Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer. He's cited as one of the greatest guitarists to ever live. Hendrix was the member of "The Jimi Hendrix Experience" and all albums were succesful.
I'm sure that Slash would admit that he and basically every guitarist since the early seventies owes Jimi Hendrix big time.M+716
Jimi started it all. There's no denying it without Jimi some of the mind blowing solos we hear today may not have come into existenceM+438
Slash is great, he is possibly the best soloist ever, but he'll never be Hendrix. He is a legend R.I.P.M+326
Hendrix was a god, no matter which way you put it. Everything he made was pure sex. Anybody on this list will agree Hendrix will always be number 1, just read through the comments. The only someone could beat him is if he was reincarnated into another person and released another album.
To quote my closest friend: "Hendrix's music is better than a blowjob and a joint"Mnew
V1002 Comments
2VoteEJimmy Page
James Patrick Page is an English musician, songwriter, and record producer who achieved international success as the guitarist and founder of the rock band Led Zeppelin.
The man is a god of the guitar! Pure genius don't have to say any more, his playing speaks for itself,M+386
It's subjective as to who is the best at any art form, although there are some analysis than can help. How enduring and widely popular, how much quality content, how complex, varied and original are all factors. Page's brilliance has been obscured by the fact Zep as a band was so great. It gave him more exposure but also camouflaged him. This is true with others, of course: e, g,. Joe Walsh, Neil Young, Keith Richards. There are other reasons great guitarists don't get their due. I love guitar and for me its Page then Duane Allman. The fact Allman is so far down this list is ridiculous. Also many on this list don't really belong because so many voters are too young to know the dif.M+226
If you take a look at the comments for Synester gates, you can see all the people worry about is speed. And he isn't even that fast, Van Halen, and pretty much any good heavy metal band guitarist can play faster, longer, and cleaner than him. Now Jimmy Paige's greatness isn't fueled by speed, its fueled by emotion and innovation. Listen to the main riff in Black dog, Slash called it, "the sexiest riff off all time"M+154
An absolute legend. He is amazing at his art and should easily be one of the best guitarists of all time. I think 2nd is a well deserved place (I will always hold Hendrix up as number 1), and I hope to see him remain here.Mnew
V715 Comments
3VoteEEddie Van Halen
One of the most skilled and innovative guitarists ever. Fastest right hand in the business.M+201
Must listen some of dream theater songs my friend.. John Petrucci will clear your doubtsM-13
He doesn't play the guitar, it is part of that man's body, you can hear his emotions come throughM+148
Lol the guitarist with the least emotions in the history of timeM+1
Eddie innovated 2 hand tapping. He Influenced great players like Slash, Zakk Wylde and Kerry king to play. If you can make a minute and 42 minute long solo of pure shredding that is recognized everywhere there is something special about you. People that know nothing about guitar think clapton is best but people who know all about guitar can truly agree ed is the godM+101
Steve Hackett was tapping and using harmonics in 1971, long before Eddie was even famous. Not saying that Eddie wasn't good or ennovative of course, but he gets too much credit for things he didn't create. - RalphSaadM
Love this guy!Mnew
V436 Comments
4VoteESlash
Slash is an awesome guitarist. He's got it all! He's dedicated and I think he's proven that he doesn't give up. All the music he plays is great, you don't get a song to witch Slash plays the guitar that sucks, he just dose what he loves.
Slash has earned his place in the top 5 and one day may even make it to number two. Let's face it Slash is a great guitarist.
I mean you don't just wake up and are good at something you have to earn it and Slash has. For this he is one of My greatest Idols.M+429
Slash is the 2nd greatest guitarist EVER, only behind Hendrix. He is without a doubt the greatest soloist of all time. His solos aren't a couple of licks put together or not just playing a scale as fast as he can, his solo's are thought out masterpieces that are incredibly amazing technically and emotionally. Listen to all his recorded songs and you'll see what I mean.M+220
Okay, slash is a great guitarist, no doubt. Bust he isn't better then eddie Van Halen or jimi page in technique, and if you wanna talk in emotions, David surpass him.M+19
Slash gets my vote, because, since I first started hearing their songs, around 1992, when I was 13, Guns were by far my favourite band and that was largely because of Slash's amazing guitar work. It just "hit the spot" like no one else really had in the past, or has, consistently, since.
It would (and still can) give me goose bumps, on songs like Sweet Child (especially when he really winds up in the middle guitar solo) and November Rain (near the end, when it reaches a crescendo) and You Could Be Mine, but could also just go straight to the heart and soul, on other songs, like during the beautiful guitar solos earlier on November Rain and in Estranged.
One of the reasons he is so good is that he reportedly would just play what came to him in the moment, when in the studio. So someone would hand him a song and he would just let go and play what came to him in the moment (pure inspiration) and that would basically be what would end up on the album. He wouldn't ...
moreM+19
Good but rated to high on top 10Mnew
V1040 Comments
5VoteEEric Clapton
The great B.B. King once said you will never find a guitar genius that can hold down, note to note, to Eric Clapton. He is the "one". He doesn't care if he's in any top list of anything. He has nothing to prove. Kids love to hear a guitarist banging on his guitar, Clapton never does that, He actually knows how to play an instrument. Some oldies but goodies think he is the rebirth of Robert Johnson. You will seldom find anyone who knows who Robert Johnson is, so how can you expect teenagers and 20 something guys who want to be guitar heroes themselves, understand the history of true rock and roll? Step up and listen to the ballads and then listen to the riffs Clapton manages with out breaking a sweat and the magic that happens when he does. There is soul to this mans music. He is simply, The Best.M+244
I agree with you. Hew should be above Slash, in my opinion. Also, I know who Robert Johnson is. He's a blues guitarist of the 1920s who famously "sold his soul to the Devil for rock and roll". I know this, and I'm only 14. Also, Eric Clapton is very prolific ( Cream, Blind Faith, etc) - MusicalPonyM+9
There are thousands and thousands who can force a guitar to sputter. There are hundreds who can make a guitar talk. But at any given time, there is only a very select few who can truly let a guitar sing. Clapton is one of those few (along with Hendrix, Santana, and a couple others). Clapton writes his music straight from the heart, finding inspiration is his real life. From his relationship with Pattie Boyd, with whom he was madly in love (Wonderful Tonight), and later his deteriorating marriage with her (Running on Faith), to the death of his son (Tears in heaven), Clapton puts more raw emotion into his music than any other guitarist I've ever heard, including Hendrix.
Compared to him, more recent music can come across flat and empty in both lyrics and guitar work. No one could say he hasn't stood the test of time (1970-today), but he is being slowly forgotten in an age where playing fast and looking cool is more important than musical brilliance.
Slash and some other ...
moreM+51
What? He is only 20? Eric is one of the best guitar gods ever! He is a great riffs creator ("Sunshine of your love", "Layla", "Cocaine") and a huge soloist too: what about his wha-wha powerful solo on "White Room", his soft duet with Allman in "Layla", his epic section of "Tales of brave Ulysse", the memorable ending of "Let it Rain" or the emotive solo on "Why got love to be so sad? "?
He is the king of blues rock. He should be in the top 3 with Jimi and Dave (Gilmour)!M+84
Should be higher than slashMnew
V261 Comments
6VoteEStevie Ray Vaughan
This forum is terrible. SRV, Jimmy and Clapton should all be top 5. Slash.. give me a break. Go YouTube "Texas flood" long version or "little wing cover" by Stevie Ray Vaughn and educate yourselves.M+203
S.R.V. re-invented electric blues. He played every song from his heart and nailed every note! You will never hear the same version of a song twice from Stevie Ray. He is absolutely amazing!M+141
There are hundreds of great guitar players but Stevie Ray Vauhan and Jimi Hendrix were the absolute best. It is a privilege just to listen to them play. Please people, listen to SRV on YouTube. Just search srv and pick any song. You'll thank me, really.M+119
Stevie is the bestMnew
V313 Comments
7VoteEKirk Hammett
Kirk Lee Hammett is the lead guitarist and songwriter for the heavy metal band Metallica and has been a member of the band since 1983. Before joining Metallica he formed and named the band Exodus.
Kirk is definitely top 5 guitarist. You can't get better than the interlude in master of puppets or the solo in one. He is a very technical guitarist. You can't get to much faster than 220 bpm in master of puppets or 210 in fight fire with fire.M+200
You kids need to understand that guitar is a "musical" instrument. You kids need to understand speed is not everything. It's about making the guitar cry. Talking with your guitar. I'm not saying Kirk doesn't do that. Kirk is the second best guitarist to grace metal, but he isn't top 5 material, but meh, in a list where slash is 2, j guess it's alright.M+33
3rd... Seriously... The guy who made the one solo and the fade to black solo... Part of the biggest metal band on the earth... Yeah... He deserves at least 2ndM+144
He's not the best, but man is he good. He's definitely heavy metal, and can go insane with a guitar. If you've heard him play any of his better songs, you'll know what I mean.M+136
He's pretty good, but not top ten material. Replace him with Duane Allman and put Slash at #10, then you've got a decent list. - DoomMnew
V394 Comments
8VoteEDavid Gilmour
David Jon Gilmour is an English singer, songwriter, composer, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer.
A true genius that can touch the heart of the darkest of souls & bring them back to life. His solos & melody's can't be beat for precision & perfect musical sound structure... A true master of his art.M+267
His creativity knows no bounds! The only guitarist I feel that can place his heart on the guitar strings and strum away his soul. Listen to his end solo of Comfortably Numb on the Pulse tour and the tingles will run up your spine!M+202
Any song He touched is pure genius. Echoes, Time and all of The Wall are great. He was the Heart of Pink Floyd.M+143
The last of the greatsMnew
V399 Comments
9VoteEAngus Young
Angus McKinnon Young is an Australian guitarist of Scottish origin, best known as the co-founder, lead guitarist, songwriter and sole constant member of the Australian hard rock band AC/DC.
Angus feels what he is playing! He has a style of good old rock n roll like other guitarists-john lennon, george harisson, Hendrix, eddie Van Halen but angus is the best of all the best. Angus should be on 1 placeM+133
Unbelievably underrated. Listen to his solo on "Shake a Leg" to convince you. Plus, he could do all that while lying on the floor having spasms.M+104
I've seen AC/DC live and Angus played his arse off, It was note perfect, it was precise and it went on and on. I'm sure there are some fantastic guitarists on this list and as soon as I see them play I'll rate them, but damn they will have to be very special to match up to what I heard from Angus o/M+15
This Guy has the magic fingers amazing talentMnew
V387 Comments
10VoteESynyster Gates
Synyster Gates has such blistering speed and yet you can hear every note played, he is a pro at dive bombs and sweep picking and definitely a amazing guitarist, and because of his young age by the time he is slash's age he will be the next slashM+626
He is a very multi-talented guitar player, almost all the techniques he mastered.
He can play well even while backing vocals.
He is very feasible juxtaposed with other guitar legends chest of Jimi Hendrix, Slash, Yngwie Malmsteen, Joe Satriani.
He is the most complete!M+478
Slash is great, but not #1. Syn has amazing speed but still plays clean and has unforgettable solos and riffs.M+433
He is relatively young and new but no less talented than any of the legends out there.Mnew
