A while ago I used a generic pc mic. It was alright. I had it plugged right into the soundcard. It was surprisingly good for recording acoustic guitar. It was a bit to much low-end. I just used a high-pass filter to cut out some low. But when it came to recording my amp it was very crunchy and very high-end. It really depends on your microphone. As for recording using a distortion pedal, the only way to know is to try it.