I left out transformers. There were lots of those in the signal chain back then, and for good reason. They really simplify circuit design for one thing, but another reason they're cool is that you can hit them really hard and they won't buzz or crackle when they clip. Another important thing about the older recordings is they would roll off around 14-16 kHz.
As far as the guitar sound, it really has to come down to the players and producers. They used strobe tuners which are more accurate than the cheapos you usually see and that makes a huge difference. Also the chords that they played. The great ones knew which inversion would serve the song.
It irks me no end nowadays watching most bands play. Typically I see two guitar players strumming the same chord in unison down at the bottom of the neck. Either a straight 4/4 or eighth note pattern. Sheesh man, that's stuff you should know after a month of playing, not what you expect from professionals.
My four complaints:
1) Two guitars should not be playing the same chords, at the same place on the neck.
2) Playing at the bottom usually means mud and leaves no room for the other instruments. Good guitar players are usually in the middle of the neck somewhere.
3) Bar chords are cheating, like using a capo. It means you don't know any other way to play one of the simple three chords you've learned.
4) A straight four or eight note pattern is wanking.
Yes, good players use capos sometimes, etc. But what I've described seems to be the boring, repetitious norm nowadays. It makes me yawn. What Terry Kath, Hendrix, Glen Campbell, Chet Atkins, Les Paul, Steve Cropper and on and on had in common was they played interesting parts that served the song. They didn't do any of my four complaints.
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