Recommendations of mics for metal guitar amps

[joelgtrnut]

Hi guys, I play in a thrash metal band and we are about to track our guitars. The rig we will be using is a Mesa Boggie Triaxis through a mesa 2:90 power amp into a Mesa 4x12 cab. Does anyone have any suggestions for what mics to use to get a really heavy, dark, yet crisp tone. I'm kinda going for that Metallica Black Album tone (sad but true), or like any of the newer Testament albums. Someone once mentioned to me that I should use a Sennheiser (I don't remember which model). Any advice would be appreciated greatly!
Thanks.

[cmchamp]

They were probably referring to the Sennheiser e609. Don't need a stand, you can just hang it on the cabinet and let it lay against the grill cloth.

[Hynek]

As the era of constant claiming that the SM57 is the best mic for guitar amps slowly fades away, you may find a condenser mic being more suitable for the job just like I have found.
However, searching for the mic which complies best with your imagination of what your sound should be is a long way to go.
Once you've picked up a mic it's time to locate the sweet spot of your speaker which is different for each mic you use. I've spent hours doing this. As soon as you're satisfied, make a mark on the cloth or grill of the cabinet not to have to do it all over again next time. Record some short sample and MIX IT with all the other instruments 'cos listening to the guitar track alone doesn't work very well. If you're not satisfied, grab another mic and do the same. I found that both the mic choice and its location can make really VERY dramatic changes to the sound which makes, as I feel it, the mic one of the most important parts of the recording chain.
I can also recommend using several mics (e.g. one per speaker), record them into separate tracks and adjust their levels during the mix. Try to use as little EQ as possible.

One way or another, good luck!

Hynek