 Who Is The Best Guitarist
Ever?
Ask a hundred music fans their pick for the best
guitarist ever to pick up an axe, and you’ll probably
get a hundred answers. In this article, I’m going to run down
my picks for the Top Four, and maybe add in a couple more for
good measure. You ready to rock?
An obvious pick for the title of Best Guitarist Ever is the
legendary Jimi Hendrix. Born in Seattle, Washington, Jimi
picked up the guitar at the age of seventeen and forever
changed the sound of rock music with his wild, electrified
playing. Hendrix treated the electric guitar not merely as an
amplified acoustic, but as a whole new instrument, capable of
creating sounds far beyond the reach of mortal man. Using an
array of specially-built effects pedals, he turned fuzz,
distortion and feedback into essential parts of an axeman’s
repertoire.
Eddie Van Halen is another contender for the title. The
metal madman who anchors the band of the same name is one of
the most technically proficient players of all time, but is
that enough to earn the name Best Guitarist Ever? It’s hard to
say. His astounding solo on the Van Halen classic "Eruption" is
one of the most melodically intense guitar recordings ever, and
he’s still shredding well into his old age.
Another potential best guitarist ever from the world of hard
rock is Slash. The iconic top-hatted Guns & Roses axeman
brought an unprecedented lyricism to the band’s searing rockers
and epic ballads. His massive guitar collection includes over
one hundred and ten instruments, and he is famous for wringing
every last drop of tone out of a customized Gibson Les Paul.
Admittedly, his work in Velvet Revolver hasn’t been as seminal,
but you can’t write him off just yet.
A dark-horse choice for the position is the funk lord from
Minneapolis, Prince. Those casual fans who just know "When
Doves Cry" may be a little perplexed, but anybody who has taken
the pilgrimage and seen the Purple One live is aware that he
can shred with the best of them. Prince is a vastly underrated
guitarist both live and in the studio, with an almost casual
mastery of the instrument. He really cuts loose on stage,
too.
At the end of this article, I’ve only barely scratched the
surface of potential candidates for Best Guitarist Ever –
where’s Eric Clapton? Brian May of Queen? John Frusciante of
the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who released an amazing album of
guitar-damaged psych? Folk legend John Fahey? Carlos Santana?
Yngwie Malmsteen? Herman Li of Dragonforce? I could do this all
day, but my fingers are starting to cramp from all the air
guitar. What do you think?
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