The Top 100 Guitarists Of All Time

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Welcome To The Top 100 Guitarists Of All Time!

I was browsing the internet and stumbled across Rolling Stone Magazine's Top 100 Guitarists of All Time. I'll admit I didn't agree with it and I wasn't the only one.

Examples being; Eddie Van Halen was ranked #70. This is a man who defined the electric guitar. Many styles of electric guitar were created by him. He did things with a guitar that other people could only envy. How can he be a worse guitarist than Kurt Cobain (#12)?! Cobain probably wasn't even the best guitarist in Nirvana!

Slash (one of the most notable guitarists of all time for sure!) wasn't even on the list.

This is only my opinion but that's what these lists are. Opinions. A "panel of experts" may not always get it right. So now, you, the public, the people who create these superstars, the people who acknowledge the ability of these players, get the vote.

It took a while to think of 100 Guitarists I thought were worthy. My friend Ryan (a guitarist) and I (vocalist) sat for about 4 hours trying to come up with 100 names who we thought should make the list. We based it on influence, charisma, ability, style, definition and popularity. Now we know we're not the "panel of experts" that selected the top 100 for Rolling Stone Magazine but I think we did a good job... =]

BUT... That's up to you to decide. If you think a different guitarist should be added. Add them and vote for them!

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The Best Guitarists Of All Time 

Get Voting!

This appears to have caused quite a stir on a specific forum so I should make this clear; this is a vote. Logged in Squidoo members can vote.

If you haven't got an account, I highly recommend you make one. Click *this link*, you can make pages (called lenses) about (almost) anything you want.

Happy Voting!

Slash

Guns N' Roses, Slash's Snakepit and Velvet Revolve more...32 points

Jimi Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix Experience32 points

Eddie Van Halen

Van Halen28 points

Eric Clapton

Yardbirds, Cream, Derek & The Dominos23 points

Carlos Santana

Santana23 points

Jimmy Page

Yardbirds, Led Zeppelin and The Firm22 points

Kirk Hammett

Metallica22 points

Stevie Ray Vaughan

Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble19 points

Joe Satriani

Soloist19 points

10

Steve Vai

Whitesnake18 points

11

Angus Young

ACDC16 points

12

Pete Townshend

The Who15 points

13

Tony Iommi

Black Sabbath12 points

14

B.B. King

Soloist12 points

15

Neal Schon

Journey12 points

16

Brian May

Queen11 points

17

George Harrison

The Beatles and Traveling Wilburys11 points

18

Randy Rhoads

Quiet Riot11 points

19

Yngwie Malmsteen

Rising Force10 points

20

Mark Knopfler

Dire Straits10 points

21

John Petrucci

Dream Theater and Liquid Tension Experiment10 points

22

Dimebag Darrell

Pantera, Damageplan and Rebel Meets Rebel10 points

23

Synyster Gates

Avenged Sevenfold10 points

24

Tom Morello

Rage Against The Machine, Audioslave and The Night more...9 points

25

Buckethead

Guns N' Roses, Soloist and Collaborator9 points

26

Frank Zappa

Soloist9 points

27

David Gilmour

Pink Floyd8 points

28

Ritchie Blackmore

Deep Purple, Rainbow and Blackmores Night8 points

29

The Edge

U28 points

30

Keith Richards

The Rolling Stones8 points

31

Adrian Smith

Iron Maiden8 points

32

Jeff Beck

The Yardbirds and Soloist8 points

33

Zack Wylde

Black Label Society8 points

34

Eric Johnson

Soloist7 points

35

Dave Mustaine

Metallica and Megadeth7 points

36

Phil Keaggy

Soloist7 points

37

Matthew Bellamy

Muse7 points

38

Mick Mars

Motley Crue7 points

39

Alex Lifeson

Rush7 points

40

Joe Perry

Aerosmith6 points

41

Don Felder

The Eagles6 points

42

Chuck Berry

Soloist6 points

43

Sir Paul McCartney

The Quarrymen & The Silver Beetles, The Beatle more...6 points

44

Marty Friedman

Megadeth6 points

45

Ace Frehley

Kiss5 points

46

John Frusciante

Red Hot Chilli Peppers5 points

47

Les Paul

Soloist and Inventor5 points

48

Herman Li

Demoniac and DragonForce5 points

49

Steve Morse

Deep Purple5 points

50

Paul Gilbert

Racer X and Mr. Big5 points

51

Jack White

The White Stripes and The Raconteurs5 points

52

Django Reinhardt

Soloist5 points

53

Chet Atkins

Soloist and Producer5 points

54

Steve Miller

Steve Miller Band and Soloist5 points

55

Lemmy

Hawkwind and Motorhead5 points

56

C.C.Deville

Poison5 points

57

Steve Clarke

Def Leppard5 points

58

Richie Sambora

Bon Jovi4 points

59

Duane Allman

Allman Brothers Band and Derek & The Dominos4 points

60

Robert Johnson

Soloist4 points

61

Johnny Ramone

The Ramones4 points

62

Dave Murray

Iron Maiden4 points

63

Ry Cooder

Captain Beefheart (Now Primarily Soloist)4 points

64

Dave Navarro

Jane's Addiction, Deconstruction, Red Hot Chilli P more...4 points

65

Jerry Garcia

Grateful Dead4 points

66

Rick Nielsen

Cheap Trick4 points

67

Nancy Wilson

Heart4 points

68

Uli Jon Roth

Scorpions3 points

69

Dave Davies

The Kinks3 points

70

Noel Gallagher

Oasis3 points

71

Jonny Greenwood

Radiohead3 points

72

Jose Feliciano

Soloist3 points

73

Michael Angelo Batio

Nitro3 points

74

Allan Holdsworth

Level 42 and Soloist3 points

75

Marc Bolan

T. Rex3 points

76

Mick Thomson

Bodypit and Slipknot3 points

77

Prince

Soloist3 points

78

Jan Ackerman

Focus3 points

79

Johnny Winter

Soloist3 points

80

Michael Schenker

Scorpions, UFO, MSG and Contraband2 points

81

Dan Donegan

Vandal and Disturbed2 points

82

Vivian Campbell

Dio, Whitesnake and Def Leppard2 points

83

Steve Cropper

The Mar-Keys and The Blues Brothers Band2 points

84

Steve Jones

Sex Pistols, The Professionals, Chequered Past, Ne more...2 points

85

Mick Jones

The Clash2 points

86

Dave Matthews

Dave Matthews Band2 points

87

John McLaughlin

Mahavishnu Orchestra and Soloist2 points

88

Steve Lukather

Toto1 point

89

Jeff Hannemann

Slayer1 point

90

Paul Weller

The Jam and The Style Council1 point

91

Ed O'Brien

Radiohead1 point

92

Josh Homme

Kyuss and Queens Of The Stone Age1 point

93

Phil Collen

Def Leppard1 point

94

Hank Marvin

The Shadows1 point

95

Glen Tipton

The Flying Hat Band and Judas Priest1 point

96

Richard Thompson

Fairport Convention and Soloist1 point

97

Jeff Baxter

Steely Dan and The Doobie Brothers1 point

98

Robert Cray

Robert Cray Band1 point

99

Leo Kottke

Soloist1 point

100

Bumblefoot

Guns N' Roses1 point

101

Andres Segovia

Soloist1 point

102

Bill Frisell

Soloist1 point

103

John Squire

The Stone Roses0 points

104

Ronnie Wood

Faces and The Rolling Stones0 points

105

Kelly Jones

Stereophonics0 points

106

Blues Saraceno

Poison and Transmission OK0 points

107

Brian Bell

Weezer, Space Twins and The Relationship0 points

108

Mike McCready

Pearl Jam0 points

109

James Burton

Soloist0 points

110

Merle Travis

Soloist0 points

111

Don Rich

Soloist0 points

112

Daniel Lanois

0 points

113

Oscar Castro-Neves

Soloist0 points

114

Billy McLaughlin

Soloist0 points

115

Adrian Legg

Soloist0 points

116

Daron Malakian

System Of A Down and Scars On Broadway0 points

117

Jason Becker

Soloist0 points

118

George Lynch

Dokken, Lynch Mob and Souls Of We0 points

119

Tony Palacious

Guardian0 points

120

Mark Tremonti

Creed, Alter Bridge0 points

121

Kaki King

Soloist0 points

The Greatest Guitar Solo? 

As per request of the people. I bring you a Youtube Plexo. Here are some of the greatest guitar solos ever!

Eruption Guitar Solo--Eddie Van Halen 5 points

Cliffs of Dover 4 points

Led Zeppelin Stairway to Heaven - Live in O2 Arena 2007 3 points

Jimi Hendrix - All Along The Watchtower Live! Isle Of Wight 3 points

Carlos Santana- EUROPA 3 points

Comfortably Numb 2 points

John Petrucci - Glasgow Kiss - G3 2005 2 points

frank zappa goes insane on the 'montana' improv 2 points

Stevie Ray Vaughan- Little Wing Live 1 point

10

Queen - Brighton rock 0 points

Top 100 Guitarists Links 

100 Top Rock Guitarists
This list has been compiled using ratings of impact, influence, creativity, versatility, originality, technical skill and lasting
popularity.
Rolling Stone Magazine's 100 Top Guitarists
The one that kicked off this lens!

The Jimi Hendrix Duel! 

He ranked #1 in the Rolling Stone Magazine Top 100 but...

Is Jimi Hendrix Over-rated?

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Yes

cindycc says:

Completely over-rated!!

EditionH says:

Yes,definitely. The new generation is much further in their music and in their ways to follow a career as musicians too.
My favorites from today are John Scofield,Pat Metheny,Bill Frisell,Wolfgang Muthspiel and Boris Stankewitz(check him out on Myspace).

HPR says:

He did always admire the playing of Phil Kagey

deedlebug says:

JIMI HENDRIX WAS GREAT IN HIS ERA BUT I'D HAVE TO SAY SLASH IS THE BEST GUITARIST I'VE EVER HEARD IN MY ENTIRE LIFE.

SimeyC says:

He was very revolutionary and unique, for that the answer has to be YEs.

Roxy_Calamari says:

He had a wild new sound. For the times, he was an innovator with guitar effects. Technically, Vai, Satriani, and Petrucci are the current kings. (Check out Opeth's Mikael Akerfeldt...an excellent guitarist.

The_Homeopath says:

Jimi's great and all, but I think a lot of the mystique and praise comes from his death.

MadMadAli says:

yep, brian may is better!

kirtok says:

Hendrix is a great player, but my vote goes to Yngwie Malmsteen.

miragana says:

It is cool dude like your lens. Very informative.

LaraineRose says:

He may be a very good guitar player but just not my style. I like Stevie Ray Vaughn.

theshinydude says:

It is hard to fit him in any sort of conventional rating system. I think that alone is reason enough not to be considered "over-rated".

GeminiSky says:

I think he was a good guitarist but he was a more interesting and innovative as a performer than a totally amazing guitarist.

I just learned recently that he was Bi-polar. That explains the self-medicating with drugs.

CrypticFragments says:

I'm not personally a Hendrix fan. Yes, he was innovative, but to me it's a lot of discordant and very unpleasant sounds...

to each their own!

EelKat says:

I would say he must be simply cause I keep hearing everyone talk about him, but I have no idea who he is! He's before my time, I guess.

No

PHIL832 says:

Definately not!.He was way ahead of time,even now,had he lived he would still be #1.Many other great musicians have been influenced by him and his music.He was the first real icon of the electric guitar.

Heather426 says:

no, not at all...untouchable is more like it

Pyronaut says:

I agree with the below that santana is over rated. He is good, but he is old good. Plenty of guitarists that i would put ahead of him.

Hendrix is in no way over rated. If you try and play his songs on guitar you know how good he is. its just notes all over the place that make up the song. And they are notes that if you miss them out the song sounds COMPLETELY wrong.

metallica1 says:

Jimi Hendrix is not over-rated. In fact, I think Carlos Santana is over rated

Marcarr says:

If he had lived longer, or if he would be alive, we probably would not ask this question. Time stopped for him. He was a guitarist of most unbelievable NATURAL DIVERSITY.

dkdaniel says:

Andres Segovia should be number one, but perhaps Squidoo readers are too young to be familiar with his virtuosity?

sirkeystone says:

Absolutely. He had the monster guitarists of his time, ducking for cover. He was a recording genius. Just sit down and think about all of the tunes that some people have thought other bands did first, that were Hendrix songs. That and the pioneering effects? Stuff that he did with reel to reel tapes and a few stomp boxes, that we have to have computer controlled processors to do now.

lifelongfitness says:

John Petrucci, Paul Gilbert, Joe Satriani get my vote, and definately are top 10 material

ieujon48 says:

A true innovator - fantastic! What about Larry Carlton and Lee Ritenour for your list? Larry Carlton's solo on 'Kid Charlemagne' is one of the best solos ever!

SteevieJ says:

Jimi Hendrix was a Pioneer of his day. The World of Music would be a totally different place had he not emerged. He`s an Icon

DJBiggDogg says:

No, and anyone that says he is has probably never heard him live. There were so many live and unrecorded events that he played that many of us may have missed due to age.

Jerrod541 says:

Personally, no. But Hendrix has influenced lots of great guitarists to follow, so there must be something to it.

RootOctavarium says:

Never was a big fan of Hendrix. That being said, almost every great guitar player has been influenced by him. So.. not over-rated.

El_Comando says:

Of course not. He might not have been the cleanest but he was fantastic. Machine Gun, Stone Free, Hear My Train a Comin', Little Wing, please folks. You can say that he is not your favorite, but I'm sure that if you ask your favorite guitarist he'll be the first one to tell you that Hendrix is NOT over rated.

swimswithfishes says:

In his day, Hendrix was king! Saw him 5 times and the first 3 times he was unreal! Last two times he was not so great as he had a bad drug problem then & was smacked out and kept forgetting the song etc. First time was in "The Music Hall" in Houston, Texas right after "Are You Experienced". The best show ever for Hendrix in my opinion! Cheers! Swims

 
view all 34 comments

Gibson Flying V 

As people were asking...

The Gibson Flying V is the guitar used in my introductory picture.

The first prototypes of the guitar were manufactured in 1957. The were made of korina wood and were designed to take the company in a different direction and demonstrate a more futuristic approach.

This futuristic approach wasn't very well recieved by the public as it was deemed too radical and after the launch in 1958, production ceased in 1959.

Lonnie Mack and Albert King (both soloists) immediately embraced the Flying V and in the mid-60's their faith in the guitar was proven justified after both Dave Davies (The Kinks) and Jimi Hendrix (Jimi Hendrix Experience) adopted the guitar. This generated a lot of extra interest and Gibson re-issued the guitar in 1967.

Since then, the Gibson Flying V (a.k.a. V Factor) has become a cult icon. With the backing of the media, rock legends and the admiration of the public, this is the guitar to have.

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