Top 100 Guitarists of All Time

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: GUEST,OLD -TIMER
Date: 28 Feb 08 - 04:45 PM

So sorry to impinge on your fragile pomposity Lotty.Does that piano stool do a 360 turnaround ?If it does and if you keep rotating in a clockwise direction it can actually elevate a flagging sense of humour,that is, if you dont get too self-esteemed and fall into the morasses of opinionated drivil .

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 28 Feb 08 - 04:08 PM

I'll only mention a few that have influenced me personally and whose work has passed the test of time. So, I'm eclectic...

Josh White
Chet Atkins
Merle Travis
Jerry Reed
Django Reinhardt
Charlie Byrd
Andres Segovia
Red Shea
Gordon Lightfoot
Laurindo Almeida
Sabicas
Carlos Mentoya
Bud Dashiell
Travis Edmonson
Paul Prestopino
Wes Montgomery
Leadbelly

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: GUEST,The Mole Catcher's unplugged Apprentice
Date: 27 Feb 08 - 05:01 PM

well, sunshine, some people like to have a bit of fun, this thread is that bit of fun....now, the question you need to ask yourself is this

Do myself and the rest of the posters look bovvered?

and.....
"Subjectivity yawns me to death !!!"


right and you post here...or are you, as I suspect, just a wind up merchant?

Charlotte (the fun from Ma and Pa's piano stool)

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: GUEST,OLD -TIMER
Date: 27 Feb 08 - 04:39 PM

Its not my opinion ---its an unalterable universally accepted FACT without subjective or objective bias.Whats the *LOL* about ?

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: GUEST,The Mole Catcher's unplugged Apprentice
Date: 27 Feb 08 - 04:21 PM

"Opinions are only opinions and do not even bring a licence to entitlement unless they are informed , balanced and impartial.
Subjectivity yawns me to death !!!"

and that's YOUR informed opinion? *LOL*

Charlotte (laughing at you, not with you)

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: GUEST,OLD -TIMER
Date: 27 Feb 08 - 04:05 PM

Opinions are only opinions and do not even bring a licence to entitlement unless they are informed , balanced and impartial.
Subjectivity yawns me to death !!!

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: GUEST,The Mole Catcher's unplugged Apprentice
Date: 27 Feb 08 - 01:45 PM

in no particular order:

1. Charley Patton

2. Alan Holdsworth

3. John Williams (guitarist)

4. Martin Carthy

5. Nic Jones

6. Justin Hayward (he's a guitar techie as well)

7. John Fahey

8. Brian May

9. Jerry Donahue

10. John Jorgenson

Charlotte (guitarists seen from Ma and Pa's piano stool)

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: bankley
Date: 27 Feb 08 - 10:54 AM

that's cuz Manitas is the bad boy of Flamenco... a bit rough and very improvisational... but he did more to bring this music to the world than a boatload of purists... a true Rom Baro.. and very much alive in his mid-eighties...

gadji si dilo......

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: Mr Happy
Date: 27 Feb 08 - 08:31 AM

'........of All Time?'

How can anyone possibly know this?

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 27 Feb 08 - 08:26 AM

Certain guitarists have big reputations amongst general fans but are not highly regarded amongst people really deep in to a particular genre. For example, general guitar fans seem to love Manitas De Plata amd Carlos Montoya, but within the flamenco community they are not rated very highly.

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 26 Feb 08 - 11:55 PM

Assuming this is a rock/pop/country list only...

Jeff Baxter of Steely Dan ought to be on the list somewhere, if the break from My Old School was the only thing he ever did.
Agree about Randy California.
John Fogerty ranked above Clarence White?
Nice to see Cipollina in the top 35.
I disagree with the disparaging Neil Young comments. He's been a hugely influential guitarist.
Freddie King nowhere to be found, nor Son House.

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: Bill D
Date: 26 Feb 08 - 09:31 PM

do we take it that is a nomination? Or just a complaint?

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Feb 08 - 09:29 PM

Where is Saul "Slash" Hudson in this top 100 list....what a joke

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: van lingle
Date: 04 Aug 07 - 08:26 AM

Scotty Anderson has a number of clips on Youtube and he is beyond belief technically but really swings as well. Check out his "Sweet Georgia Brown" and "A Taste of Honey" with another great player, Bob Saxton.
Ditto on David Rawlings, Rusty. One of my favorite flatpickers.

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: Rusty Dobro
Date: 03 Aug 07 - 11:45 AM

Apologies if he's already credited above, but in the space of one late-night TV programme, Dave Rawlings, on and off-stage partner of Gillian Welch, went from 'never heard of him' status to my all-time top five list. Amazing accompanist and soloist, on a 1935 Epiphone Emperor.

Also, have a listen to the astounding Steve Hicks via the samples on the K.Yairi guitars European website.

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: Genie
Date: 03 Aug 07 - 04:17 AM

I agree it's kind of silly to "rank" a classical guitarist, a jazz guitarist, a folk/bluegrass picker, and a rock guitarist on the same list.   It's like comparing Nureyev with Gregory Hines with Fred Astaire.

There are very few guitarists that I've heard play in a variety of genres, so I wouldn't be so bold as to rank most of them, but I do think some of these folks probably deserve as much recognition as some on that list, if not more:

Chet Atkins, Django Rheinhardt, Andres Segovia, John Williams, Doc Watson - Duh! I can't believe they were left off the list in favor of Joni Mitchell, Eddie Cochran, and Kurt Cobain.

Others I'd nominate for inclusion:

Pat Donohue - definitely - extremely versatile too
Charo - she's excellent
Paul Simon - very versatile
Paul Stookey - one of the best folk pickers I've ever heard
Roy Clark - pretty impressive pickin' there too
Christopher Parkening - another longhair, so I guess that doesn't count

And two women I'd nominate:
Nina Berger -- I wonder if the Rolling Stone folks even have a clue about Nina
Chrissy Hynde - Isn't she at least as good as some of those rock guys on the list?   Anyway, I'd rank her at least as high as Joni M

I've also been quite impressed with:
Jason Mraz
John Mayer
Brian Setzer
Roy Clark
Dan Fogelberg

not to mention quite a few studio musicians and jam buddies I've known, whose names are unknown to most of the general public.

The "best" and the "best known" are not the same thing.

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: GUEST,Guest, Nick
Date: 02 Aug 07 - 11:48 PM

WHAT ABOUT 2 PEOPLE!?

1.Buckethead-amazing. Anyone ever heard Nottingham lace? how about too many humans? evan jordan is amazing, you try playing while tapping a killswitch the whole time.

and another...

2.Herman Li (DragonForce)- COME ONE!! voted fastest guitarist ever! hes awesome, just listen to fury of the storm and through the fire and the flames.

These need to be top ten both, theyr amazing

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: GUEST,rone
Date: 01 Aug 07 - 02:25 PM

all you guys out their listen to one of the all time greats guitarist little jimmy dempsey then you know that is guitar playing buy a cd titled the legendary guitar of little jimmy dempsey you can get it at www.littlejimmydempsey.com you will enjoy it.
                           Ron.

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 30 Jul 07 - 01:10 PM

Since the list was, apparently, not "qualified" as pop-rock or any particular genre, I imagine Andres Segovia, The Romeros, Chet Atkins, Joe Maphis, Charlie Byrd, Django Reinhardt and any number of other late artists (nearly any of whom could roundly outplay most folks on the list) are rolling over in their rosewood coffins - if they are not snickering, that is...

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: Little Hawk
Date: 29 Jul 07 - 05:08 PM

The easiest way to assess "person x"'s stature as an idiot is simply to look at his post, his use of the English language therein, and his general attitude toward others. Self-explanatory. He's definitely, undeniably an idiot.

I love the rhetorical questions...

"Are you a complete idiot or just half a one?"

Is that a trick question? Wait. Let me get a protractor, and I'll check. Be right back.

"Do you have any idea what a guitarist is let alone the greatest of all time?"

Uhh...yeah. A guitarist is someone who plays the guitar. The greatest of all time, well..."all time" isn't over yet, is it, so I think we'll have to wait on that, won't we?

"Were you high when you made this list or are you just fucked in the head?"

LOL! I love that one. It's your best rhetorical question yet. Let me answer it with another one of my own: "Were you brought up in a cave by inbred neanderthals with 6 toes on each foot or did you learn to relate to people that way later, when you went to Yale?"

"Where is Eddie Van Halen, the boys from Iron Maiden and lynyrd Skynard, what about ted nuggent or micheal schneker?"

I think they're probably on tour, except for Lynyrd Skynard. Ted Nugent might be hunting, though. You never can tell.

"Your are a dickhead who knows nothings?"

That's not even a question. It's an assertion. Nevertheless, you ended it with a question mark. Perhaps it is just a very badly worded question. The word "nothing" does not need an "s" on the end of it, and makes no sense when you put an "s" on the end of it. I also had to add a question mark to one of your above questions, which you had ended with a period. Is something seriously wrong with you? Have you considered consulting a doctor regarding your frequent episodes of incoherence? Or are you still learning English as a second language?

"And even bigger one for not changing the list even though you know it's fucked."

You see? You did it again. You left the article "an" out of your sentence. It should have read: "And an even bigger one for not changing the list even though you know it's fucked."

Get help, man. There is still time to reach a 4rth grade level of English writing proficiency before you die.

"Thank You for wasting my time in looking at list, and also thanks for the laugh."

Likewise. Thanks a bunch to you too, Roscoe! It's been very amusing. ;-D By the way, you left the word "the" out of that last sentence. It should go right in front of the word "list".

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: GUEST,Dennis in Quebec, Canada
Date: 29 Jul 07 - 04:27 PM

I would bet if you put the front page of each issue of Rolling Stone Magazine side by side and made a list of every guitarist either in a front page picture or mentioned on the front page, you would eventulally get to realize that there is a top 100 most mentioned, or mentioned as an influence.

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: GUEST,Jim
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 10:22 AM

Barney Kessel

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 23 Jul 07 - 02:09 PM

What of the immortal Donkey Dick and the Bulging Y-Fronts, and the incandescent Salvador Diddley and his Surrealist Bent Timepieces?

Will we see their likes again?

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: firemonkey
Date: 22 Jul 07 - 10:01 PM

Billy Zoom

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Jul 07 - 08:43 PM

Where the hell is David Gilmore from Pink Floyd. One of the most soulfull players of all time. And the creativity, well it speaks for itself. And I'm wondering how Robbie Robertson didn't make the top 20 at least. I would put him in the top ten to be honest.

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 04 May 07 - 10:08 AM

person x: One could call you an idiot for not mentioning Alan Holdsworth. A guitarist that Eddie Van Halen - and a lot of critics - say is the greatest player ever to pick up an electric guitar.

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: GUEST,person x
Date: 04 May 07 - 12:08 AM

Are you a complete idiot or just half a one? Do you have any idea what a guitarist is let alone the greatest of all time. First of all you have complete retards that just play basic chords in your top five. Were you high when you made this list or are you just fucked in the head? Where is Eddie Van Halen, the boys from Iron Maiden and lynyrd Skynard, what about ted nuggent or micheal schneker? Your are a dickhead who knows nothings? And even bigger one for not changing the list even though you know it's fucked. Thank You for wasting my time in looking at list, and also thanks for the laugh.

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: GUEST,Captain Colin.
Date: 03 May 07 - 06:46 PM

Sorry, typo. I meant THERE'S two of them of course.

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: GUEST,Captain Colin
Date: 03 May 07 - 02:06 PM

The Gledill Brothers. Here's two of them, so one place each.

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: GUEST,DBVOICE
Date: 02 May 07 - 07:34 PM

Look, even if this is a list of the "greatest rock and roll guitarists" how in the h-e double toothpicks did Ike Turner get on it? He was okay, but top 100? In the Rock genre here should be the top 5:

Steve Howe (Yes)
Alex Lifeson (Rush) Where is he on the list?
Steve Hackett (Genesis, early days)
Jimi Hendrix ( this is what burning a guitar on stage gets you, top 5 recognition for all eternity, and usually number one although not deserving)
Eddie Van Halen (for technical innovation)

Rolling Stone's list is obviously popularity based and should be ignored. I agree with all of those who said that the list should include a larger, more diverse range of guitar players from all genres. Andre Segovia, Les Paul, Chet Atkins, Roy Clark to name a few who would make such a list.

D

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: GUEST,theProfet
Date: 01 May 07 - 08:11 PM

Wgat about Buckethead?

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: GUEST,Chris G
Date: 26 Apr 07 - 07:49 PM

I totally agree with the comment a few up. John Mayer should definitly be up there somewhere. He shreds it up right alongside of Hendrix, Guy, and Stevie Ray. But at the same time he can slow it down to a nice mellow acoustic jam. I mean hes all over the place. And the blues stuff on TRY! along with the colaborations with King and Guy, like damn man. Then he goes right back to his mellow stuff. I'm not saying number one or anything but he definitly needs to be up there.

Also, Kurt Cobain and Jack White need to be knocked down a few and James Taylor, and Jim Croce should at least be on there.

And Robert Johnson, i get it hes good, king of the blues, sold his soul to the devil and all, that has to get him somewhere. But randonly put on a few of his songs and try to tell them apart without the words, there might be some confusion. You have to admit a lot of his stuff sounds the same, its good, but all the sam.

And the guy that said Tommy Emmanuel, dude I agree, hes no john Mayer though.

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Apr 07 - 09:28 AM

J.P. Cormier, Dave MacIsaac, Joni Mitchell,Adrian Legg are some of my faves.

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: GUEST,fat-t
Date: 19 Apr 07 - 03:46 AM

John Mayer should definetly be here. Even though most of the songs
he writes are quite tame compared to some. He can still rip off a
Hendrix or Vaughn cover, I think better than the originals.

Keep setting the fret board on fire man.

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Mar 07 - 09:35 PM

ANDREW HARDIN

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 23 Mar 07 - 05:02 PM

Lowry played fanastic guitar on his big hit "Matchstick Dogs and Cats"!

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: GUEST,henry
Date: 23 Mar 07 - 04:28 PM

Yes, but did he play guitar?

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 22 Mar 07 - 06:09 PM

A lot of posters here are listing their favourite guitarists rather than the best! For example, I have a soft spot for the painter Lowry, but I know he is certainly not one of the best artists of all time.

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: GUEST,Sea Dew
Date: 22 Mar 07 - 09:31 AM

DECLAN SINNOTT by all means !

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: oggie
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 09:36 PM

If you allow that a dobro is a guitar then Jerry Douglas must surely be in there somewhere?

All the best

Steve Ogden

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: GoodNightGracie
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 11:42 AM

Joseph Spence

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 04:33 PM

henry: Inspite of my criticism, I have a "soft spot" for Bert. He used to teach guitar on some pre-Blue Peter childrens' tv show way back when. Also, I saw him live many years ago, and, although I wasn't impressed, the audience loved him.

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: GUEST,henry
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 08:51 AM

Tunesmith, you are right. But Bert was all there was at the time - well, Bert and Lonnie Donegan. Myself and three pals entered a skiffle competition in a local church hall, we were all eleven years old and Bert Weedon was judging. We played I Shall Not Be Moved and Mama don't Allow. We must have been awful but Bert wrote on the bottom of our "report" sheet - "Good effort for such youngsters". Trouble is, I never got any better!

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 03:39 AM

Bert Weedon's book were/are dreadful, and he wasn't a very interesting player, either!

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: GUEST,harryrages
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 03:11 PM

There wil be some of us old enough to recall Bert Weedon - probably had more influence on aspiring guitarists than anybody in his time. How many people sat in their bedroom in the 1950's with a Bert Weedon Teach Youself Guitar. cheese cutter strings and bleeding fingers.

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: gnu
Date: 18 Mar 07 - 06:55 PM

This guy was "first" to a lot of homes in NA with his style. He was right on his time back then.

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: MikkinNotts
Date: 16 Mar 07 - 04:15 AM

Sadley "GUEST,ib48" your post should be in the past tense "check out isaac guillory,he was incredible" As very sadly Isaac died on the last day of 2000.
I had the great pleasure of seeing him play not to long before he passed away. I went to see John Renbourn & Isaac played solo and with John too. I had not heard of him before and I remember being absolutely amazed by his fantastic playing (he had a great voice too)
I have found this on "Wikipedia"

"Isaac Guillory passed away in 2000. His legacy is immeasurable; the music that he could cause to come forth from a guitar with such apparent grace, pleasure and ease - The man who could visualise an unlimited warmth and love for life and take us to that very special place..."

I read about Isaac's sad death in the pages of "Guitar Techniques". In an article written by Eric Roche's, when he used to write an acoustic column for the magazine.
Eric & I exchanged emails at the time writing about our sadness at such a great loss.
How ironic was it to be that Eric to is now no longer with us.

Two fantastic players who will always be at the top of my list.

Mikk

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: GUEST,ib48
Date: 14 Mar 07 - 07:06 PM

check out isaac guillory,he is incredible

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: GUEST,Bob Ryszkiewicz
Date: 14 Mar 07 - 06:49 PM

YIKES! bob

Subject: RE: Top 100 Guitarists of All Time
From: GUEST,ash_mchash
Date: 14 Mar 07 - 04:51 PM

haha i only agree with 1 on this list, nobody can deny the absolute genius of the reat Jimi Hendrix, anyone who challenges that is a fool.

but... where's Django Reinhardt? John Squire? Johnny Marr? Pat Methany? Rory Gallagher? Syd Barrett? David Gilmour?

Valiant effort but too many holes mate sorry.