It's blocked at my work for:

Adult/Sexually Explicit.

What do you guys mean by "Best guitar players"?

_________________

Thanks Spaulding....and thanks for not kicking me in the nuts.

About fifty of these guys can claim to be #1 for one reason or another...and at least 10 (at first glance) shouldn't be anywhere near this list.

I believe this to be true.

_________________

Kurt Cobain at #12?

Cobain should not even sniff the top 50 IMO.

_________________
"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

yes.

_________________
Ба́бушка гада́ла, да на́двое сказа́ла—то ли до́ждик, то ли снег, то ли бу́дет, то ли нет.

technically proficient. must have "holy shit, did you just see that?" moments.
how many albums sold matters little compared to ability.
ability to play any and all styles extremely well.
so, this eliminates pretty much all of the blues guys.
i.e. eric clapton could never play a reverse sweep picked 32nd run a la steve vai.
(this is why the instrumentalists will always win out over "band" guys for me).
stuff like that.

_________________
@audioidkid

Well done

_________________
Ба́бушка гада́ла, да на́двое сказа́ла—то ли до́ждик, то ли снег, то ли бу́дет, то ли нет.

John Mayer Trio Cd is fuckn awesome...maybe theres still hope for him

I agree, but I think that's half right. Besides the technical aspect, I have to give some points for the an intangible. I'm not sure what to call it, maybe soul. For example, my favorite guitarist is SRV. A guy like Kenny Wayne Shepherd plays (played) the same style and basically can do all the same things...but Stevie gave that extra something that brought a tear to your eye when you heard it and you just wanted to hear it again and again.
I'm not talking about introducing a new style or genre or anything like that...I guess it's just something you know or feel when you hear it.

...or how they make you feel. guys that are wizards on the neck make my hair stand up. which is saying something...

_________________
@audioidkid

That's why I said and I like BB King and knew most here would not agree with it from technical standpoint. I like listening to it.

Much like Spaulding's opinion, I love listening to Tommy Emmanuel. He doesn't "rock" like some mentioned here but I think he's amazing

_________________
I'm like a carpenter building stairs.......Always thinking one step ahead.

You also need to look at how that guitarist impacted the rest of the guitar playing community. Not my favorite but behind Hendrix, Eddie Van Halen is easily #2. Outside of being INCREDIBLY technically proficient, NOBODY played like him and for years still, many try and sound like him. He completely changed the way people approach playing the guitar and I don't think anyone has had that kind of impact since.

While his music is largely junk food and he seems like a real weirdo, John Mayer is talented and can play very well... he just unfortunately knows that chicks like pop songs.

I fully reailize many are Page fans, he just falls way short on my list. I like him, but there are many others I like more. My personal favs are guys I hear play one note and I instantly know who it is... Jimi, Angus, Randy Rhoads, EVH, Ty Tabor, BB King, Ace Frehley.

Also, moment of silence for Chicago's very own Son Seals... this man LIVED the blues and could rip it up. His "Live and Burning" CD from 1978 is a must have.

_________________

Tommy Emmanuel is great. Like most "best-of" lists, that list has weirdnesses in it. Les Paul and Knopfler rated as lowly as that? Dickie Dale? I was expecting to see Carl Wilson somewhere, after seeing that...

_________________
Middle Aged Crazy, like Uncle Terry

fuck guitarists. where are the lists for best organ players at?!

that list begins and ends with me...I play a mean organ...

Fixed.

_________________

You're on it again, Frank. Ray Manzarek, a St. Rita and DePaul product, set the tone for the Doors. Very few rockin' bands were influenced primarily by the keyboard player. Raymond Daniel also wrote and organized... and babysat the unpredictable frontman. You have knowledge beyond your years, F.C.

And wrote a killer intro for Krieger's hit tune in a matter of 28 seconds!

_________________

Oh...I was thinking of a different kind of organ...sorry...

Anton Bruckner was probably the greatest of all time.

_________________
Fire Phil Emery

i think this is a different discussion. b/c then guys like robert johnson, django reinhardt, elvis, the beatles, and angus young are qualified for the discussion.
i don't think best guitarist should ever be tied to impact or album sales, but that's just me.

most influential guitarist is a different poll:
robert johnson
kurt kobain
eddie van halen
tommy iommi
the beatles
ace frehley.
etc..

guitarist that stirs the most emotion in you:
jimmy page
jimi hendrix
b.b. king
SRV

BEST is the guy that could play anybody's stuff and do it as good if not better, with a similar feel and sound...

_________________
@audioidkid

yngwie malmsteen!!

keep it

YOU keep it.

but I never had it to begin with, so how can I keep it?

actually i never had it either, so how can *I* keep it?

so if you don't have it, and I don't have it, who has it?

Agreed.

_________________