How did I miss this thread.... Buckethead John Petrucci / Gilmour ---I can't decide Hendrix Randy Rhoads Van Halen Honorable mentions: -Paige (man did he have a short prime--dude fell off a cliff and has some ABSURDLY bad and sloppy playing, his live performance at MSG is what got me playing though, and I still rock out to LedZep routinely) -Slash (yea not top 5 sorry) -Vai (virtuoso but not my cup of tea, playing is too technical) -Clapton (amazing guitarist, but not above those other guys IMO) -Stevie Ray Vaughn (he should be in the top 5 now that I think about it but I'm hesitant to change it up) -Joe Satriani (one of the GOATs, the guys above are just more of what I listen to)
Roy Clark - May or may not be one of the top 5 but does deserve a honorable mention. I don't think he gets the credit he deserve because of Hee-Haw and playing country music is not really considered cool, but the man is a true talent.
My subjective list: jimmy hendrix Carlos Santana Slash(he could be doing air guitar for all i care but he just looked awesome doing it) Marty Mcfly jimmy page felipe souza
Hendrix Nick McCabe from the Verve Marc Ford ex Black Crowes Peter Koppes/Marty Wilson Piper-the church Reg Smithies/Dave Fielding-the Chameleons
I'm gonna split it into 2 categories. Favorite guitarists and best technical skills. Favorite: 1. Dimebag Darrell 2. SRV 3. Joe Satriani 4. Devin Townsend 5. Mark Tremonti Best: 1. Guthrie Govan 2. Steve Vai 3. Yngwie Malmsteen 4. Jeff Loomis 5. Rusty Cooley
1960's? Jimi Hendrix Frank Zappa Peter Green Jeff Beck Alvin Lee/Eric Clapton Saw all of them play back in the day, and more than once. (last a tie - listing only 5 is way unfair! I could list another half dozen, easy, and that's sticking to rock guitarists, with several of those also being great blues guitarists, but left off the great strictly blues players of the '60's)
Like all the names listed above, and kudos to the Stanley Jordan choice (cool the way he tapped on strings to make it sound like more guitarists were playing). Here's two not mentioned yet that I really like: Mike Campbell (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) and Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits. Both have the easy style of Clapton. Prince could also play.
You guys make me sick David Gilmour Brian May SRV Paco de Lucia Jimi Hendrix I like Ted Nugent's Stranglehold a lot. Just wanted to throw that in there
1. Eddie Van Halen 2. Jimi Hendrix 3. Duane Allman 4. Richie Blackmore 5. Elliott Easton Before you snicker at that #5, I believe that if you listen to his solos, he has created some of the best-sounding guitar solos of all time. 1:46 - 1:17 - 3:05 - 1:20 -
In no particular order Willie David Gilmore Jimi Dimebag Alex Lifeson Just outside the top 5 Zappa Larry LaLonde Steve Howe Joey Santiago SRV Jimmie Page Buckethead gets points for playing every note possible on each song and working nunchucks into his stage show.
Yep. I think my list would change every day. It's not just the guys who play the fastest. It's the guys (and gals) who come up with the unforgettable riffs and solos, like David Gilmour, Slash, Pete Townshend, Alex Lifeson, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Edgar Winter, Mark Ronson, Jimmy Page, Martin Barre, Buck Dharma- oh ****, I forgot about him- Buck Dharma is definitely top 5- he was the best guitarist I've ever seen live), Angus Young, Rick Nielsen, Robbie Krieger, Joe Walsh, Mike Rutherford, Steve Howe, Joe Satriani, SRV, Albert King, Dave Davies, Keith Richards, James Young, Neil Schon, Billy Gibbons (especially Tube Snake Boogie), Matthias Jabs, Tony Iommi, Mark Knopfler, Mike Bloomfield, Brian May, Ted Nugent, Carlos Santana, The Edge, Don Felder, Roger Fisher (Heart), Joe Perry, George Harrison, Mike Campbell, Allen Collins, Randy Rhoades, Brad Gillis, Vivian Campbell, Kirk Hammett, James Honeyman-Scott, Dave Murray, Neil Young, Stephen Stills, Terry Kath, Paul Kantner and Jorma Kaukonenn (or however you spell it), Jerry Cantrell, BB King, Dicky Betts, Hughie Thomasson (the Outlaws), Duane Roland (Molly Hatchet), Steve Cropper, Prince, Lonesome Dave Peveritt, Chuck Berry, and Steve Jones.
I really can't disagree. Alan Parsons said that several times about his ability to make it sound different- something to do with he had very large fingers and could get sounds out of a guitar that you couldn't even create with studio effects. Something like that.
