“If you give a 1959 Les Paul to a 10-year-old kid, it’s not gonna make him sound like Gary Moore”: Steve Lukather on the limitations of gear

Toto guitarist and Ernie Ball Music Man artist Steve Lukather has discussed the limitations around gear, and how there is “no magic” item of gear that can turn someone into an amazing player.

• READ MORE: Steve Lukather says Joe Bonamassa’s house “smells like an old Les Paul case”

In an interview with Guitarist, Lukather is asked if he would rather buy a really good guitar and a budget guitar amp or a cheap guitar and a high-end amp, to which he responds, “Here’s a really good answer: there’s no magic guitar, no magic amp, there’s just magic people.”

He adds, “I’ve played Eddie Van Halen’s guitars, Jeff Beck’s guitars, and I sound like me. A great guitar and a great amp? Sure, that helps. How could it not? But if you give a 1959 Les Paul to a 10-year-old kid that can’t play it’s not gonna make him sound like Gary Moore. You know what I mean?”

Elsewhere in the interview, Lukather shares his best tip for finding the right guitar (no matter the price tag or spec), which he believes comes down to personal connection: “Some people like a certain feel, you know? You get a guitar and when you put it in your hand and you feel it, it’s a personal connection, and you go, ‘Aww, this feels good – this is nice.’ And then you have the sound… I think it’s a really personal thing.

He continues, “In terms of really great guitars, there are a lot of options that you have today. Pretty good-quality stuff. Apples and oranges, you know, personal taste.”

Last month (July), Kurt Ballou of Converge also addressed gear snobbery when partaking in a rig rundown: “I don’t like musical gatekeeping – the idea that you can’t do something because you don’t have a piece of gear,” he said, after arguing that “tone comes from fingers”.

Lukather’s latest solo album, Bridges landed in June. You can get tickets to see him live via his website.