Name your top 3 rock guitarists,

[MarineCombatEngineer]

Mine would be, of course number 1:
1. David Gilmour of Pink Floyd.
2. Eric Clapton of Cream fame, and number 3 would be.........
3. Eddie Van Halen of Van Halen.

[FalloutShelter]

1. Mine are:

Hendrix, Robert Fripp, and Brian May

All because they have a unique sound to their work as well as virtuosity.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

2. Very good picks,

there are so many gifted rock guitarists out there that it's hard to pick.

[padfun]

6. I was going to say Robert Fripp, too.

I listened to two complete King Crimson albums earlier today

[MarineCombatEngineer]

8. King Crimson, Court of the Crimson King.

[FalloutShelter]

21. Have seen them love four times.

Love the Crims.

[AZSkiffyGeek]

27. Have you heard about Adrian Belew's new Projekct?

Belew, Tony Levin, Danny Carey of Tool, and Steve Vai (!) playing 80s era Crimson - with Fripp’s blessing. Tour is to be announced in April.

[FalloutShelter]

37. Oh man, sounds great.

I hadn’t heard. Thanks so much for the tip.

[AZSkiffyGeek]

43. I saw Belew and Levin touring with their respective bands 10 or so years ago

They played separate sets, then played together on Crimson material. Levin’s band had Pat Mastelloto on drums, and Belew had Danny Carey subbing. The drum duet leading into lndiscipline was unreal. And I am ride or die for Bill Bruford.

[padfun]

3. Gilmore, Page, Neil Young

David Gilmour
Jimmy Page
Neil Young

These might not be the very best but they are the guitarist I grew up with.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

5. Excellent choices.

Neil Young definitely, I especially liked his guitar work on the live version of Cortez the Killer.

[50 Shades Of Blue]

4. Roger McGuinn. Roger McGuinn. Roger McGuinn.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

7. Excellent, apparently you like Roger McGuinn. nt

[hlthe2b]

10. Great choices all-- I respect Clapton's talent while his politics not so much. I think you have to add Hendrix

He's been gone long enough I think we forget, but...

Others that should get their due: Prince, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Carlos Santana, Keith Richards, Jimmy Page

Whew, there are some talented folks out there on that instrument.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

15. All excellent choices.

I don't generally judge a musician by their politics, except for Tedophile Nugent.

[ProfessorGAC]

11. Joe Satriani...

...because of his prodigious technique, melodic sense, & harmonic sophistication.
...EVH (naturally) for his pioneering, his tone, and his playfulness,
& Elliot Easton (The Cars) for his versatility & his great skill of putting songs within songs. (You can sing his solos.)
Really hard to pick a top 3, though because I've got "silos" for different things I listen for. So, pulling players out of the solos is tough.
I could do this with a hundred players I admire.
(An example, selfishly, is John Petrucci because he's the great player closest to the way I play.)
Tough question, MCE!

[Eko]

12. Mine

Jimi Hendrix
Carlos Santana
Jimmy Herring.
And if you dont know Jimmy herring.

?si=dQzFXSZ-kLPXxUxq

[gay texan]

14. Frank Marino, Hendrix, Page

Beck, gilmour, frampton, steven stills, steve marriott, .......

[MarineCombatEngineer]

17. Frank Marino of Mahogany Rush.

Now there's a name I haven't heard of in a long time.
I used to mix up Mahogany Rush with Rush.

[gay texan]

20. I *almost* got to see him

Then came the pandemic

[AZSkiffyGeek]

29. I always mix Frank Marino and Pat Martino up.

I’ve never heard either, but always meant to check them out.

[cos dem]

16. 3 random choices from my favorites

Joe Satriani
Peter Green
Steve Hackett

[MarineCombatEngineer]

18. Excellent choices. nt

[thucythucy]

19. Scotty Moore

should be up there.

Not flashy or pyrotechnic, but his leads on the Sun Sessions inspired the next generation, including Keith Richards and George Harrison.

Did I say not flashy?

[MarineCombatEngineer]

22. Haven't ever heard of him,

but thanks for turning me onto him.

[thucythucy]

25. He was Presley's lead guitar player

on all his fifties hits, up to "Big Hunk O' Love" which is when Elvis started using crack Nashville session cat Hank Garland--another rock pioneer.

Check this out:

[MarineCombatEngineer]

33. This here is why I love DU,

I learn something new every day.
Thanks.

[thucythucy]

36. You're wlecome!

I often read your posts, by the way, and am often enlightened and/or entertained.

Best wishes!

[consider_this]

23. Cannot limit to 3,

Above are great, but let's not forget Eric Johnson, Mark Knoffler.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

24. Absolutely, let's not forget them.

[SamKnause]

32. I didn't.

He is number 1 on my list.

[Mike Nelson]

26. So many to pick...

... I'll say, for now, James Burton, Jimi Hendrix, Eddie van Halen.

[thucythucy]

38. James Burton for sure.

Glad he was mentioned!

[thucythucy]

28. While I'm at it:

the great Billy Mure on lead guitar. Recorded in December 1949, this has to be one of the first ever rock 'n' roll guitar solos.

I like the lyrics too:

[SamKnause]

30. Mark Knopfller

Peter Frampton

Angus Young

[AuntyGravity]

31. Hendrix, Beck, and...

This may be controversial...
Dave Mustaine

[samplegirl]

34. Jeff Beck, Neil Young, Keith Richards

[AZSkiffyGeek]

35. Three more to add...

Richard Thompson
Steve Lukather
Steve Hillage

[turbinetree]

39. Well let me see.............

1.Alvin Lee...........Ten Years After

2. Billy Gibbons........ZZ Top

3. David Gilmor.....Pink Floyd

[spooky3]

40. Jimmy Page, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Elliot Easton

All technically great and very creative

[DaBronx]

41. Hendrix Page Frampton

And I’m gonna follow up with Prince yup

[DaBronx]

42. Just saw frampton

He is still amazing

[AZSkiffyGeek]

44. It's so good he's playing again

It seemed like he was going to be forced to retire because of his health.

[DaBronx]

60. Yes...

Once he settled in his chair, he was all in! Really inspiring.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

45. My late wife's favorite song was Prince Purple Rain.

We played this at her funeral, she would have loved it.

[DaBronx]

61. Beautiful song

I’m so sorry for your loss.

[Sane1]

46. My Top 3

Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, & Stephen Stills (Acoustic & Electric)

[MarineCombatEngineer]

47. Great choices.

There are so many talented guitarists out there that it's hard to name the best of all time.

[spooky3]

51. Great that you mentioned Stephen Stills! Nt

[Upthevibe]

48. MarineCombatEngineer......

I'm going to add some that I haven't seen mentioned but that I very much enjoy:

Joe Walsh
Stevie Ray Vaughn (I went to high school with his drummer, Chris Layton. He was a year ahead of me and I didn't know him but I knew people who did. He was quite popular)
Johnny Lang

[MarineCombatEngineer]

49. All great choices, especially Joe Walsh.

[spooky3]

50. I mentioned SRV (see 9:45 pm post). He was great. Nt

[Eliot Rosewater]

52. GREATEST ROCK GUITARIST YOU NEVER HEARD OF

?si=abc9-zeFCV3uNmFV

Terry Kath, or the guitar player Hendrix said was the best he had ever seen.

IF you watch one music video this week, make it this one, watch the whole thing. you will thank me

[MarineCombatEngineer]

53. Heard of him, I would disagree that he is the greatest rock guitarist of all time,

but, we all have our choices and I highly respect your choice.

[Eliot Rosewater]

56. Well, that is not what I said, I said

the greatest you never heard of because most here will have not heard of him.

I have seen almost all of the guitar players most would talk about and I cant think of anyone like this guy. But that is my opinion. As a musician myself who has seen most of the old days bands I have never seen anything like this.


For instance as I am sure you know, when Clapton first heard Jimi, he told his friends they were all in trouble because Jimi was way better than all of them, his words more or less not mine. And Jimi said Terry was his superior in everyway, as I understand it.

NOt that any of this matters, but it reminds me of who people think the best rock drummer is, and there is actually a correct answer to that one, Ginger Baker. As a drummer myself and again, having seen most of them, I agree. Clapton laughs when people try and compare Bonham or Moon to him, I see why he laughs. Not that they aren't great, but Ginger is in an entirely different league.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

57. Point taken.

[Eliot Rosewater]

58. I am surprised when I meet someone who is familiar with Kath, his death and the timing

with his career has left him out of most discussions.

[walkingman]

54. Mine are -

Eddie Hazel - Funkadelics
Jimmy Page - Led Zeppelin
David Gilmour - Pink Floyd

[The Polack MSgt]

63. Eddie Hazel is one of my favorites too

[OAITW r.2.0]

55. Mine comes from the 70's and were pretty acoustically awesome, watching close up by the stage..

Jerry Garcia
David Bromberg
Jorma Kaukonen

[flying rabbit]

59. Today it is

Prince, Warren Haynes, and Jimmy Page. Tomorrow, who knows?

[The Polack MSgt]

62. Leaving off artists that in my mind cross over between blues and rock means leaving off some of my favorites

Like SRV, Roy Buchannan, and Rory Gallagher

But "Rock only" means...

Brian Setzer can freaking pick it.
https://music.

&si=z4O94n9VygOVnPgZ

Tony Iommi forgot more great riffs than any other guitarist ever learned. Came up with the riff for Paranoid on a lunch break because the record company said they were one song short for the new album.
Absolute monster
https://music.

&si=xw0IWdEsEU8Ii5Hs

And Mark Knopfler. When you're Chet Atkins favorite there really isn't anything else to say.
https://music.

&si=miQux97cQ57OPrbc

But this is supposed to be a Rock & Roll selection, so try this one.
https://music.

&si=E2xSNiSFTsAAN0OU

[Danascot]

64. There's no way I could limit it to 3

Though my personal favorite is David Gilmour

Also, here are a few more legendary guitar players who I haven't seen mentioned here:

Ritchie Blackmore
Randy Rhodes
Slash
George Harrison
Alex Lifeson
Frank Zappa
Johnny Winter
John McLaughlin
Joe Perry
Buddy Guy
Zakk Wylde
Joe Bonamassa
John Mayer
Al Di Meola