Thread of great guitarists

Nigel Tufnel --

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Legend.
 
Another fun guitarist fact...

Vernon Wayne Howell (though better known as David Koresh) played guitar --

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Of course, he would go onto fame for one particularly notorious show in Waco in 1993.
 
The beauty of Prince's playing is the feel.

There are some great solos initially in the song (first solo is note for note the same) but what makes it a great performance is how Prince takes it and makes it his own. It's just... effortless.

His Super Bowl performance is off the hook as well.


I'm not sure there's anything else that exemplifies the "coolness" of Prince. Just kinda hanging out in the background, letting everyone else just kind of set the stage. Then just casually taking over, shredding the **** out of the end of the song, tossing his guitar, and walking off. He probably rehearsed that solo dozens of time but he gave you the impression he was just flawlessly improvising it.
 
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Matt Bellamy Muse-whew, piano, vocals and shredding guitar -never see him listed on these threads, enjoy if you haven't heard of him... Bass player is very good as well. Very popular across the pond but not as much here...

 
My favorite would have to be Carlos Santana but he always gets mentioned in these threads - as he should be.

Just for something different, how about some Terry Kath from the early days of Chicago. Here is what JImi Hendrix said about him.

"Walt, the horns are like one set of lungs," Parazaider said Hendrix told him. "And your guitar player is better than me." That guitarist, Terry Kath, went on to be hailed by many as one of rock's greatest -- a "forgotten guitar god" who was "criminally underrated."

Skip to the 3 minute mark if you want to go straight to the solo.

 
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A lot of good mentions already, but I haven't seen these three. I would add Mark Knopfler, Jerry Garcia, and Neil Young.

Jerry is obviously an icon and I love the Dead. If we want to dig in to rhythm guitar Bob Weir is one of the best and most unique rhythm players imo.
 
Thurston Moore


Good shout. Piggybacking off of this and someone that’s not really a total shredder or soloist:

Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins

He introduced some really cool techniques and amazing Sonics to the world. I thought him when you posted Thurston Moore because when I think about Corgan’s guitar work I think Thurston Moore smashed in to Tom Scholz of Boston.
 
Good shout. Piggybacking off of this and someone that’s not really a total shredder or soloist:

Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins

He introduced some really cool techniques and amazing Sonics to the world. I thought him when you posted Thurston Moore because when I think about Corgan’s guitar work I think Thurston Moore smashed in to Tom Scholz of Boston.
Agreed. first time i heard Pumpkins, i started searching for that tone in his sound. Thurston Moore and Bob Mould (Husker Du) are the first two that wowed me with originality of their sound and no by fancy solos.
 
Prince was so damn good...as are many others...but as far as "unknown" guys who can play...Nils Lofgren (member of Crazy Horse and E Street Band among other) can PLAY! It is sad but he kills the solo in "Purple Rain" when Springsteen covered the song in the days after Prince passed...love this clip:

 
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Thurston Moore

I bought SY Goo when it came out in 1990 (I was a HS Freshman) and wanted to be Thurston Moore when I grew up. I presume you have or have heard his solo album Psychic Hearts (1995). It just totally blew me away.
 
I've posted this before but have to do it in this thread. Adrian Belew was like an after-market booster for TH. He was like AMG to Mercedes Benz, next level.

 
Already said Gilmour, but this is one of my favorites.


Also, Tommy Emmanuel is pretty good


Have mind blown by Greg Koch

This is awesome. That two beat bass line with the jazz chord progressions is very difficult to master. Then the crazy false harmonics he pulls off, some really cool techniques I haven't seen before.
 
Jerry is obviously an icon and I love the Dead. If we want to dig in to rhythm guitar Bob Weir is one of the best and most unique rhythm players imo.
This girl is so good it makes my head hurt. Best rhythm guitar ever IMO. Flamenco is so underrated in the popular lexicon of guitar.

 
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Some lesser known(Minus Petrucci) players that I love.

Nick Johnston



Jakeb Zytecki w/ Disperse



Monte Montgomery



John Petrucci



Mark Holcomb w/ Periphery solo at 9:30
Fun fact Holcomb is John Petrucci's nephew.
 
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