I don't think that playing with a washing machine would be that funny, even if the audience can't tell the difference with an amp :)
I agree. The technique is in the fingers, what you mute, what you don't mute etc. This is particularly true if you play with your fingers without a pick. I think most if not all the "stories" told by famous guitarists about magical fingers (Brian May telling about playing trough Jimi Hendrix amps for example) are made up or they were unaware of hidden gear...