Saying that, JP live these days is perfect compared to a lot of guitarists live performances out there.
This. JP's solos, as we all know, are incredibly difficult to play. Let's consider he's playing live, standing up, doing those motherfucking solos and playing songs that last
at least six minutes each, for more than two hours minimum. Now consider he's been doing that shit for 30 years non-stop. There's got to be a point when you can't do that stuff perfectly anymore.
I don't think there's a single guitar player that, at 50 years old, plays the guitar solos he composed when he was 25 flawlessly live.
*awaits unavoidable quote naming several guitar players that do exactly that* *Seriously though I'm curious to know*He's not getting younger, and the fact that he can still do most of his solos pretty well live and that he's not doing the horrible things Kirk Hammett is doing to songs like Hit the Lights nowadays shows he's far from being a "sloppy" player (And think about this: Kirk began overusing his wah back when he wasn't even 35 years old). Not like JP's 75, but Age does take its toll.
I can see your point about the tone, though.