Top 5 Guitarists Alive

[Blazing247]

The other thread got me thinking about who the top 5 guitarists alive are, and this is what I came up with:

1) Eric Clapton
2) Joe Satriani
3) Kirk Hammett
4) Eddie Van Halen
5) Kenny Wayne Shepherd tied with Slash

Anyone who plays guitar/appreciates music is feel free to post their top 5. Note that this is not of all time, just currently.

[TheEschaton]

Errrr, I'd have to give it some thought to come up with 5, but the very fact that David Gilmour isn't on your list completely invalidates it.


-TheE-

[Blazing247]

He was a contender, to be honest. I love his riffs, but I don't think it makes him top 5.

[TheEschaton]

Maybe it's just my affinity for him stemming from my pot-induced high school days.


-TheE-

[Drew]

What, no Yngwie Malmsteen? :wow:

It's not often I get the mention good ol' Yngwie, thanks for the oppurtunity.

[HarmNone]

I think Ritchie Blackmore is still alive, isn't he? :D

HarmNone

[Satira]

I always liked B.B. King and well, Slash.

Buckethead never did it for me.

[Jazuela]

1) Jose Feliciano
2) Jimmy Page
3) Eric Clapton
4) Jorma Kaukonen
5) Steve Howe

[ThisOtherKingdom]

I used to be into Yngwie back when I first started, my guitar instructor introduced me to him. Anyway, I guess my top five are...

#1) Jason Becker (Air is one of the most beautiful guitar pieces ever)
#2) Steve Vai
#3) Marty Friedman
#4) Paul Gilbert
#5) Yngwie Malmsteen, I guess...for old times sake.

As you can see, I go for the guitar virtuosos. That's not to say that just because they're technically better means there better overall. I can still appreciate guys who are just average but put their soul into whatever they're playing.

[Jazuela]

I'll have to look up some of those names, Kingdom - they're not familiar to me. But, just out of curiosity - you don't consider Steve Howe a guitar virtuoso?

Of the five I picked, that's exactly what I had in mind when I listed him. Granted, he's self-taught, no formal classical training. But you wouldn't know it from listening to his guitar masterpiece in Starship Trooper or any of his solo pieces. I consider him one of the few legendary musicians who has an almost symbiotic relationship with his guitar; and in fact, any instrument with strings and a fretboard.

[ThisOtherKingdom]

I've heard of Steve Howe, but I don't think I've ever given him a listen. As far as the guitarists I listed, my teacher got me into them about 6 or 7 years ago. They're all shredders, and that phase of mine came and went in about 6 months. They're all still amazing, though. And whenever I'm feeling nostalgic about high school, I'll pop one of their CDs in.

[Valthissa]

in no order:

Leo Kottke
Eliot Fisk
Chet Atkins
Jorma Kaukonen
Joe Satriani

C/Valth

[Cayge]

Joe Satriani
Tim Reynolds
Mike McCready [he kicks Kirk Hammett's ass, and Hammett is merely a student of Satch]
Omar Rodriguez-Lopez
Greg Arp

Satriani is an easy on there, on fluid notes-per-second alone. Mike McCready is from Pearl Jam and listen to live versions of "Go", "Black" and "Porch" if you disagree. Tim Reynolds of T3, and Dave Matthews Band, is just flat out cosmic, he rules. Omar of The Mars Volta kicks all sorts of ass, hes fast and creative as hell. Greg Arp plays for a "math" metal band known as Psyopus. He is about 19-20 years old and can SHRED his ass off. Links below.

www.purevolume.com/psyopus

Note:The best Metallica solos are off the earlier albums when Dave Mustaine was there guitarist, Hammett is highly overrated in my opinion and listen to St. Anger and tell me he's one of the best. Better yet, smash St. Anger with a heavy leaden object and go buy something truly heavy, i.e Killswitch Engage.

[Edited on 9-28-2004 by Cayge]

[Prestius]

- Steve Howe
- Steve Vai
- Mike Keneally
- Brian May
- Steve Morse


I've never been a big fan of the "shredder" - although certainly Vai falls in that category. Steve Howe has been one of my favorite guitarists for years - definaetly NOT a shredder. Go find a song called "Turn of the Century" and/or "Awaken" by Yes off an album called "Going for the One" for what I considider to be some of his finest work (not to mention anything off of Close to the Edge, Relayer, and/or The Yes Album).

No "great guitarists" list is complete without Steve Morse. Just pick a Dixie Dregs album at random.

I always loved the guitar stuff in Queen - so Brian May gets my vote.

Mike Keneally is the one I'm sure none of you have heard of. He was the "stunt guitarist" in Frank Zappa's last touring band and also backs up Steve Vai on tour, doubling a lot of Vai's work.. Mike's original work is a tad on the strange side, but having seen him live numerous times I can avow that his is probably the number one most versatile, rounded, and talented guitarists I've ever seen or heard. www.keneally.com

Unfortunately this is "living" guitarists, or I would include jazz legend Joe Pass.

[Scott]

Pretty much everyone I can think of is listed except for Alex Lifeson, he'd probably be in my top 5.

[Jazuela]

"Heart of the Sunrise" is pretty amazing too Prestius.. I was just listening to Starship Trooper - it's more of a showcase for Chris Squire's outrageous genius with the bass than anything else but the studio version doesn't do justice to Steve Howe's mesmerizing cadences - watching him live takes you out of reality and into this misty other world in the deepest recesses of your mind.

Kingdom, I added you to my buddy list but don't see you - I was gonna link you to a couple of mp3s that are free, legal, and safe to access. In lieu of that, I offer you this link to the download site:

http://www.progarchives.com/Progressive_rock_discography_BAND.asp?band_id=105

You get stuck looking at ads, but as I said, it's free, safe, and legal. I don't allow popups on my computer, and it let me download anyway, so I think it's just a minor inconvenience to have to see the advertisments during the download.

Bear in mind of course that while Yes is a truly awe-inspiring symphonic-progressive rock band, their studio productions are -nothing- when compared to seeing them live. And their studio productions are AWESOME - so you have to only imagine what a concert is like. Think - the best acid trips you've ever been on, completely induced by music, no drugs necessary. Then multiply that experience by 50, and you'll get a hint of the experience :)

[Celexei]

Originally posted by Valthissa
in no order:

Leo Kottke
Eliot Fisk
Chet Atkins
Jorma Kaukonen
Joe Satriani

C/Valth

Chet Atkins died Two Years ago


now with my top five i spose

1.Gary Moore
2. Warren Haynes
3. Jeff Beck
4. Trey Anastasio
5. Jimmy Page

The whole G3 guitarists of Vai/Satriani/Johnson (newer stuff with Malmstein) They're all great musicians, but not necessarily the best to me because of the music isn't exactly what i listen to everyday. Personally i Hate Malmstein, he's the biggest prick who think's he's the hottest thing since Sliced Bread, and if you don't believe it just ask him. Clapton is a great guitarist, but he just does not stack up with others. Peter Green would make the list if i thought it was who WERE the greatest guitarists, but he's pretty much fried now so i didn't include him. Alot of the good guitar players are country musicians now, not mainstream country, and in general i Hate country, but honestly there is some talent there, Albert Lee's been good for many years, Vince Gill isn't bad, Rickey Skaggs, Junior Brown has some fun stuff, Brad Paisley isn't to bad, and there are a few others, non of which make my mainstream listenings.

[Soulpieced]

I :heart: Joe Satriani.

[Celexei]

all the origina G3 peoples (not Satriani he's new to G3) are great guitarists.

[GSTamral]

1) Eric Clapton
2) Trey Anastasio
3) Tim Reynolds (anyone who's seen a Dave and Tim show will know this one)
4) David Gilmour (although he's still a prick for pushing Roger Waters out)
5) Jimmy Paige

[Meos]

1. Buckethead
2. Steve Vai
3. Revered Horton Heat
4. David Gilmore
5. Leo Kottke

[Disrupture]

I'm not seeing any love for Billy Corgan here. I think he is completely amazing at guitar, especially if you've heard some of his stuff in Zwan (which as a whole I didn't like, but some of the guitar solo's on Mary Star of the Sea are completely insane).

Omar from the Mars Volta is totally awesome, though.

[Latrinsorm]

1) Avril Lavigne

(I don't really have any serious contributions to this thread aside from the Edge getting no respekt :()

[Blazing247]

Yeah, I forgot about Vai. He's up there. Trey? HIPPIES! In all seriousness, he's got some good shit going as well. If there were 6, Page would've been 6. As for the rest, there are a lot of musicians who are excellent at guitar, but nobody wants to listen to their music because it's not very...melodic.

[crazymage]

1) Eddie van halen
2) Jimmy Page
3) Eric Clapton
4) Slash
5) Santanna

[Keller]

I'll give love to Billy Corigan -- he WAS SP, he wrote everything except Chamberlains parts sometimes.

This cat Keller Williams needs more love. He is way better than Tim Reynolds and can mouth fluggle to boot. If you've not heard of him, check him out. He's amazing.

I'm gonna have to go with BB king. I don't listen to alot of music with guitars in it, so I don't know anything about em, but he amazes me with some of his shit.

[Hanksbane]

in no particular order

Steve Vai _ dude made me want to play guitar and be a virtuoso, too bad I failed at the virtuoso part

Eddie Van Halen - He's Eddie Fricken Van Halen

B.B. King - He is blues

Billy Corgan - After reading that some others have mentioned him, I'd say I'd have to agree, SP had some of the coolest guitar riffs.

Esteban or however you spell that dude's name, you know from those infomercials late at night. "Buy my guitar, its acoustic but if you plug it in and turn on distortion you can play rock!" Hahahahahaha...uh yeah.

oh yeah, I was kiddin about Esteban

[Cayge]

Yes I failed to mention Billy Corgan but he should be regarded more highly because he sings as well, even if you hate his voice, seeing him live is painfully interesting, he is very complex. The Edge gets no respect for a reason, hes a pop guitarist, albeit a good one but Bono is the centerpiece of the band, hes just the guitarist with the cool 80s name.

[Souzy]

I was gonna say no one put Santana...then I saw that crazymage listed him.

[Kadumi]

this is the definitive list

joe satriani
john petrucci - why the hell hasn't anyone said him yet??
steve vai
randy rhoads - again, why the hell hasn't anyone said him yet??
zakk wylde

[Blazing247]

I've heard a few of Petrucci's riffs, they are pretty amazing. He might technically be the best guitarist in the world. He just doesn't do much for me as far as melody, though.

[Fallen]

randy rhoads - again, why the hell hasn't anyone said him yet?? >>

I am told this person is dead.

[Disrupture]

The guitarist from Incubus is awesome, too. Don't have time to look his name up because I've got to head to class, but I'm seeing them right after class tonight (7:30, TD Waterhouse baby). I've seen them twice before, once at Ozzfest in 1999 and again in like 2001 or 2002. I'm expecting an awesome concert.

[Cayge]

Mike Einzinger, and yes, a badass nonetheless.

[Kadumi]

Originally posted by Fallen
randy rhoads - again, why the hell hasn't anyone said him yet?? >>

I am told this person is dead.

ah yes. so he is.

so take randy off, bump the others up and put me in the #5 slot

[Kadumi]

Originally posted by Cayge
Mike Einzinger, and yes, a badass nonetheless.

incubus would make good elevator music if boyd would stfu

[Souzy]

OK I'm gonna stroll off topic as usual. But, I can't help but stare at Brian's banner. I've seen that pic of that chick in the sunglasses before, but I don't know where. Who's the girls in them?

To stay ON TOPIC, I always thought Slash was awesome.

[Chadj]

Billy Joe Armstrong

BEST EVAR SO STFU.

[Kadumi]

I can say for a fact that unless armstrong has some hidden bag of miracles I'm a better guitarist than he is.

the girls in my sig pic are all (supposedly) kurapira

[Souzy]

Ahhhh...ok that's where I've seen it! Ummm...just yeah. Slash dude, lolz.

[Kadumi]

yeah, slash is up there. top 5? I'm not so sure. jimmy page is up there ahead of him for sure

[Dhuul]

No Tom Morello?

[Latrinsorm]

Originally posted by Dhuul
No Tom Morello? Is that the Rage guy?

[Kadumi]

tom morello isn't in the top 100

[Prestius]

BTW since were talking great guitarists .. and I think maybe a lot of the people on this thread are open to hearing intersting new stuff .. I figured I'd post up this link to one of Keneally's tunes:

http://mp3.mktrading.org/20020712/Career.mp3

It's called Career Politicians. One of the things I like about it is that it's not a "shredding guitar tune". It's sort of subdued in that respect, but the guitar stuff is just fantastic -- plus the solo near the end is awesome. This is a live recording .. not studio .. so there's a vocal fuckup right at the beginning, which he laughs about.

In fact, you can grab just about any tune from http://mp3.mktrading.org/ (pick something 1999 and on ..) and if you appreciate a good guitar stuff, you'll probably like it.


-P

[Parkbandit]

David Gilmour
Eddie Van Halen
CC DeVille (Poison guitarist back in the day I think)
BB King
Jimmy Hendrix

[Vesi]

In no particular order:

1. B. B. King
2. Eric Clapton
3. Jeff Beck
4. Steve Vai
5. Eddie Van Halen
Honorable Mention: Billy Bremner.

I could have done so many more...

Vesi

P. S. Hendrix isn't alive. He would have been on my list along with Duane Allman and Stevie Ray Vaughn among others.

Edited to add the P.S.

[Edited on 9-30-2004 by Vesi]

[Kadumi]

Originally posted by Parkbandit
David Gilmour
Eddie Van Halen
CC DeVille (Poison guitarist back in the day I think)
BB King
Jimmy Hendrix

gilmour is good but not at the top of the list. his stuff just isn't all that complicated. cc deville (sticking with the same era) doesn't hold a candle to, say, phil collen from def leppard.

and

its 'Jimi' - I hope God can find it in his soul to forgive you for that one

[HarmNone]

Randy Bachman is another that, I think, deserves a mention. :)

[Dhuul]

I'll give the nod to Daron Malakian and Shavo Odadjian because their names are funny!

[Back]

Tom Morello

CLAPTON.

Both versions of layla pwn.

[Back]

Slash.

Yeah, I was never into GNR.. I thought the singer was just another LA runaway.

Slash with Scott Weiland in Velvet Revolver? Thats rock.

[Back]

Superhuman (http://www.zendada.com/music/Superhuman.mp3) - Velvet Revolver from Contraband

Rock

[Faent]

Leo Kottke
Steve Vai
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Phil Keaggy
Steve Howe

-Scott