# Best Guitarist Of All?



## Stan

I grew up listening to the likes of Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix and BB King but I'd be hard pressed to pick a favourite having also had the pleasure of listening to Bob Cray, George Benson, Pat Metheny, and the great Segovia, to name but a few.

I don't know who I'd pick as the all time greatest but Slow Hand still moves me when I listen to his music as he always has.

This is a hard question to answer and I may wish I'd never brought it up.









Who's your favourite and why?

I'm listening to Dire Straits at the moment.


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## JoT

That's easy


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## thunderbolt

I seem to have re discovered Santana. Now he can play.


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## mrteatime

mmmmm interesting stan! Hate Dire Straits, but love MK's playing. David Gilmour for his wonderful tone and playing style. Eddie Van Halen for his innovation and his "brown sound" . Matt Belamy Of Muse for his total love of his insturment and technical ability, and the crazy sound that he manges to get out of his guitar. Eric Johnstone for his "pure strat" sound and fantastic style. Mick Ronson (bowies "spider from mars) for geting me into guitars in the first place. Goerge Benson, for no other reason apart from the fact that i could listen to him play for hours.

I could go on for hours!

Great thread Stan!


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## Stan

JoT said:


> That's easy


I'm not surprised, any opportunity to post that picture and you will.









Not that I'm complaining, of course.


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## Stan

I better go to bed before Shorty gets on at me, but I've just listened to an MP3 of Clapton and BB King playing "The Thrill is Gone" and it gob smacks me how well they play together. No upstaging or rubbish like that, they just seem to enjoy themselves.

One facet of Clapton's playing is what seems to be the ability to fold a note back on itself, he doesn't do it often but it certainly seems to be his "thing".

Good night lads.


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## Roger

Bert Wheedon


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## Stan

Roger said:


> Bert Wheedon


Lovely bloke.









I was going to bed, at least that's what my orders were.


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## mjolnir

It's a really good question. Clapton is outstanding. Johnny Cash is brilliant too.

Don't forget Brian May though. He may have funny hair but he knows how to make that guitar sing.


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## JoT

Ok let's get back on topic .... she isn't the best ..... cutest .... but not the best !

I grew up in an era of great guitarists and find it hard to choose really .... Tony Iommi just gets my vote

These days I listen to a lot of different stuff a lot of African guitarists, Jimmy Dludlu, Ali Farka Toure, Shiko Mawatu, Louis Mhlanga ..... especially when I am in a missing Africa mood









Current favourite is Vieux Farka Toure the son of the late Ali Farka Toure, he is going to be better than his old man I think.


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## SharkBike

I'm a player myself, and I always find this question utterly impossible to answer. It's just about equals the "best watch" question in my mind.

But, the Hoffs makes my heart skip a beat every time.


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## Silver Hawk

Here is Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Guitarists Of All Time/

But I'm a little sad that Robin Trower is nowhere to be seen in this list







, he has always been underrated and/or overlooked







but glad that Jimmy Page is right up there at #9


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## smashie

I change my mind on this all the time, at the moment I'd say Joe Bonamassa is about the best out there.


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## grey

Roger said:


> Bert Wheedon


'We are normal and we want our freedom,

We are normal and we dig Bert Weedon.'









Normal - Bonzo Dog Band (slightly misquoted)


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## Running_man

Silver Hawk said:


> Here is Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Guitarists Of All Time/
> 
> But I'm a little sad that Robin Trower is nowhere to be seen in this list
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> , he has always been underrated and/or overlooked
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> but glad that Jimmy Page is right up there at #9


A list such as this written by journalists probably has more to do with popular wisdom and general perception more than anything else. Even before I clicked the link, I knew Hendrix would be at number one because that's what seems to be given as fact and accepted.

For what it's worth, my favourite guitarist of all time is Johnny Marr.


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## JTW

Can't choose an absolute favourite but I'd add to many of the great names, that of Peter Green.

When he was firing healthy and in his youth with Fleetwood Mac he was absolutely brilliant, unfortunately I never saw him then.

He had a resurgence a few years ago with the Splinter Group and I did get too see him a couple of times. The greatness had mostly gone but there were traces of it there. i found this to be a sad and moving experience but I'm just glad that I'd seen and heard him at last.

Ian


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## bowie

The late great Mick Ronson

bowie


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## Alas

When i was young listening to

Rory Gallagher

Ritchie Blackmore

and the youngest talent that came to nothing was Brian Robertson playing with Thin Lizzy at 17









Then my favourite - Stevie Ray Vaughan (another one killed in his prime) and Albert King.

Alasdair


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## hotmog

I'm with Stan in that my musical influences have their roots in the late 1960s/ early 1970s. With his almost unerring ability for talent-spotting the cream (pardon the pun), most of my all-time favourite guitarists served an apprenticeship at some time or another with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers.

So my list has to include Eric, Peter Green and Mick Taylor. Hendrix of course for pure innovative magic. Mark Knopfler is also up there with the all-time greats, and probably has the superior technical skill. But it's not all about technique, and where Mark scores heavily with his awesome finger-picking style, Eric and Peter (in his prime) have the edge in playing with the feeling that is such an essential and fundamental part of the Blues. Stan, I'm surprised that you've not mentioned your namesake - Stan (The Man) Webb from Chicken Shack. For sheer energy and passion, as well, I have to include Gary Moore - I just love the way he can make that Les Paul _growl_.

There are many, many, more of course, and it's impossible to choose any one person as being the absolute greatest of all time, for the simple reason that there is no objective measure of guitar "greatness". It all boils down to a subjective mix of preferences to do with musical style, innovation, technique, and emotional involvement.


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## pg tips

Rolling stone









I've never heard of the Allman brothers







should I be ashamed by that?

Jeff Beck at 14 ?!? Clapton himself said Beck was a far better guitarist and took the yardbirds to a new level!

And remember clapton wrote "wonderful tonight"! A reason enough to kick him off anyones top 100!


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## tom

For me it's a straight choice between BB King and Garry Moore, better yet together (the thrill is gone).

Go to you tube fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

tom


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## hotmog

pg tips said:


> And remember clapton wrote "wonderful tonight"! A reason enough to kick him off anyones top 100!


Have to agree with you there







, but everyone is entitled to an off day.


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## pugster

not sure about the greats,we all have different tastes and there so many ,hendrix,page,tommy emmanuel etc etc....

tho my current fav is





 ,looks like a fool but this guy can play (seems like a cross between dave gilmour and ozric).


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## JTW

hotmog said:


> I'm with Stan in that my musical influences have their roots in the late 1960s/ early 1970s. With his almost unerring ability for talent-spotting the cream (pardon the pun), most of my all-time favourite guitarists served an apprenticeship at some time or another with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers.
> 
> So my list has to include Eric, Peter Green and Mick Taylor. Hendrix of course for pure innovative magic. Mark Knopfler is also up there with the all-time greats, and probably has the superior technical skill. But it's not all about technique, and where Mark scores heavily with his awesome finger-picking style, Eric and Peter (in his prime) have the edge in playing with the feeling that is such an essential and fundamental part of the Blues. Stan, I'm surprised that you've not mentioned your namesake - Stan (The Man) Webb from Chicken Shack. For sheer energy and passion, as well, I have to include Gary Moore - I just love the way he can make that Les Paul _growl_.
> 
> There are many, many, more of course, and it's impossible to choose any one person as being the absolute greatest of all time, for the simple reason that there is no objective measure of guitar "greatness". It all boils down to a subjective mix of preferences to do with musical style, innovation, technique, and emotional involvement.


Interesting connection there, Gary Moore was something of a protege of Peter Green's, Green sold him his Les Paul (or gave it, not sure). Presumably that's the one that growls?








indeed

Ian


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## rhaythorne

Top 100 lists like Rolling Stone's always cause controversy.

How can Joe Satriani (to name but one) not be on there?







Unless he's so high above No.1 he's gone straight off the top of the page














_Play loud, or don't bother!_


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## thunderbolt

I have just read the obituary of Paul Fox in the Times, guitarist and founder member of the Ruts. he was 51.


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## JTW

hotmog said:


> pg tips said:
> 
> 
> 
> And remember clapton wrote "wonderful tonight"! A reason enough to kick him off anyones top 100!
> 
> 
> 
> Have to agree with you there
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> , but everyone is entitled to an off day.
Click to expand...

I forgive him, cording to his autobiography it was written "in anger and frustration" because patti boyd was taking so long to get ready!

Who hasn't been there (though maybe not with Patti)?

Ian


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## Mrcrowley

JoT said:


> Ok let's get back on topic .... she isn't the best ..... cutest .... but not the best !
> 
> I grew up in an era of great guitarists and find it hard to choose really .... Tony Iommi just gets my vote
> 
> These days I listen to a lot of different stuff a lot of African guitarists, Jimmy Dludlu, Ali Farka Toure, Shiko Mawatu, Louis Mhlanga ..... especially when I am in a missing Africa mood
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Current favourite is Vieux Farka Toure the son of the late Ali Farka Toure, he is going to be better than his old man I think.


Old Tony!

Or Rand Casera - Ozzy's guitarist. However on the whole it has to be Randy Rhodes. Also with Ozzy, until his untimely death at 23. Check out Ozzy's Blizzard of Oz album, with the song Crazy Train. Randy was sheer class.


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## hotmog

JTW said:


> hotmog said:
> 
> 
> 
> I'm with Stan in that my musical influences have their roots in the late 1960s/ early 1970s. With his almost unerring ability for talent-spotting the cream (pardon the pun), most of my all-time favourite guitarists served an apprenticeship at some time or another with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers.
> 
> So my list has to include Eric, Peter Green and Mick Taylor. Hendrix of course for pure innovative magic. Mark Knopfler is also up there with the all-time greats, and probably has the superior technical skill. But it's not all about technique, and where Mark scores heavily with his awesome finger-picking style, Eric and Peter (in his prime) have the edge in playing with the feeling that is such an essential and fundamental part of the Blues. Stan, I'm surprised that you've not mentioned your namesake - Stan (The Man) Webb from Chicken Shack. For sheer energy and passion, as well, I have to include Gary Moore - I just love the way he can make that Les Paul _growl_.
> 
> There are many, many, more of course, and it's impossible to choose any one person as being the absolute greatest of all time, for the simple reason that there is no objective measure of guitar "greatness". It all boils down to a subjective mix of preferences to do with musical style, innovation, technique, and emotional involvement.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Interesting connection there, Gary Moore was something of a protege of Peter Green's, Green sold him his Les Paul (or gave it, not sure). Presumably that's the one that growls?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> indeed
> 
> Ian
Click to expand...

Yes, Gary used it on many of the tracks on "Blues For Greeny" and others. The story goes that Peter Green even gave him change for the Â£160 he paid for it. Apparently Gary Moore sold the guitar last year to an American collector for a reputed $2 million, although he was unhappy that the buyer leaked details out as the deal was supposed to have been kept a secret.


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## mrteatime

pg tips said:


> Rolling stone
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've never heard of the Allman brothers
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> should I be ashamed by that?
> 
> Jeff Beck at 14 ?!? Clapton himself said Beck was a far better guitarist and took the yardbirds to a new level!
> 
> And remember clapton wrote "wonderful tonight"! A reason enough to kick him off anyones top 100!


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## mad_librarian

How about Bill Nelson...and John McLaughlin...and Steve Hillage....


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## Larry from Calgary

That's an easy one.........who else has played on MORE #1 HITS than

The Beatles,

The Beach Boys,

The Rolling Stones and Elvis Combined!!

......... Joe Messina !


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## langtoftlad

I s'pose it just depends alot on what music you're into, but I'd have to go along with;

Bill Nelson - BeBop Deluxe, god that takes me back









Mark Knopfler, Brian May - and Gary Moore... for me, he doesn't make his guitar "growl", he makes it *cry*


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## Guest

Most of the greats have been mentioned already but I'm amazed that Jeff Healey never made the top 100. For a blind man he sure can play. You may have seen him in the movie Roadhouse.

Others worth a mention include - Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen (sic), Prince (I kid you not), Robert Cray, Neal Schon (Journey), Steve Marriot, Frank Marino, Alex Lifeson. If I sit here long enough I'll probably come up with my own top 100.

Cheers

Lee


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## mrteatime

catflem said:


> Most of the greats have been mentioned already but I'm amazed that Jeff Healey never made the top 100. For a blind man he sure can play. You may have seen him in the movie Roadhouse.
> 
> Others worth a mention include - Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen (sic), Prince (I kid you not), Robert Cray, Neal Schon (Journey), Steve Marriot, Frank Marino, Alex Lifeson. If I sit here long enough I'll probably come up with my own top 100.
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Lee


malmsteen is a genius! as is satriani and vai, but these are guirar players "players" and there appeal isn't as great as clapton, may et al. Randy rhodes is a ledgend paul! mr catflem is also correct about prince....he can play!

a few more....

reeves gabrels

spooky ghost

adrian belew

nuno battencourt

steve lukether

james dean bradfield

steve stevens

zack wylde


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## mach 0.0013137

pg tips said:


> I've never heard of the Allman brothers
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> should I be ashamed by that?


Yes, you philistine









BTW I`m glad to see Jerry Garcia & John Cipollina on the Rolling Stone list, I`m not sure who my favourite guitarist would be but those two would be very high on the list


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## Griff

George Formby


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## Larry from Calgary

Larry from Calgary said:


> That's an easy one.........who else has played on MORE #1 HITS than
> 
> The Beatles,
> 
> The Beach Boys,
> 
> The Rolling Stones and Elvis Combined!!
> 
> ......... Joe Messina !


Forgot to add this..........

Funk Brothers

Turn it up!


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## MuDu

Johnny Marr (The Smiths)

James Honeyman-Scott (The Pretenders)

Peter Buck (REM)


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## Silver Hawk

Nils Lofgren


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## pg tips

mach 0.0013137 said:


> pg tips said:
> 
> 
> 
> I've never heard of the Allman brothers
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> should I be ashamed by that?
> 
> 
> 
> Yes, you philistine
Click to expand...

Ah I recognise this one


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## Mrcrowley

Griff said:


> George Formby


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## pg tips

years ago not long after I met the current mrs tips we were doing a pub quiz and they did a musical round where they play a clip of the song and you have to get the title. They played 5 George Formby songs. I was the only one (out of poss 2 dozen teams of 4) that got all 5 right! In fact the next nearest only got 2 out of 5!









And she still married me!


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## Stanford

There are so many that it is impossible for me to pick a favourite - it depends on what mood I'm in.

I've had a look through this thread and can't see any reference to Gary Rossington and Allen Collins, both from Lynyrd Skynyrd.

They may not be among the best, technically, but they did it for me in the 70's, as did many others, including Rory Gallagher, Clapton, Santana, et al.


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## Agent orange

A great theme but one that's quite frankly impossible to answer. A couple of my personal hero's who seem to have been overlooked so far though.

Michael Hampton - Michael who? I can here you cry. He was the guitarist from Parliament and Funkadelic. Don your space suit and stacks and listen to this bad mother from '78.






Paul Kossoff - As a bit of a plank spanker myself I realise than it's not necessarily how quickly your fingers can move but what emotion you can evoke out of those 6 strings. IMHO Paul was one of the best for extracting pure emotion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v/o-2WK7y3sas...=Paul%20Kossoff

There are innumerable other guitarists I could mention but I thought these two at least deserved to be on your radar.

Cheers,

Gary


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## jwg663

On a bit of a jazz tip, Sonny Sharrock, James "Blood" Ulmer, John Schofield & John McLaughlin...

.

Otherwise, Rory Gallagher does it for me...

.

Kelly Joe Phelps...

.

Robert Johnson, who perhaps started it all...

.

Hubert Sumlin...

.

A bit more modern, Derek Trucks, son of the Allman Bros drummer, really can play...

.

All the best...

.

Jim...


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## pg tips

Kossoff







God by another name!


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## Stan

pg tips said:


> Kossoff
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> God by another name!


Indeed, and because of Paul Rogers I became a major Bad Company fan.









Great days.









I didn't mention Robin Trower and the late James Dewar, basist and brilliant vocalist for the group.

I love Trower's loops and twirls.


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## Roger

Having considered further..............

Jet harris

Ashley Hutchins

Bruce Welch

No-one said it had to lead guitar!


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## mel

Joe Pass or Wes Montgomery for Jazz, Clapton or Townsend for @[email protected], Segovia classical, Paco de Lucia for Sevillana/Flamenco.

Horses for courses, isnt it - Oh and not lets forget SKY as a giter supersound.

Mel

back from the sun soon *yeauch*


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## Mrcrowley

mrteatime said:


> catflem said:
> 
> 
> 
> Most of the greats have been mentioned already but I'm amazed that Jeff Healey never made the top 100. For a blind man he sure can play. You may have seen him in the movie Roadhouse.
> 
> Others worth a mention include - Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen (sic), Prince (I kid you not), Robert Cray, Neal Schon (Journey), Steve Marriot, Frank Marino, Alex Lifeson. If I sit here long enough I'll probably come up with my own top 100.
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Lee
> 
> 
> 
> malmsteen is a genius! as is satriani and vai, but these are guirar players "players" and there appeal isn't as great as clapton, may et al. Randy rhodes is a ledgend paul! mr catflem is also correct about prince....he can play!
> 
> a few more....
> 
> reeves gabrels
> 
> spooky ghost
> 
> adrian belew
> 
> nuno battencourt
> 
> steve lukether
> 
> james dean bradfield
> 
> steve stevens
> 
> zack wylde
Click to expand...

Zack Wylde - sound.


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## Mrcrowley

Roger said:


> Having considered further..............
> 
> Jet harris
> 
> Ashley Hutchins
> 
> Bruce Welch
> 
> No-one said it had to lead guitar!


Bassists then

Lemmy!


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## mrteatime

Mrcrowley said:


> mrteatime said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> catflem said:
> 
> 
> 
> Most of the greats have been mentioned already but I'm amazed that Jeff Healey never made the top 100. For a blind man he sure can play. You may have seen him in the movie Roadhouse.
> 
> Others worth a mention include - Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen (sic), Prince (I kid you not), Robert Cray, Neal Schon (Journey), Steve Marriot, Frank Marino, Alex Lifeson. If I sit here long enough I'll probably come up with my own top 100.
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Lee
> 
> 
> 
> malmsteen is a genius! as is satriani and vai, but these are guirar players "players" and there appeal isn't as great as clapton, may et al. Randy rhodes is a ledgend paul! mr catflem is also correct about prince....he can play!
> 
> a few more....
> 
> reeves gabrels
> 
> spooky ghost
> 
> adrian belew
> 
> nuno battencourt
> 
> steve lukether
> 
> james dean bradfield
> 
> steve stevens
> 
> zack wylde
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Zack Wylde - sound.
Click to expand...

i think 'no more tears' was voted one of the heaviest riffs of all time. An awesome track!

IT ROCKS


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## mrteatime

Mrcrowley said:


> Roger said:
> 
> 
> 
> Having considered further..............
> 
> Jet harris
> 
> Ashley Hutchins
> 
> Bruce Welch
> 
> No-one said it had to lead guitar!
> 
> 
> 
> Bassists then
> 
> Lemmy!
Click to expand...

stu hamm or steve harris for me, or billy sheehan


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## Guest

How could I have forgotten to mention Micheal Schenker (UFO, Scorpions, MSG) in my earlier posting.

I'm off to whack myself with a birch twig.

Cheers

Lee


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## Barryboy

Hmmm... Good thread. If there has to be one, then it's Eric. He's by no means the best - not technically, not the fastest, not the most inventive, not even the most consistent. Okay, he's near the top in most of those things but what Eric has shown over forty years is his total dedication to his art. Even through the drug-raddled days and the booze-sodden limbo period he kept it going, producing the the high quality stuff that has become his trademark. His playing has a quality that I'm afraid I can't describe, but whatever it is, he is a musician that has inspired hundreds of thousands of young men around the world to pick up the guitar.

Now those of us who play a bit will know just by watching that we will never be able to play like Yngwie Malmsteen or Mahavishnu John Mclaughlin or any of dozens of other highly technical speed merchants. But Eric (and to a lesser degree Mark Knopfler and Ry Cooder) makes it look so easy that it inspires us to go home and try. Of course it's not easy at all, but to me this is the most important quality of the lot - his ability to inspire, and along with some truly great music (check out the live version of 'Crossroads' from the Wheels of Fire album) this makes Eric No.1 in my book.

Rob


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## rhaythorne

God, I hate Eric Clapton







Sorry, but I just do. He's gotta be the most overrated guitarist in the world, ever! I can't really even qualify what's bad about him. Why? Because I always fall asleep 5 minutes after he's started playing, really! Perhaps I'm missing out on something; but I will never know









Anyway, speaking of "Crossroads", check out Walter Hill's film of the same name which is based loosely around all the old blues folklore about Robert Johnson and selling your soul to the devil in return for fame, fortune and (I dunno, groupies maybe?) with loads of terrific guitar work by Ry Cooder and Steve Vai.

Crossroads (1986)


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## pg tips

yeah but he had to resort to classical "licks" to beat the devil didn't he


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## mrteatime

rhaythorne said:


> God, I hate Eric Clapton
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sorry, but I just do. He's gotta be the most overrated guitarist in the world, ever! I can't really even qualify what's bad about him. Why? Because I always fall asleep 5 minutes after he's started playing, really! Perhaps I'm missing out on something; but I will never know
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Anyway, speaking of "Crossroads", check out Walter Hill's film of the same name which is based loosely around all the old blues folklore about Robert Johnson and selling your soul to the devil in return for fame, fortune and (I dunno, groupies maybe?) with loads of terrific guitar work by Ry Cooder and Steve Vai.
> 
> Crossroads (1986)


that is awesome! thats what made me pick a guitar up in the first place. Im not a clapton fan either, and agree with your sentiments exactly. He is over-rated, however, for his time, he was inovative and new, and was a massive influence on many. In many interviews, eddie van halen has cited EC as his biggest influence. So....

No Eric Clapton=No EVH=No Steve Vai

If i have to listen to Wonderful tonight again i'll go mad


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## rhaythorne

pg tips said:


> yeah but he had to resort to classical "licks" to beat the devil didn't he










Yep, but Blind Dog Fulton/Willie Brown (Joe Seneca) had at least one great retort to the classical doctrine if memory serves me right:

Eugene "Lightning Boy" Martone: _"When I get out of Julliard I'll..."_

Willie "Blind Dog Fulton" Brown: _"When you get out of Julie who?"_

Another great line that springs to mind is something like:

Willie "Blind Dog Fulton" Brown: _"Look at this old guitar you been squeekin' on! I bet you bought it cos you thought it looked beat up. Well you got it all wrong! Muddy Waters invented 'lectricity!"_


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## SimonD

For me it depends on how good the guitar fits in with the music.

I like Hendrix, John Squires, Johnny Marr, The Edge and Paul Weller.

I'm not into shredders and the most notes in one beat type player. While I find it technically brilliant it leaves me a bit cold.

I think the guitarist who is not as technically brilliant has to work harder to play something that blows you away.

I'm self taught and have been playing for nearly 12 years. Mind you, since baby came 4 months ago I think I've only picked up a guitar once.









I've got 4 on the wall behind me that need some use very soon.


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## MIKE

Yes a good thread, my 14 year old lad has been taking an intrest in this







but sadly not the watches









Here's some pic's of a recent gig, he's made it to the Three Tunns, Atherstone









Next, to get on the bill at the Nags Head, Nuneaton




































Mike

P.S he is ginger but the red lights did not help


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## Guest

Certainly looks like hes enjoying him self Mike,certainly im a fan of several including Paul Wheller and most of the rest already named.I have to agree that it depends on the mood


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## MIKE

Timetraveller said:


> Certainly looks like hes enjoying him self Mike


They enjoy themselves all right, don't seem to have any nerves at all.

I would not fancy playing for an hour or so in front of a pub load of people







Even if I could


















Mike


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## johnbrigade

hmmmm......

Guitarists? Cream/Yardbirds/Bluesbreakers/Blind Faith-era Clapton, George Harrison, Tom Morello (RATM/Audioslave), Angus & Malcolm Young, John Squier, Rivers Cuomo (him out of Weezer) are probably who I like listening to the most. I think Mark Knopfler (and Chet Atkins of course, who taught MK everything he knows







). Malmsteen, Vai, Satriani, Petrucci, etc do nothing for me. Roy Orbison was very underrated I think.

Bassists? Never really thought about it. James Jamerson is probably one that put a lot of people onto playing bass and there are loads of other players I could tell you the names of, but I've nothing to judge them on how they play.


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## johnbrigade

Mike - does your lad practice with that Marshall 4x12 at home?!


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## mrteatime

johnbrigade said:


> Mike - does your lad practice with that Marshall 4x12 at home?!


LOUDLY


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## chrisb

Walter Trout

Paul Buttersfield

Taj Mahal


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## chrisb

MIKE said:


> Yes a good thread, my 14 year old lad has been taking an intrest in this
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Love the Mick Taylor hairstyle


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## Griff

What about classical guitar, or doesn't that count for some reason!!

Isn't John Williams a bit good!!?

John Williams


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## johnbrigade

mrteatime said:


> johnbrigade said:
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> Mike - does your lad practice with that Marshall 4x12 at home?!
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> LOUDLY
Click to expand...

hahaha - yeah - I've got a little 5w valver for home practice and that's still a bit loud!



Griff said:


> What about classical guitar, or doesn't that count for some reason!!
> 
> Isn't John Williams a bit good!!?
> 
> John Williams


not my cup of tea, but yeah. him and julian bream


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## mrteatime

not really looked into classical guitar, although malmsteen aint bad!


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## MIKE

mrteatime said:


> johnbrigade said:
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> Mike - does your lad practice with that Marshall 4x12 at home?!
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> LOUDLY
Click to expand...

If he can get away with it


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## mrteatime

MIKE said:


> mrteatime said:
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he's got some seriously good gear there mike! i had a marlin sidewinder from argos and a tiny 10w solid state amp when i was 15


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## MIKE

mrteatime said:


> MIKE said:
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> he's got some seriously good gear there mike! i had a marlin sidewinder from argos and a tiny 10w solid state amp when i was 15
Click to expand...

All secondhand

I sold a couple of watches to get the Marshall head and cab so he could go on stage with his own gear.

He's getting a Gordon Smith with EMG pickups and Sperzel machine head for Christmas, again second hand but still quite pricy. So he says, it's a great guitar, I've never heard of them









His next guitar, he will have to buy himself when he is earning









Mike


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## mrteatime

MIKE said:


> mrteatime said:
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> Mike - does your lad practice with that Marshall 4x12 at home?!
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> he's got some seriously good gear there mike! i had a marlin sidewinder from argos and a tiny 10w solid state amp when i was 15
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> Click to expand...
> 
> All secondhand
> 
> I sold a couple of watches to get the Marshall head and cab so he could go on stage with his own gear.
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> He's getting a Gordon Smith with EMG pickups and Sperzel machine head for Christmas, again second hand but still quite pricy. So he says, it's a great guitar, I've never heard of them
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Click to expand...

have a look here He (or the company) make "homages" of the classics. IHO they play a lot better then a factory produced les paul or strat, as they have a real custom feel to them.

Guitars are a lot like watches..........


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## Mrcrowley

MIKE said:


> Yes a good thread, my 14 year old lad has been taking an intrest in this
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Your lad reminds me of a young Dave Mustaine, though probly nobody will agree..............


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## mrteatime

i can see where your coming from paul


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## Mrcrowley

mrteatime said:


> i can see where your coming from paul


Excellent.................

I was expecting 'Who's Dave Mustaine?'

Time yet tho........................


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## mrteatime

Mrcrowley said:


> mrteatime said:
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> I was expecting 'Who's Dave Mustaine?'
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> Time yet tho........................
Click to expand...

a bit heavy for some on here me thinks


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## mrteatime

potz said:


> Metallica is cool, but MotÃ¶rhead is heavier.


hail to the motorhead!


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## johnbrigade

mrteatime said:


> MIKE said:
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> LOUDLY
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> If he can get away with it
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> 
> he's got some seriously good gear there mike! i had a marlin sidewinder from argos and a tiny 10w solid state amp when i was 15
Click to expand...

I had (and still have) my 90s Jap Squier strat when I was 15. I'd sold my first cheapo plank for a profit to buy it. Despite buying the plank, the auld fella was in approval - he has 40 years experience in these matters!

I had a Gordon-Smith, although and early 80s one, I doubt the quality of manufacture has changed much. It is superb - mine's more like a Les Paul Junior with a single humbucker in and it's a screamer. Every bit as good as my Gibson


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## [email protected]

Hi,

No one has mentioned Alvin lee from Ten years after! Great rock guitarist and great at jazz and blues also,the fastest fingers in the west!!

Paul


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## mrteatime

heres another.....

carlos alomar. one of the best session guitarists off all time (and long time bowie collaborator as well as playing with john lennon)


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## thorpey69

Has no one mentioned Jimmy Page yet??or Slash from GnR?? Pete Townsend???,have to say that my favourite would probably be Dave Gilmour though,just for the fact that the sound seems to be coming from within him


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## pauluspaolo

I make no claim to them being the best guitarists but, obviously, I like the guitarists who play on the records/cd's I enjoy listening to, therefore it's Pink Floyd's David Gilmour or Alex Lifeson from Rush for me. I've liked Rush for donkeys years & Alex Lifesons playing on La Villa Strangiato is absolutely superb - it still makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up!!

I like Hendrix too - if only he were still alive, it'd be fantastic to hear him playing still







!


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## Guest

catflem said:


> Most of the greats have been mentioned already but I'm amazed that Jeff Healey never made the top 100. For a blind man he sure can play. You may have seen him in the movie Roadhouse.
> 
> Others worth a mention include - Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen (sic), Prince (I kid you not), Robert Cray, Neal Schon (Journey), Steve Marriot, Frank Marino, Alex Lifeson. If I sit here long enough I'll probably come up with my own top 100.
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Lee


Bugger it !

Just read on another watch forum that Jeff has died aged 41. What a talent he was.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7275162.stm


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## unlcky alf

catflem said:


> catflem said:
> 
> 
> 
> Most of the greats have been mentioned already but I'm amazed that Jeff Healey never made the top 100. For a blind man he sure can play. You may have seen him in the movie Roadhouse.
> 
> Others worth a mention include - Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen (sic), Prince (I kid you not), Robert Cray, Neal Schon (Journey), Steve Marriot, Frank Marino, Alex Lifeson. If I sit here long enough I'll probably come up with my own top 100.
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Lee
> 
> 
> 
> Bugger it !
> 
> Just read on another watch forum that Jeff has died aged 41. What a talent he was.
> 
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7275162.stm
Click to expand...

Damn, that is such a shame. He was spectacularly talented and always came across as a genuinely nice guy.

Truly one of the greats

He was an extremely talented trumpeter and clarinetist as well!!


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## JoT

I don't know if you could classify him as the best guitarist of all but he is pretty good ..... Chris Rea .... I am going to see him at the RAH in London later this month. His last two projects have been excellent, his latest "The Return Of The Fabulous Hofner Blue Notes" is a 3 CD and 2 Vinyl disc box set which followed on from 2005's "Blues Guitar". He set up his own record label after nearly dying of pacreatittis so he could do his own thing, Blues Guitar features 11 CDs, a DVD ("Dancing Down Stony Road") and a book including thirty reproductions of Chris Rea's paintings. The discs are (1) Beginnings (2) Country Blues (3) Louisiana and New Orleans (4), Electric Memphis Blues (5), Texas Blues (6), Chicago Blues (7), Blues Ballads (8), Gospel Soul Blues and Motown (9) Celtic and Irish Blues (10) Latin Blues (11) and 60's and 70's.


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## jaslfc5

this is a tough one best of all ? as much as i like some of the greats hendrix,clapton,etc theres one guy from the seventies and eighties stands out rory galagher he was awesome i never got the chance to see him live but a good friend of mine actually got to know him well and he was a legend.

but out of gutarists of my era ,and ive discussed this alot with some very good guitarists it has to be jonny greenwood and tom morrello they are just a different class ,lucky enough to have seen both live several times and greenwood is just unbelievable and morrello what he does to a guitar nobody else does it as good .

but on a sad note we used to have a legend play in our local all the time i was spoilt really ,a guy called titch gwilym now that was a guitarist - try and find him playing the welsh anthem at the old arms park ,they recently found an old recording of hendrix playing it -turns out it was titch mistaken for hendrix sums it up really .rip titch.

jason.


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## Alas

Agree with Rory gallagher as my era and also Richie Blackmore. Another one sadly gone is Stevie Ray Vaughan and you would have to add the old blues boys of Albert King and Buddy Guy.

Alasdair


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## Nalu

I read threads like this to find the guys I don't know about. In that spirit, I'll share two of my least-known "Great" guitarists:

Willie Kahaiali'i (aka Willie K) - the guy can play anything with strings, and I mean anything: banjo, 12-string, slack key, bass, electric, acoustic, ukulele. And every kind of music: I've seen him go from Green Day to a Hawai'ian love song in seconds flat. I've seen him play with great finesse and emotion and I've seen him break strings rocking out! The guy is amazing (seen here with Amy Hanaiali'i Gilliom on the L).

















Robert Lucas is a great blues guitarist. I've heard my share and Robert Lucas ranks way up there, possibly even higher than the Hook!


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## hotmog

I'd never heard of this guy until recently, but a couple of friends I met up with a couple of weeks ago said they'd been to see *Joe Bonamassa* last month at the London Shepherds Bush Empire and were completely blown away by the experience.

Unfortunately, looking at his 2008 Tour Schedule, it seems that was his last UK gig this year, but I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for any return visits he may be making to London in the future.

Check out this sample on Youtube: Joe Bonamassa - "Guitar Solo" - 12-21-01 - Ft Wayne, Indiana, and there are plenty of others.


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## mediummynd

IAN PARKER


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## sssammm

Ive got to plug this kid again, hes only 16, hes got 37 vids on youtube ( mattrach )

defo one for the future

check these 2











sam


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## JoT

JoT said:


> I don't know if you could classify him as the best guitarist of all but he is pretty good ..... Chris Rea .... I am going to see him at the RAH in London later this month. His last two projects have been excellent, his latest "The Return Of The Fabulous Hofner Blue Notes" is a 3 CD and 2 Vinyl disc box set which followed on from 2005's "Blues Guitar". He set up his own record label after nearly dying of pacreatittis so he could do his own thing, Blues Guitar features 11 CDs, a DVD ("Dancing Down Stony Road") and a book including thirty reproductions of Chris Rea's paintings. The discs are (1) Beginnings (2) Country Blues (3) Louisiana and New Orleans (4), Electric Memphis Blues (5), Texas Blues (6), Chicago Blues (7), Blues Ballads (8), Gospel Soul Blues and Motown (9) Celtic and Irish Blues (10) Latin Blues (11) and 60's and 70's.


Just got back from the concert at the Royal Albert Hall, a strange venue for a rock/blues event but great acoustics and quite intimate. I had a nice seat 5 rows from the front and at about 45 degrees to the centre of the stage









Rea has put a new four piece band together which must have a combined age of about 250 excluding Rea himself! But great musicians all with long and distinguished careers. The two hour set started off with a 30 minute session under the guise of "The Delmonts" where Rea and the band performed a number of excelent instrument tracks in tribute of the instrumental bands of the late 50's and early 60's. Hofner guitars feature heavily with Rea changing his guitar sometimes twice a song.

After 30 minutes The Delmonts morphed into the Hofner Blue Notes, with Rea picking up a banjo and easing into a great rendition of his classic song "Josefine" he then did about 30 minutes worth of tracks from his new album "The Return Of The Hofner Blue Notes" quite heavy blues superbly performed and overlain with Rea's gravelly vocals, again changing his guitar constantly depending on the style. he has developed into a superb guitarist over the years, his slide guitar playing was awesome.

The last hour was a selection of tracks from his extensive back catalogue .... Stainsby Girls, The Road To Hell parts 1 & 2, Julia, Let's Dance, On The Beach

The musicianship was superb but Rea did not engage with the audience at all for the first hour and only during Stainsby Girls did he start to interact, by the end of the set the rather mature audience was rocking in the aisles.


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## Griff

John Williams


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## adrian

Very hard to say "the best" but bit easier to say the favorite.







From a long standing Iron Maiden fan: Dave Murray. Maybe not the best but probably the most influential.


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## Stan

103 replies and 12825 views.

Not a bad thread by any means, much better than most watch threads anyroad.









Sorry lads, rock on and stick it to the man!


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