Greatest guitarists of all time - Press Clips

[lawrocket 3]

To answer the first question: Yes. Self-taught guitarist, mandolin, bass, trumpet and wee bit of piano. I've also studied music theory (it made the self-teaching of guitar much easier) and music history. I know a bit about this stuff. Made a little money, then decided that I didn't want to be a struggling musician, so I do it for fun. I'll also admit to never studying modes, though I've been told I play them.

And I know plenty about Satch. My favorite Satch advice? "Sometimes, it's best if you play the wrong note." It works well, as it taught me to try a Bm instead of an Am. Try it and hear how melancholy it is.

To the point, you are correct. It's all opinion. It's why I think that one of the best guitarists ever is Billy Gibbons. He never overplays, he's got well placed pauses, and he could teach Zack Wilde a few things about pinch harmonics. But I'm one of the only ones who puts Gibbons on such a high pedestal.

As I said over and over, I have the utmost respect for Satch and his musicianship. "Flying in a Blue Dream" is certainly a great tune and a great technical display.

I'm a music snob, too. I'm nutso about tone, and Satch has it. But... I just don't think he's in the top 10.

If you were closer, I'd love to jam with you sometime and hear your PRS tones....

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[cloudseeker2001 0]

not my list....... where is clapton?

"Some call it heavenly in it's brilliance,
others mean and rueful of the western dream"

[FallRate 0]

This is a poor list.

FallRate

[sharpfive 0]

Wow, this team could use some help. Keith Richards will freely admit he is a mediocre guitarist. And may I be brave enough to openly state that BB King is one of the most overrated players of all time? He plays the same stale riff in almost every one of his numbers.
Rolling Stone should have asked the participants to put down their bongs before voting. And by restating the question to include only rock guitarists, it would have reduced the length of this thread.

If it sounds good, it isgood-Duke Ellington

[sunman 0]

Yeah, where's clapton? Talk about greatest of all time, people used to say he was GOD. And yes, BB King is overrated. Certainly not in the top 10. And although I'm not a big GnR fan, I'd have to put Slash in my personal top ten for coming up with some of the most amazing melodies I've ever heard. And Keith Richards? C'mon. The list sucks. It's obvious they didn't put a lot of thought into it, just thought of the most popular ones and put them at the top.

[futurehighflyer 0]

i never saw the name JOHN PETRUCCI in anyones posts, im not sure if anyone has heard of him, but IMO one of the greatest guitarists of all time!!!To me, it doesnt matter if he never gets on the top 10000000 guitarist poll .....the music that comes form his guitar always makes me feel good , and thats all that matters to me.

check him out , DREAM THEATER

[dkpbxman 0]

You're absolutely right about Hendrix, but how can you leave out Beck or Page?

[shunkka 0]

No satriani?
No Vai?
No kirk hammett
no carlos santana
No John McLaughlin Al Di Meola, Paco De Lucia (the best clasic guitarists ever "friday night in san francisco' is a BLAST

I always ask why jimmie hendrix is always no 1 in top?

-------------------------
"jump, have fun, pull"

[Tonto 1]

[B]Missing[/B]

Satriani
Vai
Al DiMeola
Eddie Van Halen
Santana
Clapton
Gary Moore
Julian Bream
Tony Cox

[B] Should be missing [/B]

Keith Richards?

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[kallend 2,027]

How did they arrive at this list?

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[Pablito 0]

Stupid Pop list that are made by people that have no idea
Edit: they didn't put the great ones. List is somewhere in this forum

"If you don't overcome your fears they will overcome you first"
Shady Monkey/6Segundos Rodriguez/AKA Pablito

[Steel 0]

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Rolling Stone listed the top 100. The top 9 are:

1. Jimmie Hendrix
2. Duane Allman
3. BB King
4. Robert Johnson
5. Chuck Berry
6. Stevie Ray Vaughn
7. Ry Cooder
8. Jimmie Page
9. Keith Richards
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I guess the people writing this list were living in a cave and forgot about the undisputed best guitarist of all times. RANDY ROADS

If I could make a wish, I think I'd pass.
Can't think of anything I need
No cigarettes, no sleep, no light, no sound.
Nothing to eat, no books to read.

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[happythoughts 0]

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You're absolutely right about Hendrix, but how can you leave out Beck or Page?

Beck does an awesome version of Manic Depression on a CD called Stone Free. It is a bunch of Hendrix tunes redone by other artists. Other artists on it are BB King and Eric Clapton.

How did they leave EC off the list?

[happythoughts 0]

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John McLaughlin

I saw John tour years ago when Carlos Santana was in his "Mahavishnu Orchestra" stage.

At Tampa Stadium, 25,000 people on one side of the stadium. Santana never played any of the classics that people paid to hear and by the end of the concert, less than half the people were still there. Over 10,000 people walked out of the concert and there was no call for an encore.

John McL. was the warm-up act. He was into the same style of music at the time and he never really recovered his large following because of it.

[lawrocket 3]

I guess I can say something about Carlos Santana. My own opinion, and nobody else's.

Santana has a great band, and his band's sound is wonderful and unique. He was able to influence plenty of people to worthy his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

I don't think he's one of the greatest guitarists, though. His guitar work is great when playing a well-rehearsed melody. But I think his solo abilities could really use some work. He'll solo for four bars in the 12th position, wait about 8 bars and then solo for four bars in 5th.

His cousin, on the other hand, was a bad ass! When I saw them, his cousin was playing with him and he was stunningly good, though I would not count him as a great by any means...

Santana was a great band leader who played guitar within the constraints. That, in itself, may make him an all time great.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[freakyrat 1]

Sorry guys I didn't read the list fully. I'm glad they include Stevie Ray.

Chris

[skytrixaz 0]

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What? No Ted Wagner?

That's a good one! I'll vote for Ted!...he's an awesome guitarist. I was the U.S. Team Spanish Liaison/Omniskore Assistant during the 2000 World Meet in Spain. During that trip Ted had a custom guitar made by one of the leading guitar makers in Granada...that whole interpreting experience was hilarious. If you ever see Ted...get him to tell you the story and what he put me through to get this special guitar...Spanish police, money/banks, narrow brick streets with cyclist...what a comedy

[tonyhathaway 0]

Yes Ted Wagner is awesome. As far as raw power with guitar playing and speed that will make your head spin-- John Petrucci--Not just speed for speed sake, but when its fits. Anytime you can see Dream Theater I highly suggest it. -Tony

My O.C.D. has me chasing a dream my A.D.D. won't let me catch.

[kansasskydiver 0]

I can't believe no one has mentioned John Petrucci from Dream Theater!!!

oops sorry guys i just say that he is mentioned a number of times

<--- See look, pink dolphins DO exist!

[gjhdiver 0]

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Where's Peter Tork of the Monkees!!??

He was the bass guitarist...Lok for him in the 100 greatest bassplayers poll.

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[gjhdiver 0]

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I've been playing for 30 years and I have never head someone better than Satriani. He is a true virtuoso both from a technical point of view and also from a music theory point of view as well. This man is a true musician, not just a lick-meister

And he doesn't have an ounce of soul in his whole body.

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[gjhdiver 0]

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Yeah, where's clapton? Talk about greatest of all time, people used to say he was GOD.

Then the acid wore off, and people realised that he was just recycling Albert King licks.

And badly at that.

I think the list should have included Malcolm Young or Johnny Ramone, or Jimmie Vaughan, but I'm funny like that. Anyone who invents a whole new way of filling in the time when the guitar isn't being used as a lead instrument like those three for example, deserves some props. They rarely if ever do though. I've always thought it wrong to regard technical proficiency over innovation. If we did that for literature, we'd give Booker prizes to the writers who could type the fastest.

[lawrocket 3]

I'll agree with you. There are a lot more great lead players than there are great rhythm players.

Furthermore, I'll state that for beautiful, melodic guitar solos, very few were better than Dickey Betts of the Allmans. Listen to "Blue Sky" for a wondrous example of good soloing, great sense of melody, and clean tone. The smooth playing of Tom Scholz and Barry Goudreau of Boston also is wonderful

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[SkyPsycho 0]

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i never saw the name JOHN PETRUCCI in anyones posts, im not sure if anyone has heard of him, but IMO one of the greatest guitarists of all time!!!To me, it doesnt matter if he never gets on the top 10000000 guitarist poll .....the music that comes form his guitar always makes me feel good , and thats all that matters to me.

check him out , DREAM THEATER

dream theater and petrucci kick ass........always have

used to see him play in bars around here with one of his old bands

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HK MP5SD.........silence is golden

[SkyPsycho 0]

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agreed however he writes for himself and for other musicians, and many of the things that make Satriani great are also the things that will seperate him from public opinion.

as Q pointed out its difficult to define 'greatest'. Best chops? best soloist? best melodic composition in support of the chorus? best sound? etc..

what leave Satch out of the listed group is his body of work..how much of his music catches the hearts and minds of the majority of the listening public? how many listeners on the street could even name a single tune by Satriani? (because recognition is all that really matters in such lists, not technical ability)

and who could possiblly create such a list without Carlos Santana? or Gary Moore? John Sykes? Al Dimeiola? Tommy Bolan?

if its not popular (in this 15 min) it doesnt count remember...

tommy bolan....hahaha, what a cockblocker he is.......we had some fun back in the early 90s at NAMM in aneheim.

_______________________________
HK MP5SD.........silence is golden