wouldnt it be cool to see joe with a strat again !! (Page 3 of 3)

Regularly put on New Day Yesterday and Live at Rockpalast to get my older Joe fix, but like you I now prefer the cooler more structured Joe. Doesn't harm you to have a blast now and again. Would still love to see  Tea for one and pain and sorrow on a strat again though.

scale lengths, fretboard radii, body shape, neck shape, all will affect the touch.  Different tones, different woods, all will affect the playability of an instrument.  I go through phases where i favor one vs the other (LP vs Strat) that is, and based on the gig, as I play as a sideman, I have to taylor the tone to the music, from country to rock.  I discovered solo JB when he was Budda/Marshall/Strat/bunch of pedals, and just making the transition to LP's.   His live videos from that era have a fire and a sense of urgency that cannot be matched.  Age, experience, all kinds of things influencing the playing/tone/approach, that is just tough to keep going without getting bored or repeating yourself.  I mean Clapton went from Tele->Gibsons->Strats and his tone has changed drastically through the decades.  I guess it is that whole thing about growing as an artist. I think JB's tone nowadays, to my ears, much like his technique, is more refined, less flash, better note choices.  He is also playing with keyboards live, so no longer a trio.  Really there seems to be a night and day difference between approaches from 2004 to 2012.  I think there is something for everyone.

P.S. I even noticed that his stage presence and how he approaches the mic has changed.  he used to be, in my opinion, very much influenced by BB King as a showman, up until the mid 2000's and nowadays I think he has found his own thing.