[MUSIC] Best Guitarist

[Corki]

Well, discussions about who everyone thinks is the best singer/guitarist/drummer always causes a good debate. And that is what is going to happen in a series of threads hosted by the Band of the Red Hand ORG!

 

So, in this third thread, we are going to be discussing who are/were the greatest guitarists and bassists from the world of music!

 

So go ahead and voice your opinions about who you think is the best guitarist!

[Taymist]

I have a really hard time picking a Best Guitarist as there are so many I enjoy listening to. Each has their own strengths and equally individual styles.

 

Carlos Santana, David Gilmour, Joe Satriani, Brian May, Mark Knopfler, Eric Clapton, Pete Townshend, Jerry Garcia, Prince, Zappa, Keith Richards, Stevie Ray Vaughan and of course Jimi Hendrix would all make my list.

 

I'm not a Hendrix fan but there was no denying his talent or his influence. Likewise with Prince, he's extremely underrated as a guitarist and in fact as a musician in general, check out his piano playing too. Clapton on the other hand, whilst known for his ballads, is an incredible blues guitarist. Any list of the best has to include him. Satriani is one of the most technically skilled guitarists I've ever heard and Santana is just smooth, he plays like the guitar is an extension of himself.

 

Hmm, but choosing a favourite is nigh on impossible lol.  :-\ Be interested to hear what the rest of you think.

[Apollo277]

I wouldn't be a proper Manc without nominating myself. But, there are a few who rival me, including John McLaughlin and Joe Satriani, who I'd add to Tay's list.

[Taymist]

Yeah, I did have Satriani on my list *points* ... I was kinda taking your presence there for granted dear.  ;) Good to see ye about.

[Belar]

well guitarists for me its one of two, Eric Clapton and Slash, and as for a bassist i would nominate Nick Oliveri Formely of Queens of the Stone Age

[KingKastchei]

Oooo.  This is a tough one!  There are so many awesome guitar players out there that finding the best is very, very difficult.  I think I'll just do what I did in the drum post and break it down into styles a little bit.

 

Best shredder - Michael Angelo Batio (solo artist, formerly of Nitro and many other 80's hair bands!).  This man is a shredding machine, yet when he has to he can pull out some really tasty licks too.  Nobody is faster or flashier!

 

Best Soloist - David Gilmour (Pink Floyd, solo artist).  Half the problem with throwing a guitar solo out into a song is knowing when NOT to play a note, and nobody does that better than Gilmour.  Nobody else can do so much with whole and half notes than He.  Excellent, excellent tone too.  The Comfortably Numb solo is arguably one of the best guitar solos ever written!

 

Best Technical guitarist - John Petrucci (Dream Theater, Liquid Tension Experiment, G3).  Petrucci is hands down the most technically proficient guitar player alive or dead.  Exotic scales, odd time signatures, and blazing fast sweeps make him a wonder to behold.  And no studio tricks either!  He's just as good live as he is in the studio.

 

Best Overall guitarist - can't answer this one.  Too many good choices that I can't choose!

[Corki]

Going back to the 60s (and blame my mum!), I'm gonna say Ray Davies and his brother Dave, from The Kinks. Just love their stuff, and they really did move forward Rock Music.

[Ozhammer]

I have to go with the holy trinity of the Yardbirds. Clapton, Page and Beck from the late 60's. The way they solidified the lead hack position was phenomenal.

Joe Satriani's "Surfing with the Alien" was a fantastic album that got me into thinking there was more to music than singing.

Aussie guitarists I would throw in Tommy Emmanuel and Ian

Moss of Cold Chisel fame.

[WhiteWolf]

Best overall guitarist of all time? Only one man for me, Jimmy Page. No one else comes close to this guy, whether it is technical ability, feel, or song writing prowess, Page is simple the MAN

 

Other notables? Matt Belamy(Muse) Ritchie Blackmoor(Deep Purple & Rainbow),Kirk Hammett(Metallica) and one who never seems to make any of these lists, Neil Young, a truly gifted guitarist and a superb songwriter as well.

 

Owen

[Taymist]

How the heck did I miss Neil Young?  :-\ lol... totally agree

[Majsju]

*blinks* Not a single mention of Steve Vai? Or Malmsteen?

[Ozhammer]

Maj, I was gonna say Malmsteen, but cant spell his first name!!!  :D

[KingKastchei]

Yngwie, I think.  Meh, not bad, but he lacks a little in originality.  All his stuff sounds the same to me.  If you wanta talk about shredders, you got to look at Michael Angelo Batio and John Pettrucci.  They drive Malmsteen into the ground, if you ask me.  But, that's just my personal opinion...

[demonspawn]

Well, I have always liked Slash from Guns n' Roses, his guitar solo's are excellent! Once I went to see them playing live in Milton Keynes, which is about 10 miles from where he was born incidentally. It was his birthday that night and Axl said, "tonight Slash does Milton Keynes!" And he did, it blew me away, after almost every song he had a mini solo!!

 

I also think Mark knopffler is an excellent guitarist, my favourite piece by him is the second half of Sultans of swing!

[Auld Manriva]

Where to start? I absolutely loved the Cold Chisel guys. Too bad I only got to see them once.

 

Every single player on Tay's list would be on mine.. With Eric Johnson and Al DiMeola added who are somewhat in the Joe Satriani vein. DiMeola more in his younger days, he has moved to a more traditional jazz form recently but was a huge progressive jazz influence early on.

 

Stevie Ray Vaughn, Lowell George and Dwayne Allman who play for angels now. David Lindley, Joe Walsh, Johnny Winter, Ronnie Montrose, and Warren Haynes who still kick.

 

Paul Barrere of Little Feat I think is one of my favorites of all time. He and Sonny Landreth, who has a unique style of slide playing no one approaches. Sonny Landreth

 

Don't forget the man who made ALL todays techniques and sounds possible. And invented many of them.... Les Paul

 

 

 

[KingKastchei]

Aw yes, Dwayne Allman *flicking his lighter and holding it aloft*  You are sorely missed! 

is one of the best songs ever!

[Zeth Alley]

Ok I have to agree with Taymist on Carlos Santana, but back in the 80's it was ruled that Eddy Van Halen was the best guitarist. So in my opinion for Rock catagory would be Eddy and Carlos. I would also like to add Jimy Hendrix for he was the first to make his guitar sing.

 

 

[Faile]

I'm gonna have to go with Eddie Van Halen and Alex Leifson of Rush.

[Samuraiflip05]

Gee, where to begin...I don't think you can truly compare guitarists of different genres to closely...That being said here are my top 5 Guitar/Bass

 

Guitar                            Bass

1Eddie Van Halen                  1Flea

2Stevie Ray Vaughan              2Bootsy Collins

3Joe Satriani                    3John Entwhistle

4Kenny Wayne Sheppard            4Les Claypool

5Steve Vai                        5Sting

 

Oh and personal opinion the best lead of all time...lol...Freebird.