[milford3]

Have a ball with this song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vs70RPZw8-4

[decal]

Never cared for any of them. Excessive noodling to the extreme. Just my opinion, nothing more.

[frank111]

 I'm a little more old school: Hendrix, Page, & Neil Young.

[fredgarvin]

That was a fun version of the Neil Young tune! I remember the first Malmsteen album, it was a classic.

[Photon46]

Unless you enjoy fanning flames, be very circumspect in describing anything/anyone as "best." Personally, among these three, only Joe gives me long term listening pleasure. Yngwie and Steve generally strike me as extremely technically proficient, but lacking in ability to sustain my musical interest. They remind me of that silly line in the movie Amadeus where Emperor Joseph says "your music has too many notes."  It's hard to say why one artist strikes a resonant chord in us and another just bores us. I guess trying to figure that out is as fruitless as wondering why one one man loves brunettes and another loves blondes.

[doorman]

Doesn't look like much "guitar-rest" going on at all!
Now, Jeff Beck, Shawn Lane----
Happy listening
Don

[Vulcan00]

I first thought this was a polling question. Please excuse me if it is not intended for that purpose. My top three guitarists for the rock and pop music, this and last centuries are:

No. 3 Hendricks he simply changes the landscape at his time and set the roots for modern electric guitar techniques.

No. 2 Page, Not a very clean picker in my opinion, some of his long runs seemed a little messy at times. However without doubt his rifts are the most recognized and loved and there are a bunch of them.

No. 1 Clapton, I know some have disagreed with Eric Clapton as the top. But to me his Bends, vibrato, hammer-on, pull-offs are so pure he makes it look simple. His notes with-in a scale and choices of substitutions notes to a scale are genius. He is the master of building excitement in his solos.


Submitted with best regards,

Harrison

[bprice2]

No. 1 Clapton, I know some have disagreed with Eric Clapton as the top. But to me his Bends, vibrato, hammer-on, pull-offs are so pure he makes it look simple. His notes with-in a scale and choices of substitutions notes to a scale are genius. He is the master of building excitement in his solos.

Clapton doubters need only to listen to the 1970 Fillmore East shows to know the truth. 

[vinyl_guy]

Obviously, this is a very subjective topic and a matter of taste. I never cared for the three in the video. My top 3 are David Gilmour, Eric Clapton and Lindsey Buckingham.

[DARTH AUDIO]

1. Jimmy Page
2. Allan Holdsworth
3. Al DiMeola

[Mike B.]

I don't know how to just pick three. Just about everyone mentioned makes my list of greats. I would add Eddie VanHalen, Dickie Betts, Warren Haynes to it.

[Danny Richie]

There are guys that I like to watch live because I really appreciate the talent. But the excessive noodling is not something I can listen to while driving down the road. There has to be a song in there somewhere for me. I feel about the same with Bela Fleck. I won't miss a live show, but the music is not high on my favorites list.

Here is a good example of multiple guitars going at it while still creating a musical piece that is enjoyable and fun to listen to. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usWQOPTORn8 Check out the 2 to 3 minute marks.

Personal favorite guitarist are Angus Young and Randy Rhoads. There are many others that I like but most are from the heavy metal era that a group up in. 

[Æ]

No. 3 Hendricks he simply changes the landscape at his time and set the roots for modern electric guitar techniques.

Seriously doubtful you are a HendriX fan, you don't know how to spell his name correctly.

[Rclark]

 
 There are so many modern players that just slay but I expect this one to be just another hall of famers thread.

[bprice2]

Seriously doubtful you are a HendriX fan, you don't know how to spell his name correctly.

[Æ]

Have a ball with this song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vs70RPZw8-4

Yes, I am enjoying the music, thank you.

P.S. You should have just said "Enjoy the music" instead of "Three of the Best." Now everyone is debating who is or who isn't the best.

[Æ]

Well, I think it's pretty lame when someone spells his name Jimmy Hendricks and then has the nerve to say that he is only the third best guitarist.

[Devil Doc]

Just to be difficult, what about Doc Watson, Norman Blake and Tony Rice. This, in my opinion, is a stupid thing to argue about. Good guitar players are a dime a dozen. Many of them are unemployed. Now, good contra-bassoon players would be a worthy topic of discussion .

Doc

[ctviggen]

Unless you enjoy fanning flames, be very circumspect in describing anything/anyone as "best." Personally, among these three, only Joe gives me long term listening pleasure. Yngwie and Steve generally strike me as extremely technically proficient, but lacking in ability to sustain my musical interest. They remind me of that silly line in the movie Amadeus where Emperor Joseph says "your music has too many notes."  It's hard to say why one artist strikes a resonant chord in us and another just bores us. I guess trying to figure that out is as fruitless as wondering why one one man loves brunettes and another loves blondes.

I always had a hard time with both of them.  On the other hand, Stevie Ray Vaughn and Jimi Hendrix (assuming he wasn't going for noise) were great.

[Eric]

What about guys like Roy Buchanan, Michael Hedges, Leo Kottke, etc.?