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I've mainly played guitar since I was 8 years old (play some keys, drums, and brass). I studied classical guitar and music theory for 3 years. Along the way, I picked up electrics and learned various styles. I toured nationally playing lead with a heavy rock show band for 5 years and have played in many local groups to this day. While I love my metal and fusion, I really enjoy slide, finger picking styles, hellbilly country, roots music, classical, and rockin' blues (ala SRV).
The search for tone has been the source of much GAS in my life (guitar/gear acquisition syndrome). I found that much of your sound comes from the way you use a pick, your finger tips, finger to fret position, vibrato, harmonics, muting, damping, etc. You can take three guitar players and put them on the same rig, play the same part, and they'll all sound a bit different (tone, timbre, inflection, etc.). My current bass player suggested that my tone was a little too round during a run I played in one of my leads. By turning the pick a bit I was able to get enough bite to make the difference. He was very curious because I got the sound without adjusting my amp or guitar tone.
To make a long story short, sometimes the tone you're looking for has a lot to do with technique combined with the swell gear.
My current gear:
4 Fender Strats (2 US, 1 Mexican, 1 Japanese)
'61 Gibson Melody Maker (modified with a Duncan JB, EMG Hz single coil, Khaler vibrato) amazing tone variety on this guitar.
'64 Fender Mustang (upgraded with Duncan JB and EMG Hz single coil).
Epiphone Papa Chubby Korina Flying V with Duncan P90 stacks (sounds like a Gretch)
Marshall 100 watt Plexi Stack - gray tweed speaker cloth (new in 1981)
Marshall JCM 800
MesaBoogie MkII
Carvin Vintage 50 head and 2 4x10 cabs
Peavy Classic 30 with 12" extension (amazing little workhorse of an amp)
Line6 Pod Pro and Pod Pro XT
Digitech and Lexicon digital rack effects.
Ibanez Tube Screamer (1982)
Vox wah
Behringer FBC1010 programmable Midi controller.
I've got more stuff, processing gear, etc., but this is the gear I drift in and out of most. I tend to work mostly with my Line6 gear. It takes a while to tweak with the PC interfaces, but I get some really tasty tones that usually requires 2 amps, various stomps and eq's. Just save your patch and go seamlessly from Chris Issac Wicked Game to Perry Mason by Ozzy... and more. (if only I'd could get a paid endorsement)
BTW - None of the modified old guitars had collector value. Someone screwed them up first.
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"It rubs the lotion on Buffy, Jodi and Mr. French's skin" - Uncle Bill from Buffalo
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