Stevie Ray Vaughan, hands down my favorite guitar player ever. I remember sitting cross legged on my living room floor with my dad when I was as young as 5 watching his old Austin City Limits recordings. That guy poured his heart and soul into ever single note he played and truly seemed to be at one with that nasty old axe of his.
It's obvious at this point that "Best" is ONLY going to be subjective. I myself would have too many criteria to name even one.
Technically, Zappa was the most proficient. He was god-like, with an omniscient view of his compositions; I believe that if he had enough arms he could have played every part himself.
Deaner's style isn't terribly dissimilar from Zappa's, but Zappa was so much more neat about it. A metaphor: Zappa could eat bbq chicken with a fork and a knife and not get a drop of bbq sauce on himself, his plate, or even his napkin. Deaner would be a greasy mess. Deaner rips it up and leaves shreds hanging everywhere; Zappa was too proud for that.
Consider Steve Bartek, the guitarist for Oingo Boingo. Another class that hasn't been discussed yet is the - forgive me, I'm going to have to use this word - riffmaster. Not that Bartek isn't technically very talented, but he's not in the same class as Zappa or Hendrix. However he created some of the most complex, imaginative riffs I've ever heard, and they sit in the clipped, pop-y style of Boingo's 80's No Wave like a place was carved out of stone for them.
Jerry and Trey are wankers. Super-skilled, but there's a reason why their most adamant defenders are acid fried hippies. I love them both, but only because I'm a little acid-fried myself. To be considered really GREAT, I think what you do would have to be something you'd want to sit and actually listen to. Zappa's Shut Up n Play Yer Guitar albums are just discs and discs of him tossing out solos, and they are incredible. I wouldn't listen to anything similar from Jerry, Trey, Yngwie or Santana.
Nick Rheinhardt, Marnie Stern and others with that finger-tap style are impressive to watch, but it is all jazz hands: that type of music is so gratingly indulgent that if either of them happened to be one of my buddies and they were just dicking around on their guitar at my house like that I'd probably tell them to quit it.
I think a lot of what defines a great guitarist is being able to tell who it is instantly; being able to pick them out of a line up. The majority of the great players out there are playing the same scales, but only a few make it there own. In my mind the greatest either have a trademark style, or a very distinct tone.
I thought about this point last night as well. I can pick Zakk Wylde (Ozzy Osbourne) out of a line up, yet I couldn't do the same with Randy Rhoads. I didn't get into Ozzy's early stuff too much.
Something from the other end of the spectrum. I'm a sucker for accustic/classical guitars. Just about everyone from Candyrat Records is top notch and really push what can be done with their guitars.
I have been thinking sbout this and I think Deaner ends up being my favorite because I have not seen the other greats up close and personal. I think were I given the opportunity to see Zappa or Bartek or whoever, my opinion would change based on how they played when I saw them and how it made me feel then.
I think a lot of what defines a great guitarist is being able to tell who it is instantly; being able to pick them out of a line up. The majority of the great players out there are playing the same scales, but only a few make it there own. In my mind the greatest either have a trademark style, or a very distinct tone.
I thought about this point last night as well. I can pick Zakk Wylde (Ozzy Osbourne) out of a line up, yet I couldn't do the same with Randy Rhoads. I didn't get into Ozzy's early stuff too much.
This is why I don't think Slash in overrated. When I listen to a Slash solo its as though I am listening to Slash's voice like he is telling a story and I can hear every word and emotion that he puts into it. I think David Gilmour fits this category as well. Even though David Gilmour isn't the fastest or the most mind blowing, he is incredible at creating his personal mood and sound that you can pick out instantly when you hear it.
This inspires me to make fun phrases with the filter:
pooper cars poop 'n grind fist poop things that go poop in the night speed poop poop uglies baby poop like a poop on a log poopaddle (Hey Gibbons fix this pic for me)
Since I am bumbing this thread, and re-read it, I want to throw the guitar player for Television in the mix. There are some good stuff here, and we don't have much else to talk about?
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