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Posted by: Kristofer Dahl Jan 14 2011, 03:00 PM

As a never ending battle to be crowned king on the guitar, I think it is important to establish starting point. Check out Denes', new lesson "http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/Discover-Hendrix/", then post a reply to this topic.

We all have our favorites, now its time to see who thinks what, and why. We will create a poll with the following weeks results and determine WHO IS THE BEST GUITARIST!?

With your reply please give an explanation of why you choose you specific guitarist. I look forward to you replies.

Posted by: Nielzsz Jan 14 2011, 04:07 PM

It may sound not original, but my guitar hero is Steve vai!
Not only because his incredibly guitar skills and his original and unique ways to (ab)use his wammybar and Wah Wah, But mostly because of his whole additude! His just enjoys what he playes and dont acts cocky. This quite important for me

Posted by: Daniel Realpe Jan 14 2011, 10:21 PM

Yeah, same here, to me Steve Vai is very complete. Great lead guitarist, great rhythms, great cleans, great fx, great composition, showmanship even.

Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Jan 15 2011, 07:36 PM

Hmm, not really sure, in art, there is no best. Every player had "something" special...

Posted by: MonkeyDAthos Jan 15 2011, 07:41 PM

Agree but still im gonna to Steve Vai, i see him as one huge revolutionary of guitar world!

Posted by: Todd Simpson Jan 15 2011, 08:36 PM

Hate to run with the crowd but I have to agree on Vai in general. More than any other contemporay player he seems to combine not only flawless technique but a range of styles, phrasing, and general creativity that sets him apart. There are faster players, there are arguably even more emotive players, but taken on the whole, he is pound for pound one of the most impressive players I've ever heard pick up the instrument.

It's hard to ignore the influence of great players like Hendrix who paved the way for many of techniques/approaches that have become the lingua franca of modern guitar. Also, it's hard to leave out players like Eddy VanHalen who took technique to a new level, or players like Tony McAlpine and Paul Gilbert and even Buckethead for their sheer mastery of the instrument. Not to mention players like Stevie Ray Vaughn who brought blues influence to modern rock/pop carrying on a tradition that started what became "rock and roll". All these players have contributed in a massive way.

It does seem that Vai more than any other player I can think of or know about, embodies the best spirit of so many traditions and in such a unique way that it's hard not to want to crown the man king.

Posted by: jstcrsn Jan 15 2011, 09:04 PM

in reply to an answer in the rock is dead thread
someone said that it doesn't seem that there is anything fresh
so I will go back to the begining with ---Hendrix
the master
so original it makes today music pail in comparison
where would Vai be if he did not have Hendrix's chopes to learn from- where would we all be?
how many years a head of his time was he , I mean this guy got booed opening up for the beatles

Hendrix

Posted by: Mudbone Jan 15 2011, 09:23 PM

Music is highly subjective, and therefore I don't think theres any such thing as being "the best". With that being said, if aliens were to design the ultimate guitarist, it would have to be Steve Vai I don't listen to Steve Vai that much, if at all, but I do recognize he stands alone in the realm of guitar.

According to that logic, The Ford Model T is the greatest car ever. If it wasn't for the Model T, where would the Bugatti Veyron be?

Posted by: Ben Higgins Jan 15 2011, 09:45 PM

I honestly believe I can't give an answer to that question.. as ridiculous as that may seem

I have several guitar players who are at the top for me, but none of them are so complete that everything they've done is good. Eg. you all know I'm a big fan of Marty's playing, but I'm not into everything he's done and like any musician, he had his golden period but then I'm not so sure he currently warrants me voting him the greatest. Same with Schenker, Satriani etc.. I really dig their styles and they've given me so much.. but they've had periods of excellence that only lasted so long. Are they still as great as they were ?? Is their current musical output befitting of being called the greatest ?

On the subject of Senor Vai, I love that man.. I really admire him and his philosophy. I think a lot of people are 'wowed' by the persona of Vai and his guitar craziness.. but as for the actual music itself.. forgetting about the guitar playing, is it really the greatest ever ? Greater than Megadeth ? Greater than VH ?

I might have gone off track, but that's why I can't decide just one

Posted by: Mudbone Jan 15 2011, 11:11 PM

You do make a great point about most virtuoso lead guitarists - aside from their lead playing, the music they play over isn't that interesting.

Posted by: Sollesnes Jan 15 2011, 11:18 PM

And thats why guitarist listen to them, while everyone else listen to pop, rock, metal or jazz

And as Ben brought up Marty.. I agree with what you are saying, but I don't think I have ever heard Marty play something as musical fantastic as the things he is doing now. Looking at his work with various japanese pop artists, he really is, at least for me, bringing something new to the table. His golden period is right now, being an -extremely- profiled artist in Japan, much more than Vai or anyone is here in Europe or America.
Most virtuoso guitarist has really been playing the same stuff over the last 10 years. It is refreshing to hear instrumental guitar playing in pop and techno mixed with metal contexts.

But no, I wouldn't place anyone on top. Music is no competition after all. If it's just about technique, I guess I would put Vai or Buckethead there. Can't see someone else competing for that title

Posted by: fkalich Jan 16 2011, 04:28 AM

All guitar gods bore me quite quickly, I never make if past one song. My favorite guitar tunes are GMC lessons.

My favorite guitarist would be her, or Jimmy Page.

Posted by: maharzan Jan 16 2011, 07:44 AM

The worse thing about music and everything in general is you stay on that top level just for a bit. People want change and its natural. You can't always stay at the top. I have been a die hard fan of Satriani. He is just simply amazing in melodies. Just today I listened to Marco Sfogli and he is on that route for me. I don't know how they are personally but musically, I am absolutely in love with Satriani, Timmons and Sfogli now.

Btw, I just read that Beatles sold 5 million copies of their songs on iTunes alone.. almost half a decade after they disbanded.. isn't that ironic? I bet any new artists sell that much. Whos still on the top?

Posted by: jstcrsn Jan 16 2011, 12:56 PM

you just like to argue , don't you
K ris asked for my reasons so i gave them
as to the usage of the model T--the model T would be relavant if other car companies were still trying to make cars as good as it
sort of like guitarist today still can't play like hedrix
I know many have surpassed him but the fact thatover 40 years later many guitarists still can't master him- have you -
in my mind keeps him relavant

Posted by: Justin Myrick Jan 16 2011, 12:56 PM

I have to say Hendrix. He opened doors that changed both the way we play and the way we listen.

Posted by: Fran Jan 16 2011, 01:18 PM

I'm sure this won't be the most popular option, but I choose Buckethead, even though I find some of his albums are a bit too shreddy, there are others that are just amazing.

Posted by: Mudbone Jan 16 2011, 08:53 PM

You know I'm just messing with you brother man I saw the bait and took it, couldn't help myself

Don't get me wrong though, I think Hendrix is top notch, one of my favorites in fact. I just don't believe in such a thing as the existence of a "best" guitarist.

Posted by: Sean_1234 Jan 16 2011, 09:50 PM

Which is probably true It's like determining the best atlethes: there are multiple disciplines, how can you pick which one is most important? You can't

Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Jan 16 2011, 11:24 PM

Precisely. How can we determine in fact. There must be a "path" to "measure" if you want to determine something, some facts. But, in art, there is no unique path. Each player creates a path on their own. Ask some other player to play some stuff that another guitar player played his whole life, he won't be able to do that very well right?

I like Mr. Vai, he's an awesome guitar player and seems like a nice guy. I like the way he holds his interviews and masterclasses these days, sharing experience and inspires people. But, as he says himself, everybody will have different "thing" going on when becoming a player, some will focus on this, some on this, simply no way to measure that in any way.

Who is the best painter in the world ever? Or greatest composer? Greatest actor? Greatest movie director?

Possibly we can determine all this by the shire size of the work they did, but we cannot say, "this majority of people says he's the best". Even if this is true, minority still has opinion?

Just look at that guy that tries to be the worlds "fastest" guitar player, and plays flight of the bumblebee at 330 or whatever BPM. He can be the fastest, but it looks for comical to put him in the guiness world of records, it's pointless, it's not art anymore, and it looks funny.

Posted by: Kristian Hyvarinen Jan 17 2011, 01:27 PM

I totally agree with Ben and Ivan here... They didn't really leave much to say. Oh well, if I had to name someone, it would be Hendrix, since he never had any formal education in music, yet he still did such a great job playing. And it still sounds awesome. Buckethead is a personal favourite of mine (and for those who believe he can only shred I have two things to say. "Electric tears" and "Population Override". The best albums from the man in my opinion.

Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Jan 17 2011, 01:33 PM

I am the best guitarist in my apartment when i am alone

And out there...hmmm, there is no such thing as "The Best" - if music should somehow become a sport, we could definitely organize competitions and win titles such as: "Alternate picked 32nd notes Speed World Champion" or "Smooth bending World Champion"

what do you guys think?


hugz

Posted by: Sollesnes Jan 17 2011, 04:06 PM

I'm sure there's more famous musicians without formal music education than with.
Population Override is fantastic. The whole album is almost just improvisation

Posted by: thefireball Jan 17 2011, 05:01 PM

Besides Steve Vai, Joe Satriani!!

Posted by: HungryForHeaven Jan 20 2011, 02:07 PM

Perhaps we can ask this guy, he seems to know what he's talking about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiN2G7jODtg&feature=embedded

For all the non-Swedes out there, this is a fake talk show, where one of the guests presents the top 10 heavy metal drummers. Apparently there IS such a thing as "the best" musician.

H4H

Posted by: Kristian Hyvarinen Jan 20 2011, 03:21 PM

Yeah, I actually meant the fact that Hendrix played much more complicated stuff than many other famous guitarists. The stuff he played should have required some serious studying but he didn't. Not to say others aren't great... I'm just saying he was the greatest.