Ralph Towner, hands down!
Pat Metheny deserves a place very close to the top.
Its amazing what Steve Tibbets can do with a guitar and a tape recorder.
Knopfler’s and Clapton are up there, too.
That’s my list…
On the country side of it, I’d have add another vote for Junior Brown being great, but I have to say IMO, he’s second to Roy Clark.
For the Rock n Rollers, I don’t think anyone’s mentioned Chuck Berry yet.
i think music is more about idea and emotion than technical skill, so i really don’t have much interest in guitarists who seem to be just playing m.o.r. “look how much i can move my fingers” crap (cough… mark knopfler).
so my votes go to…
*john frusciante (rhcp)
*billy corgan (smashing pumpkins)
*jonny greenwood (radiohead)… although he’s been a bit awol as far as guitar’s been concerned lately, his stuff on ok computer and the bends is really amazing…
again the edge is good for the same reason… he might lack raw technical brilliance, but he can certainly make great sounds with with his guitar… so he gets my thumbs up.
Carlos Santana, hands down.
- puts Samba pa ti in the CD player *
And on a side note add me to the list of Camel fans!
Santana
Duane Allman and Dicky Betts - the greatest duo ever
Frank Zappa
Roy Buchanan - so many others stole his licks he would turn his back to the audience so you couldn’t see his fingering
Danny Gatton - practically unknown outside the Washington, DC area but one of the greats
Hendrix, Page, Alvin Lee - classics
Kieth Richards - best rhythm guitarist ever
Billy Gibbons
Stevie Ray Vaughn - maybe the best of all
I think that Rory Gallagher and Peter Green were/are two of the greatest blues guitarists.
I think the hEdge is a great Rhythm Guitarist but not a great Lead Guitarist.
I saw John Fahey around two years ago. He came out on the stage and started tuning up his guitar for around five or ten minutes. Then he stopped and the croud went wild. This went on for the whole night - it sounded like a child doodling with crayons. 
But then I don’t play - just listen
Nobody has mentioned Tuck Andress???!!!???!!!
Scary scary.
And thank you for finally mentioning Pat Metheny. I was getting worried. I’ll 2nd Ralph Towner.
Roadfood, you know your stuff, buddy!
Willy Salazar or James Love…
I think he’s considered good by folks that don’t know how much of his sound comes from his delay boxes.
So how’s come no-one mentioned Steve Morse yet? Combo of Chet Atkins, Carlos Santana, Jeff Beck and God knows what else. And flatpicks every note he plays.
Also on my list:
Steve Vai, Joe Satch, John McLaughlin, Steve Morse, Junior Brown (the man is a mutant), Chris Haskett from Rollins Band, Robert Fripp, countless others. I tend to favor the players with the technical chops.
Man, people have posted a lot good choices here (and some questionable ones). I just had to throw out one name that hasn’t been mentioned yet:
Joe Pass, guitar virtuoso
cheers,
Hodge
Hendrix gets the nod from me mostly from a lack of competition. Huge range, killer songwriting, improv abilities, general awe and legend. I’m not sure formal training would have improved him much since the core of his sound is that rambling R&B background.
Of the rest of the traditional rock god triad, Page was great but mostly I think of him as being very good inside of a limited range. Same for Clapton, but an even smaller range.
I think Pete Townshend deserves some mention. Not technically gifted, but I don’t think I could hold his guitar, he rocked so damn hard.
Harrison was not a great guitarist but for his limited role, he was stellar, I agree with the earlier post.
There are many accomplished techie rock guitarists like Vai and Johnson and many accomplished jazz guitarists like McLaughlin and Metheny. All four I find dull save occasionally Johnson), and none have the kind of easy crossover recognition of talent that Hendrix did.
As for Robert Johnson, his sound was not about strict adherence to time signature. Like the big H, improv was a big thing. Reminds me - John Lee Hooker passed away not long ago, of the ‘get up and get to it’ school of guitar playing ala Townshend.
I don’t know enough about classical playing to comment.
Anyone ever heard of David Lindley? He kicks ass.
I love Django Reinhardt. Not all of his stuff, but when he is good… Oh boy.
So many people play guitar, it is hard to pick out good ones. I’m not a musician, so I really am just going on what I like.
I’m listening to House of Blues Radio Hour right now, and the feature artist is (long dead) slide guitarist Elmore James.
I’d forgotten about him.
Peace,
mangeorge
Greatest of all time? I don’t know - too many to mention.
My current fave is Monte Montgomery.
I consider Jimi Hendrix the greatest guitarist, becuase he’s my favorite, but if you don’t mean that, and you mean the most talented guitarist then it would be…Jimi Hendrix.
I’m just going by what impresses me; I don’t play guitar, and while I’m sure people like Hendrix, Beck and Clapton were/are very skilled, I can’t stand their music, and, as was posted before, music is about more than technical skill, in my opinion. So my pick for guitarist who moves me and still sounds skillful: Bob Mould (which should surprise nobody who knows me). Current “alternative” rock guitar since the late 80s wouldn’t even exist without him.I’ll also second a couple already mentioned:
Johnny Marr
Peter Buck
I’d also like to put in a word for Andy Gill from the Gang of Four, who basically invented the sound the Edge took to the bank. Oh, and Mick Jones of The Clash.
I don’t know about all-time, but this guy is definitely the best I’ve ever seen:
John Mayer.
you can check him out here:
http://www.mp3.com/johnmayer
listen to Neon v2.0.
I’ll second Dick Dale, Frank Zappa and Mark Knopfler. Zappa is one of my favorite guitarists of all time - he was absolutely amazing in ways no other guitarist ever was. He was a true original in more ways than I can count.
Steve Vai (certainly one of the best technical guitarists ever) worked with Zappa for a while. Zappa used to cite him in the credits as “stunt guitar.” It’s the most accurate description of Steve Vai’s style I’ve heard.
For my money, Will Ray of the Hellecasters is the most innovative player around and has it all going…incredible use of effects, extremely impressive technical ability, imagination, feeling, songwriting ability. (instrumentals)
What he’s doing with slide is unequalled by anyone.
Also; Hendrix, Clapton (NOT overrated!), Django, Joe Pass,
Segovia, Parkening, and about a dozen others already mentioned, most of whom are capable of playing some jaw-dropping guitar!