Whose Your Favorite Guitar Player?

[Crash N' Ride]

Mines Jimmy Page! Altough I love Clapton, Slash, Vai, Van Halen, Hendrix, Jackson, Vaughn, Townsend, King, Richards, ohhhh an so many more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

- Nick

[Delirious Nomad]

wow...........where to begin?
Favorite???? Depends on the mood.

When I'm looking for style, when I'm looking for someone to make the quitar "cry", I like SRV, David Gilmore, Gary Moore....sometimes Dave Meniketti (Y&T)when he plays his blues.

When I'm looking for technical ability........Yngwie Malmsteen. Vai, Alex Skolnick (Testament), Eddie VH, and Nuno Bettencourt (EVH Clone) are good also.

Someone that can make the guitar do anything. EVH. I'm convinced the guy can make his guitar do his laundry. Also Tom Scholtz of Boston.

Unique styles? I like Vitto Bratta (White Lion), Ronnie Le Tekro (TNT), Warren De Martini (Ratt), Frank Aresti (Fates Warning) and Eric Johnson. There's no mistaking these guys when they play.

Rhythm guitarists? Dave Mustaine (Megadeth).

Other guitarists that I can't really put at the top of any category, but I enjoy greatly.....Randy Jackson, Joe Satriani, George Lynch, Akira Takasaki (Loudness), Dimebag Darrell (Pantera), Randy Rhoades (RIP), Nigel Tufnel, and especially Rik Emmett............

whew........................................:eek:

What was the question?

[Delirious Nomad]

Oh yeah.
Favorite technical - Yngwie Malmsteen
Favorite unique style - Vitto Bratta
Favorite all around - EVH
Favorite metal - Dimebag Darrell
Favorite blues - SRV
Favorite easy listening - Rik Emmett
crap..............somebody stop me.........:mad:

[RandyJ4ever]

Well I reeeeeeeeeally like Jimmy Page and Jimi Hendrix!!!!!!! But I just love Randy so much that he's got to be my favorite!!!! And George Harrison too of course!

[Don Wishon]

'easy listening' - Rik Emmett?

I would not classify Rik Emmett as 'easy listening'. EVH as 'rock' and Rik Emmett as 'all around' - he can play the blues, jazz, classical, rock...you name it, Rik can play it ('cept for some of Gil Moore's songs, ha ha, but not really a joke).

I do not think I can provide a complete list, even a small one, since I would not want to overlook someone. I have always enjoyed Rik's work, with Triumph and solo, and watching him perform solo in Dallas a couple of years ago was simply mesmerizing.

Randy Jackson has an extraordinary amount of talent and seems to be overlooked (except on a Zebra Message Board) when I read discussions on this topic. You always see the same names at the top of everyone's list - Van Halen, Clapton, Beck, Hendrix, Page, etc.

Anyway, nice to see a mention of Eric Johnson - 'Ah Via Musicom' is a classic!

I will let the rest of you guys battle it out amongst yourselfs on this topic.

[macca]

This is a bump of an old topic, but I can't list just one.....too many styles and types of music. Lets see if my memory is still good....

Les Paul
Rod Price
Jeff Beck
Eric Johnson(the tonemaster......can play ANY style of music)
EVH
****ey Betts(Allman dropped the ball "firing" him)
Randy Jackson
Steve Morse
Robbie McIntosh
Laurence Juber
Joe Satriani
Steve Vai
Randy Rhodes

[Delirious Nomad]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Don Wishon
[B]'easy listening' - Rik Emmett?

I would not classify Rik Emmett as 'easy listening'. EVH as 'rock' and Rik Emmett as 'all around' - he can play the blues, jazz, classical, rock...you name it, Rik can play it




agreed.....but when I say "all around", I don't mean what they can "PLAY" or how diverse they are, I'm more talking about what they can DO with the guitar. EVH can do whatever he wants with the guitar. He can pull any sound from that thing. Again, I think he could make his guitar clean his garage if he wanted to.

Granted Rik can play ANYTHING, jazz, blues, etc.....
When I say Rik is my favorite "easy listening", I mean that if I were to listen to easy listening, Rik's latest releases (especially Handiwork) is as easy listening as it gets. Of course his older stuff is not.:D I have everything that Rik has released and all of them are distinctly different. He is clearly the most diverse guitarist, proficient in every area, that I've heard. EJ ranks up there too in this category. There's just too many categories to pick an ultimate fav.

There will be lots of disagreements on this topic when "definitions" are confused. :)
Hell,.....everyone's got their own reasons to like/dislike guitarists and talent may have nothing to do with it.:p

It's all just opinion.:D

[GuitarPLYR]

Originally posted by Delirious Nomad
Someone that can make the guitar do anything. EVH. I'm convinced the guy can make his guitar do his laundry.

That's funny! Has anyone seen the footage of Edward backstage playing for the camera? He tells them that his guitar is really an elephant. Then, with his volume off, hits about 3 or 4 notes mixed in with some harmonics, turns the volume up and it sounds EXACTLY like a friggin elephant!
INCREDIBLE!

[Doorman]

I would have to say David St. Hubbins and Nigel Tuffnel. ESPECIALLY on "Lick My Love Pump"!

[Delirious Nomad]

Originally posted by GuitarPLYR


That's funny! Has anyone seen the footage of Edward backstage playing for the camera? He tells them that his guitar is really an elephant. Then, with his volume off, hits about 3 or 4 notes mixed in with some harmonics, turns the volume up and it sounds EXACTLY like a friggin elephant!
INCREDIBLE!

I've seen that, too!
Incredible is an understatement!!!
Close your eyes and you would never know it wasn't a real elephant.

[Delirious Nomad]

Originally posted by Doorman
I would have to say David St. Hubbins and Nigel Tuffnel. ESPECIALLY on "Lick My Love Pump"!

But only when it's played in D..................Moy-na:D

[chinarain62]

Let's see...for me.....in no order


George Lynch (Dokken)
Steve Vai
Joe Satriani
Randy Jackson
Warren DiMartini

[Crash N' Ride]

Eddie Van Halen is nothing compared to Steve Vai! Eddie is amazing but Vai has complete control over his guitar. The man can do barrel roles while playing his guitar! He can do everything Eddie can and more! He was a better showman to but Eddie was unbelivable at that as well! Just my 2 cents!


P.S.: Steve is from Long Island, that helps to!

- Nick

[jennbo]

SRV
joe satriani
neil schon
steve vai
randy (of course)
james taylor
jimmy page
randy rhoades
phil keaggy
alex lifeson

[GuitarPLYR]

Originally posted by Crash N' Ride
Eddie Van Halen is nothing compared to Steve Vai! Eddie is amazing but Vai has complete control over his guitar. The man can do barrel roles while playing his guitar! He can do everything Eddie can and more! He was a better showman to but Eddie was unbelivable at that as well! Just my 2 cents!


P.S.: Steve is from Long Island, that helps to!

- Nick

While your opinion is always welcome, I don't believe control with Eddie was ever an issue. Didn't you read the earlier posts? He can make elephant screams come out of his guitar for Christ's sake!!!! Take a listen to "Women In Love" and "Mean Street" to hear some incredible harmonics work. Steve Vai is an awesome guitar player, no doubt about it. Saying that Eddie is nothing compared to him is not true though. Eddie is something compared to ANYONE. Whether he is better or not, he can hold his own against anybody.

[Crash N' Ride]

Originally posted by GuitarPLYR


While your opinion is always welcome, I don't believe control with Eddie was ever an issue. Didn't you read the earlier posts? He can make elephant screams come out of his guitar for Christ's sake!!!! Take a listen to "Women In Love" and "Mean Street" to hear some incredible harmonics work. Steve Vai is an awesome guitar player, no doubt about it. Saying that Eddie is nothing compared to him is not true though. Eddie is something compared to ANYONE. Whether he is better or not, he can hold his own against anybody.

That's very true but Vai took everything Eddie did and took it to the next level! I know every Van Halen song! I LOVE VAN HALEN and I think EDDIE IS AMAZING! But he is not the best! Watch the Yankee Rose video. Vai held the guitar ina 1 hand and plays. On stage he would swing the guitar around his neck and catch it. That tap thing that Eddie invented, well Vai did and enhanced it! When I said Vai had total control over his guitar I mean he plays the guitar like it was part of his body. Eddie is unbelievable but anything eddie can do steve can do and he does it better! That's all I am sayin'. But your right Eddie can be compared to Steve Vai. But Vai will always "out-duel" him in the battle of the guitarist! Later.

- Nick

[Crash N' Ride]

But then again there are better guitar player's then Eddie Van Halen and Steve Vai and there names are Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and Jimmy Page!!!!! But that's a different story.

- Nick

[Delirious Nomad]

I think over time new guitarists will learn from the older ones and then add to it (except for today's guitarists that admire the older ones, pick up a guitar and learn to play just well enough to play a catchy tune and make millions. Find me a guitarist from today's generation that actually has a rippin lead in it.)

Vai learned from Eddie, Eddie learned from Clapton, and on down the line.
Whereas EVH is not my "favorite" guitarist. I would put him up against anyone, even Vai (whom I love).
The difference is that EVH has never been real flashy. I don't think he's ever felt the need to play a duel right/left handed guitar, or paint his guitar hot pink with vines on it, or wear the diamond studded leather with scarves, or twirl the guitar behind his back (ala CC Deville, Carlos Cavaso, and Reb Beache). I'll put my money that EVH could do whatever anyone else could.
I don't think anyone could say that there's something that EVH "can't" do.
I would love to see a duel.
EVERYBODY WINS in that match :D

[macca]

Of The 3 Yardbirds guitarists(Beck, Clapton, Page) Beck wins hands down. When Jeff Beck is on, he can't be touched. Luckily, the last time I saw him at HOB, he was VERY on. Not bad for a guy using one pedal, stock Fender amp and guitar.

[Crash N' Ride]

Originally posted by macca
Of The 3 Yardbirds guitarists(Beck, Clapton, Page) Beck wins hands down. When Jeff Beck is on, he can't be touched. Luckily, the last time I saw him at HOB, he was VERY on. Not bad for a guy using one pedal, stock Fender amp and guitar.

Heck yea! Jeff Beck is definetly one of THE GREATEST! There are so many though! :D Clapton and Page are amazing too!

- Nick

[Crash N' Ride]

Stacy Mitchart is an amazing guitarist as well!

- Nick

[RobertDLG]

Originally posted by GuitarPLYR
That's funny! Has anyone seen the footage of Edward backstage playing for the camera? He tells them that his guitar is really an elephant. Then, with his volume off, hits about 3 or 4 notes mixed in with some harmonics, turns the volume up and it sounds EXACTLY like a friggin elephant!
INCREDIBLE! Yes, I've seen that footage. It is indeed incredible.

The last time I considered the issue of my all-time favorite guitarist, I concluded that it was Steve Howe.

Other favorites: Rik Emmett, Gary Moore, Alex Lifeson, George Lynch, and, of course, Randy Jackson. I've seen them all live, too, except for Gary Moore.

[Mak Rackett]

Originally posted by Crash N' Ride
Mines Jimmy Page! Altough I love Clapton, Slash, Vai, Van Halen, Hendrix, Jackson, Vaughn, Townsend, King, Richards, ohhhh an so many more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

- Nick

I know he ain't the best but I LOVE Slash!!!!!!!!!!!

- Mike

[earl]

Theres only one Guitarplyr his name is Scott he's married to Jen

[Chara]

The Edge

[Wakddood]

It's hard to say who's better because each guy has his own style, just because
it's different doesn't mean it's better.
I've read some good players so far but there's a few missing. But first the ones I agree with. Yngwie, Randy (Rhoades and Jackson), Phil Keaggie (I was surprised to see his name), George Lynch, Clapton, Page, Beck,to name a few. Now here's some more, Kirk Hammett, Chris DeGarmo, Tony Iommi, Joe Walsh, Jerry Cantrell, Zakk Wylde,K.K. Downing, Viv Campbell. I could go on some more but that's enough for now. time for a new thread, Best singers.

[jennbo]

there was a thread called 'singers who still have it', or something like that, lurking around somewhere......

jimi hendrix was once asked, 'how does it feel to be the best guitar player in the world?'
his answer was, 'i don't know, ask phil keaggy' :cool:

[Crash N' Ride]

RANDY JACKSON! HE IS UNBELIEVABLE! HE CAN HOLD HIS OWN WITH THE BEST OF EM'!!!!!

- Nick

[Wakddood]

and he can sing too, Very Well. After all these years he still has it.

[Don Wishon]

Nice mention of Joe Walsh...pretty underrated. Solid musician, great songwriter.

[macca]

Wish Walsh would crank up another solo tour....last time he played here at HOB, he was on fire and played like a maniac! Meeting him after the show and getting stuff signed didn't hurt either......:)

[Hugh_Bond]

I LOVE Joe Walsh. (Is it wrong???) He's one of those guys who knows how to express feeling and isn't about demonstrating how many notes he can cram into each measure.

I'm sure all you guys are sick of hearing me talk about Dave Davies so I'll just say he's in that category, too.

My buddy, Steve Harnack, is possibly my favorite guitarist of all time. He hasn't done anything that any of you would have heard but he's really amazing. It saddens me that he never caught the big break he deserved. He's in his 50s now and playing in a disco cover band so I don't think it'll ever happen. As unbelievable as this may sound, he even makes disco enjoyable!

[Crash N' Ride]

Santana awesome as well!!!!!!!

- Nick

[macca]

That must be between Carlos' preaching of "One World" before and after every damn song.

[pale rider]

Gotta go with Leslie West

[Hugh_Bond]

Peter Green! NO other British guitarist could hold a candle to him when it comes to blues.

[pale rider]

How about Ritchie Blackmore????????

[Hugh_Bond]

Originally posted by pale rider
How about Ritchie Blackmore????????

KILLER lead guitarist but hardly an authentic blues player like Green.

One of my fave Blackmore tracks is "The Mule" off Fireball.

[Dawnie_Rock]

My vote goes to Brother Joe!!!!!

[pale rider]

Rory Gallagher???????

[Hugh_Bond]

Dot Wiggin of The Shaggs (http://www.shaggs.com)??? ;)

[pale rider]

Jan Akkerman of Focus

[Hugh_Bond]

Originally posted by pale rider
Jan Akkerman of Focus

"Hocus Pocus" RULES!!!

[Dawnie_Rock]

Scary song....
:(

[pale rider]

Originally posted by Dawnie_Rock
Scary song....
:(

I was waiting for you to say that!!

[Hugh_Bond]

Originally posted by Dawnie_Rock
Scary song....
:(

Scary good! Screaming guitars, yodeling and accordion! It's a one-stop shop for all your musical needs!!!

[Dawnie_Rock]

And don't forget the scary Fred Mertz-like whistling.....
:(

[pale rider]

How bout Billy Gibbons???

[Hugh_Bond]

Scary???

[pale rider]

Alvin Lee????

[Hugh_Bond]

Originally posted by pale rider
Alvin Lee????

Elliot Easton of the Cars is awesome. Really!!!

[pale rider]

Originally posted by Hugh_Bond


Elliot Easton of the Cars is awesome. Really!!!

Hughie Thomasson of The Outlaws is great too!!!!!

[Hugh_Bond]

Originally posted by pale rider


Hughie Thomasson of The Outlaws is great too!!!!!

I never heard much Outlaws. I remember a cool version of "Ghost Riders" about 25 years ago.

[GuitarPLYR]

Originally posted by earl
Theres only one Guitarplyr his name is Scott he's married to Jen

Thanks Earl. You truly ARE the man.

Another guitarist who I think is cool is **** Dale. Surf's up!!!!

[hscott]

Here is a list of some of my favorites:

Steve Morse
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Eddie Van Halen
Reb Beach
Steve Vai
Joe Satriani
Eric Johnson
Randy Jackson
Mark Hitt
Jimmy Page

[RockinRob1970]

Originally posted by GuitarPLYR


That's funny! Has anyone seen the footage of Edward backstage playing for the camera? He tells them that his guitar is really an elephant. Then, with his volume off, hits about 3 or 4 notes mixed in with some harmonics, turns the volume up and it sounds EXACTLY like a friggin elephant!
INCREDIBLE!

I remember that! Anybody got that video? Wasn't that footage from the first tour with sammy?

[RockinRob1970]

Coven is good.

Macca: Jeff Beck is a damn good guitarist.

There is so many different great guitarist with their own uniqueness.

Others:

Guitarist for Birds of Fire/Mahavishnu Orch.
Todd Rundgren

Solo on Ozzy's "No more tears"..ahh....pure Les Paul screaming lead. That was one of the best sounding guitar solos.

[macca]

That would be Zak Wylde......VERY nasty tone on that whole song!

[RockinRob1970]

Back in '91 I used to play that song and that solo, man it was cool, had a good drummer too. but no more..

[Delirious Nomad]

Originally posted by RockinRob1970


I remember that! Anybody got that video? Wasn't that footage from the first tour with sammy?

That was from 1986.
Here's the audio:

http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Hall/2937/

or

http://www.technology.niagarac.on.ca/people/mboldin/audio/e.wav

I think it's also on the Van Halen official website.

Here's how to do it:

Well its sounds pretty cool if you have a floating bridge
Eddy Van Halen uses it.Its easy really....just hit a harmonic on 5 keep it ringing then hit 7 then 12 ..all on the high E. All the notes combined sounds like one note then you slightly touch the base of the string with the pick..Ever so slightly!!! then pull up hard on the bar...there you go.. Later

..harmonics... touch string .....pull up hard
E |5---7---12----------------------|----------------------------------|
B |-------------------------------|----------------------------------|
G |-------------------------------|----------------------------------|
D |-------------------------------|----------------------------------|
A |-------------------------------|----------------------------------|
E |-------------------------------|----------------------------------|

E |-------------------------------|----------------------------------|
B |-------------------------------|----------------------------------|
G |-------------------------------|----------------------------------|
D |-------------------------------|----------------------------------|
A |-------------------------------|----------------------------------|
E |-------------------------------|----------------------------------|


or this...

You need a Floyd Rose trem or another hard core trem for this. Use distortion. Turn off your volume on your guitar(or volume pedal)then hit any harmonic on your 1st,2nd,and 3rd strings. Push down on your bar a bit and as you turn your volume up pull the bar up too.This sounds just like an elephant if you do it right.


or still another version:

start with volume shutdown,(this may be easier with foot ped) play the 3 harmonics, let them all ring dive down on wah wah bar crank up the volume then smothly release wah wah bar then back down then cut volume.when you get it just right i know it'll put a smile on your face.



Key = all harmonics


E |--------12-----------------------|----------------------------------|
B |-----7--------------------------|----------------------------------|
G |--5-----------------------------|----------------------------------|
D |-------------------------------|----------------------------------|
A |-------------------------------|----------------------------------|
E |-------------------------------|----------------------------------|

E |-------------------------------|----------------------------------|
B |-------------------------------|----------------------------------|
G |-------------------------------|----------------------------------|
D |-------------------------------|----------------------------------|
A |-------------------------------|----------------------------------|
E |-------------------------------|----------------------------------|

[Delirious Nomad]

I don't think the first "how to do it" is right....although I haven't tried it.
I'd go with the 3rd one.

[RockinRob1970]

Next time you're over this way, bring your axe and show us this.

[RockinRob1970]

Hey, that Eruption was pretty cool. Did you make that?

[Delirious Nomad]

Just a little ditty when I was *****ing around:p

[Delirious Nomad]

Crap...I can't do it.:(
Mine sounds more like a dying cat than an elephant.
Eddie's the goods.......

[ryank]

Hey, y'all remember "Tin Machine" with Bowie? I thought i'd mention a lesser known guitarist. >> REEVES GABRELS << I don't think he's with tin machine now, but I saw this guy play live and his lead skills were jaw dropping. It was really amazing. The sound(s) were over the top too.

[Crash N' Ride]

Stacy Mitchhart is AMAZING Blues guitar player. Mainly plays in Tennesee @ Burbon Street Blues and Boogie Bar like 4 or 5 nights a week. In fact I think he's playin' right now! He's got 4 album's. Check him out, you will NEVER regret it!!!!;) www.stacymitchhart.com

- Nick

[Don Wishon]

Nick,

Just don't go posting that on the Led Zep message board...they will get mad at you again...ha, ha...just kidding with ya.