NationStates Jolt Archive

So since we have a lot of music fans here, who do you think are the best guitarists of all time. I can't think of other guitarists that are great but Ian Mackaye and Guy Picciotto of Fugazi fame has to be one of the best guitarists. The two guys like can play the guitar really well. So who do you think are the best guitarists. O yea Jimi Hendrix is a great guitarist too. I'm just more punk/hardcore/emo/indieish though.

Brian May is one of them.

Robert Johnson

If you've listened to a Rage Against The Machine album, its amazing to think that Tom Morello makes all those sounds with a guitar - very experimental. He was voted the best guitarist one year by other guitarists. Not sure if he's the best ever, but he certainly plays some amazing sounds, he must practice 8 hours a day or something.

Also, Peter Frampton, for the talking guitar :p

Statin' the obvious:
Django, Segovia.

Then there is Wes Montgomery, Grant Green, Mclaughlin, I'm pretty fond of Leo Kottke.

I'm thinking I'm missing something, but I'm sure someone else will pick up the slack

el hefe from nofx

Derek Bailey, experimental and free jazz guitarist, that's one of the dudes I was forgetting.

Adam Jones from tool

Allen Wilson 8)

Jimi Fuck-ing Hendrix!

Tony Iommi...
There is no doubt about it.

(The magazine) Guitar World agrees.

Adrian Smith is a close second... Guitar World doesn't agree with me there...

Tony Iommi...
There is no doubt about it.

(The magazine) Guitar World agrees.

Adrian Smith is a close second... Guitar World doesn't agree with me there...

Tony Iommi is great.


Also in current times I like John Mayer. He has complicated chord progressions and shows a great knowledge of theory. I've been playing guitar a while and I still can't play like him.

Joe fucking Satriani


:!: :!:

Jimmie Page

and Stevie Ray Vaughn

good gutarists hey ok here we go

Brian May (Queen)
Angus Young (AC/DC)
Chris Cheney (The Living End)
Chet Atkins (Stray Cats)
Chuck Berry
Buddy Holly
Santana
Billie Joe Armstrong (GreenDay)
Jimmy Hendrix (Voted Number One Gutairist of all time by rolling stone 2003)

.... how is this even a question?

stevie ray and jimi.

oh yah joe satriani as well.

Gene Simmons from Kiss

I happen to like the talents of...*deep breath*

Nuno Bettencourt, because he IS a great guitarist, even if I didn't like much of the songwriting talent of Extreme, I loved his guitar solos.

Pete DiStefano, because again, his stuff really stands out in his work for Porno for Pyros, but this time I like the band.

Johnny "Guitar" Watson, because I think he belongs among the underappreciated guitarists.

As for Joe Satriani, can I just say that I think he's like the Kenny G. of guitar? His technical skill is beyond question, but it's just so....soulless. Same goes for Steve Vai.

I like the older artists like Santana, especially his much older work, and of course there's nothing like listening to Hendrix cranking out the Star Spangled Banner.

I don't mean to demean anyones faves, but Peter Frampton? Tommy Iommi? Are these for real? I dig Sabbath, but, Geez, I can play all the guitar licks myself. Gene Simmons? He plays bass.

If you want to stay mainstream, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page are no brainers. Brian May very good, under rated. Wes Montgomery is an excellent pick. How about Jack White? I'm sure there are many, many excellent pickers I don't know a thing about.

Ben Weinman and Brian Benoit from Dillinger Escape Plan. They write and play complex, fast music with shifting time signatures and tempos and all around pwn everyone else.

Gene Simmons plays bass and Jimi Hendrix is really sloppy.

Anyone notice that Rolling Stone has gotten really pop and mainstream too? I have to say that while I agreed with a few of their picks for "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time", the ones I really thought were any good were rated way too low, and the pop ones way too high, and some of the best weren't even in there.

I should cancel my subscription, only they mentioned some good blues guitarists.

Anyone notice that Rolling Stone has gotten really pop and mainstream too? I have to say that while I agreed with a few of their picks for "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time", the ones I really thought were any good were rated way too low, and the pop ones way too high, and some of the best weren't even in there.

I should cancel my subscription, only they mentioned some good blues guitarists.

Rolling Stone is overrated anyways.

Statin' the obvious:
Django

excellent choice!

Oh Django Reinhardt bigtime, and who could possibly forget Willie Nelson? He's one of the best jazz guitarists of all time, next to Django. How could I not have Willie in my rankings?

I happen to like the talents of...*deep breath*

Nuno Bettencourt, because he IS a great guitarist, even if I didn't like much of the songwriting talent of Extreme, I loved his guitar solos.

Pete DiStefano, because again, his stuff really stands out in his work for Porno for Pyros, but this time I like the band.

Johnny "Guitar" Watson, because I think he belongs among the underappreciated guitarists.

As for Joe Satriani, can I just say that I think he's like the Kenny G. of guitar? His technical skill is beyond question, but it's just so....soulless. Same goes for Steve Vai.

I like the older artists like Santana, especially his much older work,and of course there's nothing like listening to Hendrix cranking out the Star Spangled Banner. Carlos is my choice for the best living guitar player, he is far from retired and his two latest albums have been as sharp as anything he has done before and shown a remarkable versatility in style that few can match.

Ok, I'm a drummer by trade, but still have a few faves...

Joe Satriani- really good technical player
Eric Clapton- just a guilty pleasure
Adam Smith- gotta have the Tool
Dave Gilmour- love his solo's on Comfortably Numb and all Dark Side songs...just a really smooth, moody feel.
and probably my all time fave.....
Stevie Ray Vaughn...because.....well, just because.

My top 5 in no particular order:

Jimi Hendrix
B.B. King
Randy Rhoads (Ozzy's first lead guitarist after Black Sabbath)
Angus Young (AC/DC)
Johnny Ramone (Ramones)

Pete Townshend (http://www.oddsandsods.imdanet.com/pete_bloody.jpg)

Need I say more?

Well, I guess I do. The link was to picture of him with the bloody hand, but they don't allow linking anymore. Something about stealing bandwidth or something.

How could you guys forget Alex Lifeson ???

Or Dave Navarro, even...

Tommy Emanuel

Tommy Emanuel

why arent j00 0n /\/\5/\/? :D

I can't believe no-one's mentioned Nick Drake. 8)

Tommy Emanuel

why arent j00 0n /\/\5/\/? :D

*Powerchords tar to his untimely death*!!

Yngwie Malmsteen is the best guitarist I've ever heard, no question.

Tommy Emanuel

why arent j00 0n /\/\5/\/? :D

*Powerchords tar to his untimely death*!!

little one! check out the SSA board!

I could mention guitarists that are generally recognised as 'great', but I'm going to concentrate on more modern guys. People like Dave Navero, Josh Homme, Wayne Kramer (still going strong!), Jack White, John Frusciante, Mike Einziger or Thurston Moore. These folks might not be the greatest ever, but there up there with best.

Chet Atkins (Stray Cats)


Chet Atkins was never in the Stray Cats - perchance you mean Brian Setzer?

Good picks for the most part :)

What about Santana? (sp? Its late, I apologize.) His comback album "Supernatural" won freakin awards. He succefully intergated his guitar style into so many genres of music that it blew my mind listening to it.

Still, bow to Jimi, we've got a statue of him a couple miles from my place. Seattle rocks.

Pete Townshend (http://www.oddsandsods.imdanet.com/pete_bloody.jpg)

Need I say more?



Thank you!

I'm usually the one one who posts that opinion on other forums, this is refreshing.

Pete Townshend (http://www.oddsandsods.imdanet.com/pete_bloody.jpg)

Need I say more?



Thank you!

I'm usually the one one who posts that opinion on other forums, this is refreshing.

No problem, I live to serve.

My favorite, would have to be the godfather of Texas Blues himself, Johnny Winter.
Other than that, I think obviously would be Stevie Ray and Johnny Lang.

I also love those old Chicago style Steel String Blues greats like Muddy Waters (father of slide), BB King, John Lee Hooker, and T-Bone Walker.

Jimmy Page, and Jeff Healey are up there for me, as well as Santanna, and the often overlooked David Gilmour of Pink Floyd fame.

anyway, there's many others, but those are the ones that stand out for me, depending on my mood.

I also love those old Chicago style Steel String Blues greats like Muddy Waters (father of slide)...

Hmm, I'd have credited Muddy Waters with electrifying the blues before I would have thought of him in connection with slide guitar - Elmore James seems like a much greater influence and explorer of slide guitar from that period.

Shall we continue this anti-rock trend by including thee mighty Ry Cooder in the list?

About Joe Satriani being soulless, I know it's an opinion, but I have to disagree, I think his work has plenty of feeling. If you want cold (but still awesome :wink: ) technical perciscion, listen to some NeoClassical Shred :o

IN ORDER

NICK DRAKE--most innovative classical guitarist ever. chord structures, crazy tuning, perfectly textured, beautifully subdued, and filled with uncanny emotion. The only reason I can fathom that only one person mentioned him is that you guys don't know of him. So find out. Recommended songs: Three Hours, Pink Moon, Place to Be, Cello Song

JIMI HENDRIX--along with Drake sounded like he was playing two guitars at once. Completely different style, obviously. Could put more feeling into his guitar than anyone ever. Some may play his stuff tighter and cleaner than he did, but they can't match his composition or the raw power of his playing. Little Wing and Voodoo Child are the best guitar songs ever.

Jimmy Page--Most important member of one of the greatest bands ever. Composed one of the most recognizable songs ever. You know which one, you all have played it.

Eddie Van Halen--The successor to Jimi. Took his work and turned it into the guitar we hear today, instrumental in all aspects of rock and roll today.

John Frusciante--Maybe a stretch, but probably is the best guitarist in mainstream music today. Plays about anything you want from the funkiest of riffs (Suck My Kiss) to the most mellow beautiful ones (Under the Bridge) and everything in between (Breaking the Girl).

Jimmy Hendrix (Jimmy Hendrix Experience)
Angus Young (ACDC)
Alan Collins, Gary Rossington, Steve Gaines (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
That guy from the band Boston
Steve Miller (Steve Miller Band)
Kurt Cobain (Nirvana)

DEAT

Kurt Cobain (Nirvana)

Kurt Cobain really just rehashed the Pixies, Black Flag and Sonic Youth.

For a three chord base, Kurt was not too bad.

For a three chord base, Kurt was not too bad.

That is true, but it had already been done. :P

*sigh*

Am I the only one here who's heard of Les Paul?

But, if you're looking for heavier stuff, how about John Petrucci?

*sigh*

Am I the only one here who's heard of Les Paul?

But, if you're looking for heavier stuff, how about John Petrucci?


Both pretty good.....I still prefer Satriani to Petrucci though

im having a massive brain fart at the moment, so if anyone wants to help me out that would be cool.
the guy who could play his burning guitar with his teeth.

Kurt Cobain (Nirvana)

Kurt Cobain was not a great guitarist, he was just another druggy who was in the right place at the right time......

im having a massive brain fart at the moment, so if anyone wants to help me out that would be cool.
the guy who could play his burning guitar with his teeth.

Jimi Hendrix

Don't forget Dimebag!

Jerry Cantrell