Greatest Guitar Player Ever

[JamesKPolkEsq]

Obviously subjective, but watching this Cuban guitarist hear Stevie Ray for the first time is just fantastic.

I think my money is on SRV... What do you think?

References appreciated!

[SignalJoe]

As a Texan I was prepared to raise 9 kinds of hell if SRV wasn't mentioned in the discussion.  I may be a bit biased but I haven't heard better.

[dvickery]

Probably the best version of “pipeline” ever was Stevie and dick dale .

derrek

 

[Fuzz]

Who?

[Engineer99]

My money is on this performance...

 

[JohnS]

Jimi Hendrix re-invented the art of guitar playing and everyone else has followed in his footsteps since. That is why he is the best guitarist to have ever lived.

Plus, he did it all in a short time, four years, yes, four years! 

[gweilgi]

Clapton is God.

Shortly followed by the demigods that are Jeff Beck, Ritchie Blackmore and David Gilmour.  

If we're crossing the pond, I'd be happy to allow Stevie Ray Vaughan into the pantheon, along with BB King and Joe Satriani. 

I can see this becoming one hugely controversial thread... 

 

[Fatshotbud]

Clapton is God.
Shortly followed by the demigods that are Jeff Beck, Ritchie Blackmore and David Gilmour.  
If we're crossing the pond, I'd be happy to allow Stevie Ray Vaughan into the pantheon, along with BB King and Joe Satriani. 
I can see this becoming one hugely controversial thread... 
 

Totally agree!
Another pretty tallented guitarist Eric Johnson

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[gweilgi]

Forgot to mention Robin Trower, to my mind one of the all-time greats...

 

[Fatshotbud]

Another
JOE WALSH!

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[ayepatz]

Jimi Hendrix. As @JohnS said, he redefined guitar playing.

[Dave O)))]

Have to agree re Hendrix on electric g. I mean without Jimi there would be no Stevie, or Joe or Jeff.... but what about acoustic? Michael Hedges would have to be a contender, IMO.

[TNT009]

Jimi...... Listening to Machine Gun is just pure devastation. Many think of him for his Rock style, but his Blues was the foundation. Oh, he was an Airborne soldier with the 101st Airborne Division..

[Colt45]

Too many greats to pick one as absolute greatest - Wes Montgomery, Andres Segovia, Chet Atkins, and on and on and on.....

[IanMcLean68]

I totally agree with @JohnS with regard to Jimi Hendrix. I also agree with @gweilgi that Clapton is right up there, and with the demigods list,  but to be a bit more complete a list I would like to add Jimmy Page and Brian May.

[Dave O)))]

Such a hippy, and like Jimi another tragic loss to music. He was killed in a car crash 1997

[Dave O)))]

He may not have been the greatest ever but Glen Campbell could flat-out play. RIP Glen.

 

[tigger]

Too many variables/styles for me to say that there's one "greatest."

Blues: Robert Johnson

Blues Rock: Jimi, in a photo finish with SRV

Jazz: Django Reinhardt

Chet Atkins surely didn't suck at what he did. Nor did Frank Zappa. And oh, hey, Duane Allman.

For me personally for sheer enjoyment (My "favorite"): David Gilmour

But man, do I miss hearing Jerry Garcia play live.

An man, am I gad I get to see Stanley Jordan pay once in a while.

And I wonder what the odds are that the greatest of all time is some guy (or gal) piaying in a basement somewhere, too nervous to play out anywhere. Or some guy who played before we knew how to record things.  

[madandana]

Don Ho

[MooseAMuffin]

Agree on the older guys like SRV, Jimi, BB King. I also love Joe Satriani.

Some of my favorites in the genres I listen to: Zakk Wylde, Dimebag Darrell(RIP), John 5.

[El Hoze]

Very difficult question, but since I haven't seen the name mentioned yet I'll throw in Ry Cooder as well....certainly if we're talking slide guitar.

[Buck14]

Prince

Definitely the most underrated as well, he gets no respect for his guitar playing mastery.

That was Prince's “problem”, maybe. He was too damn good at everything. In an interview, Eric Clapton was once tritely asked, “What's it like to be the best guitar player alive?” Clapton simply responded, “I don't know, ask Prince.”

[ayepatz]

5 hours ago, Dave O))) said:

Have to agree re Hendrix on electric g. I mean without Jimi there would be no Stevie, or Joe or Jeff.... but what about acoustic? Michael Hedges would have to be a contender, IMO.

On acoustic, Tommy Emmanuel would give anyone a run for their money.

[mbflash80]

As most have said greatest is in the eye of the beholder…so for me its more about a style and the ability to not only show technical proficiency but also emotive styling and most importantly in my mind songwriting ability…

 

Rock: Richie Blackmore

Jazz: John McLaughlin

Metal: Glenn Tipton

Thrash: Dave Mustaine

Death: Chuck Schuldiner

Shred: Yngwie Malmsteen

Blues: SRV

Finger style: Leo Kottke

Country: Chet Atkins

Pop: Prince

 

I am sure I am forgetting a bunch of amazing guys…

[Islandboy]

Some fine greats mentioned so far, SRV is certainly a contender for me. As a blues/rock guy, I’ll also throw in Warren Haynes and of course, Joe Bonamassa.