Gibson.com Top 50 Guitarists of All Time

Gibson.com ^

[ConservativeStatement]

And, so it begins. You voted and so did we, and at the end of a month-long process, we’re ready to start revealing Gibson.com’s Top 50 Guitarists of All Time.

[Clovis_Skeptic]

my step-cousin (you like that) Galen Henson, plays rythm guitar for Joe Satriani.

[Mr. Blonde]

But the two cannot be separated. Although "Joe who plays at 49th & Broadway every Wednesday" could probably very easily make this list and deserve it, there has to be some transcendence beyond just being the lead guitarist in a band. Look at the top 10, most of those guys are known beyond strictly playing. Keith, Jimi and Jimmy are all probably as well known for their off stage excesses. There are a lot of guys who are talented and will hit their marks every time, but that isn't enough to make these lists. Nels Cline probably belongs on the list, but outside of the solo on Impossible Germany no one is at a Wilco show to see him. Bob Dylan has had some great guitarists through the years, but they won't make this list either. Being a star is just how you make these lists. It might be a shortcoming of lists like this, but at this point has to be an accepted shortcoming.

We don't really disagree on much, I think Jack White is more talented than you do, but admit there are more talented guys. However, none especially in the last decade have been as everywhere as Jack White and turning out quality work. He had 9 albums out in the last decade and at worst they were good (Horehound, The White Stripes debut) to great (Elephant and Van Lear Rose by Loretta Lynn). As the reader poll shows, this isn't just Gibson catering to a younger generation. Presumably there were a lot of older voters. From what I know of what a Gibson costs, probably a lot of older voters.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (a concept I don't approve of to begin with) should have never been called that. It is the Pop Music Hall of Fame. Sam Cooke was in the first class inducted. Not a rock artist, but someone that definitely belongs in a pop music hall of fame. Rap has been the dominant form of pop music for 20 years or so now.

[Cincinatus]

No Grady Martin?

The solo guitar part on El Paso by Marty Robbins is his. And sublime.

[PJ-Comix]

Les Paul better be on that list.

[freekitty]

You are absolutely right. LOL He’s that good.

[ConservativeStatement]

#22, one behind the guitarist from the Smiths.

[rfp1234]

This list is a lot of

Steve Hackett and Steve Howe (not the ex-Dodgers pitcher) belong on this list, not the Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist, whose name I've already forgotten.

[montyspython]

Amen brutha. Dat shit don’t lie.

[dfwgator]

I love Nirvana’s work, but having Cobain on there is a joke. Being a great song writer doesn’t make up for the fact that he was an average at best player. I’m no guitarist, but my understanding is that he could barely play the opening to ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit,’ and he always fudged it live.

Heck, Dave Grohl is a better guitar player than Cobain.

[montyspython]

My left nut has more talent than Cobain.

[ZirconEncrustedTweezers]

“They have Frank Zappa listed??? I love his old songs, but I thing his writing skill tops his musicianship.”

Zappa always viewed himself as a composer first and a guitarist second. That said, I think he played pretty well.

[ZirconEncrustedTweezers]

“Best guitarist no one has ever heard of, Doyle Bramhall (sp>). “

I’d agree with that. I saw him as part of the Experience Hendrix tour earlier this year and was quite impressed.

[Sgt_Schultze]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjA5faZF1A8

hehe.

[OldDeckHand]

Were you close enough to see his playing style? He plays a guitar strung for a right-handed player, but he plays it left-handed. IOW, the low E is where the high E would normally be. It's very peculiar.

[ZirconEncrustedTweezers]

I was in the balcony, so I wasn’t close enough to see the actual strings. But I could tell by watching his fret hand. Albert King also played left-handed with the strings arranged for a rightie, although in his case it was on a right-handed Flying V.

There’s a local guitar player here in Silicon Valley who does that as well, and like Doyle (and Dick Dale too, for that matter), he plays a lefty Strat strung right-handed.

[wordsofearnest]

WOW!! Haven’t heard that forever.

[EyeGuy]

Irresistable funk from the great Mahavishnu John.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYf92MAeAk0

[EyeGuy]

Zappa:

Shut up and play your guitar.

MOST of the time.

[Captain Peter Blood]

Frankly I always thought Hendrix was overratd.

[Mashood]

Steven Howe
Dominic Miller
Todd Rundgren
Alex Lifeson
Dave Stewart