My other favourites are Nina Gerber, Brian Setzer, Junior Brown, Tommy Immanuel, and Steve King(champion picker). I sat next to Tommy and Chet Atkins practicing for a gig at the Chet Atkins Appreciation Society the summer of 1998. There were only about seven of us in the room and it had to be one of the most extraordinary experiences I have ever had. God Bless Chet...it was his last performance for the CAAS...
Sorry to call you out on Randy California teaching EVH the finger tapping technique when Eddie himself says he saw Steve Hackett (Genesis) do it on TV in 1972 on Granada TV. (The Musical Box)
(also remember that Randy California was a devotee of Hendrix who gave him his stage name - Hendrix was jamming with a couple different guys named Randy so he asked where they were from and then called them Randy California and Randy Texas)
As for my guitarists, Jimi Hendrix is the standard that all others are judged by.
Other great guitarists in no particular order:
David Gilmour
Alex Lifeson
Angus Young
Duane Allman
Tony Iommi
Chris Duarte
Buddy Guy
Richie Blackmore
Eric Clapton
Frank Zappa (and any guitarist playing for him)
George Harrison
Martin Barre
Glenn Tipton/KK Downing - Judas Priest
Adrian Smith/Dave Murray/Janic Gers - Iron Maiden
Uli Jon Roth
Dave Davies
Robin Trower
Robert Johnson
Keith Richards
SRV
Bobby Messano
Ted Nugent
The Edge
Pete Townsend
ah hell, I could go on and on but that would mean cracking open another beer.
“I am glad you remembered Randy California”....vetvetdoug
I saw Spirit in 1969, and totally impressed. Some more I forgot:
Phil Keaggy
Steve Hackett
Frank Zappa
Dave Gilmour