In Your Opinion Who Is The Best Electric Guitarist?

[TimeTraveller]

I find Jeff Loomis (Nevermore, ex-Sanctuary) as the most intelligent guitarist.

Solos - Just as hot as HELL.Melodic when it should be and speed and aggressive when it takes. Only Iron Maiden can compare with them.

Riffs - I have never heard more effective riffs. He is the only man that can make metal music from noise!

Technically he is perfect! Whatever he plays has its own identity and it doesn't exist just to show that he is a good guitarist.

What do you think?

Who is the best guitarist according to your opinion?

All answers are equally respected!

 

[Nate The Great]

When I think of a great guitarist (electric or acoustic), I think in terms of originality and what that guitarist has contributed to music in general.

I would say Trey Azagthoth (Morbid Angel) is my favorite electric guitarist. He is very original, has developed his own sound, has contributed very much to the defining style of death metal, and he doesn't follow trends. He combines the catchy phrasing of Eddie Van Halen, the power and aggression of Slayer, and the awesome riffs of Mercyful Fate.

Trey Azagthoth has truly been an innovater in a field of music that tends to copy itself to no end.

Chuch Schuldiner is another guitarist I higly respect.

 

[svenske kocken]

Yeah, Jeff Loomis is the man! Love his guitar playing.

 

[Mark]

I'd say Adrian Smith, for no other reason than he's my favourite guitarist ever

As for the best... I am not one to judge...

 

[Timmeth]

You fools, the best Electric Guitar player doesn't fall into the metal genre. He falls under the Rock Fusion/Jazz Fusion/India Rock category. The mans name is John McGlaughlin. His work with Mahavishunu Orchestra is just amazing. He was, and will still be my favorite guitar player next to none other than Dan and Dag Swano. I could also mention Steve Vai for his incredible Versatility, as he plays not only Rock, but Metal and Jazz as well.

 

[=7thDaughterOfA7thSon=]

Well.......
I guess......
Andy LaRoque.....

 

[xenophobe]

John McGlaughlin is great, but there are amazing guitarists in EVERY GENRE... well, except for NU-METAL...

The best electric guitarist... Way too generalistic man...

 

[The Wanderer]

for metal, Trey of MA, Eric rutan of hate eternal and MA.
the dude from cryptopsy, adrian smith, glenn tipton (well, not any more), chuck shuldiner.

 

[MadeInNewJersey]

Originally posted by The Wanderer
for metal, Trey of MA, Eric rutan of hate eternal and MA.
the dude from cryptopsy, adrian smith, glenn tipton (well, not any more), chuck shuldiner.

Trey A is pretty damned incredible. And I also have to agree with you re: Adrian S from Maiden. He's always been one of my absolute faves. I'm also still fairly partial to Kai. He's still a guitar god to me!

I personally love the guitarwork of Jesper Stromblad (In Flames), Markus Toivonen (Ensiferum), and I will always love Chris DeGarmo from Queensryche, but I realize they're not quite in the running for best ever...

NP: Havayoth - His Creation Reversed

 

[HarmonyDies....]

I would say Anders Nystrom, I mean he does'nt worry about playing fast but he still has a great technique, and writes good riffs, beauty is held in simplicity. And Devin Townsend is also good.

 

[MadeInNewJersey]

Originally posted by HarmonyDies....
I would say Anders Nystrom, I mean he does'nt worry about playing fast but he still has a great technique, and writes good riffs, beauty is held in simplicity. And Devin Townsend is also good.

Hey, I'm about to listen to some Katatonia, an album I've never heard. How's Anders' playing on "tonight's decision"?

 

[simonc2]

I'd have to say John Petrucci from DT has the best and most emotional solos.
For riffs and overall song writing I go for Chuck Shuldina (Death).
They are incidently my two favourite bands.

 

[MadeInNewJersey]

Originally posted by simonc2
I'd have to say John Petrucci from DT has the best and most emotional solos.
For riffs and overall song writing I go for Chuck Shuldina (Death).
They are incidently my two favourite bands.

Hmm, enjoy technically masterful & progressive blazers, do ya?

 

[Cyclonus]

Jimi Hendrix.

For metal... probably Petrucci...

EDIT - Yes, Mike Romeo... he is a damn technical bastard... great riffs...

 

[Lady Of The Snow]

Hello, everyone!
Well, my #1 guitarist is and always will be Tony MacAlpine.

To me, though, it's not about how good a guitarist is, he has to "talk" to me through his playing. I have to "feel" the song.

One great example could be (for me) Gary Hoey's "Fade To Blue".
I mainly talk in songs, not the musicians behind them. There's also "Lost Without You" by Dream Theater, which is simply amazing, guitarwise, I mean the "feeling in that song..

Other guitarists I like are Steve Morse, Rik Emmett, Steve Stevens, Brad Gillis, John Petrucci, Michael Romeo (of course), Alex Lifeson, Eric Johnson, Steve Lukather, Ronnie LeTekro....

My (female) 2 cents

 

[ProgMetalFan]

Originally posted by Lady Of The Snow
Hello, everyone!
Well, my #1 guitarist is and always will be Tony MacAlpine.

To me, though, it's not about how good a guitarist is, he has to "talk" to me through his playing. I have to "feel" the song.

One great example could be (for me) Gary Hoey's "Fade To Blue".
I mainly talk in songs, not the musicians behind them. There's also "Lost Without You" by Dream Theater, which is simply amazing, guitarwise, I mean the "feeling in that song..

Other guitarists I like are Steve Morse, Rik Emmett, Steve Stevens, Brad Gillis, John Petrucci, Michael Romeo (of course), Alex Lifeson, Eric Johnson, Steve Lukather, Ronnie LeTekro....

My (female) 2 cents

Great choices!!!!!!!!!!

I would also add the underrated Thomas Youngblood to the list!

Great name as well... "Lady of the Snow" is such a beautiful song!

 

[Lady Of The Snow]

Thanks

My nick actually is my own dedication to SX and my absolute #1 song by them. It is breathtaking!

Yes *hangs head in shame* I forgot Thomas, that's right. But I just wanted to give examples.
When it comes to music, I am a "FEEL" person.

Another song example is Power Of Omens - Tears Of The Wind.

NP: DT - Lost Without You

 

[JayKeeley]

Randy Rhoads.

Just because of what he accomplished in such a short amount of time at such a young age.

I mean, how can you be 19 years old and write stuff like Diary of a Madman?! What a genius.

Sweeping question though, "best electric guitarist?" - need to identify some kind of category. Although I don't like Jazz and Blues etc, I'm sure there are hundreds of guitar virtuosos out there that I've never heard.

I'll go with Adrian Smith too - just pure magic that pushed the envelope - another reason why I HATE Janick Gers and wished he'd just go jump off a cliff. He's like a bug buzzing around Iron Maiden.

 

[lizard]

another great young guitarist who died in his early-mid 20s: Duane Allman. just on fire with soul. find an mp3 of him backing up Boz Skaggs on "Loan me a Dime" and playing on Wilson Pickett's version of "Hey Jude", or give Live at Filmore East a listen.

Stevie Ray Vaughn. the live-in-the-studio Albert King with Stevie Ray Vaughn is just blues on freakin' fire.

another early death: Hendrix. tone...effects...feeling.

Michael Schenker. too bad he continually surrounds himself with mediocrity, I know he's loony as hell, and his famous Flying Vs have been for sale on EBay, I don't know what is with this guy.

and finally, not a guitarist, but the late Jaco Pastorius on impossible bass.

 

[Bryant]

I have to name an artist I am completely bored with and don't even care for anymore........... Yngwie Malmsteen. In 1983, Yngwie blew the face off of the guitar world with his solo album, yet he hasn't progressed any after that. Unfortunately, no other guitarist has really upstaged him since that time, technically speaking.
If I had to name a guitarist that is most emotic in his style, even electric blues players would have a hard time bending a note better than David Gilmour. His prime predates my musical listening prime, but he is an incredible player.
To name the best "journeyman" and all-around guitar craftsman, I would have to say Wolf Hoffman of the late accept. He was able to mix classical, blues and just plain kick-ass metal riffs and solos like no other.
I am not stuck in the 80's but having been there, I can say guitar playing hasn't really progressed like it did between say the late-seventies to the mideighties as compared to the mid-eighties to today. One of my favorite current guitarists is Pete Southern of Balance of Power.

Bryant