Top 100 Guitarists according to Rolling Stone

As a guitarist for 17 years, I couldn't resist chiming in.

I hate all lists of this type. I know the lists are fun and what not, but if you really get down to it, you can't compare somebody like an Yngwie or a Paul Gilbert or a Tony Macalpine to a guy like Hendrix or Blackmore - it's like apples and oranges. Techniques and styles change over the years. When I was growing up, everybody was learning their pedal tone riffs, diminished scales and sweep arpeggios in an effort to emulate the Yngwies, Macalpines, Vinnie Moore's and Greg Howes, Ritchie Kotzens of the world. Now, as of 2004, there are players that are going (at least musically) beyond what some of the shred guys were playing back then.

Then, if you talk in terms of innovation, sure, Hendrix was a major innovator. So was Michael Schenker. So was EVH. So was Yngwie. I mean, it goes on and on.

Hell, Vince Gill is a ridiculous guitar player. I mean, he's insane. But people know him mainly as a vocalist.

What about Eddie Cochran? Pat Martino?

And to compare somebody like Scofield to a guy that plays rock all day is just not a valid comparison - just can't be done.

I mean, Mike Stern anybody?

But this is coming from a guitar head. If Rolling stone pulled names like Mike Stern or Shawn Lane and put them on the list, people would scratch their heads and put the magazine down. That's cool because I can appreciate that these guys aren't popular and they're basically followed mostly by other musicians and what not.

But THIS is the kicker: what everybody seems to be ignoring is the fact that JOAN JETT IS ON THE LIST.

JOAN JETT??????

HOW DOES SOMEBODY LIKE JOAN JETT MAKE THE LIST???????

:D
Back in my hole now.
Rich
 
Alex Lifeson of Rush won Guitar Player's Guitarist of the year so many times I think they kicked him off the ballot. Guess they didn't talk to any musicians to compile this list. :rolleyes:
 
Exactly....it's obvious that other players were not polled. Although, Guitar Player magazine recently had there own poll, and some of it shocked me as well. Lots of young guys responding, I think.

I'll shock all of you. I went to see Brian Setzer a couple of years ago, and he blew me away.:D
 
Bro' I understand EXACTLY what you guys are saying, and you will get no argument from me. Buckethead can whip just about anyones a$$ head to head onstage with a guitar. He is top 10 in my book.

BUT, Please refer to my post in which I compare Hendrix to Michael Jordan. He has to get props for being the FIRST at about everything. The players today have patterned themselves after other great players. Thus music and players have evolved, AND have becoem better and better.

WHO DID HENDRIX PATTERN HIMSELF AFTER?

Nobody, he came up with all that stuff on his own. That is what you would call a quantum leap. Instead of going from step A to step B, he went from step A to step F...........

That is why he has to be high on the list.:cool:
 
Originally posted by Captain Mark
Bro' I understand EXACTLY what you guys are saying, and you will get no argument from me. Buckethead can whip just about anyones a$$ head to head onstage with a guitar. He is top 10 in my book.

BUT, Please refer to my post in which I compare Hendrix to Michael Jordan. He has to get props for being the FIRST at about everything. The players today have patterned themselves after other great players. Thus music and players have evolved, AND have becoem better and better.

WHO DID HENDRIX PATTERN HIMSELF AFTER?

Nobody, he came up with all that stuff on his own. That is what you would call a quantum leap. Instead of going from step A to step B, he went from step A to step F...........

That is why he has to be high on the list.:cool:
I understand the point you're making and agree with you. I'm just having a little fun...you've gotta have some friendly argument on a subject like this! By the way, I HATE Hendrix, but apparently Stevie Ray Vaughan looked to him as a god. (And, if you read his biography, 'Caught In The Crossfire', even imitated him for a while.) As much as I hate to admit it, if it weren't for Hendrix, we might not have enjoyed the same SRV...and that would suck major. Also, I think everybody in the world needs to listen to SRV's instrumental version of Hendrix's 'Little Wing' at least once in their life...it's freakin' beautiful.
 
Originally posted by DCEPTCN
I understand the point you're making and agree with you. I'm just having a little fun...you've gotta have some friendly argument on a subject like this! By the way, I HATE Hendrix, but apparently Stevie Ray Vaughan looked to him as a god. (And, if you read his biography, 'Caught In The Crossfire', even imitated him for a while.) As much as I hate to admit it, if it weren't for Hendrix, we might not have enjoyed the same SRV...and that would suck major. Also, I think everybody in the world needs to listen to SRV's instrumental version of Hendrix's 'Little Wing' at least once in their life...it's freakin' beautiful.

you the man!:D
 
Really, as long as we keep guitars in the music, I'm a happy guy, we're all on the same team here. For instance, I don't care at all for Godsmack, but when compared to 50 Cent.....well, Godsmack are my boys!
 
Originally posted by DCEPTCN
Really, as long as we keep guitars in the music, I'm a happy guy, we're all on the same team here. For instance, I don't care at all for Godsmack, but when compared to 50 Cent.....well, Godsmack are my boys!

Totally agree with that. Same goes for N'Sync and crap like that. I gotta have a guitar in the song.
 
Originally posted by Captain Mark
Totally agree with that. Same goes for N'Sync and crap like that. I gotta have a guitar in the song.
Name one other instrument that can be played in such a versatile manner from classical to death metal, jazz to flamenco,etc. If I had to choose between giving up my Buick and giving up my Jackson.....well, I'd have to sleep on that one.
 
I've had a guitar around since I was 7, and I'm 47 years old. I've only had my turbo car for a year. You do the math.:cool:
 
hendrix is the man,just listen to machine gun one time and tell me what you think.after him sevie ray hands down!
 
Originally posted by 80sportcoupe
Alex Lifeson of Rush won Guitar Player's Guitarist of the year so many times I think they kicked him off the ballot. Guess they didn't talk to any musicians to compile this list. :rolleyes:
yeah, i didnt see his name either, hes right there with everybody else. maybe not the very, very best but right there. definately the most under rated guitar player too.:confused: :D
 
Maybe Lifeson isn't as underrated as he is overshadowed by his bandmates. The fact that anyone pays him any attention is a testament to his abilities considering the talent of Peart and Lee.
 
Let's see: Billy Gibbons, Brian May, Buddy Holly, and Chuck Berry not on the list, but Kurt Cobain and Kirk Hammit are? WTF? Where are Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, or Buddy Guy? The "great" Eric Clapton once said "if you don't know John Lee Hooker thann I won't talk to you." Nancy Wilson (Heart) should also have been on there.
 
Originally posted by kh440
Let's see: Billy Gibbons, Brian May, Buddy Holly, and Chuck Berry not on the list, but Kurt Cobain and Kirk Hammit are? WTF? Where are Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, or Buddy Guy? The "great" Eric Clapton once said "if you don't know John Lee Hooker thann I won't talk to you." Nancy Wilson (Heart) should also have been on there.

Berry is on the list at 6. I don't know why Kurk Cobain is on that list. He may have started the grunge revolution, but he still doesn't belong in the top 100 or even top 10,000 of all time. Why is there such a lack of 80's bands in there?

How about:

Slash: Guns N' Roses
CC Devile: Poison
Dave "The Snake" Sabo: Skid Row
 
A few that were forgotten...

George Thorogood...Jeff Healy... Robert Cray...Brian Setzer...Colin James...

'bye, Claude :)
 
Originally posted by QuickWE4

Hell, Vince Gill is a ridiculous guitar player. I mean, he's insane. But people know him mainly as a vocalist.


But THIS is the kicker: what everybody seems to be ignoring is the fact that JOAN JETT IS ON THE LIST.

JOAN JETT??????

HOW DOES SOMEBODY LIKE JOAN JETT MAKE THE LIST???????

:D
Back in my hole now.


Rich

I'll have to totally agree. I don't want to turn this into a genre issue, but some of the best players in music are in Nashville right now. Vince is an incredible player but it does go unnoticed. Ever heard of Brent Mason? This guy is THE sound of Nashville today. He's not just a Telecaster player either. This guy can do anything! I'm a fan of MUSICIANS...not necessarily the genre. Brent is my favorite guitar player, but drummer-wise, it's all about Carter Beauford of the Dave Mathews Band. Lets not forget Neil Peart either...but I digress...

This list was so ridiculous that I almost just ignored it after the initial read. JOAN JETT??!! :rolleyes: Hell, there were a handful of obsurdities in that list. What about Eric Johnson?? Ricky Skaggs? I mean, I know it's Bluegrass but Ricky is one of the best players in music...period. I could go on and on...

FYI, check out: www.brentmason.com

Mike
95 Talon TSi
Guitar player since '75
 
Originally posted by kh440
Nancy Wilson (Heart) should also have been on there.

No sh*t!! Check out the acoustic intro to "Crazy on You" She came up with that stuff!!
 
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