Unfortunately this is really not a definitive "Best ever" type of thing. It's the same when someone says who's the best ever baseball player etc. Too many musical genres to say who the greatest guitarists are. I can tell who my favorites are:
1) Eric Clapton...IS GOD as the album cover says. Man can play almost any kind of guitar...Acoustic, Jazz, Power Pop, Blues, Rock...you name it he can play it. I can say that if you've never seen him live...do it before he stops touring. I regret not having seen him on last years tour with Winwood. I've seen him on every tour since '85/'86. In my opinion the Greatest guitarist EVER.
2) Jimi Hendrix...The most amazing thing is what he got out in such a short career. And to boot...he did it with basically 4 an 8 track recording studios...mostly 4. Definitely changed music...just didn't live long enough to show other side of what he could do. He's one of those artists that you wonder what they would be doing right now if they were still alive and still playing.
3) Wes Montgomery...Amazing Jazz guitarist that made pop standards of the day his own during a time when Jazz was in flux.
4) George Benson...another amazing Jazz guitarist with an amazing voice to go along with his guitar talent. Another guitarist that crossed over into pop with ease and success.
5) Eddie Van Halen...just for the fact that he changed Rock guitar playing for ever he deserves to be on this list.
6) B.B. King...at 70 + he's still doing it. Man is an amazing Blues guitarist. Another person that if you haven't seen live...you don't know what you're missing. Also had one of the funniest lines I've heard in any Music Documentary...from Rattle and Hum when he's playing with U2 on "When Love Comes to Town"..."Edge will have to play the chords...I can't play chords" I'm paraphrasing...but it was just so funny to hear that from a man that's played guitar for more than 50 years.
7) Stanley Jordan...more of a visual type of guitar player...because you can't believe what he gets out of the guitar with the style that he plays. It's similar to VH's style except he doesn't strum and then tap...he just taps and gets some incredible sounds.
8) John Williams the classical guitarist and NOT the composer for the Star Wars movies.
9) Jeff Beck...what else can be said...just a great rock guitarist.
10) Jimmy Page...looks like he was always either stoned or very drunk on stage...but man can he play. It still amazes me that the Yardbirds had three of the greatest guitarists of all and basically only had one hit "For Your Love"
11) Andy Fairweather Low...this guy is an amazing guitarist that will never get his due because he has been basically a backup to the likes of Clapton and others. Fantastic guitarist.
12) George Harrison...Even though I am not a fan of George's early Beatle guitar work...he really does come into his own around '65/'66 with "If I Needed Someone"...and I still would like to know if he beat the Byrds with what really become their sound. Did McQuinn copy George's style from the Rubber Sould LP?? Some of his most amazing stuff is around '68 with "While My Guitar..." and of course "Here Comes The Sun" and "Something"...and he explodes with the All Things Must Pass" LP.
13) David Gilmour...without his distinct sound...there is no Pink Floyd in my opinion.
14) Brian May...Again, a sound that defined a band along with Freddies vocals.
15) Les Paul...not only a great guitarist but without his inventions there would be no Rock and Roll. If you ever get a chance to see the PBS special on him watch it. One of the guitarist I regret not having seen...and the worst is he used to play Fat Tuesdays in Manhattan every week...ugghhhh.
16) Tom Scholz...again another guitarist that defined a bands sound...if it weren't for his obsessive compulsive disorder we would have seen more albums from Boston while Delp was alive...what a shame. Also an inventor of a piece of equipment that some guitarists couldn't survive without...the rockman.
17) Dave Evans...AKA The Edge. Not a very good technical guitarist...but again that sound is what drove the band.
18) Lawrence Juber...might be a fanboy because he was the guitarist for Wings....but his acoustic stuff is amazing.
19) Steve Vai...basically revived DL Roths career post VH. Flexible is a good album...but I like Passion and Warfare more
20) Frank Zappa...as strange as he was...he was an amazing guitarist.
That's all I got for now...I know someone else will come to mind.
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I also like ZAKK Wylde ... Dudes been jamming with Ozzy on Ozzfest for yrs ...., it is Unbelieable how trashed that guy is ...., and how you couldn't even tell, behind that Guitar .... scene him fall down while playing ...., didn't even miss a note.Leave a comment:
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Last edited by BlackKnight; Feb 9, '10, 11:36 PM.Leave a comment:
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Frank Zappa is always missing from these lists, but I'd put him in the Top 5.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yM1nQ8BgWK4Last edited by highquality; Feb 9, '10, 11:21 PM.Leave a comment:
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WHO????.......LOL!!!!Originally posted by Type3Toys
another i forgot.......
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