Guitarists - Overrated/Underrated.
Discussion
Very tricky area this but I'll stick my neck out for one of each.
Overrated: Jimi Hendrix.
Yes I know he was a superb player, I realise he fused classic blues licks with an incredible passion and upfront technique that redefined what was possible whilst stoned off your bonce but he really wasn't that unique.
He is constantly voted the "Top guitarist ever in the universe" in every poll conducted in every music magazine (which I realise implies I know bugger all but hey-ho) but come on! The hype has long since eclipsed the facts.
These ridiculous stories about Clapton standing in awe backstage and saying "Everything has changed" just don't add up!
Clapton grew up listening to Bo Diddley, T-Bone Walker and BB King, he had lived this stuff for years. Listen to SRV if you really want to hear the blues played with passion.
Yes, Jimi turned it up loud, looked fantastic and wore tie and dye frilly shirts but for me that doesn't make him a guitar god.
Underrated: Prince.
The man could play way beyond anybody ever gave him credit for.
Check the YT stuff. He may look ridiculous with his poncey 24 fret guitars but his feel for the instrument is unparalleled, never missing a note live and possessing an incredible natural talent.
A few more to provoke debate.
Underrated:
Brian Setzer (The best ever for me)
Danny Gatton
Albert Lee
Duane Allman
Overrated:
Slash (Why?)
Kirk Hammett
George Harrison
Eddie Van Halen (Okay, he can really play, but how boring does it get after a couple of listens?)
And anyone who 'shreds'. Get over it ffs, it's entirely non melodic.
Overrated: Jimi Hendrix.
Yes I know he was a superb player, I realise he fused classic blues licks with an incredible passion and upfront technique that redefined what was possible whilst stoned off your bonce but he really wasn't that unique.
He is constantly voted the "Top guitarist ever in the universe" in every poll conducted in every music magazine (which I realise implies I know bugger all but hey-ho) but come on! The hype has long since eclipsed the facts.
These ridiculous stories about Clapton standing in awe backstage and saying "Everything has changed" just don't add up!
Clapton grew up listening to Bo Diddley, T-Bone Walker and BB King, he had lived this stuff for years. Listen to SRV if you really want to hear the blues played with passion.
Yes, Jimi turned it up loud, looked fantastic and wore tie and dye frilly shirts but for me that doesn't make him a guitar god.
Underrated: Prince.
The man could play way beyond anybody ever gave him credit for.
Check the YT stuff. He may look ridiculous with his poncey 24 fret guitars but his feel for the instrument is unparalleled, never missing a note live and possessing an incredible natural talent.
A few more to provoke debate.
Underrated:
Brian Setzer (The best ever for me)
Danny Gatton
Albert Lee
Duane Allman
Overrated:
Slash (Why?)
Kirk Hammett
George Harrison
Eddie Van Halen (Okay, he can really play, but how boring does it get after a couple of listens?)
And anyone who 'shreds'. Get over it ffs, it's entirely non melodic.
Impossible to categorise but what does make a guitar god then? Certainly not just technical ability - -Hendrix had showmanship and the personality in bucketloads -
Prince? Certainly not underrated as a guitarist -- although non fans tend to only see the songwriting and image-
And some of the others...
Brian Setzer -- incredible to listen to despite being an incredible technician -- a niche musician though - and I suspect he is happy with that -
Slash - has one great sound -- I've not really been struck by any of his stuff since Use your illusion 1 and 2 -- although Slither(sp) is great
Kirk Hammett - totally agree -- entirely unnecessary in Metallica -- just let Hetfield get on with it
EVH -- totally agree - never seen the attraction -- seems to be entirely soulless
My fav underrated guitarist was Cliff Gallup -
Overrated IMHO - Jeff Beck,
Prince? Certainly not underrated as a guitarist -- although non fans tend to only see the songwriting and image-
And some of the others...
Brian Setzer -- incredible to listen to despite being an incredible technician -- a niche musician though - and I suspect he is happy with that -
Slash - has one great sound -- I've not really been struck by any of his stuff since Use your illusion 1 and 2 -- although Slither(sp) is great
Kirk Hammett - totally agree -- entirely unnecessary in Metallica -- just let Hetfield get on with it
EVH -- totally agree - never seen the attraction -- seems to be entirely soulless
My fav underrated guitarist was Cliff Gallup -
Overrated IMHO - Jeff Beck,
br d said:
Very tricky area this but I'll stick my neck out for one of each.
Overrated: Jimi Hendrix.
Yes I know he was a superb player, I realise he fused classic blues licks with an incredible passion and upfront technique that redefined what was possible whilst stoned off your bonce but he really wasn't that unique.
He is constantly voted the "Top guitarist ever in the universe" in every poll conducted in every music magazine (which I realise implies I know bugger all but hey-ho) but come on! The hype has long since eclipsed the facts.
These ridiculous stories about Clapton standing in awe backstage and saying "Everything has changed" just don't add up!
Clapton grew up listening to Bo Diddley, T-Bone Walker and BB King, he had lived this stuff for years. Listen to SRV if you really want to hear the blues played with passion.
Yes, Jimi turned it up loud, looked fantastic and wore tie and dye frilly shirts but for me that doesn't make him a guitar god.
Underrated: Prince.
The man could play way beyond anybody ever gave him credit for.
Check the YT stuff. He may look ridiculous with his poncey 24 fret guitars but his feel for the instrument is unparalleled, never missing a note live and possessing an incredible natural talent.
A few more to provoke debate.
Underrated:
Brian Setzer (The best ever for me)
Danny Gatton
Albert Lee
Duane Allman
Overrated:
Slash (Why?)
Kirk Hammett
George Harrison
Eddie Van Halen (Okay, he can really play, but how boring does it get after a couple of listens?)
And anyone who 'shreds'. Get over it ffs, it's entirely non melodic.
Overrated: Jimi Hendrix.
Yes I know he was a superb player, I realise he fused classic blues licks with an incredible passion and upfront technique that redefined what was possible whilst stoned off your bonce but he really wasn't that unique.
He is constantly voted the "Top guitarist ever in the universe" in every poll conducted in every music magazine (which I realise implies I know bugger all but hey-ho) but come on! The hype has long since eclipsed the facts.
These ridiculous stories about Clapton standing in awe backstage and saying "Everything has changed" just don't add up!
Clapton grew up listening to Bo Diddley, T-Bone Walker and BB King, he had lived this stuff for years. Listen to SRV if you really want to hear the blues played with passion.
Yes, Jimi turned it up loud, looked fantastic and wore tie and dye frilly shirts but for me that doesn't make him a guitar god.
Underrated: Prince.
The man could play way beyond anybody ever gave him credit for.
Check the YT stuff. He may look ridiculous with his poncey 24 fret guitars but his feel for the instrument is unparalleled, never missing a note live and possessing an incredible natural talent.
A few more to provoke debate.
Underrated:
Brian Setzer (The best ever for me)
Danny Gatton
Albert Lee
Duane Allman
Overrated:
Slash (Why?)
Kirk Hammett
George Harrison
Eddie Van Halen (Okay, he can really play, but how boring does it get after a couple of listens?)
And anyone who 'shreds'. Get over it ffs, it's entirely non melodic.
Brilliant! We've not had a 'best guitarist' thread for at least a month.
(Cue loads of posts nominating increasingly obscure muso's that no-one has ever heard of, as well as loads of YouTube clips of 6-month old babies playing Pachelbel's Canon in D major)
FWIW: Roger Steen from The Tubes
(Cue loads of posts nominating increasingly obscure muso's that no-one has ever heard of, as well as loads of YouTube clips of 6-month old babies playing Pachelbel's Canon in D major)
FWIW: Roger Steen from The Tubes
I'd certainly agree on Hammett being over-rated and Prince being under-rated.
Kirk has always seemed to me to "not think" about his solos (yes, I know he does other fillers during Metallica's tunes but solos is what he's paid to do). Compare to Marty Friedman who is not only as fast, but melodic and interesting also; never afraid to use sweep-picking and a Phrygian Dominant mode to great effect in one solo.
For anyone who doesn't think Prince can play a guitar, listen again to his intro (in A Aeolian mode IIRC) to When Doves Cry.
I think Jeff Beck is under-rated. Whatever he plays, you never quite know what he's going to do next (i.e. in the next bar or phrase); he always keeps you aurally on your toes. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.
BB King? Sorry. Even at his height of popularity, and even when all I was playing on the guitar was Chicago Blues, I could not understand the fascination. Albert King, yes. T-Bone Walker, yes. Elmore James, yes. Even Muddy Waters. But BB? No. Same old phrases and licks ad infinitum
Paul Gilbert? Y.J. Malmsteen? Both wallow in the pit of self-congratulatory shred (although Paul does appear to be a very good teacher).
I'd vote Steve Hackett under-rated. Have a look at some of the tabs for his playing (Musical Box / Return of the Giant Hogweed / Horizons etc) and you'll see techniques and phrasing that must have been rather eye-opening in the 70's. Similarly Al Di Meola. His work is technically jaw-dropping, and embraces everything from Spanish classical to tribal African. He does seem a colossal anus as a person though.
That'll do for now.
Kirk has always seemed to me to "not think" about his solos (yes, I know he does other fillers during Metallica's tunes but solos is what he's paid to do). Compare to Marty Friedman who is not only as fast, but melodic and interesting also; never afraid to use sweep-picking and a Phrygian Dominant mode to great effect in one solo.
For anyone who doesn't think Prince can play a guitar, listen again to his intro (in A Aeolian mode IIRC) to When Doves Cry.
I think Jeff Beck is under-rated. Whatever he plays, you never quite know what he's going to do next (i.e. in the next bar or phrase); he always keeps you aurally on your toes. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.
BB King? Sorry. Even at his height of popularity, and even when all I was playing on the guitar was Chicago Blues, I could not understand the fascination. Albert King, yes. T-Bone Walker, yes. Elmore James, yes. Even Muddy Waters. But BB? No. Same old phrases and licks ad infinitum
Paul Gilbert? Y.J. Malmsteen? Both wallow in the pit of self-congratulatory shred (although Paul does appear to be a very good teacher).
I'd vote Steve Hackett under-rated. Have a look at some of the tabs for his playing (Musical Box / Return of the Giant Hogweed / Horizons etc) and you'll see techniques and phrasing that must have been rather eye-opening in the 70's. Similarly Al Di Meola. His work is technically jaw-dropping, and embraces everything from Spanish classical to tribal African. He does seem a colossal anus as a person though.
That'll do for now.
What invariably happens with these threads is that everyone tends to rate guitarists in their favourite bands and dismisses those in bands they don't like. And as an earlier poster said, there will be lots of obscure names coming out of the woodwork in an attempt to impress how well listened and alternative we are.
fwiw, on pure guitar playing abilities and listening pleasure, i do agree that both Hendrix and Slash are overrated (and i am a big gnr fan btw). Prince has always been acknolwedged as a great musician and agreat guitarist, so not sure why one would think he is underrated. I shan't bother listing my thoughts on underrated axemeisters, as i would invariably simply list all of my favourite bands/guitarists regardless of their playing prowess..... but i cannot help but mention Dave Mustaine - IMHO the best all round metal guitarist of all time, notwithstanding the fact that some of Megadeth's output is mediocre to say the least.
fwiw, on pure guitar playing abilities and listening pleasure, i do agree that both Hendrix and Slash are overrated (and i am a big gnr fan btw). Prince has always been acknolwedged as a great musician and agreat guitarist, so not sure why one would think he is underrated. I shan't bother listing my thoughts on underrated axemeisters, as i would invariably simply list all of my favourite bands/guitarists regardless of their playing prowess..... but i cannot help but mention Dave Mustaine - IMHO the best all round metal guitarist of all time, notwithstanding the fact that some of Megadeth's output is mediocre to say the least.
strewth..this could run and its about persoanl opinion at the end of the day...
guitarits will be under or over rated as per their genre...
Kirk Hammett and EVH might sound a tad OR now but thier influence cannot be underestimated...Hetfield is not a soloist and Metallica need Kirk. ok he's not the most charismatic of stage performers but anyone tought by satriani has to be a good player.
Friedman was never better than in Megadeth imho but different styles of player - Friedman was a thrash guitarist, Kirk arguably left that genre with ride the lightning.
Underrated
Dave Mustaine - without question metals most underrated guitarist and writer. thrash, metal, blues, cross over he can do it all.
Paul Gilbert - Mr. Big deffo versatile and rocking!
Nuno Bettencourt - Extreme. seeing this guy play live, quite unassuming but what a player...anyone who can play "play with me" or "flight of the bumblebee" live note perfect gets my vote. top band too.
honorable mentions
Steve Stevens (Billy Idols's old guitarist - he could play)
John - 5 marilyn manson
and I give you (poss controversial) - Ritchie Sambora....very underrated imho.
Over-rated
Noel Gallagher - 1 chord man.
guitarits will be under or over rated as per their genre...
Kirk Hammett and EVH might sound a tad OR now but thier influence cannot be underestimated...Hetfield is not a soloist and Metallica need Kirk. ok he's not the most charismatic of stage performers but anyone tought by satriani has to be a good player.
Friedman was never better than in Megadeth imho but different styles of player - Friedman was a thrash guitarist, Kirk arguably left that genre with ride the lightning.
Underrated
Dave Mustaine - without question metals most underrated guitarist and writer. thrash, metal, blues, cross over he can do it all.
Paul Gilbert - Mr. Big deffo versatile and rocking!
Nuno Bettencourt - Extreme. seeing this guy play live, quite unassuming but what a player...anyone who can play "play with me" or "flight of the bumblebee" live note perfect gets my vote. top band too.
honorable mentions
Steve Stevens (Billy Idols's old guitarist - he could play)
John - 5 marilyn manson
and I give you (poss controversial) - Ritchie Sambora....very underrated imho.
Over-rated
Noel Gallagher - 1 chord man.
Nom de ploom said:
Dave Mustaine - without question metals most underrated guitarist and writer. thrash, metal, blues, cross over he can do it all.
But Dave Mustaine has never been underrated. He is widely regarded as a stalwart in the world of thrash/metal guitarists. I just happen to think the best.Nom de ploom said:
Over-rated
Noel Gallagher - 1 chord man.
Okay, lengthy post incoming about exactly why I disagree and what defines a good but not necessarily a great guitarist.Noel Gallagher - 1 chord man.
In terms of technical ability I don't rate Noel too highly. Within two years of playing guitar I can play every single Oasis song I like very competently, and mistake free. But for me, a great guitarist is not just somebody who w
ks on a guitar, there needs to be feel in the playing and it needs to be melodic. Kind of difficult for me to explain, but just listen to Eruption by EVH. The tapping part sounds decent enough, but the rest is, frankly, st. It is just shredding. Wow. Sounds amazing doesn't it...Most people into 'guitar music' my age listen to stuff like Metallica, Megadeth, Iron Maiden, which for the most part I find s
t. I'm not narrow minded enough to think that all of it is, I like Nothing Else Matters, The Trooper, Enter Sandman, etc. But take 'One' by Metallica for example. Decent, up until it is ruined by terrible sounding distortion. I can make that noise, and I have been playing for just over two years.Compare that to somebody like Noel, where I can listen to a song and not expect a solo. And if there is a solo, it will sound nice. It won't be like 'One' where he is just having a w
k. Yes, very impressive. Not something I care for though.As such, my definition of a great guitarist differs to most people's. If we are talking about technical ability, then Yngwie Malmsteen (sp) is undoubtedly up there. But he couldn't have made Morning Glory.
As another example, take Slash. Slash has one sound. And no improvisational skill. Anybody who plays a song the same on electric and acoustic is frankly quite lacking in musical skill IMVHO. Take this example. Slash plays it note for note to the original. An acoustic version... pathetic IMO. An opportunity to do something different and he plays it exactly the same. Therefore I consider Slash overrated.
I'm not saying Noel is a great guitarist in technical ability, not by any stretch of the imagination. He's said that himself. But in terms of musical ability, I rate him pretty damn highly. Oasis are one of the only bands (alongside The Jam) where I can listen to almost any song on an album and like it. No other band has had that effect on me, where almost every album is immense. The solos are just right. Not w
ky, not showing off sup3r l337 technical ability. But they're in there to compliment the song.As for overrated...
Kirk Hammett
Carlos Santana
Jimi Hendrix
Keith Richards
David Gilmore
Yngwie Malmsteen
Eddie Van Halen
Paul Gilbert
Slash
Herman Ri (
)Underrated...
Jeff Beck
Joe Satriani
Dave Mustaine
Steve Cradock
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