pretty much what the title says. I'd have to say joe satriani/steve vai

Tough question - I'd have to go for Jason Becker as my all time favourite, but there are others (esp Vai) who I love almost as much

wait - shouldn't that be "whom I love"?

Dick Dale.

Jaco Pastorius

Probably some unknown dude who can finger pick some spanish/jazzy/fusion thing out of a worn out old acoustic with nylon strings. I've always found that absolutely amazing. I have enough trouble as it is shredding on a Jackson.

Best guitar player is Alexi Laiho. I enjoy all of his solos, and that's the difference between him and someone like Satch or Vai. John Petrucci is second.

Jaco is technically a bass player. But since the bass IS a guitar, I'll let it slide.

Guitarists: Timo Tolkki Alexi Laiho Michael Amott Christopher Amott Roope Latvala
Bassists: Marco Hietala Sharlee D'Angelo Jari Kainulainen
EDIT: How about 'best singer', 'best drummer' and 'best keyboardist' threads too?

Al Di Meola
Lenny Breau
Pat Metheny
Joe Satriani
John McLaughlin
Stevie Ray Vaughn
David Gilmour
Jeff Beck

Slightly off-topic, but in response to Xei Win Toh: best drummer would be one of any number of jazz drummers. But the best rock drummer is Neil Peart of Rush. Period.

My god! have you all forgotten teh king of all guitars? Wheres Jimi Hendrix?

If we speak about technique, then Ritchie Blackmore, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen and Eddie Van Halen. If we speak about feeling, Rory Gallagher (R.I.P.) and Gary Moore rule.

Of course Hendrix is beyond any comparison.

Oh, also, if u have a favorite type ie finger picking, heavy picking, with a lot of articulations(hammer on's/pull offs)

Most people have put down their favourite which isn’t the question right?

The best – (living guitarist)

Paul Gilbert

Stephan Forte slays.

www.adagio-online.com (http://www.adagio-online.com) ---> 'mp3' ---> "Prophecies of Loki"

Sarevok- the "best" guitarist is hard to define, since music is a very subjective thing. You can talk about technique, in which case maybe someone like Rusty Cooley or Ron Thal/Bumblefoot is the "best" (though its still hard/impossible to judge). Trying to talk about the best in any other way is pretty meaning IMO

"Best" drummer - Atma Anur/Mike Portnoy
"Best" bass player - Billy Sheehan/John Myung

Can you guess what my 3 choices for best keyboard player would be? ;)

@ metal leper
One of them would be Jordan Rudess?

I'd throw in Janne Warman - heez good!

I would still go for Hendrix, because he popularized so many new techniques, and helped "make" heavy metal.

Can you guess what my 3 choices for best keyboard player would be? John Tesh? Or maybe Liberace? :p

My favorite guitarist is without a doubt Popa Chubby, closely followed by B.B. King, Jimi Hendrix, Brian May, and Carlos Santana. I'm actually a bit surprised that those last two weren't mentioned here yet.

My favourite guitarist would without a doubt be Randy Rhoads. No one else can shred with that much feeling.

Favourite guitarist is hard because I like so many, but I do know one guy (apart from me :D ) who is awsome at spanishy, acoustic guitar solo things...

Kyle Gass. Someone must know of him?

Hendrix is hard to beat IMO, when it comes to electric guitar though.

@magic turtle
I know who kyle gass is ; ) tenacious d owns.

@erebus and splunge
Jordan Rudess, Derek Sherinian and Kevin Moore of course :D

Then again, I really like the keyboard playing on Ynwgie's early stuff, don't know the guy's name though

Well at least I got Rudess :)

Forgot about Kevin Moore, although I prefer Rudess' playing. He is awesome on Train of Thought as is Petrucci.

Santana

Look, I dont mean to shout anybody down or anything, but have ye none of you any respect?
Disbelieving I am while I scan these lists and see the great Tommy Emanuel mentioned not once.
Shame on you all. :p

Well seeing as someone noted earlier that this topic should really be your favourite guitarist then my favourite (as measured by their impact on ME) is Paul McCartney, closely followed by George Harrison. The rest of you can keep the mostly obscure (to me, but I'm sure very talented) guitarists mentioned above.

A few others I have not seen here (unless I missed them), but are worth mentioning:

Steve Morse
Eric Johnson
John Scofield
Mike Stern
Alan Holdsworth

eddie van halen
jimi hendrix
stevie ray vaughn

those are the kings of guitar :D

How the hell could these names not have been mentioned...!?

- Slash
- Eric Clapton
- Dave Murray
- Adrian Smith

Slash ranks above all in my opinion...however Clapton has won most best guitar player" rankings I've seen...

John5 from Marilyn Manson, you can download a cover of 'Sweet Georgia Brown' on this link (http://www.rockreview.net/monkeybreath/j-5.zip).
EDIT: this is strictly John5 and has nothing to do with Marilyn Manson.

Slash and Clapton are good guitarists indeed but they are not really in the same league as Vai Satch Gilbert etc

Adrian smith/Dave murray are my favoprite guitarists, they just dont rank with the likes of slash, jimmy hendrix, and steve vai

Well a little a bit from the old class:
Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin) is one of the best guitar players
Eric Clapton (Cream),
Jimmy Hendrix (------//------ experience) - no comment,
Phil Manzanera's guitar made what is Roxy Music as we all know it and like it(Roxy Music),
Pete Townshend is genius (the Who),
Robbie Krieger is very talented and his contribution to Doors is immense.
Dave Davies - Kinks. He and his brother Ray made Kinks one of the greatest and most influential bands in the rock 'n roll era...


The new line:
Graham Coxon formerly from Blur - one of the greatest modern guitar players nowadays. Also one fabulous songwriter pursuing his own career without Blur.
Noel Gallagher - no comment I think. As great songwritet as guitar player he is..
Jonny Greenwood - Radiohead - "but I'm a Creep, I'm a weirdo" He's fantastic musician. His contribution to the band so far isn't big enough but shimmer with genius - the final songs for both Ok Computer and Hail to the Thief were written by him.
Ed O'Brien is also deep and fantastic musician as his fellow mate Greenwood.
Thom Yorke - sam as Noel Gallagher - as great musician as great songwriter.

my 3 favourites:

1)Tommy Emmanuel (great guitarist and great entertainer, you have to see him live before you die, my advice)
2) Eddie Van Halen (just hands down an awesome guitarist and he is soo cool and casual)
3) THE LEGEND!!! Jimmy Hendrix (but sadly dead) :(

Don't you scandic people like Mattias Eklundh? He is easily the best guitarist to come from Scandinavia. You should check out his album Freak Guitar. It makes a welcome change from Vai/Satch.

Falstaff and his Air Guitar :p

/me plays a blistering air guitar solo, based on the musical stylings of Hendrix, Carlos Santana, Joe Satriani, Dave Mustaine, Kirk Hammett, Kerry King, Randy Rhodes, and Tony Iommi.

me! I like Mattias (I'm spelling his name the way you did, though I'm not convinced its right..) Freak Guitar is brilliant

Brian May

Yeah his name is correct. Also he is almost finished his second Freak Guitar album which I am Sooo looking forward to. You know what, I am going to see the G3 Vai/Satch in June here in the UK but Robert Fripp :cry: is with them this time and ohh I so very much do wish it was someone like IA or Gilbert ohhhwww. :cry:

I'm going to see them too, when they come to Finland. I don't think I've ever heard anything by Robert Fripp though. What kind of music does he play?

Rock, but I don't like him much. Out of all the guitarists in the world, I really don't know why he is playing with vai and satch but he is. I am not disappointed because it is him, just disappointed that it's not someone else.

Jerry

I've heard good things about Fripp, never heard him though. I would have liked to have seen Yngwie, but nevermind

I assume you are seeing G3 in Birmingham Sarevok, so maybe I'll see you there :cool:

Yeah the NIA, I have tickets on Block C :wave:

Strange, the tickets are not selling veryyy fast.