Ricthies one of the best in the world

Dougs incredible

George has some incredible bands,KXM,Lynch Mob to name a few

Jeff tyson with T-ride was jaw dropping compound octave guitar rhythms was crazy

Nuno

Andy Timmons is killer

 

This is fun so I'm having another go . . .

Johnny Marr
Peter Buck
Joe Gore

 

And for the forehead-slapping "no, wait, of course!" nominees . . .

Duane Denison
Martsch/Schmaljohn (together)
Jón Þór Birgisson
Steven Albini
Michael Brook

 

How about some grrrls...?

Lately, I like this viking-badass-bundle-of-joy

And some arpeggios at 2:20 that no one, I mean NO ONE else can do...

And a Classic...

And, last but not least...

 

Last edited: Dec 31, 2016

I'd say David Gilmour for his sheer melodic capabilities, Brian May for showing us that with the correct use of tone, you could orchestrate the guitar and Jeff Beck for his unmatched fluid capability to make a guitar an extension of your being.

 

After 6 full pages describing, and it's true !, almost the finest 'blades' of the Guitar's World... I'm just curious that some other Guitar's Legends as, for instance, 'Gary Moore', 'Peter Green', 'Frank Zappa',... , just to name a few, have still not been cited earlier (!).

Of course, the main title of the topic is exactly : "Your Top Three Guitarists ?", so... but in some sense, some (older) Guitar players are, in most of the cases, the main influence(s) of younger ones, isn't ?

I'm also thinking at other 'legendary' Guitar players that have been first known or renowned via their Studio's works, jobs, sessions,... for many other so 'famous' artists, as for instance, 'Steve Lukather' (his collab's list is not only almost endless, but so impressive !!!), 'Larry Carlton' (also well-known for his Studio sessions with 'Steely Dan', among others... ).

Toward pure 'Jazz Guitar', it seems to me that not a lot of Guitar players (even newbies !) can ignore the major influence of such 'Legends' as 'Wes Montgomery' ('Octaves' playing), as well as 'Joe Pass'...


ADDED AFTERWARDS :

I must also to add 'Michael Angelo Batio', mainly and exclusively for his neck 'freaky practices' !!!

 

Last edited: Jan 1, 2017

Today..............Nick Drake, Johnny Greenwood and me

 

Today ...
Kevin Shields
Bob Mould
Robert Smith

 

1 - Pat Metheny
2 - Pat Metheny

and last but not least:
3 - Pat Metheny

But I do also like:
-Vai
-Jhonson
-Scofield
-Satriani
-Vay
-Malmsteen
-Rittenour
undsoweiter...

 

-Yngwie J. Malmsteen
-Paul Gilbert
-Michael Romeo
-------------------------------------
extra one:
-Vinnie Moore

 

DEAD : JIMI HENDRIX-PETER GREEN-WES MONTGOMERY-GARY MOORE
ALIVE : CARLOS SANTANA-LARRY CARLTON-STEVE LUKATHER-JEFF BECK-DAVID GILMOUR-JOHN ABERCROMBIE-BILL FRISELL-PAT METHENY.....

 

Last edited: Jan 1, 2017

Almost forgot...Randy Rhoads. Had he not died so soon, he would have had the fame of Eddie Van Halen.

 

I started this, and never even listed. I can't choose too many, but I'd have to say that lately I've been digging:
John Moulder
John Scofield
Steve Howe.




I love every other guitarist mentioned here though. There have been a few I've never heard of before, and that's cool because it gets harder and harder to hear about new folks doing interesting stuff.

 

@Zenarcist I was never introduced to Danny Gatton's mastery until the spring of 2015. It literally changed my life and playing. I hit the woodshed and learned hybrid picking, and just plain old finger picking and straight up finger picking and bluegrass and rockabilly because of that guy. It ruined a few Grateful Dead jazzy shows for me, but he was an earthshatterer, may he rest in peace.

 

@karamuzas All excellent choices and I'm going through that entire list right now, cause jeez I wish you had a radio show and played that.

 

Danny Gatton also taught Joe Bonamassa how to play the guitar

 

1)
Chuck Schuldiner (death)
2)
Dimebag Darrell (pantera)
3)
Kirk Windstein (crowbar)

 

@F3r You forgot a little known legend named James Murphy. He was a Tampa guitarist that played for Death (Spiritual Healing), Obituary (Cause of Death), Disincarnate and a few others. I do believe he had the same health problems as Chuck.