Favourite guitarists

Subject: RE: Favourite guitarists
From: GUEST,fasteddy
Date: 11 Oct 20 - 03:33 AM

Robby Kreiger Chuck Berry   Jim Mullen

Subject: RE: Favourite guitarists
From: GUEST,Anon
Date: 11 Oct 20 - 04:25 AM

Many of the above, plus:

Laurence Juber
Dave Onions
Joe Satriani

Subject: RE: Favourite guitarists
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 11 Oct 20 - 07:27 AM

Chuck Berry was a great song writer but an awful guitarist.

Subject: RE: Favourite guitarists
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 11 Oct 20 - 07:28 AM

3 more:
Dave Edmunds
Joe Moretti
Colin Green

Subject: RE: Favourite guitarists
From: GUEST,Henry Piper (of Ottery )
Date: 11 Oct 20 - 11:22 AM

Moving on from Rhythm guitarists in the jazz field (see above) how about,
Rock guitarists:- Robby Krieger, Barry "The Fish" Melton, and Alvin Lee.
Folk musicians:-   Martin Carthy, Nick Jones, Martin Wyndham Read.

Subject: RE: Favourite guitarists
From: GUEST,Tattie Bogle
Date: 11 Oct 20 - 12:13 PM

No mention yet of Tim Edey? I have been so much enjoying his Saturday night Sleeping Tunes sessions on Facebook during lockdown! Also a superb button box player. From 10PM UK time, still going at 1 AM today!

Subject: RE: Favourite guitarists
From: gillymor
Date: 11 Oct 20 - 01:07 PM

Two things, Bonzo. I'll bet you'd have a hard time finding an electric guitarist to agree with your assessment of Chuck Berry's instrumental abilities. Also, when you mentioned Dave Edmunds you brought to mind Billy Bremner, Edmund's band mate in Rockpile. Bremner also played lead on some Pretender's recordings. He is a good one.

Subject: RE: Favourite guitarists
From: gillymor
Date: 11 Oct 20 - 01:16 PM

Mention of Tim Edey made me think of some other fine nylon stringers from over there-

Steve Cooney
Jim Murray
Donogh Hennessey

Subject: RE: Favourite guitarists
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 11 Oct 20 - 03:07 PM

Billy Bremner - yes of course, saw him in a backing band for Linda Thompson at Ronnie Scott's in London. I made possibly the only recording!!

Subject: RE: Favourite guitarists
From: GUEST,Big Al Whittle
Date: 11 Oct 20 - 03:54 PM

I always rated Chuck.

Subject: RE: Favourite guitarists
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 11 Oct 20 - 04:33 PM

Tony McManus. Listen to Return To Kintail, the album he made with Alasdair Fraser. He'll be your favourite guitar player for ever more. Him and Jimi and Julian Bream. Julian made the strings squeak, unlike John Williams. But who would you rather listen to?

Subject: RE: Favourite guitarists
From: Bill D
Date: 11 Oct 20 - 09:19 PM

My introduction to really good guitarists was at the National Flatpicking Championships in Winfield Kansas... where I attended the first five or six... thus I got to see Doc Watson, Norman Blake and others including Dan Crary and the amazing winner of the 1st festival, Jimmy Gyles.(BTW... Mark O'Conner the fiddler also won the flat pick one year).
   This was only one style, so even though I bought lots of Norman Blake and Doc Watson LPs, I also loved good playing, so when I saw a YouTube of Tommy Emmanuel, I was hooked.,,,because he seems to be able to play anything!
Yes, I found Tony McManus and others, but I really only care for acoustic music. I know OF some of the others noted above, but am not able to rate them.... so the title "Favourite guitarists" was way to broad for me.

Pick 3? I guess if I had to, I'd just list Doc, Tommy & Norman for pure listening.... and that leaves out Segovia and Parkening and other classical ones.

People need to pose easier, narrower questions!

Subject: RE: Favourite guitarists
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Oct 20 - 10:02 PM

Tony McManus is as acoustic as can be, Bill...

Subject: RE: Favourite guitarists
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 11 Oct 20 - 10:04 PM

That was me.

Subject: RE: Favourite guitarists
From: Elmore
Date: 11 Oct 20 - 10:05 PM

Beppe Gambetta, Chet Atkins,Paul Brady.

Subject: RE: Favourite guitarists
From: Jeri
Date: 11 Oct 20 - 10:10 PM

Tony McManus on YouTube

Subject: RE: Favourite guitarists
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 12 Oct 20 - 06:15 AM

We saw solo Paul Brady live, must have been about 20 years ago, at the Plough in Torrington. His set was stunning, and he included Arthur McBride, to everybody's delight. We bumped into an acquaintance of ours at the gig, not an uncommon occurrence in these parts. On the way out at the end he said that he'd enjoyed the concert even though Paul was "only a strummer." :-)

"Only a strummer". I tell you, we've dined out on that recollection ever since!

Subject: RE: Favourite guitarists
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 12 Oct 20 - 06:59 AM

Nancy Kerr is a bloody good guitarist!!

Subject: RE: Favourite guitarists
From: Elmore
Date: 12 Oct 20 - 09:21 PM

Larry Campbell, Robin Bullock, David Bromberg.

Subject: RE: Favourite guitarists
From: Elmore
Date: 12 Oct 20 - 09:43 PM

Oops. Gordon Bok, Rory Block, Dave Van Ronk. Anybody who can narrow their favorite guitarists down to three knows either a lot more or somewhat less than I do.

Subject: RE: Favourite guitarists
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 13 Oct 20 - 12:06 AM

Eric Weissberg, Russ Barenberg, John Doyle

Subject: RE: Favourite guitarists
From: gillymor
Date: 13 Oct 20 - 06:42 AM

Well said, Elmore.

Some great R&B players-

Steve Cropper
Teeny Hodges (played on a lot of Al Green's hits)
Curtis Mayfield
Cornell Dupree
and more recently Josh Smith

Leo Kottke is worthy of mention for acoustic steel string, I especially like his earlier compositions for the 6 string like Ojo, The Fisherman, and Stealin'.

Subject: RE: Favourite guitarists
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 13 Oct 20 - 08:10 AM

Never saw what the fuss was about over Steve Cropper.

Subject: RE: Favourite guitarists
From: gillymor
Date: 13 Oct 20 - 08:19 AM

He's a very subtle backup player, not known for flashy solos. Listen to his parts with Booker T and the MG's, Otis Redding, Sam and Dave etc. He has a style that combines both rhythm and lead and is fun to play even outside a band setting.

Subject: RE: Favourite guitarists
From: fat B****rd
Date: 13 Oct 20 - 09:03 AM

Wilko Johnson
Robin Trower
Cliff Gallup

Subject: RE: Favourite guitarists
From: GUEST,Jim Bainbridge
Date: 13 Oct 20 - 12:22 PM

I've never heard anyone who could rival Doc Watson, except maybe Merle Travis- nobody this side of the Atlantic, for sure

Subject: RE: Favourite guitarists
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Oct 20 - 11:48 PM

Michael Bloomfield
Jimmy Page
Jimi Hendrix

#1: Michael Bloomfield. Unless I missed it, I don't think he's been mentioned. Tops by far for me. Selecting #2 & 3...and beyond...is brutal. But #1 is easy.

#2: "Favorites" in general tend to change as tastes evolve, but "influences" leave a long-term mark. Jimmy Page is probably my "favorite" who was also a real primary "influence".

#3. "Best" is different from "favorite". Who I think is the best at a particular guitar/musical skill is not necessarily my favorite. And there are "bests" in each genre, who should not really stand in comparison to one another. But, to have a little fun with a top 3 list, I'll stick with favorites who are also among the "best". So, #3 has to be Duane Allman. No...changed my mind...Jimi Hendrix. No, wait...

So, that's where my inclination is now. On another day, I might try to represent three different styles. Today, I guess I'm feeling the electric blues/classic rock thing.

Oh, and B.B. King. Even if he' not part of the answer, it's not cool to have a discussion like this without saying "B.B. King".

Subject: RE: Favourite guitarists
From: GUEST,Guitarfumbler
Date: 14 Oct 20 - 05:52 AM

In terms of guitarists who sound like nobody else:

Richard Thompson
Davey Graham
Roy Buchanan

Subject: RE: Favourite guitarists
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 14 Oct 20 - 08:01 AM

Country music means the incredible Brad Paisley!!!

Subject: RE: Favourite guitarists
From: Bob Hitchcock
Date: 14 Oct 20 - 09:09 AM

Danny Gatton, Mark Knopfler and Wes Montgomery.

Subject: RE: Favourite guitarists
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 14 Oct 20 - 03:33 PM

Stu Taylor
Godfrey Mew
Bernie Watson


All in Lord Sutch's Savages in early 60s

Not forgetting the amazing Micky King from Cliff Bennett & the Rebel Rousers and later James Royal & The Hawks!!!

Subject: RE: Favourite guitarists
From: Mooh
Date: 15 Oct 20 - 07:08 AM

In no particular order and subject to change on a whim:

Joscho Stephan

Roy Buchanan

Rory Gallagher

(Runner ups: Tony McManus, Jimmy Page, Eddie Van Halen)

Subject: RE: Favourite guitarists
From: gillymor
Date: 15 Oct 20 - 08:29 AM

Guit-steel man Junior Brown is pretty amazing.

Subject: RE: Favourite guitarists
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 15 Oct 20 - 11:33 AM

Ralph McTell: of course people will mainly think of his singing and songs, but brilliant guitarist too, plays many styles.

Subject: RE: Favourite guitarists
From: Raedwulf
Date: 15 Oct 20 - 12:34 PM

Yngwie Malmsteen - something of a twerp, by all accounts, but started neo-classical shredding & apparently had Eddie jealously hunched over his guitar, trying to work out what the hell the new kid on the block was doing!

Jon Petrucci - Difficult choice here between Jon & Joe (Satriani), but although Dreamtheater do, especially on later albums, disappear into complexity, Joe, I'm afraid, just disintegrated into it. Both took shredding to a new level, but Petrucci's output has generally been tighter, more musically coherent, less self-indulgent, probably because he's one member of a band, not the whole vehicle (& speaking of self-indulgent, just don't mention Joe's most famous pupil, Steve...).

Martin Taylor - I'm not that much of a fan of jazz of any description (the tendency to get self-indulgent again), but once again, I have to say that the technical eptitude of this bloke is jaw-dropping. And the couple of albums of his that I've so far acquired do, for the most part, remain musical, rather than disappearing into complexity / experimentation / showing off.

Were I allowed more than 3 (see, I'm trying to play by the rules, DtG ;-) ) I'd likely pick at least two of Julian Bream, John Williams & Andrew York, classical guitarists all. I realise this makes it sound like I admire technical excellence above all else; I don't (otherwise my lip wouldn't curl at the mention of Vai). But how can I put this? Yes I'm basically a headbanger, rather than a folkie. But you have to make music as well as being technically ept. And the ones I've mentioned could play anything else as well as anyone else anyone has mentioned. The reverse mostly isn't true. I can imagine Hendrix being able to do Malmsteen or Petrucci, frex; I can't see Moore, and certainly not Knopfler, ever achieving the same level of ability.

Subject: RE: Favourite guitarists
From: GUEST,21st Century Primitive
Date: 15 Oct 20 - 07:16 PM

Robbie Basho
Daniel Bachman
Jeff Parker

Subject: RE: Favourite guitarists
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Oct 20 - 01:10 AM

Dick Gaughan
Arty McGlynn
John Allan Cameron

Subject: RE: Favourite guitarists
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 17 Oct 20 - 02:32 AM

Try Richard Smith for Chet Atkins style!

Subject: RE: Favourite guitarists
From: keberoxu
Date: 19 Oct 20 - 03:49 PM

I would like to put in a good word for the late Fred Hellerman.

When the Weavers performed their rousing arrangements
of traditional song (or otherwise),
Pete Seeger's banjo and occasional mandolin got all the accolades.
Fred Hellerman remained the true accompanist,
providing both rhythm and counterpoint,
complementing both Seeger's instrumental solos
and the vocals, both solo and choral, of the Weavers.
Those Weavers recordings were some of my earliest exposure
to sophisticated arrangements of popular/traditional songs,
and for me, Fred Hellerman is the unsung hero of those arrangements;
I learned much about accompaniment from listening to him.

Subject: RE: Favourite guitarists
From: Lost Chicken in High Weeds
Date: 19 Oct 20 - 04:28 PM

Robert Johnson, Mother Maybelle Carter, Jimmy Page

I'm more of a banjer man myself overall, though.

I *really* love early Bob Dylan's guitar, too, and pretty much can't help but mention Nick Drake as well. 3, even 10 is tough. I don't really have "favorites", I just love a lot of guitarists, and each for differing aspects, not necessarily raw ability.

Subject: RE: Favourite guitarists
From: keberoxu
Date: 21 Oct 20 - 12:40 PM

I used to love the armadillo album by Leo Kottke, decades ago.

Subject: RE: Favourite guitarists
From: GUEST,gillymor
Date: 21 Oct 20 - 01:06 PM

Hellerman produced and played on Joan Baez' first album so he, along with Joan, was probably my first guitar hero because I flipped for the acoustic guitar after hearing that album at the age of 8 or 9.

Subject: RE: Favourite guitarists
From: Elmore
Date: 21 Oct 20 - 11:00 PM

Paul Rishell, Garnet Rogers, Bennett Hammond.

Subject: RE: Favourite guitarists
From: graham_t
Date: 23 Oct 20 - 05:31 PM

Richard Thompson
Michael Chapman
Ian Carr

Subject: RE: Favourite guitarists
From: Neil D
Date: 23 Oct 20 - 08:41 PM

Picking only three seems like a disservice to many wonderful players I can't name, but rules are rules. I have to include Mississippi John Hurt and Doc Watson. The one thing that these to have in common is that as phenomenal as their playing is, it is always used in service to the song. Many great guitarists do the opposite, the song only being there to serve the "noodling".
When ranking guitarists I usually have separate lists for primarily acoustic players and predominately electric players as I consider them as different instruments. But the OP said only 3 in any style, so my list absolutely has to include Jimi.