[HAITIMAN]

Challenge: listen to the live Band of Gypsies CD and then name a better electric guitarist. I will admit John McLaughlin playing live with the Mahavishnu Orchestra circa '72-'73 was right up there, but Jimi was the best IMHO. From my hometown here in Seattle too, same high school

Correct! "Machine Gun" cannot be topped.

[Dave G]

Edit:  you had an extra "to" in the well-done "whom" phrase!    

Sr. Mary Anita never DREAMED I'd turn out to be a decent writer/editor.  She was SURE I was gonna end up in hell by my 16th birthday.  Though I did come close.   

??  I was just quoting John Donne.  Maybe you were referring to Scotty's post?

[jackman]

I'm trying not going to turn this into an argument, like every other "greatest" list always morphs into.  All I'll say is that there have been so many amazing guitarists over the years and I'm a big fan of all of the ones mentioned so far.  It is interesting that Hendrix has been dead over 40 years and he only performed a solo artist (okay, with a band) for less than 4 years, before he died at the young age of 27, and yet so many people, including some of the great guitarists and musicians regard him as the greatest of all time. 

I also suspect that 100 years from now, there will be new names added to the list, supplanting the greats of our era, but people will still be talking about the quiet young man from Seattle who played with such emotion and creativity that he transformed the guitar.  There was no separation between the guitar and Jimi, it was an inextricable part of his being. 

Hendrix did not know how to read music and I don't know if he would have ever ventured into Jazz or other forms of music.  He was a Blues man to the core, albiet one who often painted pictures from a relatively abstract perspective.  Lastly, Jimi was known to be a shy guy who would have been embarrased by the "greatest" talk.  Unlike many of the guitar "wankers" of the Metal era, Jimi just tried to make beautiful music, not prove he was the best or fastest guitarist of his time. 

He always improvised and it usually worked, sometimes it didn't.  That's the beauty of Hendrix's (live) music.  He was not afraid to go out on a limb.  People in the audience were witnessing beautiful creativity, sometimes musical chaos, genius in real-time, not intricatey memorized notes as is so often the case.  People were part of the "Experience".  It's a shame it ended so soon...

[simoon]

I'm a huge Hendrix fan.

But the 'greatest ever'....not so much.

Influential, yes. Played with soul and heart, yes. Wrote some great songs, yes.

But there are others who have done those things, and also have more technical facility. No, I am not saying that technique trumps 'soul, feel and heart'. I'm saying that it is possible to have 'soul, feel and heart' AND have better technique, too.

[jackman]

I'm a huge Hendrix fan.

But the 'greatest ever'....not so much.

Influential, yes. Played with soul and heart, yes. Wrote some great songs, yes.

But there are others who have done those things, and also have more technical facility. No, I am not saying that technique trumps 'soul, feel and heart'. I'm saying that it is possible to have 'soul, feel and heart' AND have better technique, too.

Perhaps you are right but I can't think of any.  Can you name one?  Certainly none mentioned in this thread.  Every generation has new names they want to put at the top of the list, all of them very special and talented players, but none stand the test of time like Hendrix.  Truth be told, I lisent to more Gilmour, Gary Moore, Winter, Clapton and several others these days than I do Hendrix.  I don't consider any of these guys to be in his class.  Not even close.  One hundred years from now, they will still be arguing if Jimi was the best.  He's been dead for over 40 years and no one has firmly taken his place at the top of the guitar player pyramid, IMO. 

[bummrush]

Thats like when i want to listen to hendrix,theres no maybe i should listen to this that or somebody else.Pretty much if Hendrix is in the mind even for a litle bit,that who gets played,there is no substitute.

[squirrel_nut]

"greatest" leaves a lot to interpretation.
if you sold the most albums would that make you the greatest? for example Paul McCartney. 
if you you have the fastest hands and can hit more notes, are you the greatest? example Roy Clark or Joe Satriani.
i saw Eric Clapton in 78 with Muddy Waters as the warm up band. Muddy was better in so many ways. rythmically, technically, speed. i was embarrased for Clapton.
the best i ever saw live was a night with Frank Zappa. he never got enough credit for his skills in this regard. most thought of him more as a composser. he can lay it down!

i will have to get on the Jimi bandwagon. his skills were excellent, but its all the other things he forged. a style that was new. a legacy that still leads to many saying he was the greatest. respect from his peers then and now. longevity doesnt really play into this discussion. 4yrs was enough.

[JerryM]

the best i ever saw live was a night with Frank Zappa. he never got enough credit for his skills in this regard. most thought of him more as a composser. he can lay it down!

Franks Zappa was a genius, and far more than a guitarist or composer.

I got to see him live, too. My buddies and I were on our way home from the show in Santa Barbara and the right rear axle, tire and all, puked out of the rear end of our friend's van. It's a miracle we all didn't die. Fresh off of the concert, we all got to wait on the side of the freeway for the CHP to arrive. We were listening to KMET, the best LA rock station, ever. The music stopped, and DJ Jim Ladd said "Tonight is dedicated to John Lennon; murdered tonight on the steps of his apartment."

I will never forget that night.

So many 'greatests'.

[doug s.]

jimi is one of the greats, imo - no doubt.  there's so many in that category.  but, if i had to pick only *one*, for electric guitar, frank zappa would be the one.  seeing him live (which i did several times) was truly an amazing event.  and, even the guitar riffs on his albums, to this day, stand the test of time.  simply phenomenal guitar work.

doug s.

[pansixt]

Are You experienced? Not necessarily Stoned, But Beautiful.

Hey Squirrel nut,
I saw Duane Allman playing a mean guitar with the Dominos. To me it was embarrassing to the Slow Hand.
But, then I have always been a Duane fan. Not so much for Eric. But what do I know? I just like..

[pansixt]

Hey Doug,
Hoy Hoy.
Lowell George was also the shit.

[CSI]

I've never been a big rock fan, jazz being my main interest then and now. Some years ago I had the occasion to drive coast to coast by myself and took along the CD's I thought would make the best road music. I included a number of the greatest guitar players (Burrell, Pass, Kessel) and my beloved Miles and Coltrane discs. I threw in a few from my meager rock collection as well for variety. As I left California I sampled my jazz stuff then tried Hendrix. I was captivated. I don't know if was his intensity, his originality or just the amazing musicality of the man but it was pretty much just me and Jimi from Arizona to South Florida. If you are a jazz snob and never paid close attention to Hendrix, I suggest you stop and open your ears.

[jackman]

Hey Guys,

Good comments.  For the record, I like Zappa as a composer and a musician.  He was one of a kind and I have an appreciation for most of his stuff (some of it I have not acquired a taste for yet).  Same goes for Clapton, Pass, Wes, a young Carlos Santana, Gary Moore, Mark Knopfler, Duane Allman (brilliant) and so many others.  For me, the standard is simple:  after Jimi Hendrix took the stage, who could follow him (this is speculation of course) without the audience revolting?  I can't think of anyone who could follow Jimi once he played a live set (which I will grant you would be difficult considering the fact that he's dead). 

I've seen several great guitarists play live (Clapton, SRV-best live guitarist I've ever seen, Gilmour, EVH, Buddy Guy, BB King, Kenny Wayne, Al DiMiola, John Mclaughlin, etc.)  and I've seen tons of clips of great guitarists on Youtube and concert videos.  I love music and love the guitar, but I can't imagine any of these guys taking the stage after Jimi. 

[doug s.]

Hey Doug,
Hoy Hoy.
Lowell George was also the shit.

lowell george and little feat was/is my all time fave rack band.  lowell was a master.  i remember having a wake for him w/my dead-head friends in ann arbor when he died - we found out he died the following mid afternoon, and we stayed up until the next morning listening to little feat and intoxicating.  and cussing him out for getting so out of shape and out of control.  i had turned them on to lowell, and within 8 months, they had about 100 bootleg little feat concert tapes to go w/the 1000 dead tapes they had.  i was in dc a few nights before his last concert before he died - he died after the show. friends had tried to convince me to stay to see the show, but i was getting antsy to get back to ann arbor, so i passed, cuz i'd seen him 5 times, and i was gonna be seeing him next week in michigan.  but he never made it...   

yup, lowell was a fantastic singer/songwriter.  but frank was a better composer and guitar player.

doug s.

[doug s.]

another absolutely phenomenal guitar player - but completely different style - is jerry douglas.  amazing recordings, even more amazing live...

doug s.

[Rclark]

Without a doubt, Jimi Hendrix was the greatest guitar player who ever lived and the baddest mofo who ever walked the earth.

[S Clark]

Without a doubt, Jimi Hendrix was the greatest guitar player who ever lived and the baddest mofo who ever walked the earth.

Without a doubt? This conversation has come full circle.  Just depends on what you listen to. Hendrix doesn't even come up in conversation in my listening group.  I suspect that those that I think are the top guitarist may not be anywhere on your list.  Clearly your list is different from my Liszt.

Scott

[Rclark]

 I think if Jimi were to walk onto the stage after "your" greatest... 

 Without a doubt, yes the greatest.

[srb]

I was fortunate enough to get to see Hendrix live.  It was an enjoyable show.  I think he is easily somewhere in the top 10 blues/rock performers, the top 15 blues/rock composers and the top 20 blues/rock electric guitarists.
 
Steve

[S Clark]

I think if Jimi were to walk onto the stage after "your" greatest... 

 Without a doubt, yes the greatest.

Jimi would have looked like a fool trying to play with an orchestra doing Concierto de Aranjeuz (he couldn't read music, and improv just doesn't cut it in classical), just like Julien Bream wouldn't play rock.  But Julien at least could have played the notes, Jimi just wouldn't have had a clue. 
My point is that any "without a doubt" statement shows the lack of exposure of the critic.
You really can't compare Hendrix to Paco de Lucia to Joe Pass to Wes Montgomery.  It is impossible to state any were "the greatest".