Nicole, I don't think the Crate amps deliver phantom power, and the condensers deliver more than the amp can reproduce. And the PZMs (I use the Crown PCC 160s and 170s) really load up with more than a couple of musicians playing at one time, and there's no cut in the mix. The idea of the two Shures on two stands is OK, but they've got to get the amp out front. (Two mic stands make the amp placement critical, where as one stand-two mics provides less chance for the big F.

Lets combine the ideas and suggest that they take the amp to a Radio Shack and try both the 3001s and or the electret on the actual amp... My bet, with the bother of batteries on the electret, the feedback potential of a cotten stuffed omni (live ain't recording birds) and the ready-to-go cords of the 3001s into the amp on both channels, they'll go with the 3001s and not the battery powered electret.

Going with an expensive mike into a 30 watt guitar amp is like eating a good steak through a strainer (IMO).