Rolling Stone: The 100 Greatest Guitarists
Discussion
I found this by following a link in a completely unrelated topic in NP&E, and what first sparked my interest was the list of people who were asked to vote. Not the usual music journos, but mostly other successful guitarists which - for me - lends this list a bit of peer-review gravitas.
I've only got to no.87 so far, and I've not yet had a 'ffs, why is x / y / z on the list' moment.
Linky
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I've only got to no.87 so far, and I've not yet had a 'ffs, why is x / y / z on the list' moment.
Linky
Mods: if this is a RP, feel free to close and / or redirect.
CrabDan said:
As much as I love Hendrix he is definitely not worthy of number 1.
Why? I would argue all day long that he completely redefined what rock guitar could be way in excess of any of his predecessors & nearly all who followed & point to the fact that you can hear Jimi in Led Zep, RHCP, John Squire & countless others as an enduring monument to his musical legacy.Outside of that, the trouble with these polls is they are so subjective. They are an attempt to keep all of the people happy all of the time. Can't be done.
BorkFactor said:
I can't say I agree with all of it!
Can I ask what you don't agree with? The guitarists included or the order in which they're listed? Although I didn't allude to it in my OP, I'm not particularly interested in the order just that they are included at all. As JC says above, such a list is always going to be very subjective and the interesting thing for me so far (I'm now at no.53 on the list) is reading about - and 'tube searching - those I've either not heard of or listened to for years.No.53 (Otis Rush) is a case in point. I started out playing Spanish classical stuff, but very quickly discovered Chicago Blues and Rush / Albert King / Buddy Guy were my teachers of choice. But for no reason I can think of, I'd completely forgotten how good Otis Rush was.
Justin Cyder said:
Why? I would argue all day long that he completely redefined what rock guitar could be way in excess of any of his predecessors & nearly all who followed & point to the fact that you can hear Jimi in Led Zep, RHCP, John Squire & countless others as an enduring monument to his musical legacy.
Outside of that, the trouble with these polls is they are so subjective. They are an attempt to keep all of the people happy all of the time. Can't be done.
Mostly because he was notoriously inconsistant as a player. But I guess you're right - It's all subjective.Outside of that, the trouble with these polls is they are so subjective. They are an attempt to keep all of the people happy all of the time. Can't be done.
I bow to your superiority 
It's difficult choosing who should be number one- As previously stated, it's totally subjective. You could argue that Muddy Waters influenced Jimi, so ultimately he's the greatest, but Jimi - who might have been inconsistEnt (he died a decade and a half before I was born so I can only go on what I've heard/read) - who might also be the greatest, influenced Slash, who could (allegedly) drink his own bodyweight in Bourbon and still play note-perfect, and still went on to influence an entirely new generation of kids in the late 80s/90s, moreso than Hendrix... etc etc etc, we could be here all day.
It's difficult choosing who should be number one- As previously stated, it's totally subjective. You could argue that Muddy Waters influenced Jimi, so ultimately he's the greatest, but Jimi - who might have been inconsistEnt (he died a decade and a half before I was born so I can only go on what I've heard/read) - who might also be the greatest, influenced Slash, who could (allegedly) drink his own bodyweight in Bourbon and still play note-perfect, and still went on to influence an entirely new generation of kids in the late 80s/90s, moreso than Hendrix... etc etc etc, we could be here all day.
Edited by CrabDan on Sunday 29th July 23:45
t? Where I come from we say one-nil, not fifteen-love. 
kiteless said:
Fifteen-love
I think I'm prepared to stick rather than twist all night on whether or not getting stiffed on Jim & Jack qualifies one in the list. I'm wondering where John Squire is in all this, but then I'm just a fanboi who places elegance above all in guitar. This is why I love John Squire, Dave Davies, John Martyn & Mark Knopfler & consider Slash to be Muddy waters 45's played at at 78.Horses for courses.
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