# Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 21, 2018, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rolling-stones-100-greatest-guitarists-of-all-time/821706 "2018-09-21T21:39:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2018, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rolling-stones-100-greatest-guitarists-of-all-time/821706/21 "2018-09-22T04:52:19Z")
> [@DavidwithanR](#): > > Name recognition by non-guitar-players? I think you nailed it. Either that or guitar playin’ is waay easier than it looks (or sounds). ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2018, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rolling-stones-100-greatest-guitarists-of-all-time/821706/22 "2018-09-22T08:10:22Z")
> [@jaycat](#): > > Only 20 for me. But do I get extra credit for Les Paul and Muddy Waters? I saw Bo Diddly twice in tiny little clubs. The last time was in maybe 1990 in a crowd of around 30. It was unbelievable that a true legend was reduced to that. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2018, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rolling-stones-100-greatest-guitarists-of-all-time/821706/23 "2018-09-22T08:47:07Z")
dick dale needs to be moves up a few numbers ……and johnny Ramone is a toss up …… ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2018, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rolling-stones-100-greatest-guitarists-of-all-time/821706/24 "2018-09-22T09:04:31Z")
No Adrian Belew? Allan Holdsworth? Not even Steve Stevens or Ritchie Blackmore? ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2018, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rolling-stones-100-greatest-guitarists-of-all-time/821706/25 "2018-09-22T10:50:47Z")
I’m surprised Keith Partridge isn’ t on there somewhere. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2018, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rolling-stones-100-greatest-guitarists-of-all-time/821706/26 "2018-09-22T10:51:48Z")
> [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](#): > > No Adrian Belew? Allan Holdsworth? Not even Steve Stevens or Ritchie Blackmore? Richie’s in there at number 50. I’m not a musician, but I can live with this list. Try to list your 100 favourite anything. The list will change day to day. ---
**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:** [September 22, 2018, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rolling-stones-100-greatest-guitarists-of-all-time/821706/27 "2018-09-22T13:23:07Z")
Cobain doesn’t belong on the list at all. He was a competent guitarist with the ability to riff. But that’s it. And putting Alex Lifeson in the low 90s is just ludicrous. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2018, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rolling-stones-100-greatest-guitarists-of-all-time/821706/28 "2018-09-22T13:48:50Z")
They included John McLaughlin, but not Al Di Meola or Paco de Lucia? They’re dead to me. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2018, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rolling-stones-100-greatest-guitarists-of-all-time/821706/29 "2018-09-22T14:25:58Z")
> [@DavidwithanR](#): > > Name recognition by non-guitar-players? > [@Gatopescado](#): > > I think you nailed it. Either that or guitar playin’ is waay easier than it looks (or sounds). I don’t think that holds up. In what world is Ry Cooder more well known than Billy Gibbons? Really, a terrible, confused mess of a list. Worse than most. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2018, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rolling-stones-100-greatest-guitarists-of-all-time/821706/30 "2018-09-22T14:34:13Z")
> [@scabpicker](#): > > I don’t think that holds up. In what world is Ry Cooder more well known than Billy Gibbons? My world? I had to google Billy Gibbons. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2018, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rolling-stones-100-greatest-guitarists-of-all-time/821706/31 "2018-09-22T14:34:22Z")
I also love how Hetfield is on it (under Jack White?!??) but not Hammet when I’m pretty sure even James Hetfield will admit Kirk is a better guitarist than him. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2018, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rolling-stones-100-greatest-guitarists-of-all-time/821706/32 "2018-09-22T15:39:14Z")
I didn’t finish reading the list. Pete Townsend above Stevie Ray Vaughan? That’s where I stopped. Utter bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2018, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rolling-stones-100-greatest-guitarists-of-all-time/821706/33 "2018-09-22T15:45:55Z")
Too late to edit my post: As I didn’t finish, and only quickly scrolled, I’ll have to live with not knowing the rankings of Jorma Kaukonen, Randy Rhoads and Rory Gallagher. And I’m a HUGE Neil Young fan, but NY above Jerry Garcia?? That’s one fucked up list. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2018, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rolling-stones-100-greatest-guitarists-of-all-time/821706/34 "2018-09-22T17:12:59Z")
> [@Lamoral](#): > > Terry Kath from Chicago really deserves to be somewhere on that list. Also, I would rank Andrew Latimer of the band Camel as being roughly on the same level as David Gilmour, but he is probably too obscure for them to have even considered him. Guitarist get a lot of credit as being “great guitarists” from the quality of the songs their band is known for. Obscurity could count against someone on that ground. We aren’t going to have cutting contests, so the records are going to have to speak for them. ---
**Author:** ![cgg419](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cgg419/32/2847_2.png) [@cgg419](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cgg419)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2018, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rolling-stones-100-greatest-guitarists-of-all-time/821706/35 "2018-09-22T19:42:35Z")
Kurt Cobain is 19 places ahead of Dimebag Darrell. Huh? ---
**Author:** ![mack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mack)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2018, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rolling-stones-100-greatest-guitarists-of-all-time/821706/36 "2018-09-22T21:27:01Z")
I’ll offer up a defense of at least the top of this list: It’s not the difficulty of a musical passage that’s important. It’s coming up with a classic riff or epic solo in the first place. And not once or twice but over and over again regardless of how long or regrettably short some careers were. Any number of guitarists on the list (or not) are more accomplished than players higher on the list. But it doesn’t take superhuman chops to play the intro to Pinball Wizard, the solos in Comfortably Numb, Little Wing, Johnny B. Goode, or the opening riffs to any number of Rolling Stones or Led Zeppelin songs. It takes an idea, good playing, great musicianship, most often a great band, and a lot of takes 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![5\_time\_champ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/278dde/32.png) [@5\_time\_champ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5_time_champ)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rolling-stones-100-greatest-guitarists-of-all-time/821706/37 "2018-09-23T03:53:04Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > Cobain doesn’t belong on the list at all. He was a competent guitarist with the ability to riff. But that’s it. > > And putting Alex Lifeson in the low 90s is just ludicrous. Kurt Cobain wasn’t even the best guitarist in Nirvana. 😉 Alex Lifeson in the low 90’s is more than ludicrous. Steve Howe completely missing the list is Close to the Edge of insanity. I have seen quotes that Jimi Hendrix thought Terry Kath was the best guitarist ever. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rolling-stones-100-greatest-guitarists-of-all-time/821706/38 "2018-09-23T03:55:13Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > My world? I had to google Billy Gibbons. Really? Oh well, my experience is probably colored by being from Texas. That said, I really think that more folks have heard of ZZ Top than Ry Cooder, even if you don’t know the primary front man’s name. But then again, on the third hand; same planet, different worlds. And on the fourth hand, all of these “greatest” lists are silly things that give us something to argue about for awhile. I have no idea how you’d measure whether Bo Diddley was better than Steve Hackett any more than you’d measure Jim Thorpe against Lewis Hamilton. They’re pretty much playing different sports, and art really doesn’t work that way. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rolling-stones-100-greatest-guitarists-of-all-time/821706/39 "2018-09-23T05:01:38Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Keith Richards is at #4? What the fuck were the criteria? I like Keith and I like his sound but #4? Horseshit. I’ve seen him introduced on TV as the words greatest guitar player. I cringed. He was great at writing riffs but that’s about it. He plays mostly in open G. Not the most sophisticated of technical virtuosity. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rolling-stones-100-greatest-guitarists-of-all-time/821706/40 "2018-09-23T12:43:01Z")
I am a big Townshend fan but I am surprised he’s #10. I think he and a lot of others are getting more votes for being songwriters and being in big name bands . [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rolling-stones-100-greatest-guitarists-of-all-time/821706.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rolling-stones-100-greatest-guitarists-of-all-time/821706.md?page=3)