[Midlandmorgan]

Dave, I know the folks you work with are top notch - craftsmen in their own rights - and can be relied on to get repeated excellent results...

I think you are on to something as far as having a assortment of unusual instruments (triggers, bouzikis, treys, etc...) to keep things ... fresh. I mean, given the circusmstances, just how many ways ARE there to mic a Deluxe? No matter your chain, its still going to be the same player (most key element)...

Which leads me to a question: Over the years, I've read people like Brent Rowan, Brent Mason, Reggie Young, etc...show up to a studio gig with literally trucks of stuff...and will apply some effects to their guitar signals before it ever gets to the mic...Is this still a common practice, or has the paradigm shifted to allow producer/engineer to make the choices during mix, and focus on getting the purest form of any given instrument? Why would hired guns show up with three 18 space racks if all you need for a specific gig is a tele, a deluxe, a cord, and a pick?

Your insights are appreciated.