Your Favourite Guitarists

After seeing the debate generated by the favourite vocalist thread I thought I'd do one for guitarists. My top 5 would be:

Jimi Hendrix
Jimmy Page
Robert Johnson
The Edge
Keith Richards

Richie Blackmore
Nuno Bettencourt
John Petrucci
Buck Dharma
Alex Lifeson

I suppose we'll get a few predictable answers on this, but mine are:

John Frusciante.
Jeff Buckley.
James Dean Bradfield.
Conor J O'Brien - I've only heard him with an acoustic guitar, but he writes some lovely melodies on it.
B B King.

My top 1 is so far ahead of everyone else that he deserves a category all of his own. He's the whole reason I play guitar myself, and the one I try to emulate in my playing style.

John Frusciante.

Other 4;

James Dean Bradfield
Tom Morello
Daron Malakian
David Gilmour

Hmmmmm. Now this is a toughie and my list would change everyday

Jack White - Just an artist with the guitar. In the White Stripes and The Racooneers (I think)

Pete Doherty/Carl Barrat - I know 2. I think in The Libertines they complemented themselves so fantastically. I think thats what makes such a great guitar duo, not trying to out-do each other, but bring a fusion.

Eric Clapton - Love a bit of 'Slowhand' It isn't about the big riffs, but sometimes just subtle melodies can be just as enjoyable.

Santana - I love it. He can bring such a dimension and flavour to the guitar. Sometimes it is hispanic or american or mexican. Just love it.

Kurt Cobain - I love the dirty rifts, but his riffs always sound as if they are trying to talk.

Jeff Hanneman - fast and aggresive with sick, almost unnplayable solos.

Marty Freidman - a guitarist like no other. Try and repeat any of his riffs, you'll never match his sound.

Kurt Cobain - not the most technically gifted guitarist of all time, but unique. His guitar riffs always mixed well with his whiney vocals.

Legend - I think it's the Raconteurs.

Jimi Hendrix

Aside from my top 5, other honorable mentions would be:

John Frusciante
Tom Morello
Angus Young
Pete Townshend

I would go with:
Jimi Hendrix
Slash
John Frusciante
Santana
Gary Moore

Lots of good guitar players out there, but these guys I would class as great (Hendrix being legendary!)

A few of mine mentioned already. My list is as follows, in no particular order:


Slash
Gary Moore
John Petrucci
Mark Tremonti
Stone Gossard
Jerry Cantrell
Adrian Smith, Dave Murray & Janick Gers
Tony Iommi
David Gilmour
Mark Knopfler
Dave Mustaine
Marty Friedman
James Hetfield
Kirk Hammett
Richie Sambora

GG wrote:After seeing the debate generated by the favourite vocalist thread I thought I'd do one for guitarists. My top 5 would be:

Jimi Hendrix
Jimmy Page
Robert Johnson
The Edge
Keith Richards

You're 17 years old...I'm amazed you've even heard of Robert Johnson!

Ooh - thought of some more!

Paul Gilbert
Corey Beaulieau
Matt Heafy
Gus G
Herman Li
Sam Totman

Slash,
Jimi Hendrix,
Mark Knopfler,
Brain May,
B B King,
Eric Clapton,
Dave Murray.

dyrewolfe wrote:

GG wrote:After seeing the debate generated by the favourite vocalist thread I thought I'd do one for guitarists. My top 5 would be:

Jimi Hendrix
Jimmy Page
Robert Johnson
The Edge
Keith Richards

You're 17 years old...I'm amazed you've even heard of Robert Johnson!

Not all 17 year olds listen to Rihanna and Black Eyed Peas

GG wrote:

dyrewolfe wrote:

GG wrote:After seeing the debate generated by the favourite vocalist thread I thought I'd do one for guitarists. My top 5 would be:

Jimi Hendrix
Jimmy Page
Robert Johnson
The Edge
Keith Richards

You're 17 years old...I'm amazed you've even heard of Robert Johnson!

Not all 17 year olds listen to Rihanna and Black Eyed Peas

Thank the non-existent all powerful deity for that!

I forgot Johnny Marr in mine - ridiculous!

I'll put him in instead of Tom Morello. I'm suprised no-one has mentioned him yet!

To be fair, if you look up music from the '60s/'70s and '80s on You Tube and read the comments below, there are loads of youngsters saying how much they prefer the music of previous decades. The internet has opened up a lot of older music to new audiences these days.

People who crave any kind of differentiation need to seek it out these days, as they won't find it in the chart or on the radio. Both of which are in the worst state I can ever remember.

Nobody has mentioned Rory Gallagher. I think I need to shoot something.

Rory Gallagher
Jimi Hendrix



Is there a need for more?

My favourite economical guitarists i.e. those who get the most out of very little - Noel Gallagher and Billie Joe Armstrong.

Andreas Kisser
Pat O'Brien
James Hetfield (Back in the day)
Gary Moore
Rory Gallagher (Great shout Thomond)

I may be shot for saying this but does anyone else think Hendrix is WAY over rated

Dicey Reilly wrote:
I may be shot for saying this but does anyone else think Hendrix is WAY over rated

As a guitarist - no
As a songwriter - absolutely

I'm with you on Hendrix, Dicey.

For me, what made Hendrix special was his innovation, but 100s of guitarist have done what Hendrix did (and better) since Jimi invented/discovered these things. So in that respect he is worthy, but with hindsight and considering those he came after him, "he's not all that". Of course, without him we may not have had all these followers, so who knows.

On another of your picks (and other peoples') .. what is it about Rory Gallagher? Is it nostalgia as he's no longer around? Seems I rarely here a bad word said about him but I don't think he was anything that special. I've never heard any Rory that couldn't be played by a thousand pub guitarists with the requisite battered strat or telecaster.

I'm not saying he was bad - far from it, I like a lot of Rory's stuff but I'm not quite convinced why people see him so special apart from the fact he was taken from us far too early

Electric Demon wrote:

Dicey Reilly wrote:
I may be shot for saying this but does anyone else think Hendrix is WAY over rated

As a guitarist - no
As a songwriter - absolutely

I think most people - music journalists in particular - rate Hendrix more for his guitar skills than his songwriting anyway.


A couple of other favourites of mine I just remembered:


Zakk Wylde
Eddie van Halen

Agreed Dyre - but personally I don't think brilliant guitarists are brilliant musicians. That's why I'd never vote for Jimi Hendrix or someone like Steve Vai. It's more circus act than musicianship.

My favourite is John Frusciante because he understands where a guitar should sit within a song. It doesn't have to be the lead instrument all the time. He's a great musician because he is modest enough to view a song beyond his own instrument - and is just as happy to add a backing vocal as a guitar solo, if that is what fits.

To me, that makes for a better guitarist.

Near the top of any list I did would have the following names.

Robert Johnson
Jeff Beck
Duane Allman
BB King
Jerry Garcia
Ry Cooder
John Frusciante

There's prob others I've forgotten but those came to mind first.

I might have missed his name, but I don't think anyone's mentioned George Harrison - a great guitarist who knew that less can be more. Another guitarist would have axe-w@nked all over the Beatles' songs and ruined them.

I'm also surprised no one's mentioned Thurston Moore.

THE EDGE

No one's mentioned Neil Young yet either.

Electric Demon wrote:Agreed Dyre - but personally I don't think brilliant guitarists are brilliant musicians. That's why I'd never vote for Jimi Hendrix or someone like Steve Vai. It's more circus act than musicianship.

My favourite is John Frusciante because he understands where a guitar should sit within a song. It doesn't have to be the lead instrument all the time. He's a great musician because he is modest enough to view a song beyond his own instrument - and is just as happy to add a backing vocal as a guitar solo, if that is what fits.

To me, that makes for a better guitarist.

Depends on your view and whether you rate guitarists for their technical abilities or their ability to fit in with the rest of the band.

Personally, I like both. I'm a big fan of the Chili Peppers and love what Frusciante did with them, but I also love a bit of showmanship, guys who can blow your mind with some serious shredding.

Another couple of names to throw into the pot...

Dave Navarro (Jane's Addiction and others)
Joe Perry (Aerosmith)
Dan Donegan (Disturbed)

Rory Gallagher - Taste
James Dean Bradfield – Manic Street Preachers
John Squire – Stone Roses
Johnny Marr – The Smiths
Matt Belamy – Muse

That’s some epic line up.

I can't believe no-one has mentioned Brian May yet.

Massive Queen fan, so he would be my number one.

John Frusciante is a shadow of his former self these days. All that heroin has dulled the senses.

xTwisTx wrote:I can't believe no-one has mentioned Brian May yet.

Massive Queen fan, so he would be my number one.

tigerrobins already did (you have to scroll a fair way up)...its the only reason I didn't. I'm a huge Queen fan too.

My two favourite guitarists due to the melody they can get out of a guitar as opposed to technical thrashing) would be Brian May and Gary Moore.

Also really like when Prince wails on the guitar too.

Mickado wrote:John Frusciante is a shadow of his former self these days. All that heroin has dulled the senses.

Confused by this Mickado. Are you saying Californication and everything post-Californication, which includes the vast majority of his solo work, pales in comparison to Mother's Milk and Blood Sugar Sex Magic?

Yeah, I just think he used to be a better guitar player. Certainly live.
I’ve seen RCHP gigs (in the last few years) where he just doesn’t seem like he’s able to keep up.

I think he got fed up with it rather than it being an effect of the drugs - he's been clean for years. Hence why he left the band. I get the impression he doesn't hugely get on with Anthony Kiedis in the recording studio - though that's just my own opinion based on interviews etc. and not based on any fact.

dyrewolfe wrote:

xTwisTx wrote:I can't believe no-one has mentioned Brian May yet.

Massive Queen fan, so he would be my number one.

tigerrobins already did (you have to scroll a fair way up)...its the only reason I didn't. I'm a huge Queen fan too.

Lol I originally did a Ctrl+F to see if Brian was in the thread. Nothing came up apart from O'Brien. Now I know why. tiger put it up as Brain

Ah you could be right, it was just a throwaway remark.
I like him, I like the Chillies, they’re not my favourite band but they have their moments.

You could also be right... it can't be good for the head eating all those drugs in his youth whatever.