Best guitarist

[Beebs52]

Who do you think is the greatest, or well one of the greatests ever.
I vote Stevie Ray Vaughan.

[kroxquo]

Hendrix

[Vandal]

Lindsey Buckingham
John Paul Jones
Keith Richards

[BackInTex]

Glen Campbell

[Beebs52]

Buddy Guy, Robert Cray

[PanicinDetroit]

Jeff Beck

[littlebeast13]

Marty McFly

lb13

[wbtravis007]

Clapton and Page would have to be up there with Hendrix.

Probably not deserving of elite ranking, but I’ve always enjoyed Carlos Santana’s groove.

But, bbk, how can you mention Buddy Guy, and not B.B.?

It’s been over 20 years — I don’t remember what year it was exactly— since I heard them both at Mitchell Pavilion, and I remember wondering if you could here Lucillle from where you were.

I was there with my daughter, who was probably about 15, and we had moved under the pavilion to vacant seats to hear Buddy Guy. We had the misfortune, though, of sitting right behind a guy who, at that moment, would have been right up there in contention for the title of most annoying guy on the planet. At least every couple of minutes he would stand up, shoot two birds with outstretched arms, and yell at the top of his lungs: “FUCKING A!”

Hell, you probably could have heard him, too.

[Beebs52]

Clapton and Page would have to be up there with Hendrix.

Probably not deserving of elite ranking, but I’ve always enjoyed Carlos Santana’s groove.

But, bbk, how can you mention Buddy Guy, and not B.B.?

It’s been over 20 years — I don’t remember what year it was exactly— since I heard them both at Mitchell Pavilion, and I remember wondering if you could here Lucillle from where you were.

I was there with my daughter, who was probably about 15, and we had moved under the pavilion to vacant seats to hear Buddy Guy. We had the misfortune, though, of sitting right behind a guy who, at that moment, would have been right up there in contention for the title of most annoying guy on the planet. At least every couple of minutes he would stand up, shoot two birds with outstretched arms, and yell at the top of his lungs: “FUCKING A!”

Hell, you probably could have heard him, too.

I shoulda mentioned BB. I usually feel him more of a singer, ya know? I probably did hear that concert because we lived in Panther Creek, not far from the Pavilion soundwise and if you were in the backyard or front you could hear loud concerts. For free!
And, what about Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill? We went to that concert, it poured but was great.
Agree on Santana.

[Ritterskoop]

I like the exactness of Tom Scholz of Boston. Every note is a choice. He's not riffing, but it's great anyway.

[Bob Juch]

Hendrix, without a doubt.

[kroxquo]

In addition to Jimi and the others mentioned, some others I have a fondness for who have not been mentioned-

Eddie Van Halen
Dick Dale (King of Surf Guitar)
Joe Satriani
Terry Kath (From back when Chicago still had a spine)

[kroxquo]

For what it's worth, here is Rolling Stone's picks

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/musi ... 234814182/

[ShamelessWeasel]

David Gilmore belongs in this discussion. This is IMO the greatest guitar solo ever.

[SportsFan68]

I'll add a vote for Glen Campbell just because he's almost a hometown boy. Well, Albuquerque isn't all that local, but Albuquerque television nevertheless was "local" television for a huge swath of Colorado.

[Earl the Squirrel]

Since no one has come up with the right answer yet, I guess I'll have do it...

The correct answer is Chet Atkins. Try to find anybody else that can play Dixie and Stars and Stripes Forever... at the same time! Go ahead, I'll wait...

No?

However it seems that you are really talking about the rock genre rather than just the musical theory, in which case there has to be two categories, left-handed and the other way.

Right handed: Brian May You don't have to be a rocket scientist to play guitar, but it helps...ha!

Left handed: Tony Iommi Created an entirely new sound, out of necessity. If you don't know the story about his last shift at the sheet metal factory (he was quitting to play music full time), look it up. Equal parts, ironic, fascinating and inspirational!

Best overall musicality and talent from an artist who was mainly associated with guitar: Who else but His Royal Badness, Prince!

Best guitar player I knew personally: I would say my brother but, then again, I knew Johnny Smith. How can you argue with the guy who wrote Walk Don't Run? He owned a music store here in town for many years (in a little strip mall down on South Nevada aka the bad section of town where the ladies were on the stroll and the dealers and sketchy tattoo parlours were) and we would go there to get strings, picks, etc.)

Unpopular Opinion: (at least for this crowd) Hendrix is highly overrated if you just take into account his guitar playing. I'd take Page's bow over Hendrix' teeth and lighter fluid any day of the week. The mythos overtook the actual man decades ago. I mean, how can you compete with vomit aspiration and plaster casters? I'd put Duane Allman and Randy Rhoads ahead of Hendrix for possible all time greats that went before their time.

[BackInTex]

Unpopular Opinion: (at least for this crowd) Hendrix is highly overrated if you just take into account his guitar playing. I'd take Page's bow over Hendrix' teeth and lighter fluid any day of the week. The mythos overtook the actual man decades ago. I mean, how can you compete with vomit aspiration and plaster casters? I'd put Duane Allman and Randy Rhoads ahead of Hendrix for possible all time greats that went before their time.

Not that unpopular. I agree. Had Hendrix not died of self-inflicted pursuits of happiness (whatever) he'd be remembered as much as Head East. He's the sushi of 60's rock. It's cool to like him and those that do have to tell you they do.

[Beebs52]

There are many technically great guys. I mean Segovia, hello. For some reason I find Stevie more fluid and emotional.

I can't believe I said that. I know. I know. And I love classical music.

[Earl the Squirrel]

There are many technically great guys. I mean Segovia, hello. For some reason I find Stevie more fluid and emotional.

I can't believe I said that. I know. I know. And I love classical music.

I do not like classical guitar. I just don't.

I don't disagree that SRV had talent, but he really doesn't do it for me. It just seems like the same repetitive riff over and over and I feel nothing. For fluidity and emotion, I'd go with Slash and Ted Nugent. Seriously.

I said what I said!!

[Earl the Squirrel]

Unpopular Opinion: (at least for this crowd) Hendrix is highly overrated if you just take into account his guitar playing. I'd take Page's bow over Hendrix' teeth and lighter fluid any day of the week. The mythos overtook the actual man decades ago. I mean, how can you compete with vomit aspiration and plaster casters? I'd put Duane Allman and Randy Rhoads ahead of Hendrix for possible all time greats that went before their time.

Not that unpopular. I agree. Had Hendrix not died of self-inflicted pursuits of happiness (whatever) he'd be remembered as much as Head East. He's the sushi of 60's rock. It's cool to like him and those that do have to tell you they do.

Thanks a lot. Since there's no basketball and no shopping trip tonight I have nothing to knock "Save my life, I'm going down for the last time!" out of my fevered noggin...

But comparing Hendrix to sushi is highlarious!

Fanny Fun Fact: Hendrix went to Horace Mann Elementary School in Seattle. I went to Horace Mann Junior High School in Colorado. May 4th is not Star Wars Day, it's Horace Mann's birthday. We used to get cake on the patio outside the cafeteria that day and sing Happy Birthday to You to Horace Mann (I shit you not...)

[Beebs52]

There are many technically great guys. I mean Segovia, hello. For some reason I find Stevie more fluid and emotional.

I can't believe I said that. I know. I know. And I love classical music.

I do not like classical guitar. I just don't.

I don't disagree that SRV had talent, but he really doesn't do it for me. It just seems like the same repetitive riff over and over and I feel nothing. For fluidity and emotion, I'd go with Slash and Ted Nugent. Seriously.

I said what I said!!

It's funny what "does it" for listeners. Agree that Slash snd Nugent are gifted. But to me they're mechanically rock, not bluesy, which I guess is the difference. Same thing for classical guitar, it's technically great but...meh.

[Earl the Squirrel]

There are many technically great guys. I mean Segovia, hello. For some reason I find Stevie more fluid and emotional.

I can't believe I said that. I know. I know. And I love classical music.

I do not like classical guitar. I just don't.

I don't disagree that SRV had talent, but he really doesn't do it for me. It just seems like the same repetitive riff over and over and I feel nothing. For fluidity and emotion, I'd go with Slash and Ted Nugent. Seriously.

I said what I said!!

It's funny what "does it" for listeners. Agree that Slash snd Nugent are gifted. But to me they're mechanically rock, not bluesy, which I guess is the difference. Same thing for classical guitar, it's technically great but...meh.

People tend to just think of stuff like Cat Scratch Fever and Wango Tango for Uncle Ted, but he did some really lovely and emotive work with Damn Yankees. Check out Come Again or Where You Goin' Now for some really heartfelt stuff that still bangs.

[Beebs52]

After relistening to Allman bros snippets, forgot how many great songs they had, I would include Dickey Betts. Not because he just died, ftr.