1. Jimi Hendrix
2. Eric Clapton
3. Jimmy Page
4. Keith Richards
5. Jeff Beck
6. B.B. King
7. Chuck Berry
8. Eddie Van Halen
9. Duane Allman
10. Pete Townshend
They are all good (though I wouldn’t include Van Halen). And there are some others that maybe should be on the list. Even the Socialist from Pink Floyd is arguably eligible for the list.
Having recently watched Jeff Beck at Ronnie Scott’s for the umpteenth time, I would daresay he makes Eric Clapton’s playing look like Jack Black in School of Rock...
Robert Fripp?
Bill Nelson?
Brian May?
Tony Iommi?
Unbelievable...you left Stevie Ray Vaughn OFF...
Someone somewhere may want to consider Yngwie Malmsteen for technical mastery.
Here is an incredible Van Halen solo. Unbelievable.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdFJTbaFcZ0
Although I wouldn’t expect to see his name on this list, one of my all-time favorite rock guitarists is Peter Haycock of Climax Blues Band. Just wow. I remember him chuckling on stage (at a concert, early ‘70s) when he got a surprise round of applause after arpeggio-ing a minor 7th chord. It WAS a beautiful-sounding strum. Peter’s guitar had a great sound and always sounded perfectly tuned.
Your list has been superceded:
Frank Zappa
Neil Young (Don’t believe me? Listen to an extended version of “Cowgirl in the Sand)
Lindsey Buckingham