[Landgreen]

I'd have to agree with Joe Bonamassa who is my current favourite. Eric Clapton and David Gilmour would make it my top 3.

[Diamond Dog]

John freakin' Butler. On a twelve-string flat-top yet. Wow....just...wow.

D.D.

[Delta Wave]

Only one Frank Zappa mention? Heathens... What about Steve Howe or Trey Anastasio?

A Frank Zappa & Steve Vai duo...

http://youtu.be/TEnzdp71U78

[nature boy]

1) Hendrix
2) SRV
3) Gilmour

Lot's of other notables, including Leo Kottke, Joe Pass, Wes Montgomery, and others.

NB 

[jimdgoulding]

Bill Frisell been mentioned?  He's a bad mamajama.  Got to catch him live earlier this year.

[jimdgoulding]

On the aformentioned Santana recording, in particular would be the closing track, The Life Divine.  The mostest cryin shame is the murkiness of drummer Billy Cobham, bassist Doug Rauch, and organist Larry Young in the mix.  I don't see how it's possible that Billy Cobham could sustain this kind of energy for as long as he does.  Boy, this is one I'd like to hear with better separation and recorded in uncompressed direct-to-disc!  Santana shines, no, beams.  With John McLaughlin.

[Æ]

I don't see how it's possible that Billy Cobham could sustain this kind of energy for as long as he does.

I like Billy Cobham, wrong thread, he isn't a guitarist!
I met him a long time ago during a break, while he was performing at California State University Northridge. I actually asked him about the then deceased guitarist Tommy Bolin.
Anyway, Billy could keep playing and playing because had some pretty impressive, rather muscular arms.

[FullRangeMan]

Love Devotion Surrender surely is one of the worst sounds SACDs I have, au pair with Tubular Bells and Brain Salad Surgery, very slow tape recording, only the euphonic vinyl will increase this sound.
http://www.sa-cd.net/showtitle/7592

[FullRangeMan]

Great performance of Billy Cobham in this CD, great recording too.
http://www.amazon.com/Prelude-Records-40th-Anniversary-Edition/dp/B004C4IK3E/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1338424572&sr=1-1

[weitrhino]

Do you have 7 minutes?  C'mon!  You know you do. You know you can waste 7 minutes on the internet without even thinking about it.  So why not invest those minutes checking out Shawn Lane?  At 4:54 be prepared to pick up your jaw.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eDV4fJcRUI&feature=related

[Rclark]

Only one Frank Zappa mention? Heathens... What about Steve Howe or Trey Anastasio?

A Frank Zappa & Steve Vai duo...

http://youtu.be/TEnzdp71U78

 DAMN. That was incredible.

[doorman]

Shawn was one of those comets that streak through our world all too briefly,and Poof--- Gone.
If interested, also check out some of his work with Jonas Helborg, Jeff Sipe, Selvaganesh et al.
-Thanks for posting the above link!
Don

[lonewolfny42]

Speed demons...or playing with heart and feeling....I'll take the latter every time.

An example.....Rory Gallagher....

[simoon]

Speed demons...or playing with heart and feeling....I'll take the latter every time.

What a great thing that those 2 attributes are not mutually exclusive. There are plenty of guitarists that can do both brilliantly.

And just because a guy plays blues scales and bends a lot of notes, doesn't mean he's 'playing with feeling'.

And the other side of the coin, just because a guy is playing blazingly fast, doesn't mean there is no feeling.

[Rob Babcock]

What a great thing that those 2 attributes are not mutually exclusive. There are plenty of guitarists that can do both brilliantly.

And just because a guy plays blues scales and bends a lot of notes, doesn't mean he's 'playing with feeling'.

And the other side of the coin, just because a guy is playing blazingly fast, doesn't mean there is no feeling.

That's pretty much my feelings when someone starts to bash Jascha Heifetz.

[hndaaudio]

A name I never see mentioned in such discussions is Laurie Wisefield.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DD6t-UdjkQg

As others have pointed out,it's not about speed,it's about making great music;I never heard George Harrison shred,but consider him a great guitarist.

[jimdgoulding]

A name I never see mentioned in such discussions is Laurie Wisefield.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DD6t-UdjkQg

As others have pointed out,it's not about speed,it's about making great music;I never heard George Harrison shred,but consider him a great guitarist.

Oh, that's good, but I don't think you have a consensus that this topic is about speed.  Please.

[Mark Korda]

All of you forgot the Louisianna  Mississipi Flash...Jerry Reed...Smokey  and the Bandit...I have found old records at yard sales that might prove my point,and for trivia,who was that guy on the early Andy Griffith show who did 2 appearances as the guitarist locked up in jail.....who jammed with Andy....Mark Korda