As far as the value of fingers, sure, the gear makes all the difference in the world! But, if you did go out and buy everything SATCH from the guitar to the speakers, without the practice and experience, you will not sound like him.... Even with practice, there are lifetimes of habbits and techniques that Joe has repeated over and over that will seem awkward to the average guitarist....
There are strong arguments for both sides of this one, but the bottom line is that the gear is only an extension of the instrument.
If all the gear is connetced, but there are no fingers to do the input, you may be fortunate enough to at least hear some feedback. Wiggle your fingers. Yeah, you , right now, wiggle your fingers... Did ya hear any Satch like tones?
I didnt think so... There is an intimate bond between a virtuoso and his gear. The better they know each other, the more brilliant the music becomes!