100 Greatest Guitarists Of All Time

[-Painted Fan-]

Someone at Rolling Stone Magazine is on some dangerous drugs!  Yes, I know this article was printed in '03, but there are some serious flaws in it.  I hope the writer and editor were both fired after this came out!
http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5937559/the_100_greatest_guitarists_of_all_time

These are the ones I have the biggest issues with:
#70  Eddie Van Halen
#96  Angus Young
And come on!  Joan Freakin' Jett at #87?!  Do they not make you pee in a cup to be on staff at Rolling Stone?!
And how about these being left off:
SLASH
Joe Satriani
Steve Vai
In my opinion, those 3 would be in my Top 20, at least, Vai and SLASH in Top 10.
Idiots!

[Truth101]

At least they got #1 right.

[the game]

At least they got #1 right.

No doubt about that

[The Reality is back...]

I'm ok with the list. Frusciante is not high enough, lol.

[-Painted Fan-]

I would have put Clapton at #2, and added SLASH, Eddie VH, and Steve Vai in the Top 10.  Angus needs to be up there somewhere, also.  I would drop Allman, Cooder, Page, and Richards down a bit, but not far.

[mhs85grad]

That list is a joke!!!

[Coach Venny Slocombe]

That list is terrible. David Gilmour of Pink Floyd at 82 and Angus Young at 96. Terrible list. I also think that Duane Allman is good, but nowhere near #2. Jimmy Page should be in the top 5 simply because of the innovations he made to the music industry.

[RisonRacingFan]

The Top 7 are about all that is right, though I personally would have put Stevie Ray Vaughan in the Top 5 considering Clapton has said numerous times before and after his death that Stevie was better than him, and the fact that when they toured together, they made Stevie the headliner after 4 shows because everyone was leaving after he opened up and Clapton said there was nothing he could do after Stevie played.

Thats just my personal opinion though!

[Father Guido]

The list is OK at best.  Duane Allman shouldn't be that high.

It's just some opinions.  They are just as entitled to be wrong as the next guy.   

[Bogey]

Agreed, Padre.

Where is Brian May?  How are alot of these rated ahead of Randy Rhodes?

Why isn't Father Guido from Guitar Hero II in the Top 10?  (lol)

[mattp_68]

11Kirk Hammett of Metallica
12 Kurt Cobain of Nirvana

something about those two doesn't look right...can't figure out if its Hammet out of the top 10 or Cobain in the top 30

[Father Guido]

11Kirk Hammett of Metallica
12 Kurt Cobain of Nirvana

something about those two doesn't look right...can't figure out if its Hammet out of the top 10 or Cobain in the top 30

...Both

[Truth101]

Kurt Cobain, Jack White, and John Frusciante are all too high on the list. In my opinion.

[The Reality is back...]

Kurt Cobain, Jack White, and John Frusciante are all too high on the list. In my opinion.

Sir, you talk bad about Frush again, and I will be forced to pwn you.

[The Reality is back...]

11Kirk Hammett of Metallica
12 Kurt Cobain of Nirvana

something about those two doesn't look right...can't figure out if its Hammet out of the top 10 or Cobain in the top 30

How can you think Hammet should be in the top 30? And Cobain out of the top 30? Not a fan of either one, but c'monz!

Hammet isn't very original, and Cobain is terribly overrated. Both have their place in history, but neither should be in the top 15.

[The Reality is back...]

I'm ok with the list. Frusciante is not high enough, lol.

In 2007, RS put out the "New Guitar Gods" and the top 3 were Mayer, Frusciante, and Trucks, and here is a jam fest. It's amazing.

[mattp_68]

11Kirk Hammett of Metallica
12 Kurt Cobain of Nirvana

something about those two doesn't look right...can't figure out if its Hammet out of the top 10 or Cobain in the top 30

How can you think Hammet should be in the top 30? And Cobain out of the top 30? Not a fan of either one, but c'monz!

Hammet isn't very original, and Cobain is terribly overrated. Both have their place in history, but neither should be in the top 15.

Hammet isn't very original?...i laugh at this ill fated attempt to open a portal between reality and musical ignorance...Hammet is alot of things...lets start by saying...

Fast - listen to One Master and Sanitarium

Original - Hammet uses his own style solos using a mixture of tremolo, finger picking, penatonic scale, and the wah-wah

LEGENDARY - Kirk Hammet is the greatest Heavy Metal guitarist of all time...first Heavy Metal guitarist put in the hall of fame and wrote such solos as...

One, Master of Puppets, Sanitarium, Battery, Damage Inc., Seek and Destroy, Harvester of Sorrow, Dyers Eve, Outlaw Torn, Trapped Under Ice, Jump Into The Fire, Fade to Black, Enter Sandman, Hit The Lights, Unforgiven, Unforgiven 2, Blackened, and Fuel

Doesn't belong in the top 30?....this guy belongs in the top 5

[The Reality is back...]

If you laugh at my ignorance, I laugh at your ridiculous bias. His written down solos are cool, but it's nothing to put in the top 15.

For Stadium Arcadium, Froosh had 2 solos wrote down, for their 2 singles off the album, "Dani California" and "Snow", every other song on the 2 disc set was improvised in studio.

Playing fast doesn't make you better. SRV>Hammet, played slooooow.

Like I said, top 50, probably top 40, but I hold him in the same category with slash, as someone who is a perfectionist solo player, and writes them down and learns them. I just don't think that's as cool as Froosh, Trucks, Satriani, Van Halen, or SRV for just being able to close their eyes and jam.

[Truth101]

Kurt Cobain, Jack White, and John Frusciante are all too high on the list. In my opinion.

Sir, you talk bad about Frush again, and I will be forced to pwn you.

Bro, RHCP is one of my favorite bands. I don't see How was I talking bad about him... I was just saying there are better guitarist out there. (He is still better than Cobain and White)

[Hurricane]

Garth Brooks

[mattp_68]

Garth Brooks

Paisley

[The Reality is back...]

Kurt Cobain, Jack White, and John Frusciante are all too high on the list. In my opinion.

Sir, you talk bad about Frush again, and I will be forced to pwn you.

Bro, RHCP is one of my favorite bands. I don't see How was I talking bad about him... I was just saying there are better guitarist out there. (He is still better than Cobain and White)

I was being sarcastic broseph.

[Father Guido]

Garth Brooks

Surely, you jest.

[big casino]

Its all in how they decide who the greatest are.I believe you judge the geratest by how influential they are.There are 4 guys who have changed the way the guitar was played.1.Clapton(The 1st Guitar god)2.Hendrix(He was so far ahead of his time)3.Jimmy Page(The 1st true heavy,hard rock guitarist)4.Eddie Van Halen(He took fast fingers to a different level).

[big casino]

As far as techinical guitar and versatilaty is concerned,I would have to go with Eric Johnson.

[big casino]

And where the He11 is Ted Nugent,Joe Walsh and Alex Lifeson of Rush.

[big casino]

And this is no joke,The guitar man himself Jerry Reed.I know it is country but there was some great guitar pickers in country music.Roy Clark and Chet Atkins.B.B.King,Buddy Guy,Robert Johnson and T-Bone Walker wasn't Rock N Roll.

[Father Guido]

That's some good name you're throwing out there pardner.  Buddy Guy and Eric Johnson are a couple of names not too many folks are real familiar with.  I'm impressed.  You must do some serious jamming with the I-pod when you're not selling tractors.      Tell the Duke "Hey" for me.

[the game]

 "Jimi Hendrix" and "Stevie Ray Vaughan" , that's my top 2 ,that's a bad list left off one of my top 10 "Billy Gibbons"

[big casino]

"Jimi Hendrix" and "Stevie Ray Vaughan" , that's my top 2 ,that's a bad list left off one of my top 10 "Billy Gibbons"

''The Reverend''absolutely!

[Bogey]

Mine Top 5 would probably be:

  5.) Jimmy Page
  4.) Eric Clapton
  3.) Eddie Van Halen
  2.) Stevie Ray Vaughn
  1.) Jimi Hendrix

Another one that deserves some consideration is Brian Robertson from Thin Lizzy.

[Bogey]

...also Joe Walsh was left off

[Coach Venny Slocombe]

Ike Turner is on the list. Unbelievable....................

Heres one I can't believe they left off; Al Dimeola

[Throwback1]

Garth Brooks

Surely, you jest.

lol..one would hope.

[bleudog]

Not Rolling Stone Magazine material, but two pretty good pickers I've not seen mentioned are Albert Lee and Randy Scruggs.

CLICK HERE for info on Lee.

CLICK HERE for info on Scruggs, and yes he's one of Earl Scruggs' sons.

[big casino]

Randy Bachman-BTO,Larry Carlton,Steve Gaines,Lynyrd Synkyrd and Steve Lukather-Toto

[big casino]

Man guys sorry but names just keep popping into my head.Neal Schon-Journey,Bad English and alot of people don't know this but also Santana at a very young age.Steve Morse-Kansas and Deep Purple.And one more then I will quit for awhile Tommy Bolin-The James Gang and Deep Purple.

[RisonRacingFan]

Speaking of Eric Johnson, I absolutely love his song he wrote in memory of Stevie titled SRV.

[RisonRacingFan]

I'd also like to nominate Monte Montgomery

[mattp_68]

Eric Johnson's Cliffs of Dover is a beast...I like soem Paul Gilbert and alil Buckethead as well

[Father Guido]

How about some Alvin Lee, Elvin Bishop, Robin Trower, or Dave Mason?

[big casino]

Ace Frehley

[big casino]

How about some Alvin Lee, Elvin Bishop, Robin Trower, or Dave Mason?

Tens years after put on a great show at Woodstock,one of the best of all the entertainers!

[Coach Venny Slocombe]

Michael J. Fox..............you can catch him in "Back to the Future"................

[Coach Venny Slocombe]

My Top ten.............
1. Jimmy Page, Led Zeppelin- One of the major innovators and brought a realistic hard core approach to the guitar. He can play a variety of different styles as well. Underated Slide player.

2. Jimi Hendrix-Play with a ton of emotion and was the first to actually make the lead guitarist the focal point of a band. Groundbreaking riffs.

3. Stevie Ray Vaughn- Jimi Clone to a point, but added his own style and emotion. One of the better blues players ever.

4. Eddie Van Halen- Brought a whole new style and generation to the forefront. Groundbreaking style that led to a generation of guitarists.

5. Carlos Santana- Had his own unique style and seemed to be able to energize an audience with his emotion alone.

6. Eric Clapton- Not one of my personal favorites but he is a great player.

7. Steve Vai- While his style these days is not my favorite to listen to he is technically probably the best going. His early work with Frank Zappa and Alcatrazz was unbelievable and his work with David Lee Roth and White Snake gave him World wide recognition.

8. Jeff Healey- Just the way he had to play due to his disability is incredible, but he was truly a great player.

9. Ritchie Blackmore- Probably would have been more popular if he hadn't been such an sir. Great guitarist though.

10. Ted Nugent- one of the funnest to watch ever and a highly skilled guitar player.

[Coach Venny Slocombe]

What about Leslie West of Mountain?

[Coach Venny Slocombe]

One more, the old blues guitarist Blind Mellin Jellin.

[ASU Rugby]

...also Joe Walsh was left off

Thats the one I couldnt believe wasnt on there

[The Reality is back...]

One more, the old blues guitarist Blind Mellin Jellin.

Hey, that's a good one.

[bleudog]

Thought some might like this:

Electric:
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=77:1548~1~T1A

Acoustic:
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=77:545~T1

Their lists are alphabetic within each of three tiers.