets they include. By "getting you in the ball park to test ideas" does that mean the presets get you close and then you tweak them? Or that you use it to get you close, but then you use something else for the final version?
 
The reason why I'm asking should probably be a separate thread, so I'll start it.

bapu
Very little cash after all the VSTs I've purchased.

I too use mostly Cake plugs, but for most recordings "pre-treat" it with hardware EQ/Comps (the stuff I already know how it is supposed to sound).
 
On the ProChannel I almost always use the EQ and mostly the 76 on tracks.  I'll sub Softube's EQ Focusing EQ for lead stuff sometimes and the CA2a from cake for alternate comp.  For busses I can't recommend Cakes SSL enough.  One of the few software units I like as much as the hardware.
 
REmatrix for most lead instruments (the full version), tho I'll use TSAr too (love dialing in the pre-delay with the big fader).
 
Instruments - Kontakt/Heavyocity, Rap Pro, Alchemy.
 
I Keep it simple since I am stupid.

I pretty much echo the Cakewalk plug ins.  Getting the mix right (to my silly ears anyway) first.  While I really believe most of what I go for are Platinum tools first, my extra plugin toolbox sets are...
 
Waves.   I started with one of the basic sets, then I just kept buying them individually when 1 - I wanted to try something different and 2 - had a few dollars to spend.   Started with the maximizers through L3-16 then went to bass enhancement,  then vocal enhancement, then verbs, then liner phase tools (before we had the two sweet LP tools).  The one tool I use the most is that C6 - it finds its way into spots where I can't seem to EQ well enough, which is about every time I work on trying to get bass and bass drum to fit in the mix..  I believe I have everything I want for now.  Little bit at a time, when I was ready and had time to learn.  Especially around the winter holiday season, they had some pretty nice deals.
 
Next up for purchase is Ozone 7 advanced.   I like the idea that I can use the effects on channels AND when mastering, I can 'hear' through codecs.  There's more in there, those kind of come to the top for me.   
 
An honorable mention goes to all the freeware out there.  MeldaProductions comes to mind formost.  Their audio visualization tools like Manalyzer, MLoudnessAnalyzer, MStereoScope find a spot on the Master buss almost every mix.  
 
Current wallet outgo is for a different kind of plugin - mics  (you gotta plug them in don't you??).    :o)    It wasn't until I tried a few really good mics that I found what I was trying to tweek for, but could never seem to achieve.
      
Come to think of it - I also find myself reaching for the MOTU hardware plugin stuff too.  Its actually quite good.  
 
Take care
 
LL

Anderton
...
However...after going through a phase of guitar-oriented projects, my next project is going to go back to my EDM roots from 20 years ago. So I'll probably be going plug-in crazy. 

Oh my, you're going to do 90s era EDM?  Cool!
 
If/when you get to this project and if you can, would you consider releasing the stems and let folks have a go at doing a remix?  Maybe even a contest?
 
Back on topic, I like pretty much everything FabFilter.  Also use CamelPhat quite a bit.  NI's Driver and Transient Shaper.  For synths, Sylenth, Synthmaster, and Zeta+2.

Anderton

ampfixer
The only thing I have added to both locations is Izotope Nectar 2. I use that because it very quickly gets me in the ball park to test ideas.

 
Can you elaborate? I know Nectar emphasizes the presets they include. By "getting you in the ball park to test ideas" does that mean the presets get you close and then you tweak them? Or that you use it to get you close, but then you use something else for the final version?
 
The reason why I'm asking should probably be a separate thread, so I'll start it.

The presets are very good. With my lack of experience I'm not afraid to let the pro's make suggestions as to what effects I might need for a given job or application. After I see what the preset suggests, then I can experiment and see how they affect the track. Sometimes a preset is great as is, but other times I may elect to shut off the built in effect and replace it with a stand alone that I'm more familiar with. For example, let's say the preset uses a saturation effect but I don't know it well. I'll shut off the internal saturation and add the Pro Channel tube saturator that I am more familiar with. 
 
If it wasn't for trying the preset I might have never thought to use saturation on the track. I educate myself by seeing what a third party thinks would be useful. Make sense?

In addition to the Plug-ins included with Sonar Plat:
 
I have almost all of the Plugs currently available from Izotope. And a good percentage of those offered by the Plug-in Alliance.  Also reverbs from Valhalla, Overloud and Rob Papen. And some other odds and ends that don't come to mind immediately. Apparently I never met a special offer I didn't like.
 
But honestly almost everything I use could be replaced very nicely by what is included in Sonar. I am going through the process of whittling down to a smaller set of go to plugs, because it is exhausting going through so many all of the time. Especially when many of them give such similar results.
 
But what I really love is tweaking with plug-ins for an hour or so, and then hitting the global FX bypass button only to find that the mix sounds better with NO plugs.  Or admiring the difference my subtle handiwork with an EQ has made, and then finding that the bypass button is engaged.  
 
 
 

Izotope Nectar 2.
Oh and Sonitus.
Westside Steve

An unopened condom from 1962... which is a little strange since I was born in '77.
 
 
Fer serios answer: The only plugins I own/use are the ones have come with SONAR X1 Prod Suite up through SPlat and these VERY few extras...
 
GR5 (but I upgraded that from the GR4 I got with X1)
TH2 (again upgraded from TH2 Producer)
CA2A
Concrete Limiter
 
and not that it would count for this discussion but I got BFD Eco back when Sonar's best drumpler was SD3.
 
I mostly use Prochannel effects and only start adding other "insert" stuff (like Sonitus/Blue Tubes/Cakewalk) when I need to do something specific. Of course my amp sims get used constantly as well but often times tend to be the only insert plugins in my projects these days. Everything else is PC.
 
Not wanting (or being able to afford) to drop ridiculous amounts of cash on necessary tools was one of the bigger reasons I chose Sonar. It seemed to have everything I could ever need for any tune and I busted my butt learning them all so I could operate without dropping cash for "MUST HAVE" third party doodads and/or be a sad Beepswad.

pwalpwal
 
hereabouts, i'd say, say, led zep or sabbath are hard rock and metallica are metal? but that gives away my total lack of thing thereabouts, is it just an age thing?

that would be similar to how i see it, i have seen (heard) toni iommi say a number of times that he doesn't see black sabbath as heavy metal as such, but sees it more so as hard rock/heavy blues type of thing