JJ Cale
Lyndsey Buckingham
Jimmy Page
Leo Kottke
Richard Thompson
Martin Barre

Vai
Satriani
Van Halen
Gibbons
Morley and Matthews
Lifeson

Are we allowed bassists as well?

If so…
Lee
Childs
Hill
Sheehan

Jimmy Page
Jack White
Brian May

Oh Crap, guy out out of Guns 'n' roses

Jonny Marr

Kerry King

Bob Mould

Jimi Hendrix
Jimmy Page

Jimmy Page
Jack White
Eric clapton
Jimi Hendrix
(edit): damn you grumm thought I was going to get in there first with Hendrix!

+1 Jack White

Rodrigo AND Gabreila

+1 Jimmy Page

Hendrix

Adrian Borland

John Squire
Jimmy Page
David Gilmour
Nick McCabe

Sorry forgot Captain Sensible

Alex Lifeson

Dave Gilmour

Newton Faulkner. Saw him on TV palying at Glasters and was mesmerised by his guitar palying skills.
Johnny Marr. More for his catchy riffs.

Bob Fripp
Satriani
SRV
Hendrix
Martin Carthy
Robert Cray
Django
Brian May
Johnny Marr
Steve Howe
Steve Hackett
Les Claypool (I know he is a Bassist, but he plays it like it is a guitar)
+1 Alex Lifeson

Mark Tremonti
Billy Gibbons
John Lee Hooker
Paul Gilbert
Adrian Smith
Joe Bonamassa
Randy Rhoads
Mark Knopfler
Jonny Marr

David Gilmour
Neil Young
+1 Joe Satriani
Early Frank Gambale
+1 Johnny Marr
Nile Rogers
Martin Taylor
Tony McManus
This unkown guy I found on youtube who is world class

All of the above

Tom Morello?

Depends.

Couldn't care less about technical ability "for the sake of it" . Music for me has to say something, be intelligent, have soul, integrity and all to often lack of those things is excused by the proficiency of the musicians, who cares if they haven't (or couldn't) have an original idea for years, just look at the blur of fingers on the fretboard…

Ah…forgot Bonnamassa, Rhoads and Knopfler!

Too much choice!

Jimmy Page
Dave Gilmour
Gary Moore
Peter Green
Eddie Van Halen
Tony Iommi

the lad in blur seems pretty good to me, though I'm no guitarist

can't generally be doing with intricacy/musicianship for its own sake so some of the above don't do it for me

nor does stanley clarke

Eric Clapton
Mark Knopfler
The Edge – didn't say he was brilliant – just like his stuff
John Williams
Ritchie Blackmore

+ another 1 for Bonamassa. Seeing him in December.
Paul Gilbert
Joe Satriani
Used to like Nuno Bettencourt, but I was young.
Never really got on with Vai.

Keb Mo anyone? But more for the songwriting than the playing.

Duane Allman
Derek Trucks
Jack Pearson
Ritchie Blackmore
Jan Akkerman
Lowell George
Dickey Betts
Matt Schofield
Jules Fothergill

Vai's stuff that he did with Frank Zappa (who was an amazing guitarist as well) was pretty good, but a lot of his later stuff, his solo work, and the Whitesnake stuff was a bit meh and too much flash over substance.

The Edge is pretty distinctive, I have always wondered what would happen if you stole all his delay pedals though 😉

Tommy Emmanuel
Jimmy Hendrix
Steve Vai
Joe Satriani
Clive Carrol
Andy Makee
David Gilmour
Martin Taylor
Richard Thompson
and the Bon Jovi guitarist whatsisname 😉 Ritchie Sambruuuuka i think

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12P_jZVKBB0 ace! 😀

Joe Bonamassa (my current guitar god).
Jimi Hendrix.
Aynsley Lister (new kid on the block, check him out).
Gary Moore.

Johnny Marr

Pete, the guy who used to live down my street in the 70's.

Lots of the above and Ty Tabor of King's X, a very talented man…

Buddy Guy
Muddy Waters

couldn't agree more with NickC – the song is king

and for that reason

Steve Cropper
Robbie Robertson
James Burton
Nick Drake
George Harrison
late 60s/ early 70s Keef
Marr
Bernard Butler

Keith Richards
Neil Young
Marc Ford
John Martyn
Noel Gallagher :lol:, but Rory Gallagher is supposed to be very good, no relation.

+1 Bob Mould

Joey Santiago
J Mascis
Kim Thayil
James Dean Bradfield
thin lookin chap from radiohead

Kirk Hammett
Dave Mustaine
Frank Black
Adrian Smith
James Hetfield
Kerry King

Damn Forgot Angus Young

And Don Ross

Rory Gallagher
Richard Thompson
Wilco Johnson
Andre Segovia
Django Reinhardt
Billy Gibbons
Albert lee
Robert Johnson
Link Wray
Tom Morello
Bob Wootton
Sarah Dougherty Carter
Charlie Rich
Nils Lofgren
Fred "sonic" Smith
Lenny Kaye

And many more depending on my mood………

And by Rich I meant Christian but for some reason typed rich…..

D Boone
Doc Watson
Sterling Morrison/Lou Reed
Neil Young
Emmett Kelly
Davey Graham
David Rawlings
Michael Karoli
Teenie Hodges

Mike McCready