He was one player with a Les Paul, another altogether with a Strat – from heartbreaking vibrato to fire-breathing leads, Gary Moore was one of the blues’ most versatile guitarists

Gary Moore goes wild with a red Stratocaster.

It’s often said that the sound comes from the player rather than the guitar. For example, there’s a well-travelled anecdote about Ted Nugent picking up Eddie Van Halen’s guitar at a soundcheck and sounding like Ted Nugent, even through Eddie’s rig.

While there’s a lot of truth in such stories, it’s also correct to say that different guitars can influence how we play. Gary Moore’s differing approaches to playing a Strat or Les Paul are great example of this.