[TelZilla]

To the OP's question, and as several alluded to in the thread, he played very differently with the T-Birds than he does now.

Back then he was using a pick and, while he was never exactly "notey", he was a little more out front then. Pick up the first T-Brids CD (sometimes referred to as "Girls Go Wild")- to me it's quintesential whiteboy guitar blues of the Anson Funderburg/Ronnie Earl/Duke Robillard type. Duke and Ronnie are a lot flashier than JLV, but it all sorta sounds like Texas jumpish, swingy kinda blues.

His later solo stuff is more the style I think you're describing- mostly (all?) fingerpicked, tone rolled back, even more economical, often plays descending pulloff kinda riffs at the nut, or in F, with a Capo I. Sounds a little more "gutbucket", to my ear. Although I also hear a little more jazz influence in some of the solo stuff (e.g., "Tilt-a-Whirl").

I love all of it. I can't really think of another guitarist who had such a clean deliniation between two styles (seems like he switched right after SRV's death). Anybody else?