How to capture the perfect electric guitar tone

Every guitarist is searching for the perfect guitar tone. It’s the reason we keep buying new amps, new effects, new guitars with new pickups, even new cables. Problem is, there is no perfect guitar tone. And more often that not, it’s not our gear that’s letting us down, it’s our technique.

The same can be said for recording electric guitar. This brings us back to the old adage: It’s not the tools, it’s the carpenter.

The more I read about recording electric guitar, the more it becomes clear there’s no one “right” way to do it. The trick is to find a few techniques that work for you most of the time. Try these first, then use your ears to assess the results – does it work? If so, great! If not, try something else!

Two different amps, two mics

In the photo to the right, you can see one of my favourite methods for getting a great guitar tone. My secret is two amps and two mics. In this case, on one amp I’ve got an SM57 on axis positioned where the dustcap meets the cone about 1 inch away from the grill cloth. “On axis” simply means pointing directly at the speaker.

On the other amp I’ve used a Sennheiser BF521 with similar positioning. The Sennheiser BF521 is no longer in production, but it’s very similar to an MD421.

• Amp #1 (top) is a 1970s Traynor Bassmaster that’s been mounted into a homemade combo amp with a Celestion Vintage 30 speaker. This Bassmaster with its EL34 output tubes and Vintage 30 speaker has very well defined mid-range reminiscent of something between a Marshall and a Vox. And it sounds nothing like a Fender!
• Amp #2 (bottom) is a 1990s Fender Blues Deluxe. It has a great Fender tone with a smooth low end and some top end sparkle.

The two amps sound completely different and complement each other really well.

This technique really pays off once I get to the mixing stage of my project. Rather than relying on using an EQ to fix the tone, I can audition each amp, and then find a blend of the two that works well. This way I can get away with using minimal EQ. Typically the only EQ I’ll use on guitars is a low cut filter at about 150 Hz to keep the guitar from fighting with the bass.

One amp, two different mics

Using two mics on the same amp can also give similar results. You’ll end up with two differently voiced tracks of the same performance that can be blended to “EQ” the sound without actually using an EQ.

When I’m putting two mics on the same amp, I like to use a dynamic mic (almost always an SM57) and a condenser mic (usually a large capsule model such as an MXL 2001). The basic idea is to use two mics with different characteristics.

Whenever using two mics on the same sound source it’s important to make sure the mics are “in phase” with one another. The best way to keep the mics in phase is to place the diaphragms of the mics as close together as possible. For a technical description of what “phase” means check out Sweetwater’s Word For The Day Archive.

One amp, one mic on axis + one mic off axis

Mic placement can also have a huge impact on the tone of the recording:

• A mic pointing directly at the speaker – “on axis” – will sound bright, biting or brittle (or some other adjective beginning with the letter “B”).
• If the mic is pointed at a 22- or 45-degree angle – “off axis” – you’ll get a smoother sound.

So… you could use two SM57s on the same speaker, one on axis and the other off axis. This would create two different tones to blend together when mixing.

Another note about mic placement

Lots of great guitar recordings where made using the close mic’ing techniques described above. However, some engineers won’t even consider putting a mic less than 1-foot away from the amp.

More distant mic’ing techniques can create bigger, or at least more realistic “guitar amp in a room” recordings. But it’s been my experience that this doesn’t work well unless you have a good acoustic space to record in. Bathrooms, hallways and kitchens can be good for this – experiment for yourself and listen to the results!

Beyond mic technique

Give yourself some time to play around with mic placement. When you find something that sounds great, write down what you did… or better yet, take a photo of your setup! This can save a lot of time later on if you really liked the tone you got.

And remember mic placement and technique aren’t the only things that will influence your guitar tone. The real keys to getting a perfect guitar tone are:

• Practice, practice, practice. Make sure you know your parts inside and out before you record. No mic placement or recording technique will make up for lousy playing.
• Make sure your guitar is properly set up. This including checking the intonation and eliminating and buzzes or rattles coming from the guitar. Have this done by a professional if you’re not confident doing it yourself.
• Likewise, ensure your amp is also working perfectly. No amp will be perfectly quiet, but make sure you don’t hear any unnecessary hum, buzz or rattling tubes.
• Triple check that your guitar is in tune. Then check it again! This is right up there with practicing and knowing your parts. -mc