# Who are your favorite guitarists **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 24, 2005, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-guitarists/291734 "2005-02-24T17:39:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Flander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8c91f0/32.png) [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2005, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-guitarists/291734/61 "2005-02-25T17:28:07Z")
Joe Satriani and Steve Vai come to mind. Oh…and Ralph Machio. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![melondeca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@melondeca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/melondeca)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2005, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-guitarists/291734/62 "2005-02-25T18:26:52Z")
I want to second a lot of the ones listed here but I also need to add: Uli Jon Roth Lindsey Buckingham Tuck Andress (I love that man) B. B. King Victor Wooten (He plays bass but it is still a guitar) Bonnie Raitt Yeah…here is another vote for the Karate Kid. He rocked in that guitar movie with Britney Spears. ---
**Author:** ![nitroglycerine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c5a1d2/32.png) [@nitroglycerine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nitroglycerine)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2005, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-guitarists/291734/63 "2005-02-25T19:29:37Z")
> [@Small Clanger](#): > > \*\*Kimberly Rew \*\* - c’mon, anyone else even know who he is? I was actually going to mention him, but didn’t. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2005, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-guitarists/291734/64 "2005-02-25T19:58:39Z")
Hey, **WpgTriniman** , I’ll nominate somebody else from your hometown: The late Kurt Winter. He could wring stuff out of that Stratocaster that I’ve never heard _anybody_ do. Kim Mitchell (ex- of Max Webster) I can’t believe we got this far withoug anyone mentioning Alex Lifeson (Rush)! Michel Pagliaro and Billy Workman Bruce Cockburn ---
**Author:** ![Nahk\_Ila\_Dihahs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/858c86/32.png) [@Nahk\_Ila\_Dihahs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nahk_Ila_Dihahs)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2005, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-guitarists/291734/65 "2005-02-25T19:59:52Z")
1. Jimmy Page - Led Zeppelin 2. Tom Morello - Rage Against the Machine Hmm…can’t think of any more at the moment… ---
**Author:** ![Talon\_Karrde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Talon\_Karrde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Talon_Karrde)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2005, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-guitarists/291734/66 "2005-03-01T02:55:25Z")
> [@Big Bad Voodoo Lou](#): > > Johnny Marr (vastly underrated) How’s he underrated? It seems like most people who know about him think he’s great. > [@nitroglycerine](#): > > Johnny Thunders-Not a “great” guitar player but his playing had more personality than a thousand Eric Claptons. Hey, this thread is called favorite guitarists, not greatest, so it’s all right if he’s not technically great. > [@](#): > > Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd-The greatest guitar duo in the history of music. I can’t believe I forgot to mention them! They’re awesome! I also really like Lou Reed’s playing. Will Sergeant of Echo and the Bunnymen is also really cool. He does some great riffs. ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2005, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-guitarists/291734/67 "2005-03-01T03:04:28Z")
Eric Clapton Billy Corgan Carlos Santana Slash ---
**Author:** ![Elvez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8491ac/32.png) [@Elvez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elvez)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2005, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-guitarists/291734/68 "2005-03-01T03:49:23Z")
For all-out skill, imagination, and consistency I think I like David Gilmour most. If I could have the talent and ability of one guy it’d be Eric Clapton. The guys I hear pull off little phrases that make my spine tingle the most frequently, I’d say Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa, and Steve Howe (from Yes). That said, there are tons of guitarists that blow my mind all the time. ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-guitarists/291734/69 "2005-04-13T22:07:10Z")
[Jerry Byrd](http://www.jerrybyrdfanclub.com/) Probably the best known steel guitar player, has passes away April 11, 2005 ☹☹☹ ---
**Author:** ![vl\_mungo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc8723/32.png) [@vl\_mungo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vl_mungo)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-guitarists/291734/70 "2005-04-13T23:11:21Z")
> [@nitroglycerine](#): > > Keith Richards > > Johnny Thunders-Not a “great” guitar player but his playing had more personality than a thousand Eric Claptons. > > Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd-The greatest guitar duo in the history of music. > > Robert Quine (RIP)-Richard Hell’s guitarist, and Lou Reeds former right hand man. He was this bearded mild mannered looking old guy (he was already in his 30s at the beginning of the punk rock era), who wore Mister Rogers sweaters and tore off killer riffs that sounded like if Johnny Thinders had the virtuosity of Yingwie Malmsteen. > > Frank Zappa. > > Poison Ivy Rorschach > > Ron Asheton and James Williamson-Two Stooges guitarists with different styles, but they both continue to influence punk, metal and alt-rock 30+years after the fact. > > Gregg Ginn > > Ross “the Boss” Funichello > > Billy Zoom > > East Bay Ray > > Reverend Horton Heat As usual in these music threads, I end up agreeing with **Nitroglycerine** **Small Clanger** … Kimberly Rew, hell yeah. Guitarist for The Soft Boys (let’s not mention Katrina and the Waves though). He’d be on my list. Also I’d want to add… Link Wray Captain Sensible (The Damned) Marc Ribot (Tom Waits) Jo Callis (The Rezillos) Bob Stinson (The Replacements) Kirk Kirkwood (The Meat Puppets) Dallas Good (The Sadies) ---
**Author:** ![Club\_33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@Club\_33](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Club_33)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2005, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-guitarists/291734/71 "2005-04-14T00:04:21Z")
Glad to see an old friend, \*\*Jimmy Herring[/m] mentioned. This is guy is really amazing and under-appreciated. Absolutely phenomenal player. Also glad to see the late, great Michael Hedges mentioned. Although he was so much more than just a guitarist. He damn near -reinvented the damn thing. Others that I really enjoy are (in no particular order): Steve Morse Scott Henderson Frank Gambale Lindsey Buckingham Steve Lukather Larry Carlton Jimmy Page ---
**Author:** ![Club\_33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@Club\_33](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Club_33)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2005, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-guitarists/291734/72 "2005-04-14T00:05:39Z")
takes a bow for my crappy coding :smack: ---
**Author:** ![katie1341](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/91b2a8/32.png) [@katie1341](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/katie1341)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2005, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-guitarists/291734/73 "2005-04-14T00:23:22Z")
Leo Kottke Chris Smither ---
**Author:** ![Sunshine\_and\_Smiles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Sunshine\_and\_Smiles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunshine_and_Smiles)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2005, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-guitarists/291734/74 "2005-04-14T00:59:45Z")
The Reverend Horton Heat Ted Leo Billy Corgan Slash Dave Gilmour Bassists who deserve mention: Les Claypool Stanley Clarke I’ve never really got big into ‘guitar gods’ like Clapton or even really Hendrix. Their style is not mine, I’m afeared. ---
**Author:** ![Sunshine\_and\_Smiles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Sunshine\_and\_Smiles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunshine_and_Smiles)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2005, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-guitarists/291734/75 "2005-04-14T01:01:32Z")
Hold on! You guys reminded me of Michael Hedge’s, whose arrangement of Sofa #2 is still the song I am most proud of learning to play. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2005, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-guitarists/291734/76 "2005-04-14T02:35:09Z")
Joni Mitchell (I can’t believe I’m the first one to mention her). Nick Drake Johnny Marr Emily Saliers (from the Indigo Girls) Greg Brown (for the way he writes simply but it really supports the music) ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2005, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-guitarists/291734/77 "2005-04-14T03:59:13Z")
Bill Frisell - Noodling jazz occasionally verging into country. He makes you _really_ conscious of the spaces between the notes. Try starting off with the album _Good Dog, Happy Man_. Bo Diddley - I saw him a couple times in the past few years and he was simply amazing. Helios Creed - The music is like a ice pick hammering through your skull. In a good way. ---
**Author:** ![Roadfood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc348/32.png) [@Roadfood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roadfood)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2005, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-guitarists/291734/78 "2005-04-14T05:58:54Z")
Wow, 77 posts and no one has yet mentioned Andy Latimer of Camel. Sad. One of the great progressive guitarists. He’s not flashy, but he gets a lot of emotion out of his instrument. Go [here](http://www.camelproductions.com/camel_jukebox/jukebox.html) and listen to the song called “Ice”. It starts out simple, but let it play all the way through and hear what he does after the synth solo. Then try “Chord Change”. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2005, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-guitarists/291734/79 "2005-04-14T08:30:21Z")
Since this is favorites, and not “best,” I’m going to go with Happy Rhodes. While not a virtuoso on the guitar in **any** sense of the word (simplistic, compared to the gods already mentioned), I think she’s a master at using her guitar to create atmospheres around her vocals. Most of her recorded songs are keyboard-oriented, which make the guitar songs more special to me. That’s also why I love seeing her live, because she has to play the guitar more. These songs will illustrate perfectly what I mean (I have her [permission](http://wretchawry.com/happy/samples/) to share songs) [Summer](http://www.wretchawry.com/happy/samples/HappyRhodes_TheKeep08_Summer(live-Echoes1995).mp3) (acoustic version) [Prey of the Strange](http://www.wretchawry.com/happy/samples/HappyRhodes_TheKeep13_PreyOfTheStrange(FirstHappyRecording1984).mp3) (her very first recording) [Temporary and Eternal](http://www.wretchawry.com/happy/samples/HappyRhodes_TheKeep01_TemporaryAndEternal(live-Echoes1995).mp3) (acoustic version) [Yes Medley](http://www.wretchawry.com/happy/samples/HappyRhodes_TheKeep04_TheYesMedley.mp3) [Ode](http://www.wretchawry.com/happy/samples/HappyRhodes_Ecto10_Ode.mp3) (another very early song) A few years ago, right before a concert, she badly cut a tendon and damaged the nerve in her fret hand, a nightmare for a guitarist, and later had to have surgery to [repair the hand](http://www.auntiesocialmusic.com/manyworlds/archive/MayJunPic3.htm). Amazingly enough, she went on and performed after going to the hospital. Fans feared she’d never play guitar again, but she can now. She’ll never be the same though. ([her story of the accident](http://www.auntiesocialmusic.com/manyworlds/archive/MayJune2001.htm)). She had no medical insurance, so fans got together and sent her donations. She put together a “thank you” CD for fans. It was called the “Left Hand Demos.” 😃 While I’m here, I’ll add Kevin Bartlett and Bon Lozaga of Project Lo and Gongzilla to my list. And Steve Hackett, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2005, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-guitarists/291734/80 "2005-04-14T09:10:19Z")
Oh so many great ones named so far. I can’t really go back and comment on them all, so I will just add a name no one could have possibly put into nomination yet: **Warner Hodges** Don’t know who that is, huh? [Read about Warner here.](http://jasonandthescorchers.com/meet/meet_warner.html) 'course you could just put on “Last Time Around” and listen. or “Absolutely Sweet Marie”. But you won’t will ya? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-guitarists/291734.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-favorite-guitarists/291734.md?page=5)