Greatest Guitarist of Alltime!

[Billo_Really]

Who is the greatest guitarist of all time?

1. Jiminy Hendrix
2. Eric Clapton
3. Jeff Beck
4. Jimmy Page
5. Eddie Van Halen
6. Stevie Ray Vaughn
7. Carlos Santana
8. Randy Rhoades
9. Al Dimeola
10. Bonamassa

So who is it? I'm a victim of my generation; I see Hendrix and Clapton as 1A and 1B.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

I: Do you think you are underrated as a guitarist?

FZ: I think that I shouldn't be rated as a guitarist. That's a stupid hobby, rating guitar players.

I: You are a composer.

FZ: I am a composer and my instrument is a guitar, yeah. If you like the composition, fine. My technique as a guitar player is ... fair. There are plenty of people that play faster than I do, never hit a wrong note, and have a lovely sound. If you want to rate guitar players, go for them. But there isn't anybody else who will take the chances that I will take with a composition live on stage, in front of an audience, and just go out there with the nerve, the ultimate audacity to say, "Okay I don't know what I'm going to play, and you don't know what I'm going to play, So that makes us equal. So let's, go, we'll have an adventure here." And that's what I do. There's no way to rate that. You either like that kind of stuff, or you don't.

1999-00 The Lost Interview

 

[Lastamender]

Who is the greatest guitarist of all time?

1. Jiminy Hendrix
2. Eric Clapton
3. Jeff Beck
4. Jimmy Page
5. Eddie Van Halen
6. Stevie Ray Vaughn
7. Carlos Santana
8. Randy Rhoades
9. Al Dimeola
10. Bonamassa

So who is it? I'm a victim of my generation; I see Hendrix and Clapton as 1A and 1B.

Where is Robert Cray?

 

[Mac1958]

Holy crap. Impossible.

I'd add Terry Kath to the list, amazing original guitarist and singer with Chicago. Jimi Hendrix told him "you're better than me!"

The two guys who just seemed one with their guitar, to me, were Hendrix and Vaughn. Van Halen changed the instrument too. Clapton has to be up there.

Shit. Impossible.

 

[Lastamender]

Coincidence, after the hack shows up? You make the call.

 

[marvin martian]

Who is the greatest guitarist of all time?

1. Jiminy Hendrix
2. Eric Clapton
3. Jeff Beck
4. Jimmy Page
5. Eddie Van Halen
6. Stevie Ray Vaughn
7. Carlos Santana
8. Randy Rhoades
9. Al Dimeola
10. Bonamassa

So who is it? I'm a victim of my generation; I see Hendrix and Clapton as 1A and 1B.

You mean Jiminy Hendrix, right?

 

[Sunni Man]

Alvin Lee who played in the band 10 Years After

 

[Harry Dresden]

are we talking greatest or best?.....there is a difference....

 

[WinterBorn]

A name that is missing from your list is Glenn Campbell. Yeah, he was a country music star. But he was also a much sought after studio musician. Most people don't realize how good Campbell was.



Roy Clark is another. Not a rock guitarist, but a major talent.

Muddy Waters and Robert Johnson were also masters of their art.

 

[1srelluc]

Roy Clark

 

[1srelluc]

A name that is missing from your list is Glenn Campbell. Yeah, he was a country music star. But he was also a much sought after studio musician. Most people don't realize how good Campbell was.



Roy Clark is another. Not a rock guitarist, but a major talent.

Muddy Waters and Robert Johnson were also masters of their art.

 

[Leo123]

Les Paul.

 

[Lastamender]

A name that is missing from your list is Glenn Campbell. Yeah, he was a country music star. But he was also a much sought after studio musician. Most people don't realize how good Campbell was.



Roy Clark is another. Not a rock guitarist, but a major talent.

Muddy Waters and Robert Johnson were also masters of their art.

Good one.

 

[lg325]

Besides those mentioned Chet Atkins, B.B. King

 

[Rocko]

Slash was good enough to warrant top 10 recognition. Jimmy Hendrix had some pretty good songs, but I haven’t listened to any of his stuff that I would consider amazing.

 

[SeaMajor7]

Probably Allen Holdsworth, but the notion of "the best ever" is too subjective and there's so many different genres, imo.
I'll add to the list of the greats:
Alex Lifeson
Steve Howe
Steve Hackett, with a nod to Michael Rutherford
Jerry Garcia

There's more for sure!

 

[TroglocratsRdumb]

Joe Walsh

 

[WinterBorn]

Leo Kottke is a classical guitarist that surely warrants ranking among the best.

He was here in Atlanta a week or so ago. I hated I was unable to see him.

 

[BlindBoo]

To subjective to decide.

All who have been brought up so far are great.

 

[Desperado]

Mark Knopfler and David Gilmour are missing from your list