Sticking neck out: Randy Rhoads

Such great compositions on Blizzard of Oz, they don't come across as "solos", just parts of the song. And he shreds them too.

Really enjoying Joe Bonamasa at the moment. Bit of a change of pace to my usual wirepounding.

He is probably up there in any of the best lists too….

But Eddie Van Halen has always been the king of ten fingers and six strings for me. From the solo of Eruption to the rhythm guitar on Big Bad Bill is Sweet William Now his playing is just great.

Dimebag Darrell. Shame to go in such a horrible way.

i keep coming back to Stevie Ray Vaughan. I don't listen to him loads and have to be in the mood but he really was amazing. He just hit the guitar SO hard and seemed to play rhythm at the same time as playing a solo!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0c3d7QgZr7g

Ted Nugent.

Johhny Marr / Garry Moore imho

wilko Johnson when he was younger – total psycho 1000 yard stare.

and perhaps john Martyn

Slash from Guns n Roses

Probably Michael Schenker (when he's not being an alcoholic or whatever). Strangers in the Night influenced my lead playing a lot.

Listened to loads over the years, but still enjoy Mr Blackmore's style the best
Not even sure why, but just seems to be different to anyone else

Another vote for Johnny Marr. A completely unique style. An absolute legend!

newton falkner,joe satriani (he is the best though)

Skip James, Stirling Morrison, D Boone or Teenie Hodges.

Bukka White

Enjoying Bonamassa on youtube right now – ta.

John Squire everytime. Although his solo album was shite.

Currently Joe Bonamassa whom I saw (again) on Sunday. 8) He is so brilliant!

Overall, it's difficult cos I also love Hendrix, SRV, Gary Moore, Neil Young. I better stop now. 🙄

Actually at the moment I'm more into rock than bikes!

Another one for Dimebag Darrel here.

Love Gary Moore doing RandR: Walking by myself

Only he isn't walking 😉

Brian Setzer

John McGeoch,Prince and another one for Johnny Marr.

johnny marr for me too. such a great sound.

matt bellamy is a favourite too

Has to be Richard Thompson. Such a variety of playing styles and song writing.

I really like 'edge'. He's not the best by some way, but gas come up with some truely awesome stuff. Has a lot of tiny detail and flair.

Hendrix for me is the all time great. The stuff he was doing, at such a young age is mindblowing

Walter Trout. Technically competent rather than outstanding but nonetheless he makes that guitar sing.

Tommy Emmanuel.
His is my fave (and the best) acoustic guitarist in the world! FACT!! 😀

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhR04kmcSXU

Dave gilmour.

end of ….

Brian May. Simples.

Another vote for Dimebag.

Mark Knopfler – saw him last Thursday in Brighton – fantastic 🙂

Lynyrd Skynyrd – Free bird.

The technical possibilities of guitar playing are almost limitless, it's funny then that now matter how many nudges you give the envelope the results are never quite as satisfying as a four chord pop song played at an unforgiving volume

Chris De Garmo

Matt Bellamy. Unfairly talented, but with Edge-like command of the whole FX/weird noises side of guitar to boot. He can be a wee bit fretwanky but usually it works as part of the songs. I just love the way he takes on influences. "I like Steve Vai. I'll learn to play like him. OK, done. Next? Tom Morello. Next? Buddy Guy. Next?" It's taken Tom Morello all his life to learn to play like Tom Morello, it took Matt Bellamy about 2 years. Then he got bored of it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZ4QshsTE3U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPWHazb4hDM

And then he goes and does this

Not enough being a damn fine guitarist, he can fairly wail on a pipe organ too. I've never heard or felt anything like it in my life

Having said that I've got a lot of time for Simon Neil from Biffy Clyro. Not the best guitarist in the world- though no slouch- but I remember the first time I heard them thinking "Hey, that lead guitarist's pretty good. The rhythm guitarist's not bad either. Hey, where's the rhythm guitarist?" and then realising it was just him.

My absolute favourite player is Django Reinhardt (link with some outstanding violin from SG). Contemporary players like Dorado Schmitt and Biréli Lagrène (link) are thrilling and a joy to listen to, but Django just seemed to exist on a different level altogether. In terms of pure expression, no player has ever exceeded Django Reinhardt's ability. In my opinion, of course!

In a more popular arena, Jimmy Page never ceases to amaze me. Another player with similar attitude, approach and groove is Jack White. Nowhere near as accomplished as Page was at his age and nowhere near the repertoire, but one of a very few guitarists who have "it".

Paul Gilbert. (just can't get over the immense precision and technicality of his work)
Currently trying to learn this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ES1RypBww_g

and failing…

northwind, going to see muse in sept. if they don't play citizen erased i'm gonna bumrush the stage!

John Denver the best in the world.

🙂

Lynyrd Skynyrd – Free bird.

This is seriously the worst song ever. A solo (which isn't even that good) doesn't make a crap song good.