Top 10 guitarists

[orabidoo]

maybe not the top but i like want remember Mike Oldfield

[strangedogs]

being an older cat I like the old masters a lot

Hendrix
Clapton
John McLaughlin
Roger McGuinn (Byrds)
Duane Allman
Randy Rhoads
Elmore James
Keith Richards
Buddy Guy
Robert Cray

Can you guess I'm a Bluesman... John McLaughlin was a Jazz /Experimental/Fusion Master. His Mahavishnu Orchestra was amazing - best album they did was "Inner Mounting Flame". If you never heard of him check him out - he was truly a master. Sometime in the late 70's he disappeared for 5 years - went to India to study under the Maharishi - they said he never touched a guitar for 5 years but ran scales in his mind everyday - when he returned he was the fastest fusion-rock-jazz guitarist I had ever heard... his blinding speed was just a blur of harmonics, etc. And if you like the Blues get an Elmore James CD ("Dust My Broom" was awesome). One of the very first electric blues players (like 1951 or so) his work influenced Duane Allman, Clapton, Howlin' Wolf, etc. Most of these guys weren't "fast" but speed is nothing if you ain't "saying something" with your Ax - most young shredders I hear at our local music shops think speed is the most important thing but most is just "lifeless drival" - a lead should "say something" and emit emotions. Tone is in the man behind them fingers.

[MVM]

some of my favs

doug aldrich
john sykes
van halen
steve stevens
kk & glenn
don felder
george lynch
nuno bettencourt
muris varajic
jerry cantrell
marty friedman

also

yngwie is cool
zakk is cool on no more tears
jake e lee with ozzy
dudes from saxon have some awesome stuff
dave mustaine kicks ass with his riffs

hmmmm and bunch of other guys... cant think of em all

[CT_Eagle]

I am a bit older as well. In no particular order:

1. Jimmy Page
2. Joe Perry (Pre Permanent Vacation and his solo stuff)
3. Brian May
4. Jimi Hendrix
5. Eddie Van Halen
6. Randy Rhodes
7. Dimebag
8. Slash
9. The Edge
10. Stevie Ray Vaughn

[sangos]

Dont see any sense in this thread...top 10 gotta be kidding...lots more. Anyway carry on if tis fun

[strangedogs]

Yeah - I could have gone on and on - Steve Stevens is great - so is the Edge - forgot them dudes... There's so many great ones it would take a book and a better memory too

[petri]

In no particular order:

Brian May
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Mark Knopfler
Jimi Hendrix
Dave Gilmour
Slash
Joe Perry
Santana
Jimmy Page
Ace Frehley

[KrustyNoodle]

Come on guys - do you not listen more widely?

Scott Henderson
Allan Holdsworth
John Abercrombie
Mike Stern
Bill Frisell
John McLaughlin
Brett Garsed
Eivind Aarset
Guthrie Govan
Pat Metheny
Ralph Towner

These are all players who are worthy of your consideration.

silhouette came closest to my list ...but really should be like a top 100 there's so many and each has their own uniqueness and brings something different to the table, these lists are stupid.
Scott Henderson
Allan Holdsworth
Trevor Rabin
Eric Johnson
Frank Gambale
Paul Gilbert
Brett Garsed
Andy Timmons
Guthrie Govan
Danny Gatton
Chet Atkins

[soldea]

Heres my 10 favourite guitarists in no order.

James Hetfield
Buckethead
Kirk Hammett
Dimebag Darrell
Eddie Van Halen
Jeff Waters
Angus Young
Kerry King
Jeff Hanneman
Dave Mustaine

[bloodbrain]

the best guitarist
Joe Satriani
Earl Klugh
Django Reinhardt
Joe Pass
Chuck Berry
Balawan
Dewa Bujana
Tohpati
John Frusciante (Red Hot Chili Pepper)
Billie Joe Armstrong (Green Day)

[conskimo]

all things considered,
Matt Bellamy
Matt Bellamy
Matt Bellamy
Matt Bellamy
Matt Bellamy
Matt Bellamy
Matt Bellamy
Matt Bellamy
Matt Bellamy
Matt Bellamy

Not because im obsessed (well...ok i am) but his songs are so so so diverse he eargasms me all the time

[Kuno45]

My two favorite guitar players are James Hetfield and
Kirk Hammett

others I like are:

Joe Satriani
Steve Vai
Slash

[hawkevil]

Top ten off the top of my head in no particular order:

1. Jeff Loomis
2. Per Nilsson
3. Dimebag
4. Pin
5. Dan Weller
6. The guy that writes the Ayreon stuff (Forgot his name)
7. Petrucci
8. Paul Massvidal
9. Randy Rhoads
10. Chris Broderick

My prefered list. Not best guitarists ever but the ones I love to listen to.

[mac2crack]

Some great lists of guitar players here. One "Genius" not mentioned and one of my favorites "Alex Lifeson".

[boski05]

1. Jimi Hendrix
2. Eric Clapton
3. BB King
4. Duane Allman
5. Robert Johnson
7. Stevie Ray Voughan
8. Jimmy Page
9. Ritchie Blackmore
10. Jeff Beck

What do you think?

[MetalGod]

The people who influenced and amazed me the most are
Dave Mustaine
Dimebag Darrell
Michael Romeo
Jimi Hendrix
Joe Bonamassa
Guthrie Govan
Chris Poland (!!!!!)
Duane Allman / Warren Haynes
Tony Iommi
Chuck Schuldiner

I also like Hetfield, Pitrelli, Rhoads, Adrian Smith, Cantrell, etc.

[Pumba298]

For me it´d be something like this:

Slash
Zakk Wylde
Gary Moore
Edward Van Halen
Jeff Beck
Joe Perry
Angus Young
Dimebag Darrel
James Hetfield (but more as a songwriter)
Dave Mustaine

[shanecgriffo]

well there's plenty mentioned that don't need repeating but i might mention, "gasp!"... -neil young!
sure he's not the most tech player but for tone and emotion i think he can blow away most all the fret wankers
with one of his wonky bends or open chord strums! e.g-'powderfinger' or 'cortez the killer' or 'on the beach'
also, george benson on some of his late 60's jamming (e.g 'all blues' ) certainly not just a wes montgomery clone!

[Guitar_Hero]

I read only just about famous guitarist..but what about ANDY MCKEE?

Take a look on youtube http://www.youtube.com/results?search_q ... mckee&aq=f

Really amazing

[anothadave]

all the above... and Devin Townsend! frikin genius. also slightly mental, but in a good way lol

[Adji]

Can't really put them in order but...

George Bellas
Joe Bonamassa
Oz Noy
Guthrie Govan
Thomas Blug
Eric Johnson
Allan Holdsworth

jeez there are so many!

[RageO]

No specific order here

Eddie Van Halen
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Slash
Randy Rhodes
Steve Vai
Joe Satriani
Santana
Eric Johnson
Doc Watson
Lightnin Hopkins

[paramoron]

1. Jason Becker
2. Marty Friedman
3. Jeff Loomis
4. Paul Gilbert
5. Shawn Lane
6. Jimi Hendrix
7. Kiko Loureiro
8. Carlos Santana
9. Eric Johnson
10. Joe Satriani