Display MoreSame old debate... though I think it's easy:
I think noone would doubt that gear has influence on tone.
As well as noone would doubt that fingers have influence on how tone comes out of gear.
Now, the more experienced (unique) a player is in tone, vibrato etc., the more does that factor of the overall sound become relevant in our overall perception - and therefore it does finally outweigh gear as a factor. And so fingers become THE factor.
So, in short: From starting guitar to mastering it, that factor increases. Maybe kinda like this (still don't know how to attach pics correctly):
Is this really the "same old debate"? I often see people discuss where tone comes from, but they don't often discuss the tiny technical playing details that affect tone. Just like like tweaking the amp block paramaters on your KPA.
Most of the time I get the impression people think it goes down to DNA - ie what hands you were born with. To me that is just a lousy excuse for people who are not able to break down and analyse what is actually happening. Have any of you seen the great videos by Troy Grady ("Cracking the code" etc)? To me this a great example of how sophisticated techniques can be broken down and analysed - just to show mastering them does not require specific DNA but rather understanding for several different physical mechanisms.