[Closed] STW Guitarists - favourite shredders

Listening to a bit of Andy Timmons at the moment - tasteful, melodic, not too polished.

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Alvin Lee (Gibson)
Johnny Winter (Gibson)

Old school before all the digital wizardry just knocking out sixteenth and thirty-second notes at full chat.
That's my listening for today sorted.
Thanks.

This guy takes them all to school. As Steve Vai said "Tommy Emmanuel is the two best guitar players in the world"

Im not a musician, but from my metal days Randy Rhoades was always held on a pedestal by practically every other guitarist around.

Loads of Tommy Emmanuel on his Facebook page just now..👍👍

Not shredders, but Walter Trout really hits the spot.
Ana Vidovic classical guitarist is in a league of her own and if she could be provoked to shred would eat anyone for breakfast.

James Murphy

Alex skolnick:

Andreas kisser (though, more for his classical stylings)

James Burton, Albert Leee, Vince Gill and Brad Paisley as country shredders, Knopfler too in a similar style.

As a rule, I find shredding (and solos in general) a bit naff. Much prefer stuff like Pete Shelley's two-note solos. Very rarely listen to anything because of the guitarist, with exceptions like Richard Thompson (don't like his voice but enjoy his playing), John Fahey, a few choice others

Steve Hillage.

All that 80's stuff is just musical masturbation.

Says the man with the RG550.

The greatest shred album ever (except for Vai and Satriani obviously 🙄)

This guy takes them all to school. As Steve Vai said “Tommy Emmanuel is the two best guitar players in the world”

Not seen that before, thanks for posting it. Proper shredding as you marvel at the technique but some how that overrides the music and I probably won’t choose to listen to it again.
Mark Knopfler’s version though...

Bugger! How could I forget Jon Gomme?

Eddie Hazel, J Mascis, Johnny Marr.

Any guitarist that manages to create a big sound in a (mostly) 3 piece band gets my vote:

Jimi
Johnny Marr
John Squire
Bernard Butler
John Butler (underrated)

Johnny Marr

100% - I hadn't realised until very recently. He's definitely up there in guitar skill in a way that you don't often get with indie bands.

Honourable mention to Bernard Butler, though.

J mascis.

Hate Vai and Satriani? How does that work?

Shredding as a technical exercise is just dull IMO

Glad Marr has been mentioned Graham Coxon out of Blur is a great player. Captain Sensible is highly underrated.

Is it Herman Li in Dragonforce, veryfast fingers.

I went to school with Guthrie and he was pretty special even back then...
Spent a lot of my teens listening to the shredders of the day... Vai, Satriani, EVH, Steve Morse, Jason Becker, Marty Friedman etc etc.
I always think I appreciated them rather enjoyed them. Some of Vai's stuff is very listenable... Sisters for example, but in the main it's a little too self-indulgent for me now.

For me, the perfect guitar solo is probably the 17 seconds in the middle of Kid by the Pretenders. Nothing fancy just perfect tone, phrasing and fit...

Bernard Butler and John Squier are two others that stand out.

If you do like experimental shreddy types then I'd suggest having a listen to Plini... very much in the Vai vein but interesting enough to give a go.

Not seen that before, thanks for posting it. Proper shredding as you marvel at the technique but some how that overrides the music and I probably won’t choose to listen to it again.
Mark Knopfler’s version though…

Well we'll have to agree to differ Eddie. I find Knopfler's version dull, pedestrian and undynamic- and I reckon I could almost play it myself.

Its fun seeing Tommy play it in concert and watching people's jaws drop who are watching him for the first time.

Well we’ll have to agree to differ Eddie.

No problem with that mate. I've subsequently seen a few more clips including a TED talk. A very talented and likeable guy.
The whole shredder thing for me is always the emphasis of chops over music. Thats why the OP's "no Vai or Satch" thing annoyed me as both are very 'melodic' whilst being well shredtastic.

Tommy Emmanuel is certainly impressive, saw him live as a support but not my thing to be honest. Good to see Johnny Winter mentioned, he's really head and shoulders above so many and one of the greatest ever. Bonnie Raitt is mustard on slide guitar, love her playing with the old blues greats.

No problem with that mate. I’ve subsequently seen a few more clips including a TED talk. A very talented and likeable guy.
The whole shredder thing for me is always the emphasis of chops over music. Thats why the OP’s “no Vai or Satch” thing annoyed me as both are very ‘melodic’ whilst being well shredtastic.

Sorry if you find it annoying. I've just never found Vai or satriani listenable and Vai in particular always seems to be showing off. I don't find it melodic at all. I like players who can shred but serve a decent song

The first vid I put up (of buckethead) was a bad example as it was a lot of fret ****ery but I just thought it was funny that he starts off body popping with some nunchuks

I was obsessed with Marr and squire when I was younger but I've got got a soft spot for the shred. Anyway...

In terms of metal I'm more of an Alice in chains, Soundgarden fan, and Cantrell or thayil don't fret melt as much(looking for synonyms of shred now) although thayils tremolo picking is often nuts

To me Satriani is quite different from Vai. He's much more melodic and has a better tone. Vai certainly has a unique tone but its too screechy and harsh for me.

I think people who come from listening to traditional pentatonic/blues based rock guitar can have problems listening to guys like Satriani and Vai becuase they are quite often using modal harmony which can sound quite strange until you tune into it.

I don't like The Smiths but Johnny Marr is very good- especially his rhythm playing. Love the stuff he did with Bernard Sumner in Electronic.

Anyway here's an entry level track to Satriani

and even Vai can have his moments when he chills out a bit

Anyway here's the guy Tommy Emmanuel calls "The Governor" and Jeff Beck calls "not just the best jazz guitarist in the world but the best guitarist in the world" Martin Taylor (perfect name for a guitarist unless there is a Gibson Fender out there). I've had the pleasure of seeing him live a few times close up in small venues.

Julian Bream. The greatest guitarist ever, without a doubt. Segovia and John Williams are a close second and third. They are beyond anything, of another other style included.

Mainstream..

Acoustic...
Nick Drake and Elliott Smith. Kind of similare but amazing chord structures and finger picking.

Plugged in...
Steve Jones from the Sex Pistols. Unbelievable guitarist. Wrote some amazing riffs and had to put up with all the punk stuff.

Hendrix. By far the best electric guitarist. Not technically, but he was born with nothing, was black, which at the time was a bad thing in that part of America, came to London, blew every other musicians mind and became worldwide name and a legend forever, and it was all down to his playing and creativity.

Cobain, was good as well, to front a band like that, singing and churning out that music night after night, takes some doing.

I don't know, there are so many. All imo, obviously. 🙂

All of the above are fantastic guitarists, but as excellent as they are, I don't think Johnny Marr or Bernard butler meet the criteria of 'shred'.
I'm sure we'd all love to hear them at 200 BPM.

Cobain's guitar style and ethics were the antithesis of 'shred' and metal in general.

And Jonny winter is no longer on the earthly plane😕.

Pretty fast...

Back to what was asked - 80s shredders.

Nuno (though drifting into the 90s)

And Brian May talking about him.

Joe Pass

In addition to my last post I'm going to add John Martyn because someone has too.