The guitar is such a special instrument to me. I shame myself for not yet knowing how to play it, and envy those that do (that goes double for piano). I thought we could play tribute to our favourite axe swingers in this thread. My favourite? All hail Lord Satch. He is simply not of this universe: Focus: Guitar players. Who are your favourites and why? Alt. Focus: What is your favourite type of guitar? Explain.
To me a player and a song writer are two different things. Rarely do the two occupy the same space. While Vai could play the balls off anyone, he's not the best song writer. Then again people don't pay him to play Hotel California. They pay him to melt faces. Jerry Cantrell and Travis Meeks can't play anything like that, though they've got way more soul in the tunes. Which is why I like Zakk Wylde. He can write a mean fucking song. I like Wylde's phrasing, tone use of wah on bends. He definitely has his own sound, own style. He can play any style well; very well rounded. The problem most people probably have with him is that he repeats himself. He's been half assing it for a few years. So here he is doing one of everything: chicken pickin', trills, pinch harmonics, etc: Dimebag Darrell's Floods: Fuck Clapton, fuck Richards, Jeff Beck. Hell, screw Jimmy Page. Those fellas are fine, but Blues/rock is owned by The Reverend Billy Gibbons. Dude is just so fucking nasty. Master with a slide too. Really doesn't get enough credit. Even Clapton is deference to him. Bunch of other guys that are great, but this would be a page long post. Alt Focus: ESP for the money. They last, they sound awesome. Really high quality fiddle. Especially if you want to play rock/metal. I've had an Explorer ESP for 14 fucking years and it sounds the same as when it came out of the case. If you're doing blues, I'd say a Gibson or a Gibson hollow body. Epiphones from Gibson aren't too hot, but LTD by ESP are pretty great for cheaper. Acoustics, you don't have to spend a fuck load for a really decent one. Martin and Taylor make impeccable, warm, resonating guitars. But Washburn, Ibanez, and a couple no names I've dicked with were damn near as capable. The price of the latter is $200-500, while the former are $1500-$2000. Sooooo...
I love acoustics and own a Seagull and a Fender. I also own a Fender electric, but I love the fast paced fingering with an acoustic. Bluegrass isn't always bearable, but those fuckers are fast.
This man is very obviously deranged (he uses a hand puppet when talking in interviews) but does things with a guitar I didn't know possible. The first time I ever heard of him, he came out on stage with Primus at a show and brought the house down. Absolute prodigy.
Yeah, its a bit prog-rockish for this board but, John Petrucci is seriously fucking talented, especially the Flight of the Bumblebees portion:
Not guitar guitar but Bass guitar. There can't be a thread like this without the one and only Cliff Burton, Metallica's original bassist. I still get emotional listening to this dude.
Without a doubt, my favourite guitarist is John Frusciate. This song has one of his better solos: This is another good song: I like some of his work as a solo artist, but greatly prefer when he is with the Red Hot Chili Peppers. At live performances he plays new guitar solos for songs, which makes him exciting to listen to. Here is an example The outro solo for this was also great. Unfortunately, he quit the band last year. The Chilis won't be the same without him.
Absolutely. It was a pity that he actually got better when he sobered up, and then *BAM* dies in a helicopter crash. High Stevie: Sober Stevie:
Zakk Wylde as shown above is my favorite metal guitarist. Angry tone yet clean. Truly metal. Stevie Ray Vaughan just made a guitar speak and sing. Every note just has soul. The best of BB King and Clapton rolled into one. Steve Vai has always been my favorite for pushing the envelope of what is possible on a guitar. Very technical. Similar in ways to Satriani, Eric Johnson and Malmsteen among others, but I've always preferred Vai over the others. Live version of a great song of his, Touching Tongues Studio Version which is very layered with some nice effects. When this came out I had never heard anything like it. Was eye opening for me. Robert Fripp. I've always loved King Crimson and 60's and 70's progressive rock and he's always been very forward thinking with how he plays the instrument. Frippertronics is out there. John McLaughlin is also pretty remarkable. The stuff he did with the Mahavishnu Orchestra and even with Miles Davis with jazz-rock fusion. I love guitar, grew up playing bass and a little guitar, but never was great at it. Graphic arts were more my talent. Just always have appreciated any and all who excel on six and even four strings. I'll put Claypool up there with the best guitar players as he's really used the bass as a lead instrument. He's not the best bass player ever, but one that has played it in ways nobody had before.
I started playing guitar because of Tom Morello and Mike Einziger. "Sick Sad Little World" was my favorite song back in high school, and I still get chills listening to the instrumental breakdown at the end. As far as metal guys go, I'm less impressed by shredding as I am by their songwriting ability. I think shredding is something you naturally pick up on as you keep playing. Being able to play the guitar creatively is something that takes a bit more effort. Right now I'd say Brett Hinds from Mastodon is my favorite, but "Snakes for the Divine" from High on Fire is probably the most devastating opening riff to any CD I own.
This guy was pretty good: Also, David Gilmour. Not as hectic as those posted above, a bit whiny and so fucking good
I'm seconding Zakk Wylde for a few reasons: he's my favourite metal guitarist. I've never heard a louder soloist. Also, his signature Les Paul with the bullseye is my favourite guitar of all. I guess it can only be wielded by experts because of the enormous amount of feedback it produces for that insane sound. Here's the song that absolutely sold me on him (this album in 20 years old now. FUCK.): And some good old fashioned party metal:
Tommy Emmanuel is probably my favorite. Keep in mind this is a one man show. He's playing all the parts you hear. And singing. If you like these, watch him play 'Guitar Boogie' and 'Classical Gas'. I saw him in Charleston a few years ago and it was an awesome show. I have seen Vai, Malmsteen, Eric Johnson, and Satch live and I would rather see Tommy Emmanuel again than any of them. His show felt a lot more personal and the guy doesn't have an ego. I did get to hold up Malmsteen's guitar while he played it, but the dude's ego wouldn't fit inside the building.
This is Thomas Erak, guitarist and lead singer for the Fall of Troy. Although I don't really like this band as much as I used to, Eric Thomas is absolutely brilliant. He is probably one of the most technically proficient and versatile guitarists of all time.
Focus: Kirk Hammett from Metallica. I grew up listening to him play and loved is solo on "One". I know there is some bullshit "rivalry" people have created as to who is better between Dave Mustaine and Kirk Hammett but both are incredible. I personally like Hammett's style better. Alt. Focus: I'm a big fan of Gibson Les Pauls. I love their rich tone and think they look bad ass.