Who Is The Best Guitarist Ever?

Ask a hundred music fans their pick for the best guitarist ever to pick up an axe, and youll probably get a hundred answers. In this article, Im going to run down my picks for the Top Four, and maybe add in a couple more for good measure. You ready to rock?

An obvious pick for the title of Best Guitarist Ever is the legendary Jimi Hendrix. Born in Seattle, Washington, Jimi picked up the guitar at the age of seventeen and forever changed the sound of rock music with his wild, electrified playing. Hendrix treated the electric guitar not merely as an amplified acoustic, but as a whole new instrument, capable of creating sounds far beyond the reach of mortal man. Using an array of specially-built effects pedals, he turned fuzz, distortion and feedback into essential parts of an axemans repertoire.

Eddie Van Halen is another contender for the title. The metal madman who anchors the band of the same name is one of the most technically proficient players of all time, but is that enough to earn the name Best Guitarist Ever? Its hard to say. His astounding solo on the Van Halen classic "Eruption" is one of the most melodically intense guitar recordings ever, and hes still shredding well into his old age.

Another potential best guitarist ever from the world of hard rock is Slash. The iconic top-hatted Guns & Roses axeman brought an unprecedented lyricism to the bands searing rockers and epic ballads. His massive guitar collection includes over one hundred and ten instruments, and he is famous for wringing every last drop of tone out of a customized Gibson Les Paul. Admittedly, his work in Velvet Revolver hasnt been as seminal, but you cant write him off just yet.

A dark-horse choice for the position is the funk lord from Minneapolis, Prince. Those casual fans who just know "When Doves Cry" may be a little perplexed, but anybody who has taken the pilgrimage and seen the Purple One live is aware that he can shred with the best of them. Prince is a vastly underrated guitarist both live and in the studio, with an almost casual mastery of the instrument. He really cuts loose on stage, too.

At the end of this article, Ive only barely scratched the surface of potential candidates for Best Guitarist Ever wheres Eric Clapton? Brian May of Queen? John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who released an amazing album of guitar-damaged psych? Folk legend John Fahey? Carlos Santana? Yngwie Malmsteen? Herman Li of Dragonforce? I could do this all day, but my fingers are starting to cramp from all the air guitar. What do you think?