Rank of Electric Guitarists

[Wolfman]

Even though he was more of a jazz guitarist, Djano Reinhardt should be near the top. That man could play and he influenced just about everyone mentioned on here so far.

[Dr Death]

Even though he was more of a jazz guitarist, Djano Reinhardt should be near the top. That man could play and he influenced just about everyone mentioned on here so far.

You are absolutely correct. Unfortunately, I would bet most people have never heard of him or even heard him play. To that end Robert Johnson - Blind Willie Johnson - Andres Segovia - Christopher Parkening should all be added, but again, most people haven't heard them.

And for the guy nobody's heard of... check out Douglas Niedt... the guy who taught me classical guitar. He studied w/ Segovia...

[ally]

You are absolutely correct. Unfortunately, I would bet most people have never heard of him or even heard him play. To that end Robert Johnson - Blind Willie Johnson - Andres Segovia - Christopher Parkening should all be added, but again, most people haven't heard them.

And for the guy nobody's heard of... check out Douglas Niedt... the guy who taught me classical guitar. He studied w/ Segovia...

Sincerely hope that i didn't come across as a guitar snob when debating the Beck/ Eddie tap on thing. It certainly wasn't my intention. As a rule, I don't usaually comment on peoples opinions of guitar players. Mainly because the instrument, when played properly, has it's own way of attracting an audience and it does so in such a personal way. For me, it's the three J's ....Jimi, Jimmy and Jeff.

[lzzoso]

I have read every post so far on this topic. I even responded (post #43). I will say this once again. I still believe that Jimmy Page is the Greater Guitar Player than Jimi Hendrix. Remember, this is just MY opinion. Enough of that.

I have seen a few of my other favorite Guitarists mentioned.

Robert Johnson

Pete Townsend

Tony Iommi

Ritchie Blackmore

Alex Lifeson

Joe Perry

Ace Frehley

Randy Rhodes

Jake E. Lee

(and many, many others)..

However, from what I have read, I do not think that I saw the names of:

Joe Walsh

Rick Emmitt

K.K. Downing

Glen Tipton

Dave Murray

Adrian Smith

Vivian Campbell

Although Led Zeppelin and "Classic Rock" is my favortie type of Music, I really grew up and first became familiar with the great sounds and likes of Judas Priest/Iron Maiden/Fastway/Zebra/DIO/Triumph/and all those Great 1980's "Hard Rock/Heavy Metal and the occasional Hair Bands". Believe me, I know that I am not the only one who still listens to and loves these bands. All I can say that Good Music is Good Music.

[Swede]

These lists are useless unless Skip James, Robert Johnson, Elmore James, Hubert Sumlin and Freddie King are added.

[Deborah J]

Hello All!

We need to get to 100...just getting through the first 10 will be difficult.

I wished everyone would state why they are choosing their choices. IMHO I am sure all of us can learn something along the way. I have my list to 15 so far and have listed 7 so far and will continue to post as we move forward.

[Xtazy]

I'm sure you can all find reasons for choosing the more "obvious" guitar gods, so I'll mention Joe Satriani, who should be in the top 10/15 IMO.

The man has it all. He's both skilled and soulful in his playing and his compositions are some of the best instrumentals you'll ever hear. Almost any tune of his that you'll listen to, you will most certainly remember and recognize when you hear it again. You can hum along with his guitar, it's like he's singing through that thing.

Furthermore, he has the abilities to play anything he thinks of. He's not limited in that area, like many other guitar players who've got the ideas but can't materialize them correctly, and if they do, it often sounds like crap.

Well, he may not be another Malmsteen or Batio, but come on, we're talking about music. And he certainly knows his thing, and how to dose every ingredient equally and make the best songs he can come up with.

I kind of see him like a new-generation-Hendrix.

He's also a great, fun guy.

[Chap]

I'll just put in a couple of my favorites--

Robert Fripp

Adrian Belew

Walter Becker

Carlos Santana

John McLaughlin

Vernon Reid

But the term I most associate with Page is "evocative". Nobody creates a mood with six strings like that man.

[Starbreaker]

How about Ace Frehley? Might not be a top five player but he is still awesome. And of course....Jerry Garcia. Nobody played like Air Garcia.

Ace Frehley is a good guitarist in my opinion, I like his style. However, I respectfully have to disagree with you Wolfman, I don't think he's one of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time. He's probably just outside the top 100.

That being said, I'd like to put forth a motion to add Dave Mustaine onto the list. The founder of Megadeth (along with Dave Ellefson), he has been a huge influence on guitar players over the past 25 years. Dave's replacement in Metallica, Kirk Hammett is usually placed very high Top 100 Guitarists lists, but frankly, Mustaine can play circles around Hammett. For this reason he definately deserves a spot on the list.

[Poindexter]

Since he hasn`t had a mention, I think Chuck Berry is worthy of the Top 10.

The God Father of the rock-n-roll riff.

[Deborah J]

Since he hasn`t had a mention, I think Chuck Berry is worthy of the Top 10.

The God Father of the rock-n-roll riff.

Poindexter...he is in my top 10 as well

[Dr Death]

Since he hasn`t had a mention, I think Chuck Berry is worthy of the Top 10.

The God Father of the rock-n-roll riff.

See... this is where you need to educate yourself. It was Marty McFly who invented that riff... Chuck ripped him off!

[Poindexter]

Poindexter...he is in my top 10 as well

What`s the standard for GREATEST?

Is that established?

How about favorite.

If you like held a gun to my head and made me pick a Top 10, in no particular order except alphabetical.

Duane Allman

Chuck Berry

Jimmy Page

Joe Perry

Keith Richards

Gary Rossington

Joe Satirani

Stevie Ray Vaughn

Eddie Van Halen

Johnny Winter

[Poindexter]

See... this is where you need to educate yourself. It was Marty McFly who invented that riff... Chuck ripped him off!

Dammit, thats right.

Duh on me.

Freakin` flux capacitor got me again.

[Oracle]

Dammit, thats right.

Duh on me.

Freakin` flux capacitor got me again.

yeah, but if it hadn't been for Marvin, Chuck's brother calling him, Chuck would've never heard Marty wailing!

Let your fingers do the duck walking!

[ally]

Rory Gallagher

[Swede]

What`s the standard for GREATEST?

Is that established?

How about favorite.

That's what I am thinking too. No matter how you look at it, it's always about favorites.

What makes one guitarist be the best for you may be what makes him the worst guitarist for me.

[SelfDevouringSnake]

There's no real criteria for this list. I almost considered naming this thread "Greatest Electric Guitarists", but I decided against using the word greatest because I couldn't think of a criteria. So really this list could be interpreted as a mass-favorites type of thing.

Anyways, I hate to kick out so many great guitarists, but I made this an electric guitarist only list. I don't have a problem with their names being mentioned, but really the only criteria for the list is being an electric guitarist. Segovia would have to be in the top ten if this were a non-exclusive list (the man did, as somebody pointed out, begin classical guitar).

If everybody could name who they think the third addition should be (whether the guitarist should be ranked lower than those already named, or higher, or in the middle), that would make things a lot easier for me to find a consensus.

My next choice would be Eddie Van Halen, and this selection is getting some support. For reference, other people who are getting significant attention include Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton (hate to simplify a situation like this though; I'm just getting this consensus based on whose being mentioned prominently).

Also here's my top ten (just off the top of my head).

#1 - Jimi Hendrix. Redefined lead guitar, which has never been the same since.

#2 - Jimmy Page. Popularized distortion. Extremely influential to hard-rock and heavy metal.

#3 - Eddie Van Halen. Popularized double-handed tapping.

#4 - Eric Clapton. Couldn't choose between Clapton and Beck. Clapton was second only to Hendrix in terms of popularity in the late '60s.

#5 - Jeff Beck. As I said, he could be #4, I really wouldn't mind. Beck has incredible range: he starts trends but does not follow them.

I know, my top five really does look like a Rolling Stone editorial.

#6 - Chuck Berry. Founded rock-and-roll. Absolutely has to be in the top 15 (at least).

#7 - David Gilmour. Brilliant progressive rock work.

#8 - Joe Satriani. Awesome work in the '80s (and not marked by overuse of typical '80s guitar work).

#9 - Steve Vai. Might be the most well-rounded guitarist in terms of skill that I can think of.

#10 - Brian May. Queen's guitarist. Ought to be thought of on the same level as Van Halen (whom he influenced).

Also even though all ten of the selections are in the rock genre, I want to stress that the list is open to electric guitarists of all genres.

[Zep 4 Life]

So what you're saying is that we're stuck on number 3?

1. Jimi Hendrix

2. Jimmy Paige

3. Eddie Van Halen vs Clapton vs Jeff Beck ?

My Vote goes to Clapton. So many of his songs/riffs are amongst my all time favorites. He also stood the test of change with the different bands that he made good songs with. Cream / Yardbirds / Derrick and the Dominos / Eric Clapton.

So I hop that this reply helps.

My order is Now.

1. Hendrix

2. Paige

3. Clapton

4. Van Halen

5. Beck

I'll mention more as we move along.

[Swede]

Rory Gallagher

He'd be in my Top 1 list. I can't rank my favorites, seriously.. They're too many and I like them for different reasons. I can't have one no. 1 guitarist. Impossible.

Alvin Lee, Peter Green, Duane Allman, Ed King, Ry Cooder, they all deserves a Top 5 nomination to me.

[ally]

He'd be in my Top 1 list. I can't rank my favorites, seriously.. They're too many and I like them for different reasons. I can't have one no. 1 guitarist. Impossible.

Alvin Lee, Peter Green, Duane Allman, Ed King, Ry Cooder, they all deserves a Top 5 nomination to me.

I totally agree , impossible to list ! Just thought I'd throw Rory into the ring as I happen to think he should be in there.

[Dr Death]

He'd be in my Top 1 list. I can't rank my favorites, seriously.. They're too many and I like them for different reasons. I can't have one no. 1 guitarist. Impossible.

Alvin Lee, Peter Green, Duane Allman, Ed King, Ry Cooder, they all deserves a Top 5 nomination to me.

Remember the movie Crossroads? With the Karate Kid in it? Ry Cooder does an instrumental in that movie, when Jamie Gertz is leaving the Karate Kid, and that piece of music is so haunting and so emotional. He's done a lot of great things, but for that song alone he should be included!

EDIT: And here it is... Feelin' Bad Blues...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIwYGZlBw9Y

[Deborah J]

Remember the movie Crossroads? With the Karate Kid in it? Ry Cooder does an instrumental in that movie, when Jamie Gertz is leaving the Karate Kid, and that piece of music is so haunting and so emotional. He's done a lot of great things, but for that song alone he should be included!

EDIT: And here it is... Feelin' Bad Blues...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIwYGZlBw9Y

That was awesome!!!Hadn't thought about his music in awhile. I hope that we can continue this thread and I stated earlier learn a few things along the way. We of course are listing who our individual choices are and I personally think we can learn a lot about the variety of great electric guitarist!

[Swede]

Remember the movie Crossroads? With the Karate Kid in it? Ry Cooder does an instrumental in that movie, when Jamie Gertz is leaving the Karate Kid, and that piece of music is so haunting and so emotional. He's done a lot of great things, but for that song alone he should be included!

EDIT: And here it is... Feelin' Bad Blues...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIwYGZlBw9Y

Yes, that's a great tune indeed! Also his soundtrack for the Wim Wenders movie, Paris Texas, is fab. It's quite similiar in style to his Crossroads piece.

[Wolfman]

Let's not forget about Prince, Neal Schon, or Steve Morse. Maybe not in the top 10 but these guys are great too. I also have a bone to pick with having Chuck Berry in the top 10. Yes, he's awesome, and he was VERY influential for many of our heroes, but he's no where as good as a lot of others mentioned on here. Same with BB King and Robert Johnson.