top 100 guitarists

russian 100.Lenny Breau

99.Dickey Betts

98.Ernesto Bitetti

97.Ramon Montoya

96.Elmore James

95.Jerry Garcia

94.Paco Pena

93.Sonny Landreth

92.Link Wray

91.Monte Montgomery

90.Eddie Lang

89.John Williams

88.Vladimir Holstinin

87.Clarence Gatemouth Brown

86.Muddy Waters

85.Albert Collins

84.Duke Robillard

83.Jan Akkerman

82.Joe Pass

81.Roy Buchanan

80.Chet Atkins

79.Shawn Lane

78.Lonnie Johnson

76-77.Dave Mustaine and Marty Friedman

75.Michael Hedges

74.Charlie Christian

73.Steve Howe

72.Tom Scholz

71.Phill Keaggy

70.Buddy Guy

69.Joe Stump

68.Eddie Hazel

67.Eric Johnson

66.Otis Rush

65.John Mclaughlin

64.Paco De Lucia

63.Robbie Kreiger

62.Chuck Berry

61.Peter Frampton

60.Peter Green

59.Robert Johnson

58.Albert King

57.Robert Fripp

56.T-Bone Walker

55.Alex Lifeson

54.David Russell

53.Robert Nighthawk

52.Micheal Schenker

51.Les Paul

50.Johnny Winter

49.Guthrie Govan

48.Al Di Meola

47.Mike Bloomfield

46.Michael Amott

45.Steve Hackett

44.Eddie Van Halen

43.Tony Iommi

42.Terry Kath

41.Pat Methany

40.Allen Collins

39.Sergey Marvin

38.Joe Bonamassa

37.Yngwie Malmsteen

36.Earl Hooker

35.Sabicas

34.Zakk Wylde

33.Frank Zappa

32.Danny Gatton

31.Jason Becker

30.Stevie Ray Vaughan

29.Alvin Lee

28.Gary Hoey

27.Duane Allman

26.Randy Rhoads

25.Constantin Nickolsky

24.Paul Gilbert

23.Dick Dale

22.John Petrucci

21.Uli John Roth

20.Hank Marvin

a british guitarist born on 1941, known for being the lead guitarist for the shadows. he also has an awesome solo career.

19.Julian Bream

a classical guitarist born on 1933 in England.

18.Wes Montgomery

An american jazz guitarist. Born on 1923.

17.Michael Angelo Batio

Michael Angelo Batio was an american guitarist born on 1956. he was a widely known instrumental guitarist. he was also voted by Guitar One magazine as the #1 Shredder. he was know for his double and quad guitars.

16.Jimmy Page

An english guitarist born on 1944. He was most known for being one of the founding members of Led Zeppelin. He also played for the Yardbirds.

15.Buckethead

An american guitarist born in 1969. He had a successful solo career consisting of 30 studio albums.

14.Eric Clapton

a british guitarist born on 1945. he played with a lot of acclaimed bands and had a successful solo career.

13.Carlos Santana

mexican american guitarist born on 1947. he founded a multiracial band called santana which became one of the most popular latino artist in America.

12.Steve Morse

an american guitarist born on 1954. he is the founder of Dixie Dregs and the current guitarist of Deep Purple.

11.Andres Segovia

a spanish guitarist born on 1893(making him prehaps the earlies guitarist on this list). he is considered to be the father of classicla guitar, teaching other classical guitarists like John Williams.

10.Jeff Beck

Jeff was a british guitarist born on 1944. He played for the Yardbirds and formed The Jeff Beck Group. He was also a quite good instrumental guitarist.

9.Steve Vai

An american rock guitarist born on 1960. he was a multi grammy winner. he 1st played for Frank Zappa and later had a successful solo career. he also commonly tours with G3.

8.Ritchie Blackmore

An british rock guitarist born on 1945. he was known as the lead guitarist for deep purple and prehaps the father of neoclassical metal.

7.Mark Knopfler

A scottish guitarist born on 1949. Known for finding the UK band Dire Straits.

6.Django Reinhardt

a belgish guitarist born on 1910. despite the loss of 2 fingers in a carnival fire, he is known to be one of the greatest jazz guitarists that ever lived!

5.David Gilmour

An english guitarist born on 1946. He was most known for playing for a band called Pink Floyd.

4.Jimi Hendrix

jimi was an american guitarist who was born on 1942. He was most known for his time with the Jimi Hendrix Experience. he died in 1970 from a drug overdose.

3.BB King

An american blues guitarist born in 1925. He is often considered the king of blues and the greatest blues artist.

There is a draw for 1st place due to the fact that these guitarists are both perfect and flawless.

1. Joe Satriani

Joe Satriani is an american instrumental guitarist born on 1956. He started out as a guitar teacher who happened to teach a lot of really famous guitarists like steve vai and kirk hamett. he later became a popular tour guitarist.

1.Gary Moore

An irish guitarist who was born on 1952. he was a blues-rock guitarist who played for skid row and thin lizzy. he was most known for his solo career. He recently died on February 2011.

Comments

yes sir david gilmour is the best but mab n 2 ? this is a joke right ?
- visitor

agree with most but not nearly in that order
1.Randy
2.Joe
3.stevie ray
4.steve vai
5.eddie van halen
6.alex lifeson
7.ingwie walmstien - visitor

YES!
1. Randy
2. Joe
3. Eddie
4. Lifeson
Vai and Vaughn are more skilled than the others but they can't write good songs in my opinion. - visitor

Hey man. Don't question Gary Moore, just listen to 'Still in Love With you'
+ Joe Bonamassa or Joe Satriani? Or is there someone I'm missing out on? - visitor

no slash should be at 1
- visitor

why does slash deserve to be first? there are many guitarists who sound just like him. if you ask me he's not in the top 100. - russian

clapton in 17th?
Go learn something about music
- visitor

I should learn about music?! I wanna see you come up with a top 100 guitarists list. clapton is great but with millions of guitarist on the planet 17th place is more than generous. - russian

No I agree with "clapton in 17th?
Go learn something about music" Eric inflouenced many of the guitarist's who just so happen to be "Better" than him. Eric should most defintitly be in the top 10 at least. So go learn something about music

- visitor

FYI, I have been learning music all my life. Clapton is one slow guitarist. I admit, he can do melodic solos but his technique in guitar playing is pretty much lacking. Put Clapton in a guitar battle with Steve Vai and you will instantly know what I'm talking about. He is a legend in the guitar world but that is it. He is mainly a legend. Maybe you're the one with no music education eh mate? - aeromaxx777

I really don't think you know much about music to make a comment like that.... I'll put one name out there for you... Robert Johnson... give him a listen - visitor

1. Jimmy Page
2. Eddie van Halen
3. Jimi Hendrix
4. Eric Clapton
5. Carlos Santana - visitor

You guys suck and this top 100 as well because nobody could ever say if you're right or if you're wrong! All these guys are great musicians but in my opinion it's such a stupid thing to state that someone is better than an other... It's only a matter of personal opinions, nothing more! - visitor

Dis list sucks frankly no kirk hammet - visitor

The only reason why Kirk should be in the list is because of Metallica. Kirk has nothing on his master, Joe Satriani. I know how to play a guitar and I play it great. Any good electric guitar player does not describe Hammett as a Guitar genius. All his solos are based on speed and not musicality. You should really put into a count how a guitar player knows how to make his guitar sing with complete harmony. But Kirk is a legend nonetheless. - aeromaxx777

Definitely add kirk!
- visitor

Make it a little shorter. And I demand, WHERE'S BRIAN MAY?! So inspirational, amazing, he should at least be number 3 or higher.
--ultimate Queen fan - visitor

Where is Keith Richards? - visitor

Where's synyster gates...
Better get some ax7 - visitor

Jimi was the only one who was one with his guitar, he deserves 1. It's cliché, but true. - visitor

I've seen at least 20 top 100 guitarist lists and everyone has their own "number one" choice. It's totally a subjective thing. However, I will add this question: Anyone notice when rock guitarists get a certain age, for some odd reason they prefer playing Jazz and "Smooth Jazz" music? - visitor

1 les Paul he invented the electric guitar
2 BB king
3jimi Hendrix
4eric Clapton
5 van Halen
6 kirk garment
7 slash
8 johnny smith
9 Steve vai - visitor

Where is Jeff Healey? - visitor

Uh, where's Johnny Winter? As I went down the list, I was gonna congratulate you because I thought he was gonna be in your top 10. But nowhere? You obviously haven't listened to him. - visitor

Eddie Van Halen is #44!?
Have you heard Eruption? - Ajkloth

Ever heard of sputum - visitor

Eric Clapton 14? - visitor