Perhaps "newer" gas water heaters have more efficient pilots?
Mine is 20 years old, I installed a store-bought tank blanket, and on pilot only nope, no way, is the water hot enough. This from a guy that heats his house to 48 degrees.
I did the same thing with the water heater as I did with the thermostat: lowered it until it failed to live up to a minimal standard. And I do mean minimal. The water heater ended up at the "vacation" setting for me. My guess is, it fires up about once/day... right AFTER I shower
I would like for it to do that just prior to shower time and have thought about putting a lever on the control knob, limit the lever's range and spring load it to the low limit, and run a string up to the bathroom that can be tugged, oh, 10 min prior to shower time.