This is a hard one to poll because of opinion, but I'll put in 20 of who people believe are generally the greatest, and an Other option (mention who you think is the best).

Anyway,

I reckon Yngwie is the best guitarist I've heard, and Jimi Hendrixs guitaring is really overrated (I love his music though). Some people like the Metallica guitarists, Santana and BB King I really disagree with putting on that list but hey, a lot of people believe they are the best, so yeah.

Hendrix being "over-rated" is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. The man is in his own league. ART over TECHNIQUE. The guitar was his paint pallet and he bashed the thing to fucking pieces.

He is the greatest, followed directly by Eddie Van Halen, Jimmy Page, Joe Satriani, and Stevie Vai.

hell, Hendrix IS NOT over rated. like Lombardi said, "he's in his own league", and I agree with that. anyway, I voted for Angus Young 'cause I really like him and the AC/DC, but the greatest guitarist ever for me is Tony Iommi. how can he not be in this list?

I love Hendrix and is work, and he was a brilliant guitarist, but I do really think there have been and are better guitarists than him. Maybe not all with as much passion, but I'm meaning the technical side of things.

As for your other choices I totally agree. Well, I haven't heard Van Halen, but the other three are amazing.

Tommy Iommi. I KNEW I was forgetting someone. Dammit.

Hendrix way along at the top. But followed by Brian May and Mark Knopfler.

You just proved my point with the "passion" remark. Technicality means nothing, or close to it, anyway. It's about the artistic aspect, innovation, craft, being unique. Now you can play as fast and as precise as you want to -- but without any of what I just listed, you're nothing.

Hendrix, over-rated? Not even close.

Well, ............ i suppose that Steve Vai is the good choice then. Vai includes all of the above mentioned criteria I voted for Vai.

About Hendrix .......... he was cool and know how to use the Guitar. Overrated .... no! but there are better ones!!

Has anyone else heard Dweezil Zappa, Frank's son, play guitar? I don't think he's actually in a band, but he's incredible.

But I'd say the best ever is Chuck Berry.

Sure i know of him and i like his music a lot.

Rubber band is one of my favorites

Another one of the all time greats is Gary Rossington from Lynyrd Skynyrd. Listening to the man solo is one of the most amazing things in the world. Free Bird? Classic.

I'm interested Lombardi, what do you think of Kurts actual guitaring ability?

I don't reckon he was anything special, but its weird that on a few lists I see him there... it's kinda strange, What do you reckon?

well let me join this discussion

I think Kurt was an awful guitarist and that was one of the greatest things about him. if he was a great guitarist, all Nirvana's style would be affected. obviously he created some great riffs, but that ain't that hard. me with my guitar have made some cool riffs too Johnny Ramone also made a lot of amazing riffs and everyone knows he barely knew how to play. and don't forget, Ramones is my favorite band and Kurt Cobain is maybe the most important figure in my life, I just think he wouldn't join even a top 50 guitar players list. these lists who feature him in higher spots are not judging his playing abilities, even if they claimed to.

I wouldn't say he was "terrible" -- I'd just say he lacked ability. But that's exactly the fitting to Nirvana's music. If he went off into Van Halen like solos, then it'd affect the music -- it wouldn't fit and it'd be less than stellar, to say the least. Technically, no, he wasn't "good." Artistically? One of the most innovative of the 90's. Listen to songs like Radio Friendly Unit Shifter and Milk It, and you'll see what I mean.

yeah if you didn't understand it, that's exatcly what I (tried to) meant.

I really like the riff from "D-7", it was the closest Kurt got from being a "riff master" like Tony Iommi

I knew what you were trying to say -- I just said it better and clearified it. :p

Amen! Vai is the greatest!

I'd say Jimi Hendrix is the greatest single guitarist to ever grace this planet. But my all time favorite is Randy Rhoads. When it came to classical guitar playing, he was the best. Two-handed tapping? Rhoads blew away Edward Van Halen. It was a shame he died so young, so early into his career. R.I.P. RR.

It's hard to pick a solitary "best" of all time. Not even a nomination for Duane Allman or Dickie Betts? No Alvin Lee or Peter Fripp? None of the great session guys are on the list...no Jeff Baxter or Steve Cropper. You stretched with B.B. King for his ability to play the blues but included Willie Nelson as a joke. Why not offer Chet Atkins who is an incredible guitarist though best known as a country artist?

No acoustic virtuosos on the list, like a Leo Kottke, Norman Blake or the early masters? Are you required to "plug-in" and be "famous" to be considered a great guitarist?

I voted for "Other"...

tony b.

just bein' contrary!

p.s. Tony Mosrite has the best last name in this thread...if I could play guitar, I'd play a Mosrite 12 string!

I play guitar, and my biggest inspiration is Randy Rhoads, which is why he's my favorite.

Saying Hendrix is overrated is ridiculous, I agree. I chose Yngwie Malmsteen, if you've ever listened to it, it's amazing. You can say Jimmy Page was the greatest, that's because he was apart of Led Zeppelin. But at the guitar, Yngwie Malmsteen is beast.

Let me ask some of the older folks here where they think Duane Eddy and Dick Dale (who I believe originally performed Miserlou, popular from Pulp Fiction), fall into this category? Do you remember these two guitarists? I know that both where popular in their day. Not really being an expert in this category, are they to be considered among the "greatest", considering in their time guitars were more "simple" and not as advanced as they are today.

I bring this up because after spending the weekend painting and listening to the radio, it was advertised that Dick Dale would be performing in LA and they billed him as one of the greatest guitarist.

I have one album by Eddy (Rebel Rouser, Because They're Young, etc..you guys remember those tunes?)

TIS

Well TIS, Dick Dale is cool and i love his surfstyle music. I saw him perform live a couple of years ago ... the gig was quitte ok ... for an old man

Dick Dale is a fantastic guitarist -- but I don't think he's very versatile. Or maybe I haven't heard enough of his stuff, I don't know.

I'm impressed Cheeks! I sometimes underestimate how knowledgeable some of you young ones are about older music. I just assumed only the old foggies would know who I was talking about.

TIS

i'm not that young anymore TIS

;) Perhaps we can go by our "mental" age then hu?? You know, "you're as young as you feel"??? ha ha..ok, I'm a very young 29!!! The older one gets the truer the ring is to that saying. :p


TIS

Hmm i'm almost on the age live starts at .... if you know what i mean

My personal favourite would be Chuck Schuldiner from Death.

Angus Young all the way man.
No reason to go on about how Hendrix on wiether or not he is over rated it goes with out saying that he isn't.