Who do you think is the greatest guitarist, and why?

[Lorraine]

[treeduck]

Allan Holdsworth because he was light years ahead of everybody. It was like an alien visited Earth for a while from the Guitar Planet.

[Rick N. Backer]

Perhaps to no one's suprise, I think it's Edward Van Halen. Eruption is still the bench mark for mind blowing lead work, and every heavy guitarist from about 1982 to 1989 was a clone of his. Add to that the fact that guitarists will routinely tell you it's his rhythm playing, and his "brown sound" that is truly the best part of his body of work.

 

Oh, and when Michael Jackson was putting a somewhat heavier song on a little known album of his from the early 80s, who did he go to for the lead break?

[Lorraine]

Perhaps to no one's suprise, I think it's Edward Van Halen. Eruption is still the bench mark for mind blowing lead work, and every heavy guitarist from about 1982 to 1989 was a clone of his. Add to that the fact that guitarists will routinely tell you it's his rhythm playing, and his "brown sound" that is truly the best part of his body of work.

 

Oh, and when Michael Jackson was putting a somewhat heavier song on a little known album of his from the early 80s, who did he go to for the lead break?

 

TrueFan

[Lorraine]

Allan Holdsworth because he was light years ahead of everybody. It was like an alien visited Earth for a while from the Guitar Planet.

 

[IbanezJem]

Eddie VH. Not just the trail-blazing solos but his magnificent rhythm playing too. As Rick says, MJ wanted the best for "Beat It" so chose EVH. I was about 9 when I heard that solo and knew I wanted more of music like that, not the pop music I was supposed to like as a kid - I wonder if I would love guitars and rock music if it wasn't for Eddie... in which case, I think I'd be a very different person.

[Lorraine]

Perhaps to no one's suprise, I think it's Edward Van Halen. Eruption is still the bench mark for mind blowing lead work, and every heavy guitarist from about 1982 to 1989 was a clone of his. Add to that the fact that guitarists will routinely tell you it's his rhythm playing, and his "brown sound" that is truly the best part of his body of work.

 

Oh, and when Michael Jackson was putting a somewhat heavier song on a little known album of his from the early 80s, who did he go to for the lead break?

 

 

Eddie VH. Not just the trail-blazing solos but his magnificent rhythm playing too. As Rick says, MJ wanted the best for "Beat It" so chose EVH. I was about 9 when I heard that solo and knew I wanted more of music like that, not the pop music I was supposed to like as a kid - I wonder if I would love guitars and rock music if it wasn't for Eddie... in which case, I think I'd be a very different person.

 

I've watched quite a few of VH documentaries/interviews and one thing stands out always - he and his brother worked hard for what they got. I think he once said it took them 7 years of playing the clubs to "make it", and that he and his brother practiced for hours every single day. The both of them seemed to have a work ethic, and I've seen Eddie get exasperated with anyone who thought they could do the same with little or no effort on their part.

[Rutlefan]

As non-guitarist, EVH, because he was the archetype for the modern larger-than-life rock guitarist (as opposed to those along the lines of Jimmy Page, where it seems you didn't even have to play that well at times, you were still a guitar god). There's always going to be arguments for great technical guitarists, Al Di Meola, Steve Morse, Steve Vai, etc etc, and I have no idea where and how Eddie would fit among those, but from a layman's perspective, he was a never-before-seen combination of showmanship, technical ability, and style. Not the first to combine these but he did it in a way that has made him the standard.

 

It's similar to the argument about who is the best NFL running back ever. SI put it best; all the arguments for someone other than Jim Brown come down to how someone-not-Jim-Brown was better than Jim Brown. Same for this question; if not EVH, how was the someone-not-EVH better than EVH? Maybe there's a good answer but it's a question that has to be answered, it seems to me. I'll now give back the floor to people who know something about guitar-playing (on that note, my older brother is a life-long player, and EVH has always been his favorite until the last few years; now it's Jeff Beck).

Edited September 30, 2019 by Rutlefan

[Lorraine]

As non-guitarist, EVH, because he was the archetype for the modern larger-than-life rock guitarist (as opposed to those along the lines of Jimmy Page, where it seems you didn't even have to play that well at times, you were still a guitar god). There's always going to be arguments for great technical guitarists, Al Di Meola, Steve Morse, Steve Vai, etc etc, and I have no idea where and how Eddie would fit among those, but from a layman's perspective, he was a never-before-seen combination of showmanship, technical ability, and style. Not the first to combine these but he did it in a way that has made him the standard.

 

It's similar to the argument about who is the best NFL running back ever. SI put it best; all the arguments for someone other than Jim Brown come down to how someone-not-Jim-Brown was better than Jim Brown. Same for this question; if not EVH, how was the someone-not-EVH better than EVH? Maybe there's a good answer but it's a question that has to be answered, it seems to me. I'll now give back the floor to people who know something about guitar-playing (on that note, my older brother is a life-long player, and EVH has always been his favorite until the last few years; now it's Jeff Beck).

 

Why does he think Jeff Beck is better? Jeff Beck must be ancient by now. I was buying his albums through the Columbia Record Club when I was 14!! :codger:

[Rutlefan]

"Why does he think Jeff Beck is better? Jeff Beck must be ancient by now. I was buying his albums through the Columbia Record Club when I was 14!! :codger:"

 

Last we talked about that he was waxing eloquently on sublime technique and feel and... so on and so on. I can't follow after a point.

[Lorraine]

"Why does he think Jeff Beck is better? Jeff Beck must be ancient by now. I was buying his albums through the Columbia Record Club when I was 14!! :codger:"

 

Last we talked about that he was waxing eloquently on sublime technique and feel and... so on and so on. I can't follow after a point.

You sound as knowledgeable about these things as me, if you don't mind me saying. ;)

[IbanezJem]

Perhaps to no one's suprise, I think it's Edward Van Halen. Eruption is still the bench mark for mind blowing lead work, and every heavy guitarist from about 1982 to 1989 was a clone of his. Add to that the fact that guitarists will routinely tell you it's his rhythm playing, and his "brown sound" that is truly the best part of his body of work.

 

Oh, and when Michael Jackson was putting a somewhat heavier song on a little known album of his from the early 80s, who did he go to for the lead break?

 

 

Eddie VH. Not just the trail-blazing solos but his magnificent rhythm playing too. As Rick says, MJ wanted the best for "Beat It" so chose EVH. I was about 9 when I heard that solo and knew I wanted more of music like that, not the pop music I was supposed to like as a kid - I wonder if I would love guitars and rock music if it wasn't for Eddie... in which case, I think I'd be a very different person.

 

I've watched quite a few of VH documentaries/interviews and one thing stands out always - he and his brother worked hard for what they got. I think he once said it took them 7 years of playing the clubs to "make it", and that he and his brother practiced for hours every single day. The both of them seemed to have a work ethic, and I've seen Eddie get exasperated with anyone who thought they could do the same with little or no effort on their part.

I know pretty much everything about Van Halen, like you guys know about Rush. Eddie said that he and Alex were playing music as little kids for tips on the boat from Holland to America, as Jan VH (their Pa) was a musician on board and that's what paid their fare.

[Rutlefan]

"Why does he think Jeff Beck is better? Jeff Beck must be ancient by now. I was buying his albums through the Columbia Record Club when I was 14!! :codger:"

 

Last we talked about that he was waxing eloquently on sublime technique and feel and... so on and so on. I can't follow after a point.

You sound as knowledgeable about these things as me, if you don't mind me saying. ;)

 

When it comes to guitar, I'm like the non-expert wine drinker; I like what I like :). And what I like best is David Gilmour, our Alex, and Johnny Marr. So I guess I enjoy good phrasing over blazing technical ability.

[Lorraine]

"Why does he think Jeff Beck is better? Jeff Beck must be ancient by now. I was buying his albums through the Columbia Record Club when I was 14!! :codger:"

 

Last we talked about that he was waxing eloquently on sublime technique and feel and... so on and so on. I can't follow after a point.

You sound as knowledgeable about these things as me, if you don't mind me saying. ;)

 

When it comes to guitar, I'm like the non-expert wine drinker; I like what I like :). And what I like best is David Gilmour, our Alex, and Johnny Marr. So I guess I enjoy good phrasing over blazing technical ability.

That's what I'm like. I know nothing technical. Not even sure what a riff is. But I know what I like, and I know when a guitar player touches me - Alex, Mike Campbell, Brian May.

[Fordgalaxy]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned Jimi, and I believe he was the best at one time, but he didn't hang around long enough to really cement that title. I too would say Edvard Van Halen.

[Rick N. Backer]

Perhaps to no one's suprise, I think it's Edward Van Halen. Eruption is still the bench mark for mind blowing lead work, and every heavy guitarist from about 1982 to 1989 was a clone of his. Add to that the fact that guitarists will routinely tell you it's his rhythm playing, and his "brown sound" that is truly the best part of his body of work.

 

Oh, and when Michael Jackson was putting a somewhat heavier song on a little known album of his from the early 80s, who did he go to for the lead break?

 

 

Eddie VH. Not just the trail-blazing solos but his magnificent rhythm playing too. As Rick says, MJ wanted the best for "Beat It" so chose EVH. I was about 9 when I heard that solo and knew I wanted more of music like that, not the pop music I was supposed to like as a kid - I wonder if I would love guitars and rock music if it wasn't for Eddie... in which case, I think I'd be a very different person.

 

I've watched quite a few of VH documentaries/interviews and one thing stands out always - he and his brother worked hard for what they got. I think he once said it took them 7 years of playing the clubs to "make it", and that he and his brother practiced for hours every single day. The both of them seemed to have a work ethic, and I've seen Eddie get exasperated with anyone who thought they could do the same with little or no effort on their part.

 

Gene Simmons shopped the "Zero" demos around for a while, with no takers. Purportedly, Roth was the sticking point, a lot of execs thought he stunk. Can you imagine how it must have felt a few years later after passing on them?

 

Speaking of their work ethic, I love the story EVH tells about how he started on drums, and Alex started on guitar. Alex kept using the drums and got better than Eddie. So Eddie picked up Alex's guitar to spite him. One (i.e., I) might argue that Eddie became much more proficient on the guitar than Alex did on drums. Certainly more important.

[ReRushed]

As far as rock guitar goes it's Eddie Van Halen. I remember 1978 and how everything changed after Eddie Van Halen. Everything about rock guitar was different after Van Halen. Everything.

[Entre_Perpetuo]

Brian May or Alex Lifeson. Put shortly, their playing satisfies me the most.

[custom55]

THIS GUY

 

http://youtu.be/2LBxkBKsIrI

[Lorraine]

THIS GUY

 

http://youtu.be/2LBxkBKsIrI

I think he's going bald. ;)

 

Honestly don't think I would recognize him if I saw him. I would think it's him, but wouldn't be sure.

Edited September 30, 2019 by Lorraine

[Derek19]

I haven't had a favorite guitarist, who I think is the greatest. I feel there shouldn't be a comparison, who it is because there are too many, and a lot of different ones around. I know a few reasons why Lorraine, decided to start this thread. I'll say what one of them is. There are some other guitar related threads on, and in this section of the forums, so why not try to completely cover about the topic of the instrument guitar including songs. Edited September 30, 2019 by Derek19

[custom55]

Maybe not the greatest, but certainly my favorite. I'm drawn to his tone.

 

 

http://youtu.be/3CwDKqfMX3o

Edited September 30, 2019 by custom55

[thesweetscience]

Perhaps to no one's suprise, I think it's Edward Van Halen. Eruption is still the bench mark for mind blowing lead work, and every heavy guitarist from about 1982 to 1989 was a clone of his. Add to that the fact that guitarists will routinely tell you it's his rhythm playing, and his "brown sound" that is truly the best part of his body of work.

 

Oh, and when Michael Jackson was putting a somewhat heavier song on a little known album of his from the early 80s, who did he go to for the lead break?

 

To listen to Eddie tell the story, he happened to be in the studio when they were recording Thriller. Eddie was there for something else but over heard some of what they were doing with Beat It and he more or less suggested some ideas and they let him get in and lay down some tracks. in other words, he jumped in. They didn't seek him out.

 

At least according to Eddie.

Edited September 30, 2019 by thesweetscience

[JohnRogers]

Alex Lifeson a pioneer with a great sound. Who makes better guitar face?

[laughedatbytime]

Perhaps to no one's suprise, I think it's Edward Van Halen. Eruption is still the bench mark for mind blowing lead work, and every heavy guitarist from about 1982 to 1989 was a clone of his. Add to that the fact that guitarists will routinely tell you it's his rhythm playing, and his "brown sound" that is truly the best part of his body of work.

 

Oh, and when Michael Jackson was putting a somewhat heavier song on a little known album of his from the early 80s, who did he go to for the lead break?

Pffffft. King of Pop. Let me know when Amon Duul II solicits a contribution