top 100 guitarists
russian 100.Lenny Breau99.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