I usually tend to use whatever is available. I'm not really that much gear focused, but love to experiment.
About a year ago I recorded with a rock trio. Fighting up against 2 (sometimes more) stereo recorded guitarparts, and a drummer who hits about as hard as Dave Grohl or the likes.
I used a London City all-tube 70's guitar head, plugged into an Ampeg 4 x 10 (not my own by the way; as I said: I use what's available). Then another line went into a Dynacord 1x15 combo. Both were miked. ANOTHER line
went to a small overdriven Squier 15 watt guitar combo.
So, thats 3 amp lines + DI. Plenty of opportunity to exploit these different sounds while mixing.
I think you can imagine the wall of sound this EP produced
Rock trio.. uhu.. sounded like a rock orchestra
Another project with African music was recorded simply with a Line 6 basspod. Which I'm not a fan of by the way, but it does the job well enough for a demo.
What I would prefer to always use is
1) (tube/active) DI (Sansamp, Aguilar, Ampeg)
2) My own amp + cab miked (HA5000 + Bag End 210)
3) Tube guitar combo (works wonders on a fretless aswell with some reverb) miked
'Bout the basses
I have a custom built 5 string, which is active/passive, J/MM J. It's versatile as can be, and hardly feel the need to do anything on amp equalizing.
Alternatively, I use one of my two fretless Jazzes; One vintage Fender (defretted; don't shoot me; I didn't pull 'em out!!) and an Asian copy. Let me tell you one thing; both of these are absolutely great. The Asian copy (multiplex body) has a very funny character, and it records well. Funny = it tends to jave almost too much growl. Cheap instruments can be great gimmicks, and this one certainly is. Just adding this because you may wonder why I still use the copy when I have a '77 original...
So, thats about it. Recording is one thing, mixing is another. Mixing has a lot more influence on your sound than recording. For recording, imho just try to get everything on 'tape' clearly, I worry about sound when the mixing process sets in.
Studios always give you a wrong impression. The monitors have excellent bass sound usually, and you'll think it sounds great. Don't mix in one day, take a temp mix home and use all kinds of systems like car stereo, home system, small boombox etc. Try to get it to sound good on every system