[ArchEtech]

People get snobbish on tone with expensive amps and 6k reissue guitars.

Look at it this way, some of the greatest guitar players sound fantasic with a cheap guitar and a basic set up. Many tout around their sponsered signature guitar but really play their old stand by which probaly isn't an vintage $100,000 piece. Look at EVH - his guitar has been beat to crap. Your telling me that some of those beat up old strats some blues players have are made out of premium tone wood, with $500 custom pickups... not really.

I don't know I think you can take it too far, and we should all just practice more. If you have a Les Paul, any Les Paul, and a reasonably priced amp your equipment is not going to be hindering your learning curve. Worry about getting that "tone" when you have the skills to use it, and by then I'd guess you're fingers would be giving you more tone than the guitar you were playing.

That's just my $.02.