Worlds Greatest Guitarist...

[evangilder]

Oh boy, this would be tough for me. There are a boat-load of awesome players in different genres. Django Reinhardt is near the top for me. Solid player, raised to amazing by the fact he only had 3 fingers! Two fingers were badly burned and injured in a fire and were effectively useless to him. Lee Ritenour is a great jazz player. Rik Emmett from Triumph is still amazing.

I could add a few to that list in addition to the above, Steve Morse, Ian Fairbairn, Marc Bonilla, Jason Becker, Gary Hoey, Alan Holdsworth, Steve Lukather, Chet Atkins, Les Paul, Robert Johnson Buddy Guy, Muddy Waters and Ry Cooder all come to mind.

I played for many years and I would have a hard time picking a best ever. All on that list and many others influenced me as a youngster. Probably one of the greats from out generation you missed...Randy Rhoads.

[lesofprimus]

Yea I missed Randy Rhodes, but the others I would not really consider for this poll.... The talent possessed by Vai, Satch, May and Hendrix far surpasses anything else anybody could even dream of accomplishing....

Ill add Randy...

[lesofprimus]

****, Randys already on the list Eric...

[evangilder]

I know at least in my high school days, the one guitarist that everyone thought was the one, was Randy. Sorry I missed him on the first go round. The reason I brought up the old guys is that they were the influence on many of today's best.

Satch and Vai are absolute monsters. Vai not only played with Zappa, but he was also the one who transcribed the music into sheet music. Anyone who has ever had to transcribe music will tell you that it is a difficult and tedious thing. Doing it for Frank Zappa would have been worse. Frank had complexity and things that broke music theory rules.

Most transcriptionists would run screaming from the building, not Vai. Might I add that Frank was not slouch either.

[lesofprimus]

Ya know, Ive been mumbling some old Zappa lines while working and what not, and no one knows what the hell Im talking about... Joe's Garage was an absolute fuc*ing masterpiece...

Am I really that old, or just that eclectic???

[Matt308]

Both. Valley Girl. Shut Up and Play Yer Guitar.

[Heinz]

Zappa fans are here! Awesome!

The man created the guitar as a solo machine.......

much respect.

[evangilder]

Ya know, Ive been mumbling some old Zappa lines while working and what not, and no one knows what the hell Im talking about... Joe's Garage was an absolute fuc*ing masterpiece...

Am I really that old, or just that eclectic???

Do you expect the rednecks down there to understand the complexities of Frank's music?!

[Lucky13]

Hank B. Marvin was born as Brian Robson Rankin, The Shadows and Bob Bogle from The Ventures.

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Another 2 guitarist who is certainly not my favorite but deserves mention is Dave Mustaine and Kerry King. Both are excellent guitarists and have made a great contribution to the metal world.

[Gnomey]

Steve Vai for me although Satriani and Hendrix aren't far behind either.

[Heinz]

Although not really a suggestion for the poll anyone heard of Brett Garsed??

Now hes a fantastic Jazz Fusion guitarist, just think Allan Holdsworth.

[Marcel]

Saw Steve Vai last year, He's great. I use him as an example of technique in which he really is the best. I always try to replicate his licks, but my Les Paul is not really suited for it, it has a neck like a baseball bat The only thing I miss in his play is feel, it's just technique.
Jimy was the inventor of electric playing before, they just used te sloid bodies as an amplified accoustic, he really showed them. Too bad he didn't perform well on stage, as he was tripping almost all the time.
My favorite is Brian May, although not a real technician on guitar, he always does exectly what the song needs. He has a feel in his sound that I never heard in other players and he is very versatile, being able to get all the sound he wants from his guitar.
Another suggestion: Listen to The Edge from U2, how he's able to add to the song with minimalistic guitar playing. He shows that you needn't be a virtuous player to be a great one. He's playing almost undetected but really gives U2 the sound they have.

[Heinz]

Les paul nice! Gibson or Epiphone??

Brian May is actually quite an accomplished guitarist and yes hes one of my favourites too.

[FarUnderCarterKickErs]

Umm.....Kirk Hammett by far, and if any one cant answer there own questions about y i chose him....I tut you!