# Best guitarist of all time? Best solo? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 26, 2003, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-all-time-best-solo/221167 "2003-12-26T22:24:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Ms\_Boods](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@Ms\_Boods](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms_Boods)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2003, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-all-time-best-solo/221167/61 "2003-12-28T16:06:01Z")
Barrueco :smack: He bugs me so much my brain cramped on the spelling of his name. dave davies ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2003, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-all-time-best-solo/221167/62 "2003-12-28T16:08:46Z")
Another Zappa quote that always makes me smile: Of course you realize you won’t be able to hear the organ once we turn the guitars on. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2003, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-all-time-best-solo/221167/63 "2003-12-28T19:41:51Z")
A bit of a subjective question (what defines best?), but if we took “best” to mean “creates walls of sound that make the hairs on your neck stand on end”, I’d suggest **Nick McCabe** , formerly of The Verve. He was wasted on _Urban Hymns_. ---
**Author:** ![frankie\_d](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@frankie\_d](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/frankie_d)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2003, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-all-time-best-solo/221167/64 "2003-12-28T21:00:19Z")
personally i think some of the great solos include steve vai-speed metal symphony. jimi hendrix-red house. jimmy page-since i’ve been lovin you and of course jeff beck- black cat moan with john mayall. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-all-time-best-solo/221167/65 "2003-12-29T14:56:41Z")
Wow - guess I’m a thread killer. No comments on my Hendrix exposition? If not, sorry about that - didn’t mean to kill the thread… ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-all-time-best-solo/221167/66 "2003-12-29T15:29:35Z")
See? No one cares, Wordman! 🙂 I think using the words ‘naivete’ is a little extreme when you’re making an argument that Hendrix is seminal because of the WAY he played? The motion and theatricality? If anything I think that just indicates what impressed you during your impressionable years. > [@](#): > > _Frank Zappa said…_ > > Weedly-weedly-wee, make a face, hold your guitar like it’s your weenie, point it heavenward and look like you’re really doing something. I just can’t take that seriously. Doing all that sort of thing generally indicates the guitarist _lacks_ chops. Sort of like with effects pedals. They’re not called ‘talent enhancers’ for nothing, you know. Now I’m not bringing down Hendrix technical abilities. But there are far better players out there. The previously mentioned Eric Johnson, Mark Knopfler has astounding technique, for one. And he’s dull as crap when seen live. ---
**Author:** ![nickannan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bcef8e/32.png) [@nickannan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nickannan)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-all-time-best-solo/221167/67 "2003-12-29T15:52:46Z")
He always seems to get overlooked but for me it’s Peter Green all the way. His playing defines the less is more ideal, simple lines played beautifully. His best solo? the fleetwood mac cover of ‘Jumpin at Shadows’ from the boston Tea Party show. Also an honorable mention to ‘Need your Love so Bad’ ---
**Author:** ![dav01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8491ac/32.png) [@dav01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dav01)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-all-time-best-solo/221167/68 "2003-12-29T15:53:00Z")
I’m pretty partial to the solo in **Carlos Santana’s** _Samba Pa Ti_. It’s soulful and moving, and speaks to me more than if there were lyrics sung along with it. [slight hijack] At the other end of the spectrum, I’ve always gotten a kick out of the one-note guitar solo in **Katrina and the Waves’** _Walkin’ On Sunshine_. [/slight hijack] ---
**Author:** ![ianzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@ianzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianzin)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-all-time-best-solo/221167/69 "2003-12-29T21:55:37Z")
**Wordman** , I for one very much enjoyed and appreciated your paean to Hendrix. I didn’t agree with all of it, but I salute your sentiments in posting it. Personally, I never feel Hendrix needs any defenders or protestations on behalf of the faithful - I think his work speaks for itself and is the best argument-clinching evidence one can muster. For me it comes down to ‘Nine To The Universe’ and ‘Live at Winterland’. When I hear someone do anything with the axe electric that I think is greater than what JH does on those cuts, I’ll change my vote. Hasn’t happened yet, but it might. Mind you, I’m not going to get in the way between you and **Jonathan Chance** , because JC has been very helpful on another matter so he’s great too. Anyone who not only loves _Cliffs of Dover_ as I do but has also bothered to own the sheet music is one of the Good Guys in my book. I feel I know what it’s like to be Switzerland when there’s a war! ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-all-time-best-solo/221167/70 "2003-12-30T02:45:53Z")
Damn mountains! ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-all-time-best-solo/221167/71 "2003-12-30T02:54:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ccwaterback \* > \*\*The concept of the rock-guitar solo in the eighties has pretty much been reduced to: Weedly-weedly-wee, make a face, hold your guitar like it’s your weenie, point it heavenward, and look like you’re really doing something. Then, you get a big ovation while the smoke bombs go off, and the motorized lights in your truss twirl around!"-- Frank Zappa \*\* Which is exactly why I say, Steve Howe. His work is impeccably clean, very complicated when need be, and interesting. Not all of his work is with **Yes** , although a lot of it is. His skills are daunting, and he’s not a cluttered player. Cartooniverse ---
**Author:** ![sleestak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@sleestak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleestak)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-all-time-best-solo/221167/72 "2003-12-30T03:54:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by WordMan \* > \*\*Again - all great entries. **BBVLou** , as you already know, you and I have similar tastes, at least in terms of guitarists we respect. Steve Morse is pretty much up there. > > For me, one criteria I use as part of rating who is great in my mind is how much they crossed over into the mainstream. Why? I think it relates to how much of a cultural impact they had - if your average square tries to drop their name, clearly an act has crossed over. > > That is why I didn’t mention Steve Morse - absolutely no crossover. Same thing with my personal fave, Jeff Beck - sure, some average citizens may know enough to be able to answer Rock Trivia Question #27 (i.e., which Brit Invasion band spawned three of rocks greatest guitarists and who were they?), but beyond that he has little or no crossover appeal. > > \*\* Snipped. Well, I disagree with the popularity thought for a couple reasons. Let’s take Mr. Morse as an example. It is true that Steve isn’t well known by non-guitarists. At the same time he did play with Kansas, Lynard Skynard and is now in Deep Purple which are all well known bands. But Steve _has_ influenced a large number of guitarists who are well known. I don’t have the issue in front of me but Guitar magazine asked 30 or 40 well known guitarists who there influences were. The top four meantioned, IIRC, were Randy Rhoads, Hendrix, Page and Morse. Morse was meantioned alot by younger players. I think that is more important than how many non-musicians know someones name. The musicians are the ones who are going to take their influences and create new music, not the general public who just buy CDs. In fact I’m willing to bet that alot of lesser know musicians are responsible for alot of cultural changes. Do most people know who King Diamond is? Nope. But King Diamond was a huge influence for Metallica and therefore holds an important place in music history even though he isn’t well known. Same thing with Black Sabbath though Sabbath is fairly well known. [QUOTE] _WordMan said_ **So if the question is just “who has good hands” then players like Morse win hands down, deservedly so. But if you want to include “who opened the door to a new way of thinking - about guitar, about music, about style, about life and its possibilities” then players like Hendrix are the ones that matter.** Well, if you want to get into who ‘opened the door to a new way of thinking’ I’ll agree that Hendrix did some of that. I won’t give him all the credit that you do, as there were other players that were exploring new ground at that time, but he did open some doors. So did Tony Iommi. So did Page. So did Morse. And Vai. And Satch. In fact I cannot think of a guitarist who plays and combines as many styles as Morse does. I’ll think some more and maybe I’ll come up with someone. Slee ---
**Author:** ![nitroglycerine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c5a1d2/32.png) [@nitroglycerine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nitroglycerine)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-all-time-best-solo/221167/73 "2003-12-30T04:49:31Z")
I can’t let this thread go by without mentioning [Television](http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=UIDCASS70311071451180849&sql=Bk84gtq2ztu42) Listen to any song off of Marquee Moon and Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd’s guitar work is garaunteed to send shivers down your spine. The self titled early 90s Lp is almost as good, especially the single “Call Mr. Lee”. On a related note, one of my favorite solos of all time is Richard Hell’s solo on the 45 version of “Blank Generation” Jon ---
**Author:** ![nitroglycerine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c5a1d2/32.png) [@nitroglycerine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nitroglycerine)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-all-time-best-solo/221167/74 "2003-12-30T04:58:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by nitroglycerine \* > On a related note, one of my favorite solos of all time is Richard Hell’s solo on the 45 version of “Blank Generation” > > Jon \*\* Urp…I mean Robert Quine’s solo on Richard Hell’s Blank Generation. Jon ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-all-time-best-solo/221167/75 "2003-12-30T07:34:52Z")
**Wordman** , I appreciated your Hendriz post but i am a dyed in the wool Hendrix fanatic. One aspect of his playing that you didn’t mention was his exploration of the electric guitar as a unique instrument, distinct from accustic. His use of feedback, whammy bars and wha pedals are well known but he dodn’t stop there. He actually transcended musicality at times and went for sheer sonic paintings. Onomotepaic effects such as the bombs and missiles on “Star Spangled Banner,” his willingness to experiment with any and all weird sounds he could wring from his instrument, his seeming abilty to make it talk or cry at will. He not only experimented with these sounds but always did it with such mastery and control. He bent the instrument to his will like no one else. My personal favorite Hendrix song, “1983, A Merman Should I Turn to Be” is a masterpiece of style, dynamics, musicality, psychedelia and guitaristic sound effects. I agree with everything else you said but I just wanted to add that he cracked open what was a relatively new instrument and figured out _everything_ it could do. I believe that virtually everyone who plays rock guitar even now is influenced by Hendrix whether they know it or not. **Sleestak** , I appreciate your affection for Steve Morse and I agrre that he is a tremendously accomplished technician, adept at virtually any style, a great soloist and the consumate professional. The Dixie Dregs definitely had there spot in my tape case when I was young and I dug him plenty. However, for whatever reason, he never seemed to transcend being a muscian’s musician. He’s one of those guys like Yngwie whose fans are mostly other guitarists (not to compare him with Yngwie in terms of quality or importance, Morse is clearly better). I think it’s probably because Morse never broke through with a big hit song or album. His solo projects had their followers but instrumental projects rarely have huge commercial success. I think he’s a good composer but he was never “pop” enough as a solo artist to break through and his work with Kansas was, again, appreciated by musicians but he didn’t seem to garner the same kind of attention as other sidemen guitarists like Page or Townshend or Slash. That’s not to knock on SM, but I think the title of “greatest ever” should include some major popular recognition by non-musicians. I still respect and understand your choice, though. Morse is a god to us guitarists, at least. ---
**Author:** ![by-tor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/by-tor/32/266_2.png) [@by-tor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/by-tor)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-all-time-best-solo/221167/76 "2003-12-30T07:52:03Z")
There is Hendrix and then there are the rest. The most unique, creative genius of emotion and imagination I have ever heard. Other favorites: Page Gilmour Lifeson Rhoads Iommi–the hookmaster Best solo: Stairway. ---
**Author:** ![by-tor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/by-tor/32/266_2.png) [@by-tor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/by-tor)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-all-time-best-solo/221167/77 "2003-12-30T07:54:10Z")
Damn, I forgot Andy Summers! ---
**Author:** ![OfBlinkingThings](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ebca7d/32.png) [@OfBlinkingThings](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OfBlinkingThings)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-all-time-best-solo/221167/78 "2003-12-30T08:01:36Z")
Ravi Shankar can do with a sitar what no guitarist could ever do. He has the beauty of Harrison, the speed and innovation of Hendrix, the sweetness of Clapton and the perfect form af Django. He has inspired thousands of guitarists ( and a lot of beatles songs) with out ever picking up a guitar. ---
**Author:** ![Already\_in\_Use](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9adbd/32.png) [@Already\_in\_Use](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Already_in_Use)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-all-time-best-solo/221167/79 "2003-12-30T08:17:29Z")
Obligatory Zappa quote: “Rating guitarists is a stupid hobby.” That said, Zappa’s “Watermelon in Easter Hay” is the best guitar solo of all time. It sums up all the emotions that Frank refused to put in his lyrics. And if you like “Watermelon,” check out “What’s New in Baltimore?” as well. The best guitarist overall? I would say it’s a tie between Hendrix, for his groundbreaking sonic paintings, and George Harrison – not a flashy weedly-wee guy, but he could say more in one note than many guitarists can in an entire album. Just listen to the guitar solo from “Something”: absolute perfection. ---
**Author:** ![Already\_in\_Use](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9adbd/32.png) [@Already\_in\_Use](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Already_in_Use)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-all-time-best-solo/221167/80 "2003-12-30T08:22:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by OfBlinkingThings \* > **Ravi Shankar** Now that I think of it, Shankar probably has inspired a lot of guitarists. The man is unbelievable. My favorite work of his is on the pieces called dhuns, which are generally instrumental versions of folk melodies. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-all-time-best-solo/221167.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-all-time-best-solo/221167.md?page=5)