Gibson's 'Top 50 Guitarists'

Subject: RE: Gibson's 'Top 50 Guitarists'
From: PHJim
Date: 26 Jul 10 - 12:47 PM

I am pasting a copy of what I wrote in the comments section of the aticle in question:

While I love all of the guitarists on your suggested list, the title of the list is not "Who is the greatest blues guitarist of all time?" or "Who is the greatest electric guitarist of all time?", but"Who is the greatest guitarist of all time?" That means that Lenny Breau, Herb Ellis, Tal Farlow, Carlos Montoya, Gabor Zsabo, Tony Rice, Julian Bream… should also be considered.
I think it's impossible to come up with a definitive #1 guitarist. Doc Watson could play things that Jimi Hendrix couldn't and Vice versa. Same goes for Chet Atkins and Stevie Ray Vaughn. Probably there is some kid in a garage somewhere who could blow them all away.

Subject: RE: Gibson's 'Top 50 Guitarists'
From: Mark Ross
Date: 26 Jul 10 - 09:39 AM

No Lonnie Johnson? Eddie Lang? Who are they kidding?

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Gibson's 'Top 50 Guitarists'
From: Big Ballad Singer
Date: 25 Jul 10 - 07:59 PM

Hendrix was a junkie who wasted more talent than he ever showed.

Ottmar Liebert? Willie Nelson? David Hidalgo and/or Cesar Rosas from Los Lobos?

Jack White and Kurt Cobain, my ass.

I can play rings around those turds that they call "great guitar" and I haven't played an electric in years.

John Jorgenson? Al DiMeola?

I don't even necessarily care for his music, but Vince Gill can play the hell out of the guitar. Ditto for Marty Stuart.

Ray Benson is a better guitarist asleep (pun intended) than many of these jokes awake and woodshedding for a year.

Whatever... Gibson didn't "release" or "reveal" a damned thing... they polled a bunch of people who listed the guys they like. Greatest guitarists, my auntie's hat.

Regards,

BBS

Subject: RE: Gibson's 'Top 50 Guitarists'
From: GUEST,lox
Date: 25 Jul 10 - 05:48 PM

not to mention ali farke toure and many guitarists of his ilk ...

Subject: RE: Gibson's 'Top 50 Guitarists'
From: GUEST,lox
Date: 25 Jul 10 - 05:00 PM

john mclaughlin, paco de lucia, paco pena, tal farlow, pat metheny, charlie christian, bill frizell, stuart hall, frank vignola, bireli legrane, merl travis, jerry reed, john renbourne, bert jansch, nick drake, manitas de plata ... etc .. etc ...

Subject: RE: Gibson's 'Top 50 Guitarists'
From: pdq
Date: 25 Jul 10 - 04:45 PM

In his early acoustic days, Danny Kalb played a big fat Gibson, the same model as his friend and mentor, Dave Van Ronk, a B200 I think.

Subject: RE: Gibson's 'Top 50 Guitarists'
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 25 Jul 10 - 04:39 PM

Surely this isn't a list of guitarist who play Gibson guitars. Hendrix, for example, is always associated with the Fender Strat.

Subject: RE: Gibson's 'Top 50 Guitarists'
From: lefthanded guitar
Date: 25 Jul 10 - 03:54 PM

Did anyone mention Rev. Gary Davis?

or Danny Kalb? don't remember if they played Gibson's but their playing was/is eloquent.

Subject: RE: Gibson's 'Top 50 Guitarists'
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 25 Jul 10 - 03:20 PM

Hmm. Alvin Lee? "The Welsh Wizard" from Love Sculpture? Bert Weedon? All those 60s session men who made modern rock?

Subject: RE: Gibson's 'Top 50 Guitarists'
From: alanabit
Date: 25 Jul 10 - 03:17 PM

These lists matter very little. Some people may try to be objective, but all these lists can do is to mention a few people's favourites. There is nothing more to them and no one should get too hot and bothered about them.

Subject: RE: Gibson's 'Top 50 Guitarists'
From: beeliner
Date: 24 Jul 10 - 07:55 PM

At the top I would have to place Andres Segovia.

I'm not sure he owns or plays a Gibson, but anything's possible.

I kinds sorta assumed we were talking pop-folk-blues here.

Subject: RE: Gibson's 'Top 50 Guitarists'
From: olddude
Date: 24 Jul 10 - 07:49 PM

anyone ever see or hear   los indos tabajaras
those guys do flight of the bumble bees on a guitar .. have to be my number one's

Subject: RE: Gibson's 'Top 50 Guitarists'
From: kendall
Date: 24 Jul 10 - 07:31 PM

At the top I would have to place Andres Segovia.

Subject: RE: Gibson's 'Top 50 Guitarists'
From: beeliner
Date: 24 Jul 10 - 07:28 PM

Tunes, I respect your opinion.

We obvioulsy view guitar virtuosity from different angles.

Subject: RE: Gibson's 'Top 50 Guitarists'
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 24 Jul 10 - 08:25 AM

I would say that Robert Johson was a great guitarist, but I wouldn't include Maybelle Carter in the great category; however, she was, of course, very influential.

Subject: RE: Gibson's 'Top 50 Guitarists'
From: kendall
Date: 24 Jul 10 - 06:40 AM

No mention of Lenny Breau the great jazz guitarist about whom Chet Atkins said, "He has forgotten more about the guitar than I ever knew."

I love Gordon Bok's picking because he plays MY kind of music. I don't care how fancy you are if you aint pickin' my kind of music it don't count.

Subject: RE: Gibson's 'Top 50 Guitarists'
From: Ernest
Date: 24 Jul 10 - 05:26 AM

Hey, the list was made from a poll - asked of people who visited a part of their website (has anyone visited this before?).

So this is hardly representative - and it might just show the limited knowledge of the people taking part, since everyone active/popular before the 60/70s has been under their radar...

Subject: RE: Gibson's 'Top 50 Guitarists'
From: beeliner
Date: 24 Jul 10 - 02:06 AM

I haven't seen any mention of Maybelle Carter! She would be my number one, followed by Django Reinhardt (apples and oranges?).

Of contemporary soloists, I could listen to John James all day.

Robert Johnson was certainly a seminal blues figure, but a great guitarist?????

Subject: RE: Gibson's 'Top 50 Guitarists'
From: Jayto
Date: 23 Jul 10 - 12:43 PM

I hate these things. Everytime I read one I end up laughing (to keep from screaming and yelling) and thinking "Man they are just clueless". Yes they have some great musicians listed but for the most part nowhere near "The Best". I firmly believe that at a certain level of playing a player is great. From there though "The Best" is all about personal taste so it is impossible to designate someone as "The Best". Yeah Hendrix may have been the best psychedelic rock guitarist in alot of people's opinion. Hand him an acoustic guitar (if he was still alive) and have him sit down with Bryan Sutton and see who makes your head spin. Have Stevie Ray Vaughn do an inpromptu jam with Django. Django would not only be able to do everything Stevie Ray did but also be able to show him things he never dreamed was possible. In turn Stevie Ray would not be able to hang with Django on an impromtu jam. I mean these lists are worthless. Basically they are saying "who has the biggest commercial name" and that is it. Man I better stop now before my head explodes.

Subject: RE: Gibson's 'Top 50 Guitarists'
From: frogprince
Date: 23 Jul 10 - 12:08 PM

Oscar Lopez is another. If you group even a bunch of the very best pickers that are now current, and try to say who's best...crimeny, I think it's like a THEOLOGICAL question!

Subject: RE: Gibson's 'Top 50 Guitarists'
From: PHJim
Date: 23 Jul 10 - 12:08 PM

Comparing Herb Ellis, Julian Bream, Tony Rice and Jimi Hendrix is as useful as comparing apples, oranges, bananas and watermelons.

Subject: RE: Gibson's 'Top 50 Guitarists'
From: frogprince
Date: 23 Jul 10 - 11:59 AM

I would say that anyone who actually believes he can identify the single best player in the world is nuts. I've been fortunate enough to hear both Carlos Montoya and Doc Watson live. Ever hear Pat Donahue playing live solo? I don't think he needs to take a back seat to anyone out there.

Subject: RE: Gibson's 'Top 50 Guitarists'
From: olddude
Date: 23 Jul 10 - 08:32 AM

agree with Wesley and Captain

Subject: RE: Gibson's 'Top 50 Guitarists'
From: Wesley S
Date: 23 Jul 10 - 08:31 AM

Duh - Chet Atkins???

Merl Travis?

Mississippi John Hurt?

Subject: RE: Gibson's 'Top 50 Guitarists'
From: kendall
Date: 23 Jul 10 - 08:30 AM

Dave Mallett can pick most of these guys under the table.

Subject: RE: Gibson's 'Top 50 Guitarists'
From: GUEST,Woodsie
Date: 23 Jul 10 - 07:16 AM

This is just a pile of crap - A list that includes Steve Jones (Sex Pistols)Is just a piece of shit. Don't go on about his style or any other rubbish It was session man Chris Spedding playing on those first couple of Sex Pistols singles and he's not even on the list!

Subject: RE: Gibson's 'Top 50 Guitarists'
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 23 Jul 10 - 06:49 AM

A lot of what Hendrix played was a mess.

Subject: RE: Gibson's 'Top 50 Guitarists'
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 23 Jul 10 - 06:31 AM

Ridiculous list! Even Hendrix is a musical midget compared to Wes Montgomery and Django Reinhardt.

Subject: RE: Gibson's 'Top 50 Guitarists'
From: GUEST,Larry Horowitz from Ft. Myers, FL
Date: 23 Jul 10 - 01:58 AM

No Joan Jett? Seriously, any list that doesn't include Johnny Winter can't be taken for real.

Subject: RE: Gibson's 'Top 50 Guitarists'
From: Will Fly
Date: 31 May 10 - 02:39 PM

Another pointless list.

Subject: RE: Gibson's 'Top 50 Guitarists'
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 31 May 10 - 02:23 PM

Given the obvious bias in favour of the electric players, it is incomprehensible that James Burton and Johnny Winter didn't make the cut.

Acoustically, one would have thought that Martin Simpson would be in there somewhere ...

Subject: RE: Gibson's 'Top 50 Guitarists'
From: deepdoc1
Date: 31 May 10 - 01:47 PM

No Doc Watson, Tony Rice nor Dan Crary? Ry Cooder but not Albert Lee? Michael Hedges and Leo Kottke missed the cut?

Phui.

Subject: RE: Gibson's 'Top 50 Guitarists'
From: Amos
Date: 31 May 10 - 12:29 PM

Leaving off Tommey Emmanuel and his son is a grievous error of omission.

Sigh. Maybe this is not a topic from which a top 50 list can really be made?



A

Subject: RE: Gibson's 'Top 50 Guitarists'
From: Continuity Jones
Date: 31 May 10 - 12:22 PM

Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead is an AMAZING guitar player, not it any way to be dismissed. He's very good technically and also an individual and hugely influential player. Kurt Cobain / Lou Reed / Bo Diddley weren't technically very showy but all had (have on Lou's case) very distinct ways of playing - surely that's better than yet another Robert Johnson clone or someone who can play a scale at a dozen frets a second?

However, it's a shame it's such a "white rock" list - even Robert Johnson & Django seems to be there almost as it'd be criminal not to have them. But wot no Mississippi John Hurt? Skip James? Or the great Malagasy guitar player D'Gary?

I disagree with the list. But then, I don't think I've ever agreed with a list someone else has written up!

Subject: RE: Gibson's 'Top 50 Guitarists'
From: Rob Naylor
Date: 31 May 10 - 12:07 PM

Agree with PDQ on the inclusions and ommissions!

Prince, Keith Richards and George Harrison on there, but NO Peter Green, Tommy Emmanuel, Barney Kessel to name just a few. And if we include all styles of guitar (Neil Young's on the list!) then Jerry Douglas and Russ Barenberg ought to get a mention before some of the people on that list.

Subject: RE: Gibson's 'Top 50 Guitarists'
From: pdq
Date: 31 May 10 - 11:50 AM

From the "questionable choices" mentioned, Lou Reed, Kurt Cobain, and Ed O'Brien and Jonny Greenwood, you can add Prince, Bo Diddly, "Keef" Richards and a buncha others. Steve Cropper was an OK studio musician and Slash, Pete Townsend and George Harrison were "rock stars" but not really great guitarists.

Any list of guitar great that does not include Tony Rice, Jerry Garcia, David Bromberg and Peter Green at all can't taken seriously.

Subject: Gibson's 'Top 50 Guitarists'
From: Amos
Date: 31 May 10 - 10:24 AM

From here

ibson Guitar Corp. recently published the results of its Top 50 Guitarists of All Time list, and although the choice of #1 should come as no surprise to fans of the instrument, the list does hold a few surprises. Blues-rock legend Jimi Hendrix topped Gibson's list, which was voted on by a number of writers and musicians, including the Scissormen's Ted Drozdowski, the Reverend's old pal Jeff Cease (original Black Crowes stringbender), James Williamson (Iggy & the Stooges), Martin Belmont (The Rumour), and others.

Blues music was extremely influential on the crop of guitarists that revolutionized rock music during the 1960s, and such blues-rock oriented instrumentalists as Jimmy Page (#2), Eric Clapton (#4), and Jeff Beck (#6) made the Top 10. Delta blues legend Robert Johnson was named at #9, and Texas blues-rock giant Stevie Ray Vaughan came in at #12. Others blues-related axemen on the list include Mike Bloomfield (#16), B.B. King (#17), Duane Allman (#29), and Buddy Guy (#35). Irish blues-rocker Rory Gallagher was tied at #42 with four other guitarists, including Chicago blues great Hubert Sumlin.

A poll held by Gibson among readers of the company's "lifestyle" page on its website came up with some interesting differences from the so-called "expert's" poll. For instance, Duane Allman was voted #1 by Gibson's readers, Page retained his spot at #2, and Hendrix dropped to #3. Govt. Mule's Warren Haynes, who didn't even place on the Gibson poll, is held in much higher esteem by the readers, who put him in at #4, a spot above Clapton, and two slots above Stevie Ray. Derek Trucks and Joe Bonamassa also ranked on the reader's poll but were somehow overlooked by the Gibson poll in favor of such questionable choices as Lou Reed, Kurt Cobain, and Ed O'Brien and Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead.

So what about it blues fans? Who is the greatest guitarist of all time? Vote in the poll and let us know your opinion. If we didn't name your choice, or you think that a guitarist is over-or-under-rated, please feel free to let us know in the comments section.