For what it's worth, a really smart old dude said to me once, while I was fretting that I could sound like X if I only had Y brand guitar/amp...
"do you think, if player X was using your current rig, he'd sound like you? Or would he still sound just like him? Do you think he wouldn't sound like himself through a $69 walmart beginner guitar and a $50 chinese amp? Think about that."
I'm still not there, but at least I know where I'm headed.