100 greatest guitarists

djm · Post by **djm** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 3:02 pm

I don't see the king of the middle-eastern blues guitar, Bubba Ganoosh.

djm

Post by **Nanohedron** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 3:13 pm

djm wrote:I don't see the king of the middle-eastern blues guitar, Bubba Ganoosh.

djm

djm · Post by **djm** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 3:26 pm

Whoa! Rickenbacker!

djm

chrisoff · Post by **chrisoff** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 4:41 pm

Congratulations wrote: What is Tom Morello doing on there?

Innovation and influence. No-one had done what he did with Rage Against The Machine, and he influenced a generation. As others have said these lists are always biased towards the recent and the popular, and they'll also be skewed by the magazine's target audience. However most of the time Jimi ends up at the top of them.

Incidentally, not that anyone will care, here's my top 10 list of guitarists (in no particular order) from my perspective as a mid 20s guitarist who mostly listens to, and plays, heavy stuff -

1. Jimi Hendrix
2. Kelly Joe Phelps
3. Dimebag Darrell (pantera)
4. James Hetfield (metallica and much more influential than his unimaginative lead guitarist)
5. Kim Thayil (soundgarden)
6. Dave Gilmour (pink floyd)
7. Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath)
8. Angus Young (ac/dc)
9. Tom Morello (rage against the machine)
10. Eric Clapton

Post by **Dale** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 4:45 pm

I would have ranked Pete Townshend and David Gilmour higher.

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 4:48 pm

djm wrote:Whoa! Rickenbacker!

djm

Actually, isn't that a Hoffner? The same bass guitar that Paul McCartney played (and still does) during the Beatles' early years?

Congratulations · Post by **Congratulations** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 5:11 pm

John's playing a Rickenbacker in that pic. Also, Paul did play a Rick bass for a bit (I think this is the bass that appears through most of Sgt. Pepper), but it's the Hofner that he was famous for. And Ganesh looks like he's holding a Hofner, there, I'd say.

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 6:10 pm

Congratulations wrote:John's playing a Rickenbacker in that pic. Also, Paul did play a Rick bass for a bit (I think this is the bass that appears through most of Sgt. Pepper), but it's the Hofner that he was famous for. And Ganesh looks like he's holding a Hofner, there, I'd say.

Yup, Paul did play a Rick for a while, Tragical History Tour, Sgt Peeper's Looney Specs Club Band.

djm · Post by **djm** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 9:24 pm

I stand correctless.

djm

BrassBlower · Post by **BrassBlower** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 10:12 pm

Top 10 "Celtic" guitarists:

1. John Doyle
2. Mary Coogan
3. El McMeen
4. Ritchie Blackmore
5. Dan Ar Braz
6. Mary Coogan
7. Steve Baughman
8. Ritchie Blackmore
9. Al Petteway
10. Mary Coogan

Henke · Post by **Henke** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 3:47 am

Okay, here's my top 10 list.

1. Steve Vai (The most innovative guitarist in the world hands down)
2. Pat Metheny (IMO, the best Jazz guitarist, best composer)
3. Jimi Hendrix (No explanation needed)
4. BB King (IMO, the best blues guitarist of all times)
5. Joe Satriani (No real explanation needed here eighter)
6. Jerry C (Extremely good young asian dude, rising star)
7. Eddie Van Halen (One of the most influential guitarists of his time, just ask any of the rock stars of the years after)
8. Carlos Santana
9. Tom Morello
10. Frank Zappa

100. Yngwie Malmsteen (Fast and skilled as hell, has done some really cool interpretations of classical music, but no real feeling IMO)

chrisoff · Post by **chrisoff** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 5:56 am

Henke wrote: 1. Steve Vai

I should have put Vai in my list but I tried to stick to guitarists who have influenced what I do. And while I have immense admiration for Vai I've never had the dedication or talent to even try anything he does.

chas · Post by **chas** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 6:46 pm

Bloomfield wrote:I don't see why Ry Cooder is in the top ten. If he's on that list at all, he should be below Johnny Winters.

Well, after a few days and into the third page, nobody has bit on this, so I guess I will. Ry Cooder couldn't hold his own in a jam session with Eddie van Halen, Steve Vai or any number of other technical players. But he plays with incredible finesse and feeling, and, most of all, he's comfortable with probably more different styles than anyone else on that list. I had some rare time alone after work today and broke out some of his albums. Of course, he's legendary doing American folk music. His electric slide on The Taxes on the Farmer Feeds us All is some of my favorite. But then Sweet Pennies from Heaven, a tune by a West Indian guitarist, is some of the most achingly beautiful acoustic guitar I've ever heard. And for beautiful slide, I Think it's gonna Work Out Fine brings tears to my eyes every time I hear it. He plays acoustic slide, he's comfortable playing country, rock 'n' roll, blues, Tex-Mex, Hawaiian, and all sorts of stuff. Oh, and the Cuban stuff, some of which I love, some of which I'm not crazy about.

There's a reason he was chosen to do the soundtrack to Crossroads (and emulate guitarist #5); it's because he's such a student of music and has such a good feel for the way blues were played in the days of yore. And he's really quite a good mandolin player, although that wouldn't carry any weight for Rolling Stone.

I have a lot of respect for Johnny Winter; I'd definitely put him higher, but I think Ry Cooder is a better guitarist because of his versatility. Heck, the guy played some of the Rolling Stones greatest guitar lines (for guitarist #10), and was a (early or founding) member of Captain Beefheart's Magic Band.

Loren · Post by **Loren** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 6:57 pm

Pfffft, panseys, talentless hacks, one and all. Here ya go, the top three of all time:

Loren

djm · Post by **djm** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 7:34 pm

Crank it up to 11, baby!!!

djm