It’s just that I think we have to be wary of deluding ourselves into thinking we can sound like one of our heroes just by playing a certain model. Yes, you can get a fair bit closer - Hank went for a Red Strat to sound like Buddy Holly (allegedly), but it didn’t need to be red, and besides he went on to create his own rather different sound surely.

One of the guitars in my collection is an L00, but it’s never going to make me sound like Robert Johnson, just as my F5 mandolin is never going to make me sound just like Bill Monroe, but I guess if they managed to get a good, distinctive sound out of those, then there’s a good chance maybe I could too.

I think artist associations are more important for the instrument makers, hence the plethora of signature editions that will appeal to dedicated fans. I’m sure many EC model Martins have been bought by Eric Clapton fans, but if it helps them to go on and develop their own style/sound then that can be no bad thing surely. I worry a bit though that we spend too long trying to sound like someone else rather than ourselves, but I guess that how most of us learn.