Real fast before I attempt to answer the OP's question....
@AlienSexGod I get where you're coming from, but you're pushing an opinion which is why people are feeling the need to debate with you. Me personally, I like the 57 in that vid and here's why....it has a little cut that can easily be trimmed if need be. The Royer is smooth yet kinda dead for me. The mids are a little congested and it has 0 energy. Is it a good mic? Oh yeah it is! I use them here all the time. Do I like it better than a 57? At times....but it depends on the instrument and the sound we're going for, ya know? Tone is the most subjective thing in the world....it's a no win scenario because our ears and needs are all so different. 57's are super popular still and are used today the same as Royer's and even the 421...which can also be arguably, one of the best guitar capture mic's as well. You have to understand....
A paint brush is just that. A tool. There are big fat brushes, and skinny ones. Same with mic's. Thinner sounding mics, thicker sounding mic's, and mic's that accentuate mids. What is best for the job is what we should use. This is why it's almost a moot discussion to even say which is better. What is better is what works on the final application.
Our ears are so different, you'll get 30 different answers as to what is the best. The "best" is what gets the job done for a particular situation in MY opinion.
The other side of the coin.....I think EVH has one of the most sought after tones in rock history. Like it or hate it, we can thank the 57 for part of that tone.
Calling it rubbish is well, your prerogative and an acceptable opinion....but it's one I definitely consider to be a bit harsh for what it's worth.
To the OP: I like to consider myself pro. I've toured a few times, have two world wide releases under my belt, and I've worked with incredible known musicians, producers and engineers as well as unknowns that should be known. I make my living strictly from music and recording. Now whether or not that qualifies me to answer this....I really don't know, but I'll share my experiences with you if it will help any?
My recording set-up: I always have gone through a console or direct in and out of a decent interface. Lynx, RME, Echo, Midas, Apogee are what I have in both of my studio's right now. When we record, we like to have the best of all worlds and I learned this through working with people like Beau Hill (Ratt, Winger, Europe, Warrant etc) Bob Katz, (Grammy award winning mastering engineer) Wayne Davis (my personal mentor) and Dann Korneff. (Breaking Benjamin)
For example, a guitar track gets recorded a few ways here. We always mic a cab if a cab is to be used. A mic where the paper meets the cone on a 45 degree angle for starters and then we tweak accordingly and may end up with something totally different. Another mic either at close range on another speaker or at medium range to pick up what your ears actually hear when you stand in front of the cab. And a room mic or two in the back of the room to pic up some room ambience.
From there, if the guitarist is using a Fractal or something equal, we run the XLR outs into a mic pre (only for coloring...there are no other benefits to running a pre other than if you have a weapon of choice that just gives you a certain something) or straight into a console. Now, the console will have a pre in it. In my case, it's a Midas and they have some of the best pre's ever made for recording. I don't use much, but without a little pre kick, you can notice a little something is not there. I also compress using an LA2A going to disc just for a nice, consistent signal hitting -6dB peak and averaging at about -10dB.
From there, we always run a DI so we have the power to re-amp and I've never been a fan of how I used to do that. But thanks to the incredible
@vangrieg for so graciously giving his time to help me with an easier way to run DI stuff, we are doing it via SPDIF instead of literally running DI boxes and additional outs from a sound-card into the amp or guitar pre-amp of our choosing. (Thank you brother!)
So when all is said and done, we may have 4-5 mic captures of a cab including the room, 1 real distorted track from an Axe Fx or something similar, and the DI. So 7+ is very possible just for a guitar track. Will we use them all? Probably not...but it IS possible....it all depends. Even if we don't, we have all our bases covered. It's sort of like when I record drums. I mic the living crap out of them and STILL run D-Drum triggers on the kit as a safety net or if I decide to hybrid a kit kit like BFD drums or something, i can do it. It's nice to have the back up weapons.
Now, for those thinking this may be over-kill, I'll explain the method to the madness. When you charge people money for the services you offer, sometimes you only get one session with them. You want to do everything in your power to give them options, flexibility and versatility. Furthermore, I have also run a few things in front of my Axe Fx and other guitar pre-amps and VST guitar amps at times. A light compressor, a Tube Screamer and a Boss Compressor/Sustainer. (not all at the same time lol) Why? Just for a little different coloration that is effecting what is being sent into the Axe/guitar pre, that's all.
You can really come up with some cool sounds processing a little before you go into the Axe input. Try a compressor sometime....and get that dry signal that hits the axe nice and tight. Just be careful not to introduce much gain/output levels etc or you pick up hiss. Or try a Tube Screamer with the drive all the way down, tone knob up the middle, and boost the output until it starts to hiss a bit, then back it down. Tweak tone knob to taste, and see where you end up.
So to answer your question in one sentence....I use everything in your poll at once and so do many of the people I hold in high regard. My Midas console interface is USB, so I use that when I need it. Or, I go through the Midas as a part of my signal chain and send it to my other interfaces. With all of these tools, I have the options to do anything and everything.
Hope this helps some.