I really like mono guitar

WiresDreamDisasters

We double track everything these days.

If you listen to some classic albums in the hard rock and metal genres, loads of them have huge chunks of songs where the guitar is mono. I'm thinking particularly of Aenima by Tool, but there are others.

Throwing a mono riff up the middle, and then going wide with the double-tracked approach when it gets heavier... gorgeous!

Cirrus

Yeah, me too. But in general I think people worry too much about symmetry in modern productions

PolarityMan

I like mono guitar too....in addition to my stereo quad tracks sometimes

Love putting the chugs only up the middle and have the entire riff double or quad tracked in stereo. 

Danny1969

Size comes from contrast, if you want something to sound huge then lead off with something smaller. Listen to the intro of The less I know the better (Tame Impala ) ... starts pretty mono and and lo fi so when it kicks in Hi Fi and stereo it sounds massive. It's the same trick used on a lot of stuff before like Smells like Teen Spirit. 

I don't double track anything anymore, I used to do it on everything but so bored with it now. I'm more interested in 2 parts interacting for size rather than doubling width. Plus for me the most interesting music tends to be recorded using a solid backing track performed by the band then built up with overdubs rather than built up from multiple drop ins 

Stuckfast

I'm another who is very very bored by hearing double-tracked stuff. Especially vocals.

Springywheel

I like how some of the van halen stuff is slightly asymmetrical with one guitar panned slightly to the left, then the opposite end is filled up later on by either a solo or another riff. In some zeppelin numbers it’ll just be one guitar hard panned, with its wet reverb-send panned opposite, and other layers introduced gradually. 

menamestom

I've gone the other way.  Have always thought one guitar track only is best.  Perhaps some contrasting parts on a bridge or chorus but with riffs one guitar only.

Last few tracks I have double tracked and I really like them.  I make no effort to play them exactly the same however, if anything I like variations to keep a bit of movement, but that goes with the style I'm after.  I don't really want tight guitars however, that's no fun.

fretmeister

Springywheel said:

I like how some of the van halen stuff is slightly asymmetrical with one guitar panned slightly to the left, then the opposite end is filled up later on by either a solo or another riff. In some zeppelin numbers it’ll just be one guitar hard panned, with its wet reverb-send panned opposite, and other layers introduced gradually. 

I often write for a 3 piece arrangement. I still double track the guitar quite a lot but I treat it like the same piece so the 2 tracks get panned in the same direction.

I know traditionally for a 3 piece everything is right up the middle but I really like a slight pan left and right for guitar and bass - maybe 15% ish.

Doesn't seem to affect the weight of the track but gives it a bit of space while keeping drums and vox in the middle. Gives me a bit more of an old live performance feel from the very old days when the onstage amps were doing all the work and not going into the PA as much as these days.

PolarityMan

QOTSA used to do the panning thing alot, worked really well. They would often automate it back to wide guitar and central bass for certain parts though .