Who is the Best Guitarist of All Time?

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The discussion revolves around the question of who is the best guitarist of all time, with participants sharing their opinions and favorite guitarists. Jimi Hendrix is frequently mentioned as a top choice due to his innovative techniques and impact on music, though some argue about his technical skills compared to modern players. Eric Clapton, Leo Kottke, and Paco de Lucia are also highlighted for their unique styles and contributions to guitar music. The conversation touches on the distinction between technical proficiency and emotional expression in guitar playing, with many asserting that true greatness involves both. Other notable mentions include Frank Zappa, Joe Satriani, and various metal guitarists like Dave Mustaine and James Hetfield, emphasizing the diversity of styles and personal preferences in defining the "best" guitarist. The debate reflects a blend of admiration for technical skill and the emotional connection that music can evoke.
  • #151
Tiny Tim. :smile:
 
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  • #152
Physics-Learner said:
to be any sort of judge of a musician, i think one would need to be a professional musician, or at least have that sort of capability.

i have no way of knowing how good some guitarist is, since not only do i not play at a high level, i play at no level at all.
I was at a Robben Ford concert years ago in a very small venue with $$ front-row seats. The woman next to me told me that her husband managed the Atlantic Blues Festival, and that he had gotten Jimmy Vaughan lined up for next year. Then she said that her husband thought Jimmy was a much better guitarist than his late brother Stevie Ray. I knew right then that her husband was no guitarist. Didn't even have to talk to him.

35 or so years playing professionally (part-time on weekends, generally) gives you a pretty good feel for who is creative and talented, and who just has some above-average chops.
 
  • #153
Mick Taylor with John Mayall
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjaYgH3ijbE&feature=related

And the Stones really came alive, once they got Mick Taylor in the band
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAQ7mIkZtxQ&feature=related
 
  • #154
As far as virtuosity goes I have always liked Buckethead, he puts out a very wide range of music. He is known for "shred" but I find his other music very soulful and elegant. Not to mention he has a new album of completely original material out almost every three months.

Another thing I always hold as a standard for guitarists is how good they are live and i must say buckethead is phenomenal live!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Et6BSDMNLY&feature=related
 
  • #155
I like PAT METHENY right now . Last Train Home (Railway Version) I guess it's because I will be forever in love with trains.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmJdCpEPIWs&NR=1
 
  • #156
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEAniIezOlo
 
  • #157
fourier jr said:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEAniIezOlo
I can't get that one here, fourier. Lenny was from Maine, and was very talented. The only time I managed to get to see him live he was so strung out that he could hardly play. It was sad.

I could have sat in for him and made the audience happier, IMO. I have a friend who was close to his parents, and watched his decline 2nd hand.
 
  • #158
I've been playing guitar for quite some time now, and while I used to drool over the likes of Buckethead and Malmsteen with their blazing fast technical work, I have to say that I've grown less impressed by it as my skills have progressed. Sure, they're miles ahead of me, I won't deny that, but I've started seeing that playing fast for the sake of playing fast is usually just a matter of mindlessly playing scales and riffs for hours on end (I've done it myself sometimes). I'll admit that it's skillful, but fast playing or even intensely complicated playing just to show of your technical prowess just fails to really pique my interest.

That said, while he's probably not the best guitar player ever, I'm going to have to throw a vote in for Teppei Teranishi from Thrice. I think what I admire most of him is that he's subtle. He plays some pretty difficult stuff, but there's no way you could tell by just listening to the music. Every time I go to learn the guitar line to a Thrice song, I completely underestimate how difficult it's going to be to learn. It's because when he plays a solo or a slick lead line, it always seems to just blend into the song and make the song sound good rather than making him sound talented.

That's really when I find I can truly appreciate an instrumentalist. When your first thought is "Wow, that's an intensely complex piece of music," then I think the song has already failed. What really impresses me is when the music gets to me; when I can't help but feel dragged through a sea of strong emotions as the song progresses, and it's only when I try to recreate those emotions myself on my guitar that I realize how complex the music really is.

I don't want to say that all fast playing is emotionless, talentless garbage, because that's not true. Fast playing can create some beautiful emotions, it just tends to be through the choice of the sequence of notes rather than through how each individual note is played. Again, though, I think a good test comes from whether your first impression is awe inspired by the musician's skill versus an emotional response. To me, good music can't help but create an emotional response in the listener. In my opinion, the best guitar player is the one who creates so strong an emotional reaction through his/her technical brilliance, that you don't even notice how talented a player they are.
 
  • #159
At this point in time I think Guthrie Govan and Tosin Abasi take the cake.

Guthrie Govan Improv-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUZK9dasP8s

A song of Tosin Abasi's band, Animals as Leaders-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1XSaMv1Mcc
 
  • #160
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uFes1K6zC8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sc8jW91nSh8
 
  • #161
can't believe I forgot about barrios-mangore:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCE5aPnB5aI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnDmiMlK1kU
 
  • #162
One more vote for Paco de Lucia. I like this piece until he starts playing it too fast.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2G4EJcCAZE
 
  • #163
Sorry, TripleD, but the last shows Mick in a corsett and pantyhose.

Their music was spectacular!

Good luck to him. And you.
 
  • #164
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8OT_yuhbVA
 
  • #165
Jimmy Snyder said:
One more vote for Paco de Lucia. I like this piece until he starts playing it too fast.

Yup. For me it's a toss up between him and Pena though. I simply don't know which is my favorite Paco.

Here is a nice buleria with a good tremolo part. I don't think people understand the technical difficulty in what he is doing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZERDQHUyYk

Of the more modern (read: living), I like Grisha Goryachev.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lAQqvvZReY
 
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  • #166
that 2nd guy is really good! I've never seen someone put another hole in the side of a guitar like that. He must get better sound from it or something.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ijEbM6uzEQ
 
  • #167
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMt2zqH7jh0
 
  • #168
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtvilT2LZXc
 
  • #169
Freddie Green. He's a man who could play nothing but quarter notes and still exactly place the eighth notes.

Thomas Offermann and Jens Wagner. They have spent over 25 years expanding the guitar repertoire. Their performance of Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells is something everyone should hear.
 
  • #170
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxvK67xKcW0

Always enjoyed Aquiles Baez. This is a cover of his song, I believe, but it sounds true enough.
 
  • #171
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQBhNXa-bMI
 
  • #172
I am in no position to nominate a best guitarist ever, but I like like my old vinyl records of "manitas de plata" and make the following claim only: best name ever for a guitarist.
 
  • #173
Vanadium 50 said:
Freddie Green. He's a man who could play nothing but quarter notes and still exactly place the eighth notes.

Thomas Offermann and Jens Wagner. They have spent over 25 years expanding the guitar repertoire. Their performance of Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells is something everyone should hear.
Sorry V_50, your tribute without a sample of his Green's work piqued my curiosity, here is a Freddie Green , big band sound, had he lived he would have been 100 this year.

Count Basie - The Elder (Freddie Green Chord Solo)



Freddie Green's tribute site

Listen to this: scroll to bottom of page, Count Basie without and with Freddie play the same piece. If you love big band sound that is.

I only know of a few who love Basie and the Big Band sound, now I know of one more...

Rhody... :devil:
 
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  • #174
Vanadium 50 said:
Freddie Green. He's a man who could play nothing but quarter notes and still exactly place the eighth notes.

Thomas Offermann and Jens Wagner. They have spent over 25 years expanding the guitar repertoire. Their performance of Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells is something everyone should hear.
There is a sample - http://www.duosonare.de/klang.htm


Folks should consider Earl Klugh, George Benson and Chet Atkins.

Chet Atkins, George Benson & Earl Klugh -- Oh Lonesome Me =
Earl Klugh - This Time =

Chet Atkins built (and repaired) guitars and sound systems, as well as playing guitar.
 
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  • #175
Chet was a monster. His album with Mark Knopfler is one of my favorites of all time. He did albums with Jerry Reed, and Les Paul (chester and lester) and I have them all on my random-play lineup.
 
  • #176
rhody said:
Sorry V_50, your tribute without a sample of his Green's work piqued my curiosity, here is a Freddie Green , big band sound, had he lived he would have been 100 this year.

Count Basie - The Elder (Freddie Green Chord Solo)



wowwww that rocked!
 
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  • #177
Django Reinhardt

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoIJ4W7kXiQ
 
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  • #178
Django was a family friend of Lindsey Buckingham's parents and a frequent visitor. I wish I had a family friend like that dropping by.
 
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  • #179
fourier jr said:
wowwww that rocked!
Glad you liked it, now there's two more, V_50 and you !

Not my cup of tea though...

Rhody...
 
  • #180
This thread should be filled with Jimmy Page videos.
 
  • #181
No need for anymore posts. This one wins, although I don't know his name.

 
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  • #182
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  • #183
Andres Segovia.
 
  • #184
Tony MacAlpine
Best or not best, I don't know. But I love what he is doing as a composer and as a performer.
Especially his early works.
Just listen to his Maximum Security 1987 -- that's a masterpiece!

Interseting enough is the Cab project, where he also plays the guitar.
 
  • #185
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Vai7lTj4aI
 
  • #186


Autumn Lords from Maximum Security by Tony Macalpine
 
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  • #187
This guy played some of the most beautiful guitar tunes ever... Coming notably from irish and celtic traditional music even if he is a french algerian jew. I get interested in that kind of music because of him.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzU98dg8laY&feature=related

Check also Le voyage pour l'Irlande, Cowboy Be Bop, Près de Paris/Reels, Wu Wei, Rakish Paddy, Heman Dubh... If you play and need his tabs, just ask me...
 
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  • #189
yeah that was good

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZlz4MmiFOY
 
  • #191
Some of my favorites:

Ledward Kaapana slackkey guitar:



on ukelele Jake Shimabukuro:



and classically David Russell:

 
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  • #192
fourier jr said:
yeah that was good

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZlz4MmiFOY
Danny Gatton was a monster! His "Redneck Jazz" was scary-good at times. Too bad about how it all ended, though.
 
  • #194
awesome, the bassist in the 2nd one was good too.
 

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