Rolling Stone top 100 guitarists

[Huggy]

And if we're just talking about the 'rock family' of music, Jeff Beck is the one who can challenge Hendrix for pre-eminence.

Hendrix's real-time facility with the instrument was unmatched and his creativity was unmatched.
But Beck is incredibly good, in real time. His range is amazing, much broader than Clapton or Knopfler. His tone is impeccable with little effect.
The guy is amazing. He's probably not in my personal favorite top 10, but that's an issue if taste rather than artistry.
If Hendrix had lived, would Beck have passed him. I don't know. I think they would have headed in similar, if different, directions. Certainly not what Clapton was doing in the 70s.

I don't know if Beck's music has ever been headed in one direction. He goes all over the place, blues, rock, electronica, jazz.

But he doesn't sing and isn't known as a writer so he is at the mercy of his collaborators, which is great if it's someone like Rod Stewart but there aren't many guys like him around. Beck's instrumental reworking of "A Day In the Life" is staggering.

 

[Huggy]

This is just my opinion - do with it what you wish - but I'd like to see Brad Paisley show up on some of these lists. It's just my opinion, and I usually don't listen to mainstream Nashville country - although I totally respect it if you do - but I have been impressed with his playing from what I've heard. Just my opinion.

Brad Paisley knows how to play the guitar. If you haven't heard it yet, go find his (mostly) instrumental album, called Play: The Guitar Album. There is a lot of good stuff on there.

Also, on CMT, they have a series called "Crossroads", where a country artist and an artist from a different genre do a live concert and perform together. Brad and John Mayer (who, yes, is an excellent guitarist as well) played together on the series. Probably one of the best episodes of that series that they've done.

Brad Paisley is winning me over despite my dislike of mainstream country. I'm consistently surprised by how much I like this stuff whenever I stumble across it.

"Eastwood" an instrumental on his new album featuring a spoken-word intro by Dirty Harry himself sounds like the greatest Outlaws song the Outlaws never recorded, all rumbling guitars, fiddles and a whistle right out of an Eastwood spaghetti western. It has much more in common with the wild west than any of the crap Jon Bon Jovi did on Blaze of Glory.

 

[YGBFKM]

Wow, just googled that song. Good stuff. Given they both have the same base of operations these days, I'd love to hear a Paisley-Jack White collaboration.

 

[YankeeFan]

And if we're just talking about the 'rock family' of music, Jeff Beck is the one who can challenge Hendrix for pre-eminence.

Hendrix's real-time facility with the instrument was unmatched and his creativity was unmatched.
But Beck is incredibly good, in real time. His range is amazing, much broader than Clapton or Knopfler. His tone is impeccable with little effect.
The guy is amazing. He's probably not in my personal favorite top 10, but that's an issue if taste rather than artistry.
If Hendrix had lived, would Beck have passed him. I don't know. I think they would have headed in similar, if different, directions. Certainly not what Clapton was doing in the 70s.

I don't know if Beck's music has ever been headed in one direction. He goes all over the place, blues, rock, electronica, jazz.

But he doesn't sing and isn't known as a writer so he is at the mercy of his collaborators, which is great if it's someone like Rod Stewart but there aren't many guys like him around. Beck's instrumental reworking of "A Day In the Life" is staggering.

Yeah, Beck is hurt by this and by not producing hits or being in a big band for decades.

So many of his songs are instrumentals.

But the guy is unbelievable. I went to the 2007 (and 2010) Eric Clapton Crossroads Guitar Festival. I was excited to see a lot of the performers, but had no real expectations about Jeff Beck. Hadn't ever really listened to him.

He blew my brother & I away. Best performance of the day.

Here's a clip:

 

[lono]

Duane Allman should be higher, probably third. Where is SRV?

i'd put duane at no.1, but maybe that's just me. clapton worshipped at the alter of duane, may he r.i.p.

This.

 

[NoOneLikesUs]

From the more recent era, Rodrigo y Gabriella:

 

[Buck]

I was going to post a Rodrigo y Garbiella clip but eventually, I ran out of steam.
They are fantastic.

 

[Machine Head]

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[spurtswriter]

I don't have time to go through the entire thread, so forgive me if I'm repeating anyone. Pat Metheny is a jazz guitarist, but he's ventured into some very strong rock stuff. Even if his jazz roots disqualify him from the list, to deny that he's one of the top 10 guitarists of all time, purely on ability alone, simply would be wrong. Truly tasty stuff he's produced for more than 30 years. And his live shows are legendary.