Top 10 Guitar Players all genres

[stratman]

I figure if we have top bassists why not guitarists? Anyway here are mine:

(no particular order)

1.Django
2.SRV
3.BillyGibbons
4.Jimmy H.
5.Lee Ritenour
6.Steve Khan
7.Dean Parks
8.Larry Carlton
9.Steve Stevens
10. George Benson

And there are so many more!!!!!

 

[Tomorrow]

I figure if we have top bassists why not guitarists? Anyway here are mine:

(no particular order)

1.Django
2.SRV
3.BillyGibbons
4.Jimmy H.
5.Lee Ritenour
6.Steve Khan
7.Dean Parks
8.Larry Carlton
9.Steve Stevens
10. George Benson

And there are so many more!!!!!

You have certainly selected some good git players. But I don't see how you can leave out Joe Satriani and Joe Bonamassa. These guys can make their instruments do things others can't...and with both soulful elegance and unbelievable speed!

I would also add Warren Haynes and Hughie Thomasson, but nobody listens to country/southern rock anymore.

 

[Audioholics]

Phil Keaggy should be on the list... and did we forget Yngwie Malmsteen on purpose?

 

[Rob Babcock]

Phil Keaggy should be on the list... and did we forget Yngwie Malmsteen on purpose?

Any list of the Greatest Guitarists that doesn't include Yngwie is invalid by definition!

 

[stratman]

Come on guys!!

Maybe I should have posted the 20 most!.....This list came to mind this afternoon. I wasn't thinking of Yngwie or Randy or of Carlos Santana!!
The cats on my list were some that really influenced my playing... and Phil? I love Phil, one of the most articulate players you'll ever hear. Hey what about Segovia? I started playing when I was 8, now I'm 44, and I still keep coming back to my roots that might be a reflection of my list and it's not conclusive by any means! Another influence I didn't post was Les Paul.

 

[Ax-man]

Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Roy Buchanan and Chet Atkins comes to mind ... also I believe John Fogerty should have an honorable mention.

 

[jonnythan]

Yngwie, Clapton, Hendrix, King, Santana, Page, van Halen, Vaughn, Knopfler, Garcia.

I think that's 10.

 

[highfihoney]

Wow,this is a hard one to give a good answer to without skipping alot of smokin players plus my feelings on what constitutes a great player differ depending on the situation,some players are skilled at playing technically proficient licks while others can say more with just one note.

Highly skilled players.

1 John Mcglaughlin....Miles Davis & Mahavishnu Orchestra.
2 Al Dimeola.............Return to forever & solo.
3 Frank Zappa..........Mothers of invention & solo.
4 Steve Vai..............Zappa band,g-3 & solo.
5 Paco de Lucia........Flamencio guitar master.
6 Robert Fripp...........King crimson.
7 Mike Keneally.........Zappa band.
8 Joe Satriani...........Solo.
9 Adrian Belew..........King krimson & zappa band.
10 Stevie Ray Vaughn.

Emotional players.

1 BB King
2 Eric Clapton.
3 Billy Gibbons.............ZZ Top.
4 Tony Iomni...............Black Sabbath.
5 Carlos Santans..........Santana.
6 Dickie Betts..............Allman Brothers.
7 Warren Haynes.........Allman Brothers.
8 Derek Trucks............Allman Brothers.
9 Neil Young...............CSN & solo.
10 John Lee Hooker........Solo & Canned Heat.

 

[stratman]

highfihoney,

Right on!.......When I started this thread I knew it would be impossible to have only a "top 10", you rightly pointed something most people don't understand/miss: some players can say more with one note (Santana for example) than some with 10 minute solos (I will not mention any names--not that there's anything wrong with a 10 min. solo, as long as it's done tastefully!) My feeling is that the age of whoever is posting will reflect their list preference. BTW someone who has not been mentioned and has been "ripped off" by EVERYONE is Mr. Robert Johnson, which I totally forgot to include!

 

[sholling]

Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Roy Buchanan and Chet Atkins comes to mind ... also I believe John Fogerty should have an honorable mention.

I agree completly. All excellent choices. Roy Buchanan during the Atlantic years was simply amazing. His work on 'You Are Not Alone' may be some of the best blues-rock guitar of all time. A speed few if any have matched while playing that cleanly.

 

[billy p]

Lots of good picks two which where not mentioned Jeff Beck & Angus Young who can rock the house down!!

 

[newtoitall]

Has no one here heard of Leo Kottke ???

 

[Tomorrow]

highfihoney,

Right on!.......When I started this thread I knew it would be impossible to have only a "top 10", you rightly pointed something most people don't understand/miss: some players can say more with one note (Santana for example) than some with 10 minute solos (I will not mention any names--not that there's anything wrong with a 10 min. solo, as long as it's done tastefully!) My feeling is that the age of whoever is posting will reflect their list preference. BTW someone who has not been mentioned and has been "ripped off" by EVERYONE is Mr. Robert Johnson, which I totally forgot to include!

Everyone has mentioned great players, and of course it's impossible to have anything other than an 'individual favorite top 10'. But this is the one guy I have to disagree with. Carlos couldn't even do his own best work...Neal Schon had to do the tough licks for him in early Santana. Having a feel for soulful musical touch is indeed important. But so is technical skill. I wonder if C.S. really belongs with these elite people...who generally have both.

 

[sholling]

Everyone has mentioned great players, and of course it's impossible to have anything other than an 'individual favorite top 10'. But this is the one guy I have to disagree with. Carlos couldn't even do his own best work...Neal Schon had to do the tough licks for him in early Santana. Having a feel for soulful musical touch is indeed important. But so is technical skill. I wonder if C.S. really belongs with these elite people...who generally have both.

I have to agree. I've seen carlos from the 10th row. As a former fan all I can say is he is a pretty typical 2 good songs per CD act relying heavily on the talents of others. And a total butt-head (self-censored comment - I'm being good) on stage. After a two hour 'phoned-in' set he looked at his watch and walked off never to be seen again. The worst concert I've ever attended, followed distantly by Stevie Nicks during her hard drinking years. After that experence I wouldn't spend a dime for front-row center Carlos tickets.

 

[jeffsg4mac]

Nobody has mentioned Pat Metheny yet?

What are all you smoking? He is the God of technical skill and emotion combined.

 

[stratman]

Rj Budz, Sholling

From that point of view you might be right but I wouldn't write him off as a one trick pony, you're also correct about Schon making him look good, I saw Santana once, it was ok no big deal; but the man is iconic like it or not and he has influenced the rock/latin rock landscape. I actually think his brother is more accomplished. On another tangent, Steve Lukather (Toto, Boz Scaggs, etc) is a guy that outside the guitar rags didn't get much publicity but was and is an influence.

 

[JKL1960]

I'm a big fan of Zappa and Vai and also many of the others mentioned here. SRV in particular.

Have to mention a couple of Canucks - Frank Marino and Kim Mitchell.

Better add Lowell George (RIP) and BB King.

 

[Tomorrow]

Better add Lowell George (RIP)

Great Googly-woogly. There IS hope for the human race. Five country/southern rock guitarists of amazing talents have been listed in this thread! (Six, if you include SRV.) I thought I was the only one left who liked the Allmans, Tucker, Outlaws, etc.

 

[jeffsg4mac]

My personal favorites are,

Al DiMeola (Original god of speed)
Pat Metheny ( No need to say more)
Larry Carlton ( God of emotion from a single note)
Lee Rit ( Played with everyone )
Steve Vai ( New god of speed and showmanship)
Joe Satriani (just the coolest sounds from a guitar)
SRV( No need to say a thing )
Buddy Guy( See SRV )
Peter Frampton( People tend to forget how good he is )

 

[musicmind]

Jazz : Joe Pass, Wes Montogomery, Django Reinhardt, Martin Taylor, Johnny Smith, Tal Farlow, Jimmy Bruno, Jim Hall, Grant Green, Al di Meola.

Classical and Flamenco: Andres Segovia, Julian Bream, Pepe Romero, John Williams, Paco de Lucia, Pepe Habichuela.

Rock Metal Blues: Eddie Van Halen, Joe Satriani, Jimi Hendrix, Yngwie Malmsteen, Eric Johnson, Richie Sambora, Kee Marcello, Robert Johnson, SRV, Mike Bloomfield, Danny Gatton, Dimebag Darrell, Kirk Hammett.

Pop Indy : Johnny Marr

That a bit more than 10 but I still probably left out many more amazing players. Of course great technique and great musicianship are two different things. And greatness is in the ear of the beholder. If I had to choose one guy that amazes me evertyime, it would be Joe Pass...a real virtuoso in my book.

No prizes for guessing that I am a guitarist