Vintage MD421, U-5, or MKII for metal guitars?

[LinearScott]

I would suggest a ribbon or large diaphragm condenser to compliment the sm-57. The 421 in my opinion sounds too similar on a guitar cab. I've had great results using a CAD m179 on bass cabs but I haven't tried them on guitar cabs yet. They also kill on toms. I typically pair a dynamic mic with a ribbon for guitar.

[Showcase]

Imo, they old beige 421 without any options is the best sounding!

Akg 414 blended together with Sm-57 (separate speakers) is nice for a tight, controlled guitar sound

[Sir Chris]

Both of you are on point as far as a ribbon and a c414 but I'm hoping to find something under $500 that would work and if anyone has any opinions about pairing a 57 with a 421 on a 4x12 cab. But I appreciate the suggestions for alternatives. I may have to rethink this one then.

[Moen]

I just bought a near mint Telefunken for Senheiser MD421, and it is just amazing! Not as cutting and stiff as a 57. I also have an Audio Techica AT4033, and have had great results pairing it with an 57, or a BeyerDynamic 201.
If you can try missmatch impedans on a 57, or another dynamic, its cool to make the mic work a bit harder. Can make for an interasting EQ change and freq responce.

If I had an 57, and was bying another mic to compliment it on electric guitar, I would probably take a look at the AT4033/4040/4047 (they go real cheap on ebay) or the AKG C414 or even the c214(wich I loved on some lightly distorted guitar recordings). A ribbon would probably do well too, but I cant comment on that. But if I was getting one, it would probably be the AEA R92 or the R84. Not only for distorted guitar sounds, but I know the R92 do well! There are some sound clips on youtube.

best bet under $500
AT4033/4040/4047

[Winey]

The U5 is very useful on distorted guitars. I like it better than the ver II. 57's and 421's together are a classic combo. For heavy music the Royer is not a go to for me. For chimey gained up clean tones yes... But imo you'll be better served with a 421 for heavy gtr.

[Silent Sound]

Get a Nady RSM 5. It's a great little ribbon and for under $100 it'll be well worth the money and will let you know if you want to buy a Royer or Coles on down the line.

The AT4033 is also a great mic for guitar amps when you want to capture ALL THE DETAIL of the amp. It can get a harsh, but it can also get really well defined. I would never use it alone for guitar cab, but have often used it for bass and guitar cabs where I needed some definition and clarity, and paired it with a dynamic or ribbon for meat.

The MD421 that you wanted is also a nice option. however, I'd tend to use it instead of a 57, not so much with it. But that's just a personal preference. I did go through a phase of using the sm57 and i5 together on cabs. The recordings sounded pretty good, but I find I like the broader options of combining two or more different kind of mics (condenser, dynamic, ribbon) on a guitar cab.

However, with heavily distorted guitars, I find you either need to record DI and use some amp sims or use some really nice preamps. In either case, what you're looking for is some clarity and precision in all that distortion. I find it hard to get the guitars to really cut through a busy mix when I am just using mic'd guitar cab tracks that I recorded with fuzzy or slightly veiled preamps. But great preamps are expensive, and a low cost work around is to use a DI track and amp sim and mix a bit of that in with the rest of the guitars to bring back some of that clarity.

[Sir Chris]

Thanks guys for all the advice. A lot to take in and will look at all the options suggested. I do have condensers and ribbons to pair with a 57. But the MD421 is a legend for a reason and felt that it would make a nice addition in the mic locker. Just didn't know which model would fit best for what I'd like it for. The other mics suggested I had not considered so definitely a big thanks for sparking new ides. Cheers