Yep, I remember listening to Les Paul and Chet Atkins albums with my Grandma!  As far as technical advances, you have to consider Phil Spector and .... cant remember the guy's name who invented the spring coil that was put into amplifiers to create reverb.  See, you would not have that Dick Dale sound at all without lots of reverb. And as you know almost every guitar player uses at least a little reverb anymore since then!  Including Eddie but he uses more flange and chorus than reverb.