What do you consider to be a great guitar player?

[Doc Holliday]

Bit of a odd one really.
I was out over the Wkend with one of my non guitar playing pals and he asked me the hardest question in the world.... who is the best guitar player to have lived.
Damn... I was taken back my head started spinning.
He said a lot of people mention Eric Clapton!
I said man... it’s a possibility. According to interviews I’ve watched with Beck, Gary m plus a few others Eric set the standard back in the mid sixties with that John mayall tone! Plus in cream he was known for his improvised pretty speedy 15+ minute solos.
Still it was a tough one to call. Another mate had mentioned Noel Gallagher. Now I get it. Oasis is his favourite group and maybe he’d rather listen to “don’t look back in anger” than “Layla” but... I can’t concur that Noel to be the best guitarist to have lived. Great songs but in my first year of playing I’d pretty much learned and could play fairly well the whole Tab book my sister bought me for Xmas. It was tough... but I was a beginner. That’s not a knock at all but I didn’t come across anything tricky nor particularly original in his playing that really threw me off. Once I learned and picked up the rhythm the short solos came shortly after. Song writing yes - best guitarist??? Not for me. It’s a big mountain to climb.

So what things do you think define a good guitarist?
Technique?
The ability to improvise?
The ability to adapt?
The ability to vary techniques?
To have a palet of styles? Funk, jazz, rock, pop etc
Maybe the ability to play rhythm and lead well?
To compose and record talented music?
The ability to learn and advance/evolve?
The ability to play covers plus compose your own music?

It’s easy I guess to say I like that tone/sound therefore they’re my favourite.. but we’re talking the best.. just because your nan makes a quality shepherds pie does that make her a no 1 chef??

Thoughts?

[Pahathuasyndicate]

There’s no one person who can claim to be the best or to know who the best is. It’s always going to be subjective isn’t it?
A good guitarist and a good musician is 2 different things
The things you list above are all pertinent especially to a studio musicians
I think having a unique voice is what really sets the greats apart though.
Ultimately the best guitar players know the right note to play at the right time
You could write a thesis on this lol

[Doc Holliday]

Haha indeed.
It’s definitely not a TGP thread! I’ve nothing emotional tied to this thread.
You are correct I believe with the guitarist and musician thing! That makes a lot of sense.
I guess it’s just hard to describe sometimes what my preferences. I mean Joe satch... great guitar, player, technique etc but I’m not a fan of his music lol

[Pahathuasyndicate]

There you go, good example, I’m sure lots of people feel he is “the best”- they’re not wrong and they’re not right, it’s all subjective innit?

[Doc Holliday]

It is true :D

[innerflight]

the best guitarist I know hails fi Aberdeen also my old guitar teacher was fucking awesome, he came from up that way too, must be something in the water

its too subjective, the classics, Beck, Page, Clapton and Gilmour will always get mentioned because everyone that comes after has nicked something from them. One of my favourites is John Squire but even he will admit he's nicked everything from Page

The thing I love about Squire and the Roses in general is how all 4 just click together, separately they are good, together they are awesome, like Led Zeppelin I suppose

[Doc Holliday]

Mate Squire, love is the law.... killer!

[Doc Holliday]

To be honest that’s a good one! ^
Able to play with other people and to a beat

[stella_blues]

Some guys have all the technique but no soul in their playing, it's just meaningless wanking, tough as hell to pull off but boring to listen to. Others know half a dozen open position chords and can write great songs with their limited technique.....which would you rather listen to?

There's guitar players like Danny Gatton who have the soul and technique and could run rings around most guitarists and there's guys like Malcolm Young or Rick Parfitt who could bang out tight rhythm playing for two solid hours....all great players in their own right.

Personally I think some all round knowledge is required to become a great player....I've witnessed a friend who is a technical lead wizard being handed an acoustic at a party....the look of horror on his face was fucking priceless

[jerms]

One person.... JIMI!!!