Automatic Guitaristic elements

There are some things that are just inherent to the guitar and therefore using these devices will bring out the quality of the guitar. They are:

1. Open Strings
2. Harmonics
3. Muted strings/Percussive playing on strings
4. Prepared Guitar
5. The sounds behind the nut and the bridge
6. Neck Bending
7. String Bending
8. Slides
9. Hammer-ons and Pull-offs (and legato playing)
10.String Noises (Fret noise, string noise, stratching the strings, pick gliss etc.)

Especially in jazz playing, I think some of these ideas go untapped and unexplored by many. Those who embrace these sounds tend to get a more unique sound. In some ways, I believe that the exploration of these qualities should be a part of a guitarist's proficiency on the instrument in addition to the knowledge of scales, chord voicings, arpregios, picking fluency, technical fluency etc.)

Some recommended listening:

For prepared guitar,string noises,muted strings/percussive playing: David Tronzo
Harmonics: For jazz: Lenny Breau, Tal Farlow; In general: Tommy Emmanuel, Eric Roche, Thomas Leeb
Open Strings: John Stowell, Pat Metheny (especially his acoustic stuff)
Legato Playing: Allan Holdsworth, Tim Miller, Pat Metheny, John Scofield