When I record electric guitar, I require three things: A decent guitarist, using a decent guitar and getting decent tone from the amplifier. If I don't have those, the guitar sound is going to be rough. Sometimes there are a few things I can do to improve it, but it will not really be a great guitar sound. If there is an issue with the guitar sound, it's usually because of the player, the guitar or amplifier. Plain and simple.

I usually use a dynamic mic and experiment with placement close to the speaker. Sometimes, I try to get some ambient mics into play and I will use a large diaphragm condenser. If it's an open back amp, I have had decent results with a dynamic mic pointing at the rear of the amp and an ambient mic pointing at the front.

Like I said before, it all depends on the player, the guitar and the amp and a little bit of experimenting. Mic placement can really change the sound of guitar. Spend lots of time moving the mic before you record anything. Also, try different mics in different positions. Different combinations of microphones also changes the sound of the amp/guitar.

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