Favorite Guitarist of all time

[Hards Alumni]

Apologies to the offended in advance

[naginiF]

Tom Morello is VERY offended by this slight.

Peoples exhibit A:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qm7ych5qH14&list=RDqm7ych5qH14&start_radio=1

[GooooMarquette]

I was thinking about this earlier today in response to the earlier thread.

For me, it's Jimmy Page, but Hendrix and Prince aren't far behind....

[Galway Eagle]

Tom Morello is VERY offended by this slight.

Peoples exhibit A:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qm7ych5qH14&list=RDqm7ych5qH14&start_radio=1

Hah was literally posting that as you were

[Spotcheck Billy]

No one will agree but IMO Zappa was the greatest. Hendrix loses major cred for not knowing how to survive.

[Billy Hoyle]

Nils Lofgren. He can't do his backflips on stage anymore (double hip replacement) but he still shreds it fierce.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPn-U0hJ7vU

[Hards Alumni]

Tom Morello is VERY offended by this slight.

Peoples exhibit A:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qm7ych5qH14&list=RDqm7ych5qH14&start_radio=1

Look man, RATM is one of my favorites, and Tom is an innovator and a genius.  But he isn't a top 10 guy, and he'd be the first one to tell you.

[The Sultan]

Tom Morello is VERY offended by this slight.

Peoples exhibit A:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qm7ych5qH14&list=RDqm7ych5qH14&start_radio=1

I mean that's fine.  Rolling Stone ranked him 40th on the list of all time great guitarists so that performance is pretty accurate I guess.

[buckchuckler]

Jimmy Page is my favorite, but I think Jimi Henrdix is probably the best. David Gilmour's style was perfect for Floyd. 

Not having Robert Johnson there is a travesty.  He is without a doubt, the most influential guitar player ever.  And his chops are right up there.  Especially since he was playing an acoustic guitar. 

The blues are horribly underrepresented.  SRV and Joe Bonamassa are greats!  I am offended!

[The Sultan]

Page is my favorite.

But Hendrix burned brighter and Clapton was better. 

[Sir Lawrence]

Rock guitarists in the "other" category:  Robin Trower/Carlos Santana/Stevie Ray Vaughan/Jeff Beck


Classic Guitarist:  Manuel Barrueco

Jazz:  Pat Metheny

[tower912]

Hendrix did so much first.

[buckchuckler]

Rock guitarists in the "other" category:  Robin Trower/Carlos Santana/Stevie Ray Vaughan/Jeff Beck


Classic Guitarist:  Manuel Barrueco

Jazz:  Pat Metheny

I'll throw out Andres Segovia as another amazing classical guitarist. 

[naginiF]

Hah was literally posting that as you were

If you don't listen to his weekly show on XM you should give it a shot. Very interesting insight in general but specifically into hiphop/rap and metal. He pushes the same handful of his recent stuff too much but the other 53 minutes are always enjoyable.

From the list I'd go Hendrix, pioneered so much.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

On this list, I'm probably most partial to Gilmour but recognize that the true bests are Hendrix and Clapton.

I think some big omissions from this list are Carlos Santana and Chuck Barry

[We R Final Four]

Garcia.

[JWags85]

Look man, RATM is one of my favorites, and Tom is an innovator and a genius.  But he isn't a top 10 guy, and he'd be the first one to tell you.

Spot on. Also kind of hilarious to use Testify as an example cause that's one of their most simplistic and unimpressive tracks, at least from a pure musical standpoint.  Morello is a master of getting funky sounds out of the instrument and using effects, but his chops are nowhere near the greats.  Honestly I think he was far more creative and impressive in Audioslave

Jack White is another one of my favorites, but I think he's similar. His most impressive feat is what he did in The White Stripes. The fullness of sound that he got on their tracks, both studio and live, with the most pedestrian and basic of backing drums, was unreal. I used to say he was very underrated, but he's gotten his flowers as the years have went on. Dude can cut up blues with the best of them when he wants.

Fun John Mayer story. I saw him at the Marcus Ampitheater in, I believe, 2002. Height of his Room for Squares fame. In between his pop singles, he went on these BLISTERING solos and jams. Some extensions of the songs guitar riffs, some just straight up blues noodling. It was incredible. The girls we were with, along with plenty around us, we're all impatient and annoyed. Like "come ONNN, play No Such Thing".   I turned to my buddy and was like "dude, he's gonna put out another album of successful pop and then just play whatever he wants. Dude wants to be SRV".  And here we are.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

Prince

[buckchuckler]

On this list, I'm probably most partial to Gilmour but recognize that the true bests are Hendrix and Clapton.

I think some big omissions from this list are Carlos Santana and Chuck Barry

Also Chuck Berry. 

[PBRme]

Albert King, Duane Allman and Stevie Ray have to be on a top ten list (upper half)

[Hards Alumni]

Spot on. Also kind of hilarious to use Testify as an example cause that's one of their most simplistic and unimpressive tracks, at least from a pure musical standpoint.  Morello is a master of getting funky sounds out of the instrument and using effects, but his chops are nowhere near the greats.  Honestly I think he was far more creative and impressive in Audioslave

Jack White is another one of my favorites, but I think he's similar. His most impressive feat is what he did in The White Stripes. The fullness of sound that he got on their tracks, both studio and live, with the most pedestrian and basic of backing drums, was unreal. I used to say he was very underrated, but he's gotten his flowers as the years have went on. Dude can cut up blues with the best of them when he wants.

Fun John Mayer story. I saw him at the Marcus Ampitheater in, I believe, 2002. Height of his Room for Squares fame. In between his pop singles, he went on these BLISTERING solos and jams. Some extensions of the songs guitar riffs, some just straight up blues noodling. It was incredible. The girls we were with, along with plenty around us, we're all impatient and annoyed. Like "come ONNN, play No Such Thing".   I turned to my buddy and was like "dude, he's gonna put out another album of successful pop and then just play whatever he wants. Dude wants to be SRV".  And here we are.

I put Mayer on this list because he is wildly underrated as a guitar player.  He can probably play anything any of these guys have written, and is highly respected, can improvise, and is a professor of all things music... especially guitar.

Too bad he is known for that bubble gum pop crap... but I don't blame him for cashing those checks to do what he loves.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzfrXiD1_Rg

[buckchuckler]

I put Mayer on this list because he is wildly underrated as a guitar player.  He can probably play anything any of these guys have written, and is highly respected, can improvise, and is a professor of all things music... especially guitar.

Too bad he is known for that bubble gum pop crap... but I don't blame him for cashing those checks to do what he loves.

He really is great, but he squanders his talent with what he plays, so, he may as well not have that talent since he isn't using it.

[buckchuckler]

Albert King, Duane Allman and Stevie Ray have to be on a top ten list (upper half)

There is an Albert King/ SRV album that is absolutely fantastic. 

[Jockey]

Look man, RATM is one of my favorites, and Tom is an innovator and a genius.  But he isn't a top 10 guy, and he'd be the first one to tell you.

I think there are 2 conversations here. One is technical ability as a guitarist. Second is the entire musical package that they bring with their playing.

Morello and Edge are 2 of my favorite guitarists ever. But if the discussion is just technical ability, I wouldn't rank either in the top 100. When you add style, innovation and adherence to the mood and music of a song, they are off the charts. A guy like Jimi - who is my #1 - combines both aspects.

[Hards Alumni]

He really is great, but he squanders his talent with what he plays, so, he may as well not have that talent since he isn't using it.

I'm guessing you don't listen to his music at all.  You just know the pop stuff.