Who is the greatest guitarist ever?

[Nick2]

is it Steve Vai? Is it Steve Hackett? Is it Steve Lukather? Is it Joe Satriani? Is it Kirk Hammett? what do you think?

 

[peter71]

This one is always tough for me, because there are so many great players. I really appreciate your mention of Steve Hackett, because I think he is grossly underestimated in guitar circles. He is really great.

I think Steve Morse, Eric Johnson, Chet Atkins, Django Reinhardt, Brian May, Steve Howe and Marty Freiedman should also be mentioned. Oh, and Eddie, SRV and Hendrix were all pretty good as well.

So my answer is:

I have no idea!

 

[koogie2k]

Well, let's see. I think over all the best there ever was in my opinion is Andres Segovia. He did more for the instrument of guitar than anyone. My case is, the instrument we love so much was considered a "noisy" instrument to the classical purists. It was based off the lute, but was not considered subtle like the lute. Andres took the guitar and made classical guitar one of the most beautiful sounding instruments ever. Performing for royalty and many other government officials prior to the age of 10. He was a master by then! I had the privilege of seeing him perform live and it was by far the best show I have ever seen and heard. May he rest in peace.

 

[SGMan88]

It's hard to say... some of my favorites are Eddie Van Halen, Steve Vai, and Hendrix. Just to name a few

 

[shred4Him]

There really can be no best since musical tastes differ so much. How many Kirk Hammet fans are going to appreciate Segovia? How many are going to be able to pronounce Segovia? I can only list the guys I admire the most.

Andy Timmons
Nuno Bettencourt
Reb Beach
Blues Saraceno
Vinnie Moore
Joe Satriani
SRV
John Petrucci
Dave Murray
EVH
and a few other that aren't coming to mind right now...

 

[koogie2k]

That is true....some people cannot pronounce Segovia, however, the name is there for people to search out and check out his playing. Might even spark an interest in this form of guitar. Highly challenging for sure. All the dudes you listed are great too....

 

[kbaim]

Steve Morse takes first place for me. Plays a variety of styles, rock, country, classical, etc. All beautifully.

Composes in all different styles better than anyone else I've ever heard. I never tire of this guys music.

I've only heard segovia on record and I love classical music, but the repetoir (sp?) is so limited everyone is always playing the same stuff and for the life of me I can't tell the difference between Segovia, Parkening, Fisk, etc.

Then I hear Morse play one of his classical pieces and I just drop my jaw as how his stuff stands up to stuff by bach, etc. and I'm just in awe. Very fresh.

KEITH

 

[koogie2k]

I could agree with you about Morse. Truly a master of the instrument with a variety of styles. I only say Segovia due to what he had done for the instrument. Not for what he plays. He brought the instrument to the mainstream. Guitars were considered a "peasant noise maker" until he showed how truly beautiful it was. That is my only reason I would choose him. All guitarists listed above and from here on are talented and awesome at what they do. By today's standards only...I would site Paul Gilbert as the best. Not that Morse is far behind....probably right there with Gilbert in my opinion. But that is what it is...my opinion.

 

[OrangeChannel]

I'd have to say as far as the complete package modern player: Steve Morse. JP is a close second because he really wears his influences on his sleeves and pretty much shifts between the Joes and the Steves and Al's really well.

 

[Nick2]

No-one has mentioned Gary Moore, or Tom Morrello(I know af ew people who maintain he is the best). If anyone has heard early Runrig then you'll know what I mean when I say Malcolm Jones is a bit special.

 

[PRSPlayer]

This could very well be the thread that never ends ...

I honestly can't answer that as there are way too many things to consider (style, taste, genre, etc..).

If I had to answer the question "Who is the most influencial guitarist" (by popularity), I'd have to say Eddie Van Halen, hands down.

 

[slukather]

I think my username says it all, but l also admire, steve moorse, john petrucci, EVH, Richie Sambora,

Scott.

 

[nobozos]

Roy Clark.

 

[PRSPlayer]

I hate being asked a question that has no true answer.
It's all subject to personal taste, and opinion.

Having said that ...

Scott,
Richie Sambora may not get my vote for "Greatest Guitarist Ever", but he sure gets my vote for most underated MUSICIAN. He's definately one of my favorites.
He's a good songwriter, guitarist, and IMO, has a MUCH better voice than Jon Bon Jovi. He's the total musician package IMO. I just wish he got more recognition.

 

[Hookpunch]

I agree totally on Morse - you can never get tired of his music because he is so varied, and he plays them all with virtuostic ability. If you listen to High Tension Wires and then Coast to Coast, you would be hard pressed to say its the same composer because they are so different , but everything is played to an incredibly high degree of skill, he never looks to be someone just dabbling in a musical style but a master of it, whether its classical , rocker , country or celtic. If you listen to any of the Major Impacts CDS, Steve is playing and writing music in the style of various musicians, I would say better than the originals. Truly astounding talent.

And Steve is a true classical musician , not a poser like Yngwie.

As for my favourites

Steve Morse obviously
Joe Satriani - not as wide ranging as Steve but a true master of electric guitar and rock technique
Steve Vai - for jaw dropping chops even though his composing is a bit too weird for me.
Eric Johnson - just for the tone
Jeff Beck - again for the tone
Eddie Van Halen - for being a pioneer, nothing before him came even close.
Dickey Betts - if you ever saw him with the Allman's, his improvisational ability is incredible
Yngwie - yeah I know I said he was a poser - but he can really do some incredible things - too bad he is so indulgent and just burns all the time.
John Williams - I have never heard a classical player with his ability - not even Barreuco , the standard by which I judge every other player


As for the best - like a few people have said before me - its music - it all comes down to personal taste at the end of the day, you can't put a quantative value on it, and the skill level is so high how could you judge who is better.

 

[tristan]

for me, there is two masters :

michel cusson and steve lukather...

they just "caught" me at the right time, I was young and they became my biggests influences...

for the rest, I think that allan holdswoth is someting else than just a guitar player, he is a pure genius , joe bonamassa could aslo be called a genius, the way he played with bloodline was so impressive , richie kotzen is an unbelivebal player , singer , composer and producer, but these days I listen andy timmons a lots, this is what I love ; pure feeling with huge technic, in the same dierection that luke opened ...timmons is right now my favorite...

 

[Jean-Frédéric]

I stick with Jimmy Page he's the best in my book , and BB. King is also something but for it all. And all the guitar players that played with the Funk Brothers.

 

[SGMan88]

I have made up my mind....JIMMY PAGE, JIMMY PAGE, JIMMY PAGE

 

[Jean-Frédéric]

I have made up my mind....JIMMY PAGE, JIMMY PAGE, JIMMY PAGE

Jeff beck and Eric Clapton are awesome too. should check up the Yardbirds

 

[slukather]

I hate being asked a question that has no true answer.
It's all subject to personal taste, and opinion.

Having said that ...

Scott,
Richie Sambora may not get my vote for "Greatest Guitarist Ever", but he sure gets my vote for most underated MUSICIAN. He's definately one of my favorites.
He's a good songwriter, guitarist, and IMO, has a MUCH better voice than Jon Bon Jovi. He's the total musician package IMO. I just wish he got more recognition.

Yeah l agree, Richie Sambora would not get my vote for "greatest guitarist ever" but l think he is a great guitarist anyway, and yes he has a better voice than jon bon jovi, Have you heard his solo stuff? it's great. I recommend it to any musician.

Scott.