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how about this guy?

Talented, but...
 

I think we'd need to hear a lot more of this guy before proclaiming him "Best Ever".

For me, it's not what you can do as much as "what do you have to say?".

-e.

Your right nostatic. I'm a 3 finger typist and hot the 7 instead of the 8. Super Session is one of my all time favorite albums. Did anyone connect Christine Perfect?

Bill

Not the best guitarists in the world but the concept of taking street musicians from all around the world and dubbing them all together sends chills down my back in their rendition of "Stand By Me"

YouTube - Stand By Me | Playing For Change | Song Around the World

Then they threw in a couple of pro's including Bono and a really wild man guitarist from Israel named David Broza in a rendition od Bob Marley's "War". hmmm wonder why Bob never got mentioned, he put out some great stuff -"No Woman No Cry" recorded in London is fantastic. Another guy who passed on way too early.

YouTube - War/No More Trouble | Playing for Change | Song Around The World

Joey Santiago is pretty handy, under rated and no stunt guitarist....<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/5mvn0U4lS24&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/5mvn0U4lS24&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="344" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>

Anyone mention Brian Setzer?
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Did anyone mention Stevie?
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Clapton...BB king.....Hell there is not BEST Guitar player! No such thing!
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I'll second that but too many different styles to pick a "Best of All Time". I like Steve Howe of ASIA and YES!

Feff

I always liked this guy
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Fantastic. Thanks.

I vote Steve Vai.

Saw Tommy Emmanuel recently. While I wouldn't say he is the best ever, he sure gives a great one man show.

(Steve Howe is still having a lot of fun too, but it makes me feel old to see them lay down carpet for him on stage)

How many of these players could play a show independently (no backing anything, or rhythm anything) for 2.5 hours and still have a full sound?

Bryan Sutton and Tony Rice

Yep... if you have cancer put down the doobie and go to the doctor!

Steve Vai
Joe Satriani
Paul Gilbert
Steve Morse
John Petrucci
Eric Johnson

Those guys are some of the best ever and it's pretty easy to make a case for any one of them.

Typical of PPOT "who's the best ____" or "what's the best ____" threads, this one has long since devolved into a contest to see who can name the most obscure, yet relatively decent, guitarist.

That's called so-fist-ication ;)

There is this dude in the Kyrgyzstan, you fly to Kabul, take a bus to Duashanbe, a car to Kanibadam.

and there...

on the corner is a coffee shop....

Where the greatest guitar player ever plays.

His name is Bob.

Bob's 13 year old nephew is a better pure guitarist, IMHO ;)