Len, one time I was reading an article about Eddie Van Halen. He mentioned that after a concert that Ted Nugent was there. He was so impressed by the sounds that Eddie was getting out of his guitar he asked if he could play it. Eddie mentioned that no matter what Ted did he still sounded like Ted. He came to the same conclusion as you that at the end of the day the guitar player will sound like themself regardless of the gear. There are several guitar players out there that I can recognize them within the first few notes. Santana and Joe Walsh are very distinctive in their sound. Well at least they are to me.