in the option you miss Jani Liimatainer from Sonata Acrtica, (ex sonata arctica guitarrist) that dude played really fast the guitar, a shame he had to left sonata arctica

John Petrucci is way overrated, hes good, but thats all, hes only focused on playing solos exactly as they sound on the album, he cant improvise, he does have some shining moments in the studio, but its rare for him to completely nail his solos when playing live

I won't say John Petrucci is the best overall... but he may be the best out of this list. While some of the others are just fast (Paul Gilbert, Yngwie Malmsteen) and others are more based on accuracy and note placement rather than speed (Steve Vai, Marty Friedman), John Petrucci can focus on both at all times. Speed as well as accuracy. That's the only way I could determine it. They're all badass guitarists. Second place comes Paul Gilbert. I've seen him play and it was... WILD.

In voting for any "best guitarist" my vote would go to Joe Satriana, even though its not really metal (he has a few songs that sound metally though, like Mind Storm). He's just fast and accurate, using the criteria above poster used as well. And god, how I loved his performace live!

Tony Iommi, thats my vote... even though hes not up there.

i´d go for Luca Turilli...shame he isnt in the list

Written by Guest on 24.10.2007 at 06:15

John Petrucci is way overrated, hes good, but thats all, hes only focused on playing solos exactly as they sound on the album, he cant improvise, he does have some shining moments in the studio, but its rare for him to completely nail his solos when playing live

What? everything you say couldn't be futher from the truth!!! when you play music so complex that dreamtheater there ain't much room for improvisation! thats their thing, but sure he can improvise if he want's! probably better than anyone!! just watch the G3 dvd when they play all three together he improvises!!!
And he plays his parts ass close to flawless ass you gett live!!!

Michael Weikath from helloween, but from that list, Yngwie!

Yngwie is adorable but yes it was better to be an Other a too man:) for example where is Dimebag? or Zakk? ....

I think Steve Vai or Michael Romeo

//Im really a big fan of John Petrucci's work so i voted for him. He strings the most impossible notes together and makes them sound effortless. It seems like every song he attempts to try and top his performance from the last. Awesome guitarist live also. He slayed in Columbus! And to agree with RockeRoy, you ever heard of Liquid Tension Experiment Apollyon?//

Malmsteen, Satriani, Vai, Petrucci, Romeo... my personal list
i voted Yngwie but this wasn't easy at all!

I went with Malmsteen

John Petrucci From another planet

You have missed a lot of people here. what about Jeff Waters from Annihilator - he's got to be one of the best ever for speed and the rythms and songs he makes, then there is Herman Li - dragonforce, Max Cavalera - Sepultura, Cavalera Conspiracy, Soulfy, Nailbomb, Alexis Laiho - Children Of Bodom, Dave Mustaine - Megadeth. come on man

My vote goes for Mr Vai from this list, but I am missing as far as I remember 3 other axes from the choice. Steve Vai it is more spectacular by far. Songs like "For the love of God" show a technique that I have not seen before in any guitarrist -I play- and I got totally amazed because I could not only play many parts of that song...I could not even understand how he was playing them and I was watching him live in a concert in front of the TV -as the boy in Megadeth "Peace sells" videoclip- and with my Stratocaster. I used to be a convinced Satriani fan before that.
I am missing then Joe Satriani, Michael Lee Firkins and above all, Vinnie Moore -please listen Mind´s Eye and Time Odyssey from him.

Where is Kirk and Herman li?

None of those. I would say Buckethead

My vote is malsteen but there are many guitar masters whom aint mentioned

You should have made this list a bit longer man.....so many more guitarplayers who should be in the list....

Tony Iommi is heavy metal himself since he invented it. So he's my favourite of all time. Im not really into any of those above.

My vote go to Yngwie! A great guitarist... Technically talking, he's the best in the list.

My vote is for Jon Petrucci, he is one of those guitarists who never really appears to be straining to play the song he is playing. Technically he is flawless, then if you throw songwriting into the equation he is even better.

My vote goes to John Petrucci. For heavy metal he is the best. He and Jimmy Page are my favorite guitarists.

Written by Arian Totalis on 30.09.2006 at 00:01

John Petrucci gets my vote because there is no denying his ability,
He went to Burklee and I think graduated in the top ten of his class,
co-founded the first Prog Metal Band, Dream theater, and is just absolutely
amazing.

....top ten of his class. Ah, I was so Naieve when I was sixteen. I found out a Looong time ago that he and Portnoy, as well as Myung dropped out to keep Dream Theater going strong. My feelings have also changed about this poll. While Petrucci is still my favorite from the list, I'd say that there are too many metal guitarists in this world for any one to be the "best" and so I wish I could retract my vote.

Written by RockeRoy on 10.12.2007 at 17:57

Written by Guest on 24.10.2007 at 06:15

John Petrucci is way overrated, hes good, but thats all, hes only focused on playing solos exactly as they sound on the album, he cant improvise, he does have some shining moments in the studio, but its rare for him to completely nail his solos when playing live

What? everything you say couldn't be futher from the truth!!! when you play music so complex that dreamtheater there ain't much room for improvisation! thats their thing, but sure he can improvise if he want's! probably better than anyone!! just watch the G3 dvd when they play all three together he improvises!!!
And he plays his parts ass close to flawless ass you gett live!!!

Am I dumb... whats this G3 dvd ?

Quote:
Am I dumb... whats this G3 dvd ?

G3 is always joe satriani and steve, but there is always one more guitarist with them, John Petrucci participated on the tours more than any other guitarist they have taken with them, Eric Johnson and yngwie Malmsteen to name a few. they play pluss minus 3 songs from their solo albums eatch before they all jam togheter in the end.

Sounds awesome. Ill be looking into it. Thanks!

Marty Friedman all the way, nobody ever got close to "feeling" the guitar like he did... not even Vai

Why jari maenpa is not in the list?
I believe that he plays the guitar pretty good and fast!

I voted for Petrucci on this one, not because of his guitar technique, which is incredible, but because of his style. Although Yngwie may be a superior technical player, the style he uses does not vary much. Its neoclassical or neoclassical. Petrucci plays a variety of styles and uses many techniques on the Dream Theater albums as well as his solo work. On a side note, where is Michael Angelo Batio on this list? He invented a new type of guitar!
P.S. Dragonforce89, really?! Kirk Hammett, although talented, is not even close to being mentioned on this list. He is one of the sloppiest players I have ever seen live. And Herman Li possesses no musical talent whatsoever.