Top 5 Guitar idols

[Sasquatch]

As an addendum to the bass players thread, I thought I'd throw this out, with one condition. You can't name Hendrix, Van Halen, Satriani, Vai, or Malmsteen. For instance, a recent English guitar mag included Joni Mitchell in a top 100 list, because of her wild tunings, and unorthodox approach to the instrument, not to mention her ability with the thing.

Here's my top 5 in no particular order:

Ace Frehley, cuz he was cool.

Pete Townsend cuz his acoustic stuff was hammering hell.

Jimi Page cuz he's a hacker who just played the crap out of anything he touched.

Neil Young cuz he went to school with my mom, and cuz he rocks.

Adrian Smith and Dave Murray, (who count as one) with Iron Maiden. Check out the solos on "Power Slave" for instance. Just... wicked.

 

[Janx]

Trey Anastasio
Jerry Garcia
Keller Williams
Fareed Haque
Stevie Ray Vaughn

 

[Chairman Cheyco]

Ace - Because he started it all for me
Alex Lifeson - Mostly for shameless favoritism and he's good at wiritng odd meter pieces
Kirk Hammett - They guy wails, even if he does have a high voice (so does Ace for that matter)
Townshend - Rythm genius
Jimi Page - Consummate hack and incredibly original (well, except for that 'whole lotta love' debacle.) The first guitar god.
Actually I think Page should be on the no-brainer list too so pick another.

Toss-up between East bay Ray of the Dead Kennedys and Tony Iommi from that other old metal band.

 

[Alembic]

Robby Krieger - I think he is one of those great under-rated melodic guitarists
Jerry Garcia
Eric Clapton - I had to mention "god"
Lowell George - another underrated pioneer
Keith Richard -

 

[Chairman Cheyco]

IMHO Clapton stopped playing decent stuff when he put down his ES-335.

 

[Sir Sudster]

1. Gary Moore
2. Stevie Ray Vaughn
3. Jimmy Page
4. Carlos Santana
5. FrEd VaugHn

 

[Dude]

This is going to be kind of a surprise, but Lindsey Buckingham (Fleetwood Mac, solo) can play, boys.

:rockin:

EDIT: I only have 1 because my other top 4 have already been named....

 

[Sasquatch]

No surprise to me dude. You're absolutely right.

Sudster, this is a no Van Halen thread. You're out.

 

[Sir Sudster]

There..fixed it...can I please stay

 

[Toilet Rocker]

David Gilmour
Chuck Berry
Alex Skolnick
John Williams
Eric Johnson

 

[sudsmonkey]

Roy Buchanan
Tom Morello
David Gilmore
George Thorogood
Robin Trower
ME !!!!

 

[Chairman Cheyco]

Eric Johnson

Good call, he almost made my list but I don't really like that many of his tunes. Absolutely LOVE his playing though.

Good call with Morello 'monkey. He was another near miss on my list because I can't believe how much he can do with so few effects.

 

[sudsmonkey]

Did you ever hear Roy Buchanan ? He was a white bluseman. Played a Telecaster and worked the volume knob with his pinky while he played. I was sure it was a wah pedal until I saw it !

 

[Caplan]

Only two i can think of right now are:-

Django Reinhardt - Bloody good to say he was missing a finger too!!!
Robert Johnson

 

[Sasquatch]

We'll do a special "Favorite Guitarists Missing Body Parts" thread too...

 

[El Pistolero]

This is going to be kind of a surprise, but Lindsey Buckingham (Fleetwood Mac, solo) can play, boys.

Well not really , but another "real" Fleetwood Mac guy could...Peter Green.

 

[E5B]

Jimmy Page
Jimi Hendrix
Kirt Hammet
Eric Clapton
Brad Paisley


To kind of parallel the subject what do you have? I have a Fender Acoustic/Electric and an American Made Strat. I'm getting a Tele, just not sure if I want to trade the Strat in for it or keep the Strat.

Along with Classic/Hard Rock I play Mexican Classical style finger picking on the acoustic.

 

[Sasquatch]

I've always kind of wanted to play that Mexi-style, but never been able to, though never really put a lot of effort in either.

I've got a Les Paul ... 81 flame top cherry burst. And an old Norman acoustic, and I've got a stolen Epiphone 355, but don't tell Cheyco.

 

[Chairman Cheyco]

I've got a Les Paul ... 81 flame top cherry burst. And an old Norman acoustic, and I've got a stolen Epiphone 355, but don't tell Cheyco.

What about your SRV strat?

I'm not worried about the Hot Rod Epiphone. For now the '03 PRS CU22 Brazilian and the '92 PRS CE3 are keeping me occupied. I also have a Martin J-1, an Olympian Steve Irwin, and a PRS Singlecut on order.

 

[todd_k]

I had to scroll down a bit but I am so glad a couple people mentioned Paul McCartney's favorite guitarist, David Gilmore.

 

[Deuchar]

John McLaughlin
Eddie Hazel
Charlie Hunter
Ali Farka Toure
Nile Rogers

 

[Hippie]

My personal favorite... Frank Zappa!

 

[cgravier]

My personal favorite... Frank Zappa!

Frank Zappa...the Original hippie!

what about angus Young? hes gotta be the best guitarist under 5 feet tall...How bout all those shredders like Paul gilbert(racer x),al diMeola or the original shredder Randy Roads...

 

[Mindflux]

Trey Anastasio (Phish)
Jerry Garcia (The Grateful Dead)
Buckethead (Buckethead)
John Petrucci (Dream Theater)
Larry LaLonde (Primus)

 

[jeffg]

I was waiting for this thread.

Warren Haynes
Jimmy Page
Neil Young
Old 70's Clapton
David Gilmour

and bonus shots for Jerry Garcia and Michael Hedges

I was lucky enough to have seen all of these guys multiple times (Page only once with the Balck Crowes but he did not disappoint at all).

 

[sudsmonkey]

Only two i can think of right now are:-

Django Reinhardt - Bloody good to say he was missing a finger too!!!
Robert Johnson

I thought he didn't have arms and played with his feet. Wasn't that what inspired Tony Iommi to start playing again, after he lost the ends of two fingers?
I mean no offense with this one, as you're one of my favorite Brits: You could only think of those two ?!!!

You cats had some really good gitfiddle players. Clapton, Page, Townsend,Jeff Beck, Hendrix (he got famous there first, we made him play for Little Richard).

 

[jeffg]

John McLaughlin
Eddie Hazel
Charlie Hunter
Ali Farka Toure
Nile Rogers

Nice work on the Eddie Hazel. I'm a big McLaughlin fan too.

 

[HOMEBREW APPRENTICE]

tom morello is GOD ,will go down in history as a top 10 player and kurt cobain just for his simplicity and being able to write good riffs that we all know

 

[jerly]

How can nobody mention Mick Ronson or Dave Davies on a best guitarist list.

 

[Chairman Cheyco]

How can nobody mention Mick Ronson or Dave Davies on a best guitarist list.

You have proven it's impossible.