Tone is in your Hand?

[Zachman]

fair argument, but I think he might ACTUALLY sound more like his rig through a pignose than you think. Se here for an example:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKiFBZnppuU - tiny little practice amp solid state.

and here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kH1-nu68T7k - hard to hear Shenker but you can put make it out. mic that shitty single and put it on an album and it will still have "the tone".

That's my counterpoint. I get what you are saying about the right tool but I would argue that the most important tool are the hands when it comes to tone.

I think you're overestimating talent vs the laws of physics. I would suggest that the right tool for the job is whatever the right tool for job is, but I would argue that the most important tools are the hands when it comes to content, and proficiency of what is played, while the gear, how it's set, and used in a given rig configuration, is another matter-- because if proficiency were the key, there wouldn't be great players struggling w/ gear to achieve specific tone results.