• Watch Out for Scammers!

    We've now added a color code for all accounts. Orange accounts are new members, Blue are full members, and Green are Supporters. If you get a message about a sale from an orange account, make sure you pay attention before sending any money!

rock guitar player survey

Since the list has expanded to Jazz/Fusion.

John McLaughlin
Pat Metheny
John Scofield

Also more under appreciated rock guitarists.

Steve Hackett
Martin Barre
Love some Pat Metheny .
Also forgot Brian May .

Although this is Rock and Jazz two others deserve mention . Brad Paisley and Keith Urban . Both effin shred dripping with tasteful .
 
Mine, in no particular order…

David Gilmore
Dimebag
John Petrucci
Marty Friedman
Randy Rhoads
EVH
 
  • Love
Reactions: ColinW
Oh, for crying out loud. It's just guitar, either Bring It or don't - no chickens allowed. Heck, I'll go, even if it's just crappy cell phone audio (video), and I'm not making any "claims". Sometimes I just suck, others not. Is what it is, and we do the best we can in the moment. (By the way, there are too many guitarists that I consider "great" to list, but my favorites are George Lynch, Stevie Ray, and Jimi).

BB:



Stevie:



Jimi:

Exactly, make a statement like that and then puss out. Most of the things he comments on are him telling everyone else that he’s great and everyone/thing else sucks. EGOTISTICAL drivel
 
Why stop in the 80's? Did rock music suddenly end there? Did guitarists somehow get worse after that decade?

My vote for #1 and #2 goes to the Dragonforce guitarists.



Then there is Oli Herbert from All That Remains (now deceased), Sinister Gates from A7X, and Kim Thayil of Soundgarden to round out the top 5.
 
interesting replies. agree with many,not fond of others. boils down to "likes" and opinion. buddy holl? great musician,writer,performer,innovator,not a super guitarist just excellent. richie valens on the other hand was great. got a recording of him doing malaguena-superb piece. other greats mentioned or not-hendrix,bonamassa,steven stills,bb king,keith richards,roy clark,john frusciante,les paul,chet atkins,mason williams,segovia,carlos montoya,slash,trower-not all rock.

a vocalist survey would be interesting.
 
Last edited:
interesting replies. agree with many,not fond of others. boils down to "likes" and opinion. buddy holl? great musician,writer,performer,innovator,not a super guitarist just excellent. richie valens on the other hand was great. got a recording of him doing malaguena-superb piece. other greats mentioned or not-hendrix,bonamassa,steven stills,bb king,keith richards,roy clark,john frusciante,les paul,chet atkins,mason williams,segovia,carlos montoya,slash,trower-not all rock.

a vocalist survey would be interesting.
Glen Campbell was super talented as well and Brad Paisley ain't no slouch.
 
For all those who are saying EVH (don't get me wrong, I love Eddie), let's remember that he wanted to get guitar lessons from Glen Campbell at one point. 😉
I don't know the truth of it, but it's been said that at one time a reporter asked Eric Clapton how it felt to be the best guitar player in the world and he said, "I don't know, you should ask Prince". Sometime later another reporter relayed that story to Prince and asked his feelings on it. Prince was said to have said, "I don't know, ask Glen Campbell".
 
Clapton and Santana are my personal guitar gods.....but I'll throw this one out there for the fun of it

Django Reinhardt
 
In no certain order

Vai
Satch
EVH
Nuno
Steve Lukather
Eric Johnson
Dan Huff
George Lynch
Vito Bratta
Neal Schon
Andy Timmons
Chris Degarmo
Michael Wilton
Jerry Cantrell
Alex Skolnick

And outside of timeline

John Petrucci
Marco Sfogli
Robert Sall
Martin Miller
Tom Quayle
 
  • Like
Reactions: ColinW
In no particular order.

-Stevie Ray Vaughn(skill and soul He poured every ounce of being into every note he played)
-Hendrix(skill and soul)
-Chuck Berry( influential)
-Mark knofler ( technicality)
-Tony Iommi ( basically started metal)
-Eddie Van Halen ( i do cocaine and make squealing noises!!!)
-Darrel Abbot/Dime Bag Darrell( fucking pantera man)
-Paul Glibert( shred god)
-Frank Zappa( everybody who plays the guitar learn smoke on the water in the first couple weeks)
-Jerry Garcia( dancing skeletons, Jerry would play hour long guitar solos)
-James Hetfield ( he wrote most of Metallica’s music, and he’s a better drummer than Lars)
 
Since the list has expanded to Jazz/Fusion.

John McLaughlin
Pat Metheny
John Scofield

Also more under appreciated rock guitarists.

Steve Hackett
Martin Barre
Scofield played a nightclub I was managing (never again), dude was the humblest superstar I've ever met (Mix Master Mike right up there)...

I shook his hand when he walked in, asked him if there was anything I could get him, and his answer?

"A turkey sandwich on white bread please".

Yup, I made John Scofield a turkey sammich on white bread.
 
I don't know where they place on the Rock Guitar God list but along with some of my favorites:

Alex Lifeson (La Villa Strangiato)
Richie Blackmore (Burn - a better riff than Smoke on the Water)
Michael Schenker (live version of Lights Out)
Frank Zappa (Shut Up and Play Your Guitar)
Robin Trower (Bridge of Sighs)
Jimi Hendrix (Voodoo Child Slight Return)
Tony Iommi (Sabbath Bloody Sabbath)
 
I know this is a rock guitar thread, but if you’re talking about raw guitar talent, Roy Clark and Chet Atkins are right up there near the top.
Saw Chet play at a "dinner concert", back when I was a long haired headbanger guitar hero wannabee. The place was filled with senior citizens enjoying their lamb chops and mint jelly, my buddy and I at the front table just mezmerized by this old fucker tearing it up.

He actually came and spoke with us afterwards, super cool dude.
 
For all those who are saying EVH (don't get me wrong, I love Eddie), let's remember that he wanted to get guitar lessons from Glen Campbell at one point. 😉
I don't know the truth of it, but it's been said that at one time a reporter asked Eric Clapton how it felt to be the best guitar player in the world and he said, "I don't know, you should ask Prince". Sometime later another reporter relayed that story to Prince and asked his feelings on it. Prince was said to have said, "I don't know, ask Glen Campbell".
Yea, prince should be toward the top of the list.
 
I know this is a rock guitar thread, but if you’re talking about raw guitar talent, Roy Clark and Chet Atkins are right up there near the top.
^^^^Don't forget Jerry Reed

Whaaat ,no Billy F Gibbons ?

Tommy Bolin.(sp).......died too young,as others already mentioned above.
Edit : Johnny Winter.......how the hell did I forget about him......(kicks self in ass)
Off topic vvvvv

Not well known in the states , but draws huge crowds across the pond. I'm a big fan of Seasick Steve's music .......the old fucker just does it for me ,so much so ,that if I could pick just one player ( dead or alive ) that I could sit down and try to jam with ....it'd be him. His rendition of "So Lonesome I Could Cry ".....well,just have a listen and get back to me...or not.

Carolyn Wonderland.......a Texas ? woman, that can burn them strings.
YouTube world is full of impressive talent
 
Last edited:
forgot 2 french guys-paul personne and louis bertignac. i call them the clapton and paige of france.
 
I'll throw another one at you...Mike Bloomfield. If the boy could have just stayed away from dem' drugs, he would have had a long career

 
  • Like
Reactions: mosin46
And how about this...and yeah, I'll quit after this.

Albert Lee playing guitar solo on Emmy Lou Harris album Evangeline, song How High the Moon.

 
Oh, for crying out loud. It's just guitar, either Bring It or don't - no chickens allowed. Heck, I'll go, even if it's just crappy cell phone audio (video), and I'm not making any "claims". Sometimes I just suck, others not. Is what it is, and we do the best we can in the moment. (By the way, there are too many guitarists that I consider "great" to list, but my favorites are George Lynch, Stevie Ray, and Jimi).

BB:



Stevie:



Jimi:

Pretty good. If you take requests do “warning”from Black Sabbath. That song is blues rockiish. Thanks for sharing
 
My Pandora Channel I call “Too Many Notes” playlist:
Buckethead
Satriani
Morse
DiMeola
Malmsteen
Rhoads
Gilbert
Gilmore
Petrucci
Vai
Freidman
Too many more than I can recall at this moment.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jrassy and ColinW
Albert King is a glaring ommision as he was a huge influence on many of the greats already listed Including Jimi, SRV, Joe Walsh, Clapton and others already mentioned.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: mosin46 and NH4X
And how about this...and yeah, I'll quit after this.

Albert Lee playing guitar solo on Emmy Lou Harris album Evangeline, song How High the Moon.



Emmylou Harris...

168fc228b82500f528b4dbf6209a4ff8.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: Flintdog2011
the point about who exactly considered who the best.....to me is moot.

i look at how music was before that person, and how they moved the needle. tony iommi, as some have said, basically created heavy metal. hendrix definately moved the dial and changed how those who followed played. stevie ray vaughn....well, he was something all together different and special.....as was prince. i forgot about joe perry, never liked aerosmith until i heard him cut loose live. kerry king....try that spider walk at speed. John5......that guy is a monster......i'd say one of the top 10 ever. i dig on Jack White, too.

i dont know of ANYONE who moved the dial like EVH. he isnt my favorite guitarist, but i dont know of anyone who moved the dial more than he did. it's one thing to be an awesome guitarist. it's another thing all together when you change the landscape with what you do. that's why i put EVH as the best ever. was the best PLAYER ever? i can't answer that. but i can't think of anyone who's impact was even close. there is a reason his name pops into almost everyone's mind when this question is asked.
 
Guitar isn't so hard, even a 16 year old girl can do pretty well


There's a big difference in creating and writting a song and covering someone elses.

Shes pretty good.
 
  • Like
Reactions: myronman3
Man I always experienced
Yngwie as sterile . They used to call the Japanese guys that would go to Musician's Institute in LA , Ching Vey's . Was a reference to sterile scale runners .
Yngwie was not quite as sterile in a live setting while opening for ACDC.... he missed quite a few notes when compared to the studio stuff where you can “do over” when you need to. But it might have been an alcohol related incident.
 
I feel that Terry Kath and Elliot Easton were very underrated. Also in the 80s when everyone was playing fast, Slash was laying down some soulful licks.
 
No Hot Rod Danny or Rory Gallagher?
For shame 😂






Where would they all be without



Don't forget Stevie Vai's spanking..by Frank Zappa
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: jrassy
Alan Holdsworth. Ask Eddie Van Halen.
^^^^ This. Also ask Frank Zappa and Yngwie Malmsteen.

Also I've not seen anyone mention Warren Dimartini, so I need to give him a shout out.
 
Last edited:
Guitar isn't so hard, even a 16 year old girl can do pretty well


She's good, I'll give her that. But, her over use of virbrato is nails on a chalk board to me......She over uses it WAY too much. 😫 As guitarist's know....It's easier to make it sound bad than it does to make it sound good. Too much virbrato. 🤮
 
Things are getting pretty serious.....You could say I'm pretty much the greatest guitarist on earth. 🤘🤪🤟Poorly played Pink Floyd solo with an Ernie Ball Music Man guitar, plugged into a Mesa Boogie Mark 5 combo amp, on Ch. 3.
 
Last edited:
The beautiful thing about the guitar, weather that be played on 6, 7, 8 or 12 strings, acoustic steel, acoustic nylon or electric.....It's all subjective to the listener. There's no #1 greatest plater. Only those that've had a heavier influence on music in their lifetime. (Even that is arguable between persons. Again, it's all subjective AF)

In my honest opinion....The greats are.....And let's be real here, I'm ACTUALLY a guitarist, so clearly my opinion FAR outweighs any one who doesn't play :LOL: :

John Petrucci....#1 on pure skill & musical precision, hands down.
Jimi Hendrix.....#1 Most influential over any genre.
Stevie Ray Vaughan....#1 Best Texas blues style guitarist of all time.
David Gilmour....#1 Best at playing guitar & soloing with a head full of acid.
Jimmy Page.
Steve Vai
Joe Satriani.
Buckethead(Whatever his real name is...he's phenomenally creative)
Marco Sflogli.

Yngwie get's honorable mention.....But, I don't care for his style much. Shred has it's place, but shredding mixolydian, phrygian or aeolian shapes repeatedly is not all that appealing.
 
Last edited:
She's good, I'll give her that. But, her over use of virbrato is nails on a chalk board to me......She over uses it WAY too much. 😫 As guitarist's know....It's easier to make it sound bad than it does to make it sound good. Too much virbrato. 🤮
It's not the amount, it's the speed of the bends (way too fast). That's what makes it shrill - just like Stevie Nicks' vocal vibrato. If she cut the vibrato speed in half with the same (or even more) amount of bend, it would sound waaaay better, more natural. That's C.C. DeVille-style vibrato. Drives me nuts. It's the anti-SRV vibrato.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ColinW
In no certain order

Vai
Satch
EVH
Nuno
Steve Lukather
Eric Johnson
Dan Huff
George Lynch
Vito Bratta
Neal Schon
Andy Timmons
Chris Degarmo
Michael Wilton
Jerry Cantrell
Alex Skolnick

And outside of timeline

John Petrucci
Marco Sfogli
Robert Sall
Martin Miller
Tom Quayle
YOU, my friend, picked the one guy who very few people know but have all heard, and belongs near the top of any list like this (It's actually "Dann" Huff). He played the hot guitar solos on all the pop artist's albums in the 80s as a studio musician, virtually unknown to the public back then. Guitar Player magazine did an article on the Top Five studio rock guitarists back in the late 80s, and he was on that list along with Steve Lukather and Michael Landau. I had the privilege of sitting about 3 feet away from him in a control room while he laid down a solo for an album we both played on in 1991, and I'll never forget it. Mind blowing. He later became (and still is) a Super-Producer in the Country world, the mastermind behind the best-selling albums from Keith Urban, Faith Hill, and Jewel, etc.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jrassy
It's not the amount, it's the speed of the bends (way too fast). That's what makes it shrill - just like Stevie Nicks' vocal vibrato. If she cut the vibrato speed in half with the same (or even more) amount of bend, it would sound waaaay better, more natural. That's C.C. DeVille-style vibrato. Drives me nuts. It's the anti-SRV vibrato.

Well, thanks for essentially repeating what I just said! Ha! 😉🤙🏻 Yeah man….There’s a fine line between bending a note up to pitch and completely butchering it with added vibrato once you reach the correct pitch tone. It’s easy to not bend the string to the correct pitch(half, whole or whole and half step/tone) and add too much vibrato if you don’t have “an ear” for it. She does both excessively. She’s a good player, she just needs some pitch refinement with her style.
 
Well, thanks for essentially repeating what I just said! Ha! 😉🤙🏻 Yeah man….There’s a fine line between bending a note up to pitch and completely butchering it with added vibrato once you reach the correct pitch tone. It’s easy to not bend the string to the correct pitch(half, whole or whole and half step/tone) and add too much vibrato if you don’t have “an ear” for it. She does both excessively. She’s a good player, she just needs some pitch refinement with her style.
Well, I didn't really. You said "over-use" and "too much", and I knew what you meant because I heard the same thing you did, but it could mean several things - too pitchy, too fast, or too often. I zeroed in on too fast as the culprit, just to clarify. Zakk Wylde puts way more pitch on his vibrato and sounds great within his genre (he doesn't do that when he's chicken-pickin' country-style). SRV rarely lets a note get by without vibrato (i.e. "often"), and is one of the masters of the technique and proof that sooo much of tone is in the hands. But get the speed of the vibrato too fast (C.C. as an example) and NO ONE sounds good, unless it's a special effect for a particular note.

In the end we hear the same thing and agree, but describe it differently. I was just saying I'd describe it as too fast rather than over-use or too much, but that's me.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ColinW