Greatest Guitarist Ever

jcal wrote:

This thread should be called "greatest rock guitarist ever," which is hardly the same thing as "greatest guitarist ever." If you want to designate the "greatest guitarist ever" on technical merits then you need to turn to classical and jazz....Segovia, Fisk, Methaney, Schofield, McGlaughlin, and plenty more. There's just no comparison. I say this as a classical and rock guitarist and a pretty big rock fan.

If we're not talking technical merits, then the thread should be called "favorite guitarist."

There are some phenomenal acoustical guitarists outside classical music as well who are ignored on this thread. While not the greatest ever, the guy I'm enjoying right now is David Rawlings. Chet Atkins has been mentioned, and he's great plugged or unplugged. I dig the old delta blues guy Bukka White, who developed a fantastic driving, rhythmic, percussive style that appeals to my rock sensibilities.

best drummers: Tommy Lee and the guy from Dave Matthews Band

I can't believe that only one person mentioned Joe Satriani. He has to be the best. Followed closely by Vai. Eric Johnson isn't bad, but he's not up there with those two.

Segovia

Drummer: John Bonham

Ashley Simpson and Avril Lavigne trading lead and rythm guitar. With Britney spears on Bass and Mandy Moore on drums

Zeppelin has nothing on that line up

I haven't listened to whole lot of either Satriani or Vai. But it was my understanding that Vai is actually considered to be better than Satriani by most. I do love the hell out of that little number of Vai's at the end of "Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey". And I saw Vai on that Eric Clapton Guitar Festival DVD recently. Dude can shred.

how can you claim any legitimacy with your opinions on the topic if you haven't heard anything from vai or satriani. love these message boards.

you could ask anyone the same question about every great guitarist who ever lived, we can't hear them all.

What do you think of Paco de Lucia?

Jimi and Duane Allman are at the top of my list, but Zappa was a genius. Haven't seen him mentioned yet. And don't laugh, but Willie Nelson plays some damn good lead breaks on that guitar with a hole in it. Also not mentioned is Stanley Jordan. Although not one of the greats, still pretty amazing. Finally, the guitarist most of us have probably listened to the most is Tommy Tedesco. He was great no matter how you define it.

wait a minute wrote:

What do you think of Paco de Lucia?

no opinion - I know little about flamenco. sounds great; don't understand it technically, but thanks for asking. In this country, if you're an afficianado of guitar, you have to have at least heard some of joe or steve. it's impossible not to.

- there's a lack of jazz guitarists mentioned, as well as blues. - the abundance of van halen, young, page(!), mentions, is a dead giveaway most on here are listeners, not players, of guitar, and of the commercial rock variety. wouldn't you say?

so your turn. what do you think of wes montgomery

We have a raging debate over the best drummer and guitaritst, but no one will argue that Zamfir was the master of the pan flute.

so your turn. what do you think of wes montgomery[/quote]

Outstanding.

dudeness,

I didn't say I've never heard Vai or Satriani. I said I haven't heard much. I've got a couple of their CD's on my computer that I've listened to (i payed for them through realrhapsody) and I've seen a few live performances on DVD's and TV. I've listened to a bit of them both, just not enough to decide if they are the "greatest". Being one of the most technically impressive virtuosos does not necessarily mean that you are one of the Greats. I appreciate the technical brilliance of Satriani and Vai's playing. However, their style isn't the kind of guitar I want to listen to driving down the road with the windows down. I want to hear Angus Young, Jimi Hendrix, Slash, etc......players with attitude and soul. Vai and Satriani are like listening to a computer play the guitar.

Wes Montgomery was a major influence on George Benson, and both are superb guitarists. In Jazz, we have people like John McLaughlin, Bill Frissell, Eliott Sharp, Vernon Reid, Al DiMeola, Charlie Byrd, Django, and many others.

More countryish there is Jorma Kaukonen, John Fahey, Leo Kottke, and people of that ilk.

A great finger picker is Ani DiFranco. On slide, Bonnie Raitt.

Bluesmen- Albert Collins, BB King, Robert Johnson (still the scariest guitarist ever), Luther Allison, Buddy Guy, Albert King, RJ Burnside.

Shredders- Vai and Satriani and Johnson and Malmsteen and Mike Varney and Greg Howe.

Rocks Gods- Clapton, Richards, Young, Page, Hendrix, Townsend.

Metalists- Dimebag, Hetfield, Mustaine, Nugent.

guitar

--hendrix

--vaughn

--bb king

--john mayer

out.

GROOVALAYA is:

Fausto Bozza-guitar

Art Lillard-Percussion&drums

Adam Pincus-Double Base

Jeff Shiller Tenor saxophone

Jeff Slick-5 string/6string&Acoustic Violins

Jump-Rock-Booggie at its very best and they play the siht out of "Walking Stick" by Irving Berlin and Hagens" Harlem Nocturne".

Psst-Les Paul invented guitar as you guys know it today.

Posted by Ex Mrs Wineturtle(The First)

yeahhh wrote:

best drummers: Tommy Lee and the guy from Dave Matthews Band

Tommy Lee... that's funny. He's probably the best hung drummer, but not best drummer. Just because the guy could play a solo in a spinning cage, doesn't mean that he has real talent. Carter Beauford, yes, he's damn good as I stated earlier.