I think step one is asking yourself this question:
"What, exactly, do I want to hear?"
Too many recordists really don't know what they want.
Issue two: Even many recordists who know pretty much what they want
don't know how to get what they want, and won't experiment to do try and find it anyway. It's not that people are lazy, it's lack of knowing where to even start!
Too often people ignore the sound of a room, but even close-miked it matters. Why? Lots of reasons. Let's start with a mic's polar pattern; even a cardioid mic picks up sound from behind the mic. Then we can go on to ribbons, that have figure-8 patterns and pick up lots more room sound. Rooms also create nulls, peaks and standing waves at certain frequencies that are picked up by a mic, especially in the low end - remember that bass is omnidirectional, so chances are the mic will hear it.
You have to also understand proximity effect, the increase in bass the closer most mics are to a source, especially in cardioid modes, and learn how to work with that. Then there's phase, and all the hardware stuff.
One thing I do know: we do not listen to amps with our ears up against the grille cloth. Yes, close-miking amps is a sound, but it's not a natural sound. It also exaggerates proximity effect. This is a reason I like to use room mics, and/or mic the cab a little further back.
It bugs me that people will keep doing the same damn things over and over because 'everyone does it this way'. We're creative people, supposedly! Where's the damned creativity? There are ten billion zillion sounds out there, and as many ways to capture them, but people fall back on the predictable.
The groundbreakers don't do that. I make no claim to being a groundbreaker, because I don't see myself as a recording engineer, but dangit, Mr. Recording Engineer, have the courage and curiosity to try something a little different! [this comment is not directed at anyone here, it's a general-purpose rant]
Gosh, this rant has made me need a drink.
Just kidding about the drink. Sorta.