single coil sounds from a humbucker

I think it's very important to remember that the guitar is only a tool. It helps us to express what is in our hearts and in our minds, and it communicates what we give to it through our hands. Learn how to play expressively - then get into finding technologies that help you express yourself more clearly. Anything else is just gimmick. This is not directed at the fool, because I think he has done his homework on 'finding his sound', but at those who think that buying the same gear as 'X' will make them sound like their hero. It doesn't work that way. You will always sound like you. Good or bad, that's how it is. BB King playing a Telecaster is still going to sound like BB King. Once you are able to define and recognise 'your sound', you can look for ways to enhance and clarify it.

Amen to that Mr. Moderator! I totally agree. It always starts with the head and hands- not the guitar. Of course in the beginning, everyone wants to sound like their fave player, but in the end, we have to make up our own individual sound and style. In my opinion, I think that's how music evolves. We learn on what the past guitarists have done and we improve on it. When we get old, the next generation of guitarists will take on our improvements and further improve it- hopefully making something new. Music wouldn't grow if we just kept on playing the same thing. When I moded my guitar, my purpose wasn't to imitate somebody's sound- I'm just doing it to make the guitar more versatile according to my taste and in the process, personalizing it by adding my own personal touches. I already have the tone in my head to begin with. Sometimes, no matter how good you are with your hands, your guitar can only take you so far that you either have to mod your guitar or buy a better guitar. Guitars also have quality- some guitars are just crap, some are better on a certain style and less suitable for others. What I did is better the quality and make it more versatile so I can accomodate a lot of styles by modding it. But I certainly did not change my sound and style by all means when I did it because the sound and style begins in your head and hands.