Interesting that Clapton’s name used to be “God” but he seems to be a mere mortal nowdays.
I don’t think their should be competition in artistic processes though.
I agree totally. Different people react to different things in different ways. We are just so lucky to have so much choice! It is interesting to get people’s opinions but at the end of the day, its what turns us on is all that matters.
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I wouldn’t go as far as saying SaintBletch looks a bit silly, but I just have
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Jimi Hendrix for me too. An absolute genius and innovator and showman, he pushed guitar playing to new boundaries. Playing solos with the instrument behind his head, virtually shagging it, playing it with his teeth and coaxing tunes out of a guitar on fire amongst others!!
He played whilst doing lead vocals and had to overcome the ultimate handicap of being left handed 
I give you The Greatest Guitarist EVER.
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Same old tedious, worthy names…making uninspiring shite. Fucking Gary Moore, Jesus!
Of those listed above Johnny Marr and Hendrix do it for me.
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Interesting choices of Johnny Marr and Hendrix, probably at completely different ends of the spectrum. Nothing wrong in that of course!
Very difficult to pick just one, so many great players over the years. I suppose it all depends on what type of music floats your boat. But if i had to nail it down to just one it would have to be the late Roy Buchanan. The man had so much soul and such a wonderful touch. For me this is as good as it gets.
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For those voting for Johnny Marr, there is a guy who he held in high esteem, as did many others in their time. Check him out. His name is Bert Jansch. He was into folk and folk rock rather than using the guitar as a phallus extension so didnt get the headlines, but a quality player all the same.
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I’m surprised there has been no mention of AC/DC yet, and I’m not talking Angus. I’m talking Malcolm. Yes, we can talk about lead guitarists that can make a guitar speak, but few have crafted such memorable riffs and performed them with such accuracy. People that played with him described him as a metronome. Critics of AC/DC’s later work will argue that they didn’t really innovate enough, and it’s telling that they don’t really play that much live that they recorded after the release of Back in Black. Thunderstruck, For Those About To Rock - I think that might be it.
My theory is he mined almost everything available for that style of music. No-one gets to play too many power chords in quick succession without drawing a few comparisons, and for all the talk of the next AC/DC, there hasn’t been one, not even from the band itself.
He’s sadly no longer touring with the band. He’s been suffering from dementia for a bit, and had issues on the last tour. His nephew Stevie Young has replaced him on the current tour.
Enough talk. Riffs that get straight into you. Mr Malcolm Young.
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap. Filthy riff. Suits the song beautifully.
Touch Too Much - highly memorable riff, but never got played in live shows because Brian can’t sing it. Axl is giving it something of a revival.
Live Wire - Spartan, but awesome. A particular example of how Uncle Mal gets so much from so little.
Onstage, seems to be such an unselfish bastard. Avoids the limelight, allowing various other members of his bands to hog it with their playing and singing antics, and providing a framework for others to excel. There are better technical guitar players. I’ve seen Steve Vai play live, and as awesome as he was, the Audience Isn’t Listening to Passion and Warfare. More of them are into AC/DC tunes. Malcolm Young wrote a lot of them.
It’s a moot point really. Music is a personal preference and you can’t really rank guitarists on purely technical ability. Take Ry Cooder for example … Slide guitar, but its all about mood and atmosphere rather than playing scales really quickly.
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There can’t be an objective best, can there?
However the actual objective best is definitely John Fahey, custodian of the American Primitive style, innovator and adventurer.
Although the objective best guitarist is Prince.
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John Renbourne
Listen to his album 9 Maidens and you’ll see why
might be 7 maidens, but I’ve had a couple of shandies…
… Fuck, just realised he doesn’t play electric guitar - but on this album he uses mostly steel strings. Still, good.
Just found this thread .
cant be arsed to read through but hopefully someone’s mentioned the geat JJ Cale. I just love his finger picking laid back style. Magic
Clapton… he is the Delia Smith of guitar heros…
Who said anything about Clapton , I was writing about JJ Cale
Why are you assuming my comment was in respnse to your post?
Want an English Country picker…
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