Whose The Best Guitar Player Ever?

[sammyg2]

[javadog]

Regarding Albert Lee:

Originally Posted by sammyg2

I'd never heard of him before, but I'm not much of a country bumkin. He's pretty darned goo tho ................

I'm not familiar with him either. He seems very good, technically speaking, but I don't like to listen to him play. It's not that I don't like country music (which I don't, really) but more that what he plays sort of goes in one ear and right out the other. It's sort of like banjo playing, or guitar shredding. Lot's of notes in a short amount of time and none of it very memorable. I think technical proficiency only gets you so far. What you do with it matters more.

JR

[dw1]

"Best" guitar player depends on a LOT of factors.

I tend to judge by either technical skill or by the the "flow" of the music. So, as of this writing, I think of (2) "best":

Leo Kottke - for flat out skill & technique. The compilation album "The Best" from 1976 still astounds me.

David Gilmour - for the right notes at the right time. Just listen to the instrumental part at the end of "Comfortably Numb".

But what about John McLaughlin and the great Carlos Santana... and Al Di Meola... damn it's hard to narrow it down.

[sammyg2]

OK, time for a little twist on a theme: who's the best guitar playing grandma?
Let's see who appreciates a paul reed smith.

[Black968]

Richard Hugh Blackmore is pretty good

[RWebb]

Bill Clinton's brother, George

[azasadny]

Here’s Phil Keagy:
Phil Keaggy - Salvation Army Band - YouTube
Phil Keaggy AMAZING guitar solo! - YouTube

Ben Lacey:
Ben Lacy - Cashmere - LIVE in Nashville - YouTube
Ben Lacy/Jay Roberts-Blue Rondo - YouTube

Greg Koch:
Greg Koch - The Best Spank It Ever - YouTube
Greg Koch - YouTube

Tonus Diabolicus!
Greg Koch Trio- Frontline Live, NAMM '08 Jam 4 - YouTube

Frank at his best….
Frank Zappa - Muffin Man 1977 - YouTube

Jaco at his best…
Jaco Pastorius-Weather Report- Birdland-live 1978- Germany - YouTube

[5String43]

Django Reinhardt?
Les Paul?
E.C.?
Mark Knopfler?
Tony Rice?
Bryan Sutton?

Man, it just depends on so many things.

[proffighter]

How about Randy Rhoads (not to think how he would be still living)

Joe Satriani is very versatile

[dyusem]

Very unsure if anyone has mentioned Willy Porter but if you've ever seen him alive you know he would have to be included in a Top 10 list:

[Rapewta]

We all know the "Best of "Ack Ack Ack" threads are silly. It is all relative.

Not getting to far off of the OP.... I met Albert Lee at a free guitar clinic in San Luis
Obispo, California at the Ernie Ball factory.
He did a Q&A for us and explained and showed us his style/set up for the song
"Lay Down Sally" among other tunes when he worked with Eric.
The guy was amazing.
I've met other great guitarists but I still have great images of him playing and explaining tricks of the trade.
I stood next to him and had the opportunity to ask him anything. I passed.
What a great person and musician.

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

I wont go as far to say the "greatest" is.. but my favorite player will always be EVH. He's the reason I picked up a guitar and started listening to music in general. There's just SO much stuff in his playing that most people dont pick up on. The stuff he does in-between the leads is what makes him interesting.

If I had to come up with a list of my favs..

Eddie Van Halen
Django
Wes Montgomery
Jimmy Page
Al DiMeola (Return to Forever is amazing stuff)
Robert Fripp
Steve Howe
Nels Cline (really nice guy to boot)
SRV
Albert Lee
George Harrison

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by Jared at Pelican Parts

I wont go as far to say the "greatest" is.. but my favorite player will always be EVH. He's the reason I picked up a guitar and started listening to music in general. There's just SO much stuff in his playing that most people dont pick up on. The stuff he does in-between the leads is what makes him interesting.

Ditto. I am (re)learning just about all of Women and Children First at the moment and the little stuff on that album just makes the hair on my arm stand up. Eddie is best known for his solos, but his rhythm playing and licks are what makes him truly unique.

[Aragorn]

Reviving this thread from the dead.

Page after page of great guitar players but no mention of George Lynch? Mr. Scary is one of the best solos ever. Wicked Sensation includes one of the best opening licks ever. IMHO he is just as talented as EVH and should be on the list of top guitarists of all time.

By the way, RIP Jeff Healey. His awesome talent in the face of his disability was inspiring. Listen to his music first if you never have heard of him before looking him up.

[Rick Lee]

I think George Lynch is the most overrated "shredder" of the 80's and 90's. I can't think of one song of his that moved me. He's often the guest guitarist on That Metal Show and every time he leaves me scratching my head as to why he's on tv. I saw Dokken around 1988 and remember being so excited when George came out on the stage. Then I sort of wondered why I had thought he was great. I just don't get it. His solos do nothing for me and don't sound that impressive. Seems like a nice enough guy and definitely looks the part. Otherwise, huge overrate.

[ErVikingo]

Ian Crichton

[Don Ro]

Decades ago, Eric Clapton & Pete Townsend intimated that it was Jimi Hendrix.

[911Freak]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

I think George Lynch is the most overrated "shredder" of the 80's and 90's. I can't think of one song of his that moved me. He's often the guest guitarist on That Metal Show and every time he leaves me scratching my head as to why he's on tv. I saw Dokken around 1988 and remember being so excited when George came out on the stage. Then I sort of wondered why I had thought he was great. I just don't get it. His solos do nothing for me and don't sound that impressive. Seems like a nice enough guy and definitely looks the part. Otherwise, huge overrate.

Rick, have you listened to his first 3 solo albums (2 as Lynch Mob and solo GL Sacred Groove)? His work in Dokken was muzzled or rather dictated in part by Don's song writing style and structure. He flies free on his solo albums. Check out Tierra Del Fuego... Also his instructional video is pretty cool on showcasing his prowess.

Not uncommon for EVH guys not to be GL guys? Possible? Probably.

Personally as a player I find them both to have been instrumental in my picking up the guitar in the first place after Page, Clapton, Blackmore et al.

[Rick Lee]

No, have never listened to his solo stuff. I wasn't even into Dokken, but they were on the bill for the Monsters of Rock with VH in '88. I was a serious guitar player then, so I was excited to see if he measured up to all the hype. I watch Metal Mania every weekend now and not one of his Dokken solos grabs me. And on That Metal Show I'd expect him to really shine like others do. Just bores me. In fact, some of it sounds downright sloppy and juvenile. My favorit 80's/90's shredder is Vito Bratta. Every one of his solos takes me into the zone, they're melodic, challenging to play, they hold up over time and I love his tone (EMG's and ADA's). Maybe I'm missing it with Lynch, but his work has never spoken to me in the least. I see him at NAMM and he has kids lined up around the block for his autograph. Meh.

[jamesnmlaw]

He invented the riff and preserved the world as we know it.