Who is the Best Guitarist of All Time?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the question of who is considered the best guitarist of all time. Participants share their opinions on various guitarists, discussing their skills, styles, and contributions to music. The conversation includes personal favorites, technical abilities, and the impact of popular songs versus exceptional talent.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants propose Jimi Hendrix as the best guitarist due to his innovative techniques and influence, while others feel this choice is too common.
  • Eric Clapton, Leo Kottke, and Andre Segovia are also mentioned as top contenders, with varying opinions on their technical skills and musical impact.
  • Several participants highlight the importance of technical ability versus the emotional or popular appeal of a guitarist's music.
  • Disagreement arises regarding Hendrix's technical skills, with some asserting he lacks exceptional talent compared to others like Kottke or Satriani.
  • Others advocate for guitarists like Frank Zappa, Paco De Lucia, and Victor Wooten, emphasizing their unique styles and contributions.
  • Participants share personal experiences and anecdotes related to concerts and performances, adding depth to their arguments.
  • Some express a preference for lesser-known guitarists or styles, such as Spanish guitar, and mention their admiration for specific pieces and performances.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

The discussion remains unresolved with multiple competing views on who the best guitarist is. Participants express strong opinions, leading to disagreements, particularly regarding Hendrix's technical abilities compared to others.

Contextual Notes

Participants express varying definitions of what constitutes "the best" guitarist, with some focusing on technical skill while others prioritize emotional connection or popularity. This leads to ambiguity in the criteria for evaluation.

Who May Find This Useful

Readers interested in guitar music, guitar techniques, and the subjective nature of musical talent may find this discussion engaging.

  • #91
I don't have that one. I had a couple of his acoustic jazz albums and I raved to my girl friend how great he was. I was aghast that his new band was placed last in the lineup. Byrds opened, Blue Oyster Cult followed and the Mahavishnu Orchesta cleaned up. I though McLaughlin should have played first, IMO, because of his very delicate picking, vibrato, etc.

Nope! When the band got under way, McLaughlin was playing a Les Paul through a very healthy blackface Fender Twin Reverb. I wasn't expecting that. Too much volume!
 
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  • #92
Astronuc said:
Joe Satriani is one of the greatest.
Raspberry Jam Delta-V (Live in San Francisco)
:biggrin:


I have that G3 dvd, it's fantastic!
 
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  • #93
a couple more good ones



 
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  • #94
"Best" is tough, so I'll put my favorites instead...

Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine)
Jorn Viggo Lofstad (Pagan's Mind)
Michael Romeo (Symphony X)
Adam Jones (Tool)
Paul Masvidal (Cynic)
 
  • #95
Michael Hedges, or Pierre Bensusan, for their unique styles and technical ability deserve mention.
 
  • #96
Marty Friedman and Jason Becker. Just listen to this song Concerto.

 
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  • #97
Evo said:
Erik Mongrain. Have you ever seen anyone able to play a guitar like that?



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbndgwfG22k


Wow, Evo. I had a difficult time even looking at the other posts after this one. I've never seen anything quite like this...
 
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  • #98
This may not be the fastest, nor the most technical, but this takes the cake as far as I am concerned.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bShX-aIZXW8
 
  • #99
MacLaddy said:
This may not be the fastest, nor the most technical, but this takes the cake as far as I am concerned.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bShX-aIZXW8

I was about to say that sounds like Shine On You Crazy Diamond by Pink Floyd .. until I saw that it was, SOYCD, but a solo by D Gilmour. I wonder if you've ever heard the original, in the Pink Floyd album ? The one that starts with an organ solo of about 5 minutes, then goes into the guitar piece - which as actually very different from this one.

THAT, IMO takes the cake, particularly the indescribable rift about 7 minutes in, where he does a sudden, shattering legato slur over a number of notes, that seems to send you (well, me anyway) into a separate space ..
 
  • #100
Evo said:
Erik Mongrain. Have you ever seen anyone able to play a guitar like that?



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbndgwfG22k


Extraordinary !
 
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  • #101
B.B. King in his prime...
 
  • #102
alt said:
I was about to say that sounds like Shine On You Crazy Diamond by Pink Floyd .. until I saw that it was, SOYCD, but a solo by D Gilmour. I wonder if you've ever heard the original, in the Pink Floyd album ? The one that starts with an organ solo of about 5 minutes, then goes into the guitar piece - which as actually very different from this one.

THAT, IMO takes the cake, particularly the indescribable rift about 7 minutes in, where he does a sudden, shattering legato slur over a number of notes, that seems to send you (well, me anyway) into a separate space ..

I agree, but this was the best live version I could come up with. I would love to be able to find a decent quality live version when the band was whole (with Waters, that is), but alas, nothing.

Unfortunately I was never able to see them perform live, but I have seen The Australian Pink Floyd Show seven times in the last six years, and they are the next best thing. www.aussiefloyd.com
 
  • #103
Elliott Easton is not the best guitarist ever, but this song contains his best solo ever, IMO.

 
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  • #104
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5RI752K0C0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFh1w801Yvs

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbeAbllBpGo
 
  • #106
Lindsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac may be one of the most underestimated guitarists around.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZZp76M4NGc&feature=related

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGrOqhQvDC4
 
  • #107
7 pages of this has convinced me of 3 things:

1.) There is no "best" guitarist.
2.) There are a bunch of ASTOUNDING guitarists.
3.) I'm going to iTunes to get some of these.
 
  • #108
MacLaddy said:
Lindsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac may be one of the most underestimated guitarists around.
Django was a family friend and a frequent visitor. Buckingham was Fleetwood Mac's 2nd-best guitarist after Peter Green. When the Beatles recorded "Sun King" it was a tribute to Green, and they hoped to sign him to their Apple label after Green grew disaffected with FM. Green wanted FM to be a non-profit band, and after hitting the charts in England and here in the US, his band-mates thought that they might like to gain some income from their successes. Sad. Such a wonderful band broken up over such an ignorant argument. Green (and other band members, if they wished) could have donated all their earnings and future royalties to charities pretty easily.
 
  • #109
MacLaddy said:
I agree, but this was the best live version I could come up with. I would love to be able to find a decent quality live version when the band was whole (with Waters, that is), but alas, nothing.

Unfortunately I was never able to see them perform live, but I have seen The Australian Pink Floyd Show seven times in the last six years, and they are the next best thing. www.aussiefloyd.com

I did see PF live when they came out here - must have been 30 years ago now. Fantastic stuff! The flying pig across the audience was a novel touch. The Aus PF Show .. damn, now that you mention it, I've seen it advertised a few times here. Why haven't I gone to see it I ask myself ? Next time - for sure !
 
  • #110
alt said:
I did see PF live when they came out here - must have been 30 years ago now. Fantastic stuff! The flying pig across the audience was a novel touch. The Aus PF Show .. damn, now that you mention it, I've seen it advertised a few times here. Why haven't I gone to see it I ask myself ? Next time - for sure !

Too busy stuffing a jumbuck in your tucker-bag? :wink:
 
  • #111
nismaratwork said:
Too busy stuffing a jumbuck in your tucker-bag? :wink:

Nah ! Just waltzing my Matilda :-)

PS - you owe me an email ..
 
  • #112
alt said:
Nah ! Just waltzing my Matilda :-)

PS - you owe me an email ..

I know, I'm tardy and ashamed, but I need to read a bit more poetry! :-p
 
  • #113
alt said:
I did see PF live when they came out here - must have been 30 years ago now. Fantastic stuff! The flying pig across the audience was a novel touch. The Aus PF Show .. damn, now that you mention it, I've seen it advertised a few times here. Why haven't I gone to see it I ask myself ? Next time - for sure !

I'm very jealous. I would have loved to see them perform live. Gilmour is rumored to be performing a show with Waters later this year on Waters Wall tour, but we'll see.

The Aussie Floyd actually has one of the original Pigs that they will occasionally pull out for the song, Pigs. This is a video of their smiling kangaroo, while performing an early number, One of these days.
http://m.youtube.com/index?desktop_uri=%2F&gl=US#/watch?xl=xl_blazer&v=UwKAno5hhPg

(that's a mobile link from my phone, so not sure how it will work)
 
  • #114
I have to say Buckethead is definitely one of my favorites.
My personal favorites by him:

and:
 
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  • #115
here's another one by holdsworth. too catchy to be representative of the rest of his stuff, but I like it anyway

 
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  • #116
Eric is a monster. No, not that Eric!

 
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  • #117
turbo-1 said:
Eric is a monster. No, not that Eric!

But also that eric.

 
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  • #118
How about the second best guitarist, Emmet Ray? (and has anyone heard of Doc Watson?)
 
  • #119
I already named my favorite guitarist (Davild Gilmour from Pink Floyd) but I've been picking bluegrass lately on the mandol and I ran across this guitar version of "cattle in the cane"

 
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  • #120
Jimmy Page! :approve:
 

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