I've got some pretty good amp sims but I keep going back to my rat through a small amp well mic-ed. I find I get my best sound with a dynamic about 3-6 inches away aimed at the junction of the cone and the dustcap. And a good condenser about 6 feet back and high up off teh ground. I often will stick teh amp in a hallway so I get some early reflections and flutter echo. I also like to do the nuge trick (or is it the joe walsh trick?) of puting a mic in front of and behind the speaker, then adjusting the positioning unti the two mics almost completely cancel each other out in my headphones, then you flip the polarity on the one on the rear(its out of phase since its coming in from the back) and you get a super focussed in phase sound!
About amp sims being pro or not, thats absurd, Many Pros use AMp sims all day long for whole records. Even in country and hard rock. I just like loud amps and the smell of hot tubes. I like microphones and cables and preamps. I also like hearing a super fat guitar tone and knowing I made it. Its like drinking home brew beer or smoking homegrown...tobacco.
I mean if any of us are anti digital what are we doing in Sonar?

ORIGINAL: marcos69

This thread reminds me a lot of the days (before I got older and everything hurts) when I was heavily involved in martial arts.

There was always the argument about what fighting style is best, karate, kung fu, who would win in a street fight - karate man versus boxer etc.

Oh thats easy. Happkido (I think thats how its spelled).
I sparred with a Happkido guy once. He kicked me about 5 times in a couple seconds in one part of my leg. I kept raising my leg to block his kick and he kept getting me in the same spot! The next day I had bruises on the opposite side of that leg! Damn those dudes are fast!

I didn't read all the post, so sorry if someone has already said this...............

Put a real professional session's guitar player behind any (decent) guitar. Plug it into (just about any real amp) a amp. Mic it with a 57.

There you go, you got a professional sound from a guitar.

That's the truth. give a well seasoned guitar player just about anything and he will make it sing.

Peace.............Scoobie

ORIGINAL: Scoobie

I didn't read all the post, so sorry if someone has already said this...............

Put a real professional session's guitar player behind any (decent) guitar. Plug it into (just about any real amp) a amp. Mic it with a 57.

There you go, you got a professional sound from a guitar.

That's the truth. give a well seasoned guitar player just about anything and he will make it sing.

Peace.............Scoobie

it really is true. 2/3rds of tone is in your fingers.
A lot of this junk about having a certain amp or guitar is just marketing from the MI manufacturers. Also fed by a lot of nostalgia and hero worship from guys that want to sound just like Clapton, Hendrix, Iommi etc. For one Hendrix and Clapton played a number of guitars back then, Gibsons as well as Fenders, so nailing down a tone from one guitar is pretty silly. (heck didnt claptons guitar tech put together his one fender out of like 10 different guitars?) And if you really disect hendrix's tone its awful. He basicaly was running a noisy guitar through a bunch of effects into an amp on teh edge of destruction. Tons of noise and AC hum. Very sibilant at vocal range frequencies. Not professional at all. Now DOD has Clapton and hendrix in a pedal! Only $120 at GC this weekend only!

Ditto on the 57. It is probably one of the best microphones ever. I have Sennhiesers, Groove Tubes, Oktavas and such, but I still get a better sound out of that 57 on the edge or the crease of the cone. And I dont use a marshall or a Bogner or anything. I use an Epiphone Valve Juinior into a Bell and Howell 12" extension speaker for a projector. (I think its a Utah speaker?)

ORIGINAL: marcos69

ORIGINAL: thndrsn

Are you sure you're not talking about marcos69? Look at his avatar.

I sure hope you're wrong. I'm looking into a new guitar--maybe two of them--as we speak.

But can I really get authentic tone from a guitar made in China?

--thndrsn

Stratton's collection belongs in Fort Knox.

Ah. So.

--thndrsn

And if you really disect hendrix's tone its awful.

"All Along the Watchtower" and "The Wind Cries Mary" really are examples of horrid electric guitar tone.

Marcos69,

The final analysis was this: If your only tool is a hammer, then all problems look like nails.

Amen. I can identify with this.

I should print a sign with these words and hang it on the wall in front of me.

Right under the one that says "If it won't fit, force it. If it breaks, it needed to be replaced anyway."

--thndrsn

And I dont use a marshall or a Bogner or anything. I use an Epiphone Valve Juinior into a Bell and Howell 12" extension speaker for a projector.

I hope this doesn't sound like a "bigger is better" reaponse, but surely this rig has it's limitations.

ORIGINAL: thndrsn

Marcos69,

The final analysis was this: If your only tool is a hammer, then all problems look like nails.

Amen. I can identify with this.

I should print a sign with these words and hang it on the wall in front of me.

Right under the one that says "If it won't fit, force it. If it breaks, it needed to be replaced anyway."

--thndrsn

I've got it between my "If you can't get into it, get out of it" and "If you can't fix it fuk it" signs.

calaverasgrandes,

I keep going back to my rat through a small amp well mic-ed.

One question. Two, actually.

Q1: What size speaker populates the small amp? (EDIT: I read slowly. A: 12")

Q2: Is the speaker box sealed/ported or open back? (The nudge trick suggests the latter.)

This is wonderful information you've posted here.

--thndrsn