Solo Guitarists: Eric Clapton vs. Peter Frampton

Mike Bloomfield, Phil Keaggy, Jerry Garcia of course, Al Kooper, Zappa, Steve Cropper, Danny Kirwan, Dave Mason...no end to this shit. I like 'em all. Originally Posted by Don T. Lukbak

surely you have your preference amongst the group. I doubt they all play at the same level even though they may all be talented.

When a musician is as accomplished as any and all those fuckers are I am not qualified to declare who's the best among them...and, really, there's no such animal. When Rocky Hill was in the zone all the other pickers got the envies, and then Rocky wished he could play like Otis Rush..and on and on. Earl Hooker and T-Bone Walker were both every bit as skilled as any of the other superb musicians in this here thread.

When a musician is as accomplished as any and all those fuckers are I am not qualified to declare who's the best among them...and, really, there's no such animal. When Rocky Hill was in the zone all the other pickers got the envies, and then Rocky wished he could play like Otis Rush..and on and on. Earl Hooker and T-Bone Walker were both every bit as skilled as any of the other superb musicians in this here thread. Originally Posted by Don T. Lukbak

Exactly Don.......too many variables based upon likes or dislikes on a specific genre of music....

his early demise may have fortified that legendary status simply because the living find it difficult to detach themselves from "what if" (he'd lived to a ripe ol' age).....so we immortalize him as the greatest in order to cover that "lost potential" scenario. Originally Posted by Chateau Becot

I have a different take on the same subject.. I think we don't cover "lost potential", I think we freeze greatness in time.. Hendrix will always be a 27 year-old Guitar God, BECAUSE he died early.. empirically (there I go with that word again) speaking, he would have made some lame music had he endured, and we wouldn't quickly associate him with "Foxey Lady" and "all along the watchtower", as we do now.. Jim Morrison is the same idea.. his life was falling apart, had he not expired in that Paris bathtub, he would have made shitty music, and been a running joke in his 30's.. but dying at 27, as he left a classic album (L.A. Woman) on our doorstep.. legend remains..

Clapton, too.. had he had one too many doses of heroin, circa 1972, he would be as legendary as Hendrix.. now he's an elder statesman, good guitarist, but when we think of his great-playing, we inevitably refer back to Cream and Derek & the Dominoes..

50 posts in, and nobody's mentioned your Homeboy Billy Gibbons.. maybe not top 10 all-time, but easily top 20.. reportedly Hendrix said Gibbons was his favorite young guitarist around 1969-70..

50 posts in, and nobody's mentioned your Homeboy Billy Gibbons.. maybe not top 10 all-time, but easily top 20.. reportedly Hendrix said Gibbons was his favorite young guitarist around 1969-70.. Originally Posted by Chung Tran

Hell yeah, Billy's fun to listen to...and much better behaved than Rocky was, which might be why Bill Ham picked him instead of Rocky. Ol' Rocky was just too wild to risk capital on. Which made him great fun to run around with: if it wasn't chaotic at any particular moment, hang on because it soon would be.

R.I.P. Rocky Hill

Back to the OP..there's no disputing that Clapton and Frampton both are real good guitar players...but it's easy to think of at least a couple dozen pickers I really enjoy listening to a whole lot more than either of those guys, whose music I own but almost never play. FWIW, they're more guitar celebs than guitar virtuosi.

If I had to pick just one it'd be Hendrix...the master of the Stratocaster Nobody since could do what he could...except Stevie Ray who's style emulated Hendrix's. If you want to hear the real Hendrix though it's not the popular stuff like Voodoo Child and Foxy Lady. You have to listen to him play the blues...like...




Jimmy Paige? I'd give him second chair but only to Hendrix. He could have done much more without all the &$%.... well I can't say it here. He wrote and performed what many consider one of the greatest solos ever....




Frampton a great guitarist? He was famous for some songs where he did some unique things with a guitar talk box. I'd say he's the master of the talk box.




Eric Clapton was God....until he did too much *&%$#. In his prime he was hard to top...like...




Jeff Beck never stayed in any band long enough to get the attention he deserves.




Pete Townsend and Keith Richards both great rhythm players but soloists not so much...especially Townsend.

Chuck Berry is famous for the licks in his songs and was very influential but there were/are a lot better players than him.


Any lists of greats is remiss without Eddie Van Halen....




And this pretty good soloist too...

Watch him get down on that thang at about 2:25...



& Prince

Watch him get down on that thang at about 2:25...



& Prince Originally Posted by DickEmDown

Dude was a trip; Houston grown and all. A true showman but multi-talented with guitar and piano skills.

Check this out also.

It depends on the category of music. Who has played with different artist from different styles from rock, blues, country and blue grass. I choose Vince Gill.

Y'all can go on and on and on about this shit.

If a person can play guitar, they can inspire.

There are a billion guitarists out there, and a million of them that can actually play. From EVERY genre of music.

NO ONE is the best ever! Originally Posted by kerwil62

Quoting what I said earlier with an addition.

Also there are quite a few up and coming FEMALE guitarists on YouTube that are kicking ass right now! We just don't know about them yet.

Y'all carry on.......

Wow,
Richey Blackmore, Don Felder, Randy Rhoads, Brian May and David Gilmore all make this top ten list.



Who knew Slash's solos in Sweet Child o Mine was meant as a joke?

Guess it plays into what Kerwil is saying.

Since I'm a real music afficianado....I think this is a great thread and will have to agree that there is no one BEST guitarist.....some are more technically competent than others but once you get to a cetain high level of ability which almost all of them mentioned here have.... than it just comes down to "what do you personally like"
Frankly, I cant find fault with any of them that have been mentioned here so far....I like them all!

Here's a few I like and why:

Stevie Ray Vaughn.....fantastic abilty and a guy who put so much power and intensity into his playing.....in the early 80's when I was young enough to want to put posters of my favorite groups and guitarists on the bedroom wall....the first time I heard Stevie Ray, there was an immediate regime change! All the motley crue and other posters came down and Stevie Ray went up!....his playing was a combination of almsot unbelievable finesse and raw power as shown in this live performance of "tight Rope" at Austin City Limits

.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GX5ioDq1m5I (sorry, I dont know how to post a video except for a link)


Joe Walsh....As a teen I got to see the Eagles several times back in the late 70" and just thought Joe was amazing wether with the Eagles or solo......interestingly...many big name guitarists say Joe Walsh was there inspiration! Here's a vid of Walsh from his very early solo career: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UC9sRIsvjXI

And a much later one of him and the Eagles getting inducted into the Hall Of Fame
http://www.youtube.com/watch?annotat...&v=16AooDzb9zg

Watch Joe let'r rip on his opening part of the Hotel California solo oppostie Don Felder..

Don Felder....Felder is one of those greats who never seems to get recognized.....I always thought the dueling solo's that he and Joe Walsh did were so amazing!
.
Felder's sound is smooth and melodious.....Walsh is sharp and intense....Felder has a totaly different style than Walsh...and yet they just go together

Always loved this Felder solo classic.

Eric Clapton is overrated. Ritchie Blackmore had Deep Purple going on the same time as Cream and Jimi was getting all the press. Blackmore was already light years beyond them.