Since no one's asked yet...

The gtrs wearn't that bad, just needed some brightening up, it was more about getting the kit sorted and trying to find some top end in the overheads....of which there wasn't much
 
So you wouldn't say that you did any major boosts on the guitar eq then? Did you use any effects or anything? It just seems so weird that the guitar sound was there in the first place, I can't believe cutting out the cymbals would clear the guitars that much. They sound so much better in your mix.

Are you SURE you didn't use a secret Sneap device of some sort? haha
 
for what its worth, i thought the guitars had a pretty damn tight base sound on the original mix. like the tone was just waiting to get out. i had been awaiting the remix for quite a while and i was pretty sure that in the right hands the guitars could really shine. it really just sounds like to me that whole album was mixed way to loud at first. its sounds like kelly started with all the faders at 0db and only boosted from there. He more than likely used a limiter to keep the clipping lights from coming on but obviously still clipping all over the place. or it was just tracked way too loud.