Oh dear. You're still in the same place. I have funny feeling that Nic Jones would be less offended and would understand what was meant - rather than what YOU believe was meant regardless of the many times this thing has gone round and round. Perhaps as you know him you could ask him? There's various times on the internet where people have long conversations without the simple thing of asking the person (if they happen to be alive, of course). Enough of that I have no interest in engaging in a recurring, pointless discussion which goes nowhere.

Yes very interesting link - I enjoyed the discussion. Tunings are there to facilitate things and are tools is what I take from it. I have friends who desperately want to know 'what tuning is it in' so that they can do it the same. Or in the words of one 'do it right'.

For me I can't see the point. What someone else has done is a great starting point to try and develop ones own style. But everyone copies as a starting point. Very few things come out of absolutely nowhere. Probably the most extreme thing I have seen done with a guitar is some of the things Tommy Emmanuel does to try and convey the sound of the Australian outback (if I remember correctly). He hits it, scratches it, rubs it with sandpaper, uses repeats and effects. All sorts. But for a purpose. It is a tool.

Very very few people get to a stage of having their own style that is recognisable instantly. Nic Jones percussive slap is one. Martin Carthy has a distinctive style. Tommy Emmanuel does. Eric Roche. James Taylor. Richie Havens. John Martyn. Richard Thompson. Dougie Maclean.

Most of us don't and play the best we can, integrating bits that we learn and pick up. Sometimes copying as close as possible. Sometimes playing things very differently to the original source.

So I play Silver Dagger from Steve Tilson's arrangement. I don't play it exactly the same but it is close enough to see where it is from. I play "I Live not where I love" influenced by Simon Nicol. I play Vincent Black Lightning with a lot of nods to Richard Thompson. Both Sides Now I used to try and play like one of Joni's versions; got sick of retuning to open D and reworked the things I liked back into standard tuning to stop faffing about when playing live. I play Moon River which I worked by ear after hearing someone play it so I presume that's my arrangement. The chord voicings are different to most I have looked at since. I have fun changing Dougie Macleans open C songs into standard tuning and making them sound 'the same to the original(ish)'.

I occasionally play in drop D, double drop D, open C, C modal, open G, open E, DADGAD, CGDGAD, EADGCE, once even EEEEBE, and occasionally have fun with a couple of spider capos which open up fun possibilities (open Em13 tuning). But mostly I play in standard because you can do a lot with it. All these things are tools. To paraphrase what I understood Martin Carthy to say in that video - you go and find the thing you need for the thing you want to do

I am neither a great guitarist nor an innovator. I am competent and can play the things I can play. I get inspired by people who can play things I can't and try and do those things. But I understand the mechanics of stuff and play well enough to play out live with the current band I play with and get asked back.