No it's not like saying that at all. Good tone and technical proficiency are not equivalents, I never said they were.
But what it is like saying is that Jeff Gordan (race car driver) cant drive as fast in a stock Honda Civic as he can in a McClaren Super Car (but he might save on gas). Doesn't mean he loses his skill as a driver in the Honda Civic, he's just limited to what he's capable of doing because of the equipment he's using. Playing an amp of lesser wattage, and with solid state circuitry, limits what an electric guitar is capable of in terms of dynamics, tone, sustain, harmonics, overtones, presence, etc. A large portion of Van Halen's "tricks" would have not been easy to achieve without the volume and power of a tube amp.
And for the record, I always dislike Van Halen's playing, inspite of what he's playing through.
Imagine Nina Simone (or anyone you consider to be a good singer) doing all of her recording through computer microphones. Inevitably they wouldn't sound like they were bad singers, but it would sound like a bad recording. And that distinct difference in the quality of the audio is what I'm referring to specifically. Sonic depth, even order harmonics, etc. is what solid state circuitry lacks.
And if you don't know what the big deal is about tube amps maybe you just have a very limited experience with them. I don't know anyone who bought a tube amp because they are a status symbol, at least not anyone who can play their instrument well that I've met, but I know of lots of people who buy tube amps because they sound better. It has nothing to do with status, but with what the general consensus is of what sounds "good."
I challenge you to go down to a music store in your area that has a decent supply of amps and start playing through as many different amps as you can while you're there. Tube amps, solid state, and hybrids. Make a day out of it. And at the end of the day re-assess what you've previously thought about tone.
Maybe then your mind might change. Maybe not, because maybe we're both after different unicorns, and I'm just pissed that you think you've already found yours.
