This. The quality of Japanese stuff is exceptional. I have owned a good number of them over the years and the build quality has been very high without exception. I've not encountered a bad one. Bought them all 'blind' as well.
Someone has already mentioned Russ Ballard. I remember an early Precision (1956 I believe) being advertised on eBay that looked perfect but the description mentioned it had been heavily drilled underneath the scratchplate to lighten it.
It was on BBC1 so I guess it could be on iPlayer. Agreed about Macca and Elton John - pretty awful in both cases.
Probably significant but the better performances appeared to be artists using studio quality gear as opposed to (apparently) just a phone.
I have to say he impressed me with that. Up to that point I'd always thought of him in the same way as the character Grossbereger from the film Stir Crazy.
I have wondered along similar lines myself. Does a digital amp use the same amps as a valve amp of the same output, bearing in mind a lot of energy goes into running the valves. Not exactly your question but along similar lines.
I was at an EC gig at Portsmouth Guildhall back in the days of TOTP. It was a Wednesday night and the band were still in London recording the backing for the next might's show (I think Nick Lowe was depping on bass too). He came out on his own and did about an hour before the rest of the band arrived and they started again.
Bought a power supply from Jack. Great comms and super fast delivery - bought and paid for on Thursday and delivered, well packaged, on Saturday morning.
Don't know if it still does but his website did chronicle the studio fire and the correspondence with Music Man, when he sent a very badly burned bass back and told them their quality control was rubbish. Much hilarity ensued.