1Jimi Hendrix
+529I'm sure that Slash would admit that he and basically every guitarist since the early seventies owes Jimi Hendrix big time.
+330Jimi
started it all. There's no denying it without Jimi some of the mind
blowing solos we hear today may not have come into existence
+247Slash is great, he is possibly the best soloist ever, but he'll never be Hendrix. He is a legend R.I.P.
More comments about Jimi Hendrix
2Jimmy Page
+243The man is a god of the guitar! Pure genius don't have to say any more, his playing speaks for itself,
+137It'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.
+79If
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"
More comments about Jimmy Page
3Slash
+308Slash
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.
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.
+161Slash
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.
+159I'VE
NEVER HEARD A SOLO LIKE THE ONE HE PLAYED IN NOVEMBER RAIN, AND DON'T
FORGET ABOUT ALL THOSE INTROS LIKE SWEET CHILD O' MINE, WELCOME TO THE
JUNGLE, PARADISE CITY, CIVIL WAR, ESTRANGED, ETC.
More comments about Slash
4Eddie Van Halen
+125One of the most skilled and innovative guitarists ever. Fastest right hand in the business.
+107He doesn't play the guitar, it is part of that man's body, you can hear his emotions come through
+69Eddie
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 god
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5Eric Clapton
+150The
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.
+61What?
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)!
He is the king of blues rock. He should be in the top 3 with Jimi and Dave (Gilmour)!
+20There
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 more recent guitarists are great, but they rely on portrayed starpower and electric instruments to give them that "cool" sound, but take that away (the acoustic test) and you will often find bland, emotionally-lacking guitar work pieced together in a way that works but doesn't resonate with the absolute excellence that is simply expected in all of Clapton's work.
I never liked Clapton when I was younger, I thought his music was a bit longwinded and slow until (at a time when I was first absolutely smitten with a girl) I heard Wonderful Tonight, and couldn't believe how much a song I didn't care for a couple weeks ago suddenly made perfect sense. So that was the only Clapton song I liked. Then (during breakup with same girl) I heard Running on Faith, and after that I was hooked.
I put Clapton second only to Hendrix. You gotta give Jimi his due, he's Mozart with a guitar. He had a bonfire going when everyone else was still rubbing 2 sticks together.
More comments about Eric Clapton
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 more recent guitarists are great, but they rely on portrayed starpower and electric instruments to give them that "cool" sound, but take that away (the acoustic test) and you will often find bland, emotionally-lacking guitar work pieced together in a way that works but doesn't resonate with the absolute excellence that is simply expected in all of Clapton's work.
I never liked Clapton when I was younger, I thought his music was a bit longwinded and slow until (at a time when I was first absolutely smitten with a girl) I heard Wonderful Tonight, and couldn't believe how much a song I didn't care for a couple weeks ago suddenly made perfect sense. So that was the only Clapton song I liked. Then (during breakup with same girl) I heard Running on Faith, and after that I was hooked.
I put Clapton second only to Hendrix. You gotta give Jimi his due, he's Mozart with a guitar. He had a bonfire going when everyone else was still rubbing 2 sticks together.
6Synyster Gates
+516Synyster
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 slash
+396He is a very multitalented 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!
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!
+375Slash is great, but not #1. Syn has amazing speed but still plays clean and has unforgettable solos and riffs.
More comments about Synyster Gates
7Kirk Hammett
+171Kirk
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.
+1263rd...
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 2nd
+120He'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.
More comments about Kirk Hammett
8David Gilmour
+147His
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!
+93Any song He touched is pure genius. Echoes, Time and all of The Wall are great. He was the Heart of Pink Floyd.
+80He drove Pink Floyd. Comfortably Numb is a great solo. Could lay down a nice riff.
More comments about David Gilmour
9Angus Young
+83Angus
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 place
+62Unbelievably
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.
+62Angus Young isn't A guitar GOD.
He is THE guitar GOD.
He is THE guitar GOD.
jdog0591
More comments about Angus Young
10Joe Satriani
+40This
is what happens when people who don't listen to anything but
commercialized music vote for best guitarist. There are key components
that should be considered when voting for this:
1. How well does the guitarist play? A truly great master of the guitar is not just about solos or speed, because everyone and their monkey can play fast and spit out solos (as can be seen simply by looking into genres that support such). A really great guitarist needs to be versatile, to be able to play any type of music or style.
2. Composition! Guitarists who have one or two "hit songs" and compose junk otherwise aren't true masters. An artist needs to be original, especially with the guitar. If a guitarist plays in a band, his sound should be distinctive and be neither drowned out nor overbearing (though this depends on genre sometimes). I look for guitarists who push the boundaries, that look for new and different ways to play.
3. Solos... When it is the guitarist's turn to shine, how does it sound? Is it a flurry of notes that ends quickly, or is it fast because it flows well and is challenging to play? If it's slow, is it because the guitarist cannot play faster or has put thought into the composition? Where does the solo start and leave you? Of course, there is a lot of personal taste that is involved in judging solos, but you can easily see where te line is drawn between those who solo because they're expected too and have little talent, and those who solo because they have talent. And, if the guitarist rarely or never solos, like Emmpu from Nightwish, you might want to consider why. It's very simple to make noise on a guitar and to play a few chords. If the artist doesn't solo, what does he show instead? What is his contribution to the song?
4. Finally, how does the guitarist stand up over time? A great guitarist will have not one but many masterpieces, and will play well until the day they hang up their guitar. A great guitarist will improve with time, because they will constantly be pushing their limits.
Well I hope this helps. My personal vote is that the best guitarists are ranked: 1. Joe Satriani, 2. Buckethead, 3. Eric Johnson, 4. Steve Vai/Paul Gilbert, 5. John Petrucci, 6. Herman Li/Sam Totman, 7. Dave Mustaine, 8. Synyster Gates, 9. Mark Tremonti, and 10. Origa. Of course, I don't have any of the older guitarists there, so there is that. Shout out to Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Ritchie Blackmore, Randy Rhoads, Carlos Santana, and Eddie Van Halen!
As a final thought, Slash is extremely overrated in this... And whoever put Thirty Seconds to Mars up there has fallen victim to mistaking this as a "favorite band" list. There is hardly any guitar work on their new album...
1. How well does the guitarist play? A truly great master of the guitar is not just about solos or speed, because everyone and their monkey can play fast and spit out solos (as can be seen simply by looking into genres that support such). A really great guitarist needs to be versatile, to be able to play any type of music or style.
2. Composition! Guitarists who have one or two "hit songs" and compose junk otherwise aren't true masters. An artist needs to be original, especially with the guitar. If a guitarist plays in a band, his sound should be distinctive and be neither drowned out nor overbearing (though this depends on genre sometimes). I look for guitarists who push the boundaries, that look for new and different ways to play.
3. Solos... When it is the guitarist's turn to shine, how does it sound? Is it a flurry of notes that ends quickly, or is it fast because it flows well and is challenging to play? If it's slow, is it because the guitarist cannot play faster or has put thought into the composition? Where does the solo start and leave you? Of course, there is a lot of personal taste that is involved in judging solos, but you can easily see where te line is drawn between those who solo because they're expected too and have little talent, and those who solo because they have talent. And, if the guitarist rarely or never solos, like Emmpu from Nightwish, you might want to consider why. It's very simple to make noise on a guitar and to play a few chords. If the artist doesn't solo, what does he show instead? What is his contribution to the song?
4. Finally, how does the guitarist stand up over time? A great guitarist will have not one but many masterpieces, and will play well until the day they hang up their guitar. A great guitarist will improve with time, because they will constantly be pushing their limits.
Well I hope this helps. My personal vote is that the best guitarists are ranked: 1. Joe Satriani, 2. Buckethead, 3. Eric Johnson, 4. Steve Vai/Paul Gilbert, 5. John Petrucci, 6. Herman Li/Sam Totman, 7. Dave Mustaine, 8. Synyster Gates, 9. Mark Tremonti, and 10. Origa. Of course, I don't have any of the older guitarists there, so there is that. Shout out to Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Ritchie Blackmore, Randy Rhoads, Carlos Santana, and Eddie Van Halen!
As a final thought, Slash is extremely overrated in this... And whoever put Thirty Seconds to Mars up there has fallen victim to mistaking this as a "favorite band" list. There is hardly any guitar work on their new album...
+85Most technically skilled guitarist ever, without a doubt.
+64very very fine skills with musical heart to connect every living soul
