Who are your top 5 guitarists of all time?

[Nick Young]

For me, its this:

1. Peter Green
2. Jimi Hendrix
3. Stevie Ray Vaughan
4. John Frusciante
5. Paco Lucia
Generic list, but that's my top 5 right now based on who I'm the most impressed with every time I listen to them. Who are yours?

[dr.hee]

You mean like favorite guitarist regardless of style?

Jimi Hendrix
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Michael Landau
John Scofield
Scott Henderson

[nathanjizzle]

i dont know much but i know john fruciante is great.

[DukeDelonte13]

in no particular order, im sure i'm leaving a ton out but 5 off the top of my head are:

jimmy page
al di meola
Eddie Van Halen (underrated among guitar snobs IMO)
stephen stills
Stevie ray vaughan



i like Jimi Hendrix a lot but i think he is hyped up to supernatural status.

[dr.hee]

i like Jimi Hendrix a lot but i think he is hyped up to supernatural status

He's hyped for the wrong things imo. His songwriting, rhythm guitar ideas and tone are far more impressive to me than his playing from a technical point of view. But many seem to care for the flashy showoff stuff more, which he mostly did to sell records and create a rockstar image. It's really not a "GOAT guitarist" thing to me, that's silly. But his influence on future musicians and the stuff he came up with in just a few years is huge. Completely ahead of his time, even today only a handful of players can pull off his tracks convincingly.

[LJJ]

Tom Verlaine
Richard Lloyd
Jimi Hendrix
Ry Cooder
Magic Sam

[Pra]

Top 2 for me

Carlos Santana
James Hetfield (Metallica)


The rest of my list would come from post 2000 bands like Coheed & Cambria's Claudio Sanchez; The Dear Hunters Casey Crscenzo, Map & Atlses Dave Davison, Anthony Green's solo acoustic stuff etc.

[moaz]

I Know you mean here "US" culture related (electric) guitarists, and all lists here are great.

I like classic guitars and if you are really interested in the instrument you should widen your horizon :-). You can't go anyway without the Spanish connection which has beside the classics the great flamenco guitarists. Here are two examples, if you like them just google the rest.

Andres Segovia (classic)
http://youtu.be/lCeebWgjrrU
If you are more interested check his "circle". You'll find players from all the world who trained by him (he was born in 1893).

Paco de Luc

[Nick Young]

[QUOTE=moaz]I Know you mean here "US" culture related (electric) guitarists, and all lists here are great.

I like classic guitars and if you are really interested in the instrument you should widen your horizon :-). You can't go anyway without the Spanish connection which has beside the classics the great flamenco guitarists. Here are two examples, if you like them just google the rest.

Andres Segovia (classic)
http://youtu.be/lCeebWgjrrU
If you are more interested check his "circle". You'll find players from all the world who trained by him (he was born in 1893).
[B]
Paco de Luc

[Patrick Chewing]

1. Dimebag Darrell
2. Eddie Van Halen
3. Jimmy Page
4. Jimi Hendrix
5. Tony Iommi

[moaz]

That guys on my list but I truthfully have to admit to myself that I only really enjoy listening to him playing for about an hour at a time, and then I get bored and want to listen to something with more variety. I saw him live a year ago and there were a few times where he went on an on by himself for about 15 minutes at a time, with no backing band or nothing playing anything, behind him and to me it just started to sound samey. I guess my philistine ears are not meant to hear flamenco. I wonder what that guy would sound like on a strat

Sry missed paco in your list .

I agree with you, he could be tiresome to hear after a longer time. I was also in one in his concerts, but I was lucky that he decided to play some of the more "active" compositions. I was told by friends who play themselves that even his slowest more boring pieces are just master pieces that are difficult to play.

I was in other concert where a group of current flamenco players played together (not Gypsy Kings style) and that was one of the best music experiences I had in my life.

[travelingman]

Favorite guitarists

1. <---
2. Dimebag
3. EVH
4. Dean Deleo
5. Reb Beach

[Nick Young]

can you explain Van Halen to me, I hear he's one of the best ever but when I listen to his music it doesn't really do anything for me. What's that guys deal and whats the best stuff to listen to by him? What's so great about him?

[johndeeregreen]

After Hendrix, SRV, and Clapton, there are probably dozens of guys who could round out my top 5 favorite guys. Just off the top of my head:

Ritchie Blackmore
Vince Gill
Brad Paisley
Billy Gibbons
Steve Gaines
Randy Rhoads
Gary Moore
Brent Mason
David Gilmour
Albert King
T-Bone Walker
EVH
Joe Walsh
Angus Young
Mark Knopfler
Johnny Winter

[Duderonomy]

can you explain Van Halen to me, I hear he's one of the best ever but when I listen to his music it doesn't really do anything for me. What's that guys deal and whats the best stuff to listen to by him?

One of the greats of all time ahead of Page behind Hendrix. He wrote his solo on Beat it in 15 minutes. Simply put he has less time invested in that song than you do if you have heard the song over 5 times.