Guitar hookup to Garageband

If you have an effects box that will act as a preamp, you can probably go that route to get your guitar in. Other than that an Audio Interface (and especially for the Mic)

http://www.thehangtime.com/gb/gbfaq2.html#interfaces

I went to the Guitar Center here and bought an M-AUDIO Audio Buddy (2 channel pre-amp) - it works schweeet! I was plugging my guitar directly into my Imac G5 using a 1/4" - 1/8" mini adapter and it worked too but the pre-amp gives it a much fuller sound - the Audio Buddy has Mic inputs too - it was the lowest price I saw them at - $49!

http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/AudioBuddy-main.html

you can just plug directly in but this baby has amazing gain and a much nicer "amp" sound.

I record my electric guitar and bass by plugging into a Laney HCM30B amplifier with a Direct Out, which I connect to an iMic using a Griffin GB Guitar cable to the iBook. The amp has compression and gain with volume. It works but I'm not satisfied with the resulting sound...is there anything obviously wrong with what I've just outlined or is it just a matter of tweaking until I get it right? Actually, the bass is nice but the guitar sounds like it's in a shoe box! Perhaps becuase it is a bass amp? Any ideas, suugestions?

If you are plugging an electric guitar into a bass amp/cab, you won't get the right sound. most bass amps have low pass filters in them that cut off more frequencies above the 1k range, if not lower...As for "in a shoe box", what does that sound like? never heard a description like that.....

If you want to get a good guitar sound, get a line6 podxt or pod2. its usb i/o, perfect for any guitar player

Would this Preamp also work well with a keyboard and microphone?

The Audio Buddy would - it has 2 XLR Mic Inputs, Phantom Power, etc - awesome little pre-amp (only 2-channel though)

http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/AudioBuddy-main.html

I use the Vox ToneLab, and I must say it is wonderful. It is a desktop model, and has a 12AX7 tube in it, and has the feel of playing through a real amp. The sound is super smooth, and it has several amp cabinet models you can mix and match. For bass, I go direct with my Tascam US-122 and then I use the GB bass amps. I like the way they sound, and I can usually find just what I am after with them. But I may try the ToneLab for bass, just to see what it sounds like. But it is really made for guitar. It also has a lot of nice effects, but I really haven't used any of them. I prefer to get my tone, and record it dry, and use the GB effects. Then I can change my mind of I want to. If you have a Vox dealer near you, you really should check it out! I never thought I'd find anything I like as well as a mic on one of my Vintage Fender amps, but this thing can nail that sound, and I don't have to mess with a mic and cable and getting levels, mic placement, etc.