[Rick Lee]

Tapping is the least of his contributions to guitar and really only recognized as a big deal by non-guitar players or non-VH disciples. Anyone can tap. And although Eddie always told the story about figuring out from watching Jimmy Page, he got it from an LA local guitarist named Terry Kilgore. In fact, if you dig up the old demo Gene Simmons produced around 1976, there is no tapping on it. Ed didn't see Terry Kilgore do it until after that demo was made, but well before Ted Templeman discovered them at the Starwood and then signed them.

Anyway, Ed's tone and swing-style rhythm (right hand mostly) are what set him apart from all others. Literally billions of dollars have been spent and amp companies have opened and closed trying to figure out his tone. It's been figured out now by a few boutique builders, but Ed told some tall tales about it in the early interviews in an effort to throw others off. And don't forget the super Strat. Millions of super Strats were made by just about every company in an effort to cash in on Ed's popularity. His guitar is the ricketiest POS you could ever imagine. But he was the first guy to put a humbucker in a Strat and then use a Floyd Rose. More impressive, IMHO, is how he was able to make the first three albums without a Floyd Rose and keep the guitar in tune. Pure genius.

Anyway, ignore his solos. Check out his rhythm playing on Dirty Movies, Sinner's Swing, Drop Dead Legs, Girl Gone Bad, Hang Em High, The Full Bug. You can spend years trying to get that groove down.