Hi all,

I know that there are already some polls about this feature. But I am focusing here just in guitarists that have produced and are known mainly by their solo albums. I am quite enthusiastic about knowing your thoughts about who is the most skilled out of these 9. Please consider everything related to technique: speed, use of distortion and pedals, elegance, difficulty in shredding... and take also into account their feeling while playing and all issues in general. There is another poll containing some of these nine, but Michael Angelo, Vinnie, Tony and Joe are not featured and they are quite important in the "axe" scene.
Now I have to say that there are others such as Joey Tafolla, Jason Becker, Michael Lee Firkins, Jose Luis Pizarro... that I have not included because they are not so popular and there are many great guitarists playing in their own bands or delivering not mainly instrumental albums such as Petrucci, Van Halen, James Murphy, Skolnick... and many others from another time: Buckethead, Dimebag, Akira Tabayashi, Ritchie Blackmore, Paul Quinn -Saxon-, Michael Schenker, Adrian Vandenberg and all Ozzy, Dio and Thin Lizzy guitarists.

I knew Yngwie in 1987, and IMO he is still the best Axe composing sung songs as in Marching Out, Odissey..., then Satriani, close later Vai after playing in Whitesnake and showing himself in the film "Crossroads" with "Karate Kid" back in @1989. I knew Vinnie from Vicious Rumors, Paul Gilbert from Racer X and Jason-Marty from Cacophony. Macalpine and Michael Angelo came into scene some time after and, finally, I listened Eric Johnson after being part of G3 most recently. I used to be fan of Satriani until I watched him together with Vai in the same concert "Leyendas de la Guitarra" in Seville 1992. After that, Vai has been my favourite and, despite how good are the others, with difference.

Well, what is your choice?

Hi again.

I mainly prefer Tony or Michael Angelo feeling and the beauty of their composition aside with the first two albums of Vinnie and "The Maze"...however, I have to vote for Mr Vai. IMO the most skilled in this world. There is many "silly" songs in their albums, too many sung songs for an instrumental specialist, but the ones that are only played are fantastic and with the most worked out balance between feeling and skilled, above all his use and knowledge of distorted sound is amazing.

I recommend "For the Love of God" so that you will understand my words and my choice:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IrWyZ0KZuk

Mm, this is a hard poll, especially when I start taking Jason Becker, Michael Lee Firkins into consideration as well.

Currently it is a tie between Marty Friedman, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Jason Becker, Michael Lee Firkins.

I will have to revisit all of their discographies again to be able to make up my mind.

Hard poll indeed... I think each one has his own unique things to offer. Personally I like Yngwie a bit more than the rest because of his ability combine metal with classical music elements.

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 11.05.2009 at 16:26

Mm, this is a hard poll, especially when I start taking Jason Becker, Michael Lee Firkins into consideration as well.

Currently it is a tie between Marty Friedman, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Jason Becker, Michael Lee Firkins.

I will have to revisit all of their discographies again to be able to make up my mind.

I had to go with Steve Vai because out of all of these guys I feel he writes the best actual songs. I mean, Sex and Religion is such a killer album and not just a shred fest.

The guitarrists that I really regret not have included in the poll are Greg Howe, Richie Kotzen and Jason Becker. But there is room just for 9.

Greg Howe is really amazing. I have just listened to his albums playing together with Richie Kotzen and this man is a genius. -Kotzen as well-. However Greg style is more jazzy and less rock or metal than the guitarrists I placed in the post. Though, Eric Johnson is quite alike and I included it.

Speaking about Jason Becker. You probably know that Jason had a strange illness and become tetraplegic or something similar back in 1990 and obviously can't play. However, he composed an album released in 1995 named "Perspective" with the aid of a computer and featuring Steve Perry, Michael Lee Firkins, Matt and Gregg Bissonette, Steve Hunter, members of Bobby McFerrin's Voicestra and members of the San Francisco Girls Chorus as musicians. Another two albums have been released since, but they contained songs written before the sclerosis never included before in any album and adaptions of songs played in Perpetual Burns and Perspective.

Reason for creating this poll

I had played with the idea of creating this poll for months so that I would not miss anybody and include the most skilled of metal guitarrists and now I am thinking that I should have put Jason Becker instead of Eric Johnson. I did not include Jason Becker, cos I had only listened "Perpetual Burns" until 3 days ago. I have "acquired" many albums recently, since I have been jamming with a work colleague during the last two months and I needed some coming back to soloing. I used to play in some bands from 17 until 26. In fact, Steve Vai was the guilty that I did not try harder shredding and the like. I watched Yngwie or Satriani and I could not play everything, but I knew how they did it. With Vai was different, I could not even follow the fingers or ascertain exactly where the sounds came from. Well, it's obvious that he use the effects quite wisely, but, nevertheless, that dude is impossible. It is God or...Satan -he was born on 6.06.1966. After watching "For the love of God" with my Stratocaster in front of the TV on 1992 without understanding anything, I realised that Vai was a goal that I could never get. I stopped getting instrumental artists almost instantly. A pity. I only kept myself updated in Vinnie, Marty, Satriani and Vai and, of course, Paul Gilbert, as I like Racer X and, in a less degree, Mr Big-. I had nothing from Macalpine or Michael Angelo until recently, though I had listened to them a lot before.

Well, everything above mentioned was my special trigger for proposing this poll.

I've only listend to Yngwie and Satriani out of the pick, but i prefer Yngwie

Written by Powerslavex on 14.05.2009 at 20:33

I've only listend to Yngwie and Satriani out of the pick, but i prefer Yngwie

Good choice. Give the rest a listening:

Vinnie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Bz9mRJP0Wk
Eric Johnson: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnqpOFcBiMM
Marty after teaching Japanese to Paul Gilbert: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoWIcKRSupA
Paul Gilbert years ago: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCsLV5jdWzI
Vai jamming with Macalpine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uY-3TXeTZM
Michael Angelo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kFI7lsxUjc

Satriani: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4fPv450OYM
Yngwie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvKqxNea9iA

Written by Yossarian on 14.05.2009 at 22:46

Written by Powerslavex on 14.05.2009 at 20:33

I've only listend to Yngwie and Satriani out of the pick, but i prefer Yngwie

Good choice. Give the rest a listening:

Vinnie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Bz9mRJP0Wk
Eric Johnson: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnqpOFcBiMM
Marty after teaching Japanese to Paul Gilbert: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoWIcKRSupA
Vai jamming with Macalpine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uY-3TXeTZM
Michael Angelo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kFI7lsxUjc

Satriani: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4fPv450OYM
Yngwie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvKqxNea9iA

Thanks man i'll give them a listen

OKay after long deliberation I finally came to a conclusion.

Marty Friedman it is. That guy is sooo varied.
Not only on his solo albums but also when he played in Vixen, Hawaii and Megadeth. H ecan play anything from thrash to oriental music.
A close second is Jason Becker for me. Unfortunately we will never know what he could really achieve cause of Lou Gehrig's disease. He is abou as varied as Friedman and was also able to play some really great mainstream guitar (just listen to what he achieved on the David Lee Roth album)

The other dudes I am speaking about:

Richie Kotzen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xgs9jOZzcQ
Greg Howe: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edVbz_uXJd0

and, last and most important, Jason Becker in 1987 playing Paganini: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jK978921Yw

Written by Yossarian on 15.05.2009 at 06:40

The other dudes I am speaking about:

Richie Kotzen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xgs9jOZzcQ
Greg Howe: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edVbz_uXJd0

and, last and most important, Jason Becker in 1987 playing Paganini: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jK978921Yw

Oh man, Greg Howe is just amazing, but yes he is more jazz oriented, but I love that, Extraction, that album with Dennis Chambers and Victor Wooten is one of my favorite albums of all time, one song that I really like is "Contigo", really deep, those 3 guys are masters on their instruments.

And for the poll, still I don't know which one to choose, hard one hehehe.

Marty gets my vote

Quote:

Quote:
"Extraction" is too jazzy for me. I prefer his debut or "Introspection". Perhaps you already have, but if not, there are 2 albums featuring Greg Howe and Richie Kotzen -ex Mr Big and ex-Poison really superb and they are not so jazz oriented. One is named "Tilt" 1995 and the other has not title and was released in 1997

Oh man, Greg Howe is just amazing, but yes he is more jazz oriented, but I love that, Extraction, that album with Dennis Chambers and Victor Wooten is one of my favorite albums of all time, one song that I really like is "Contigo", really deep, those 3 guys are masters on their instruments.

And for the poll, still I don't know which one to choose, hard one hehehe.

Paul Gilbert gets my vote, however you forgot Rusty Cooley, he definately better than most on this list.

Written by Dane Train on 11.05.2009 at 18:29


I had to go with Steve Vai because out of all of these guys I feel he writes the best actual songs. I mean, Sex and Religion is such a killer album and not just a shred fest.

Big misconception there. Once they grow up they stop shredding for shredding's sake.

Voting for one of the guitarists here is kind of hard for me because they are so accomplished I don't feel like I could judge them properly. If Greg Howe were here I'd wouldn't have to think over my choice. MAB would be another good choice, if it weren't for the stain of Nitro (easily one of the worst groups of all time). Never heard Vinnie Moore other than on Vicious Rumor's "Soldiers of the Night". I guess I'll go with Tony MaCalpine but really, everbody on this list needs to be checked out (and I've got to catch up with Moore).

Written by HardSide on 15.05.2009 at 13:29

however you forgot Rusty Cooley, he definately better than most on this list.

I did not forget. I did not know him.
Wow. I have just seen him in You Tube and that chap is awesome -It is hardly possible to follow his fingers-, but I prefer any of those nine above. Besides, he is so fast that can't be very clean and he does not use yet a wide range of pedal sounds as the others. Let's wait and see. He is very young and probably in 3-4 years from now I could tell you differently...but never Vai, man. never Vai. Vai is like Michael Jordan.

Marty is winning currently. People, nobody yet for Michael Angelo or Vinnie?. Vinnie was my second best for a long time after his releases of "Time Odyssey" and "Mind's Eye", though taking into account that Satriani was perhaps more skilled and learned. Vinnie magic has to do with his use of the most terrific metallic riffs as background for soloing in any virtuoso album ever, except perhaps in Macalpine or Marty beginnings.

I voted for Joe Satriani,i only heard for him and for steve vai and Satriani was guitar teacher of Steve Vai

Yeah! no Jeff Loomis btw how much can you put in a poll? is 9 the limit?

Anyway.. i voted for Marty Friedman.
Batio is cool, im gona get his metal methods dvds soon.
Few days ago i got into Steve Vai, witch is also good
Joe rules too..
Yngwie IS A FAG!
But Marty i like the most

Written by TormentoR. on 19.05.2009 at 17:46

Yeah! no Jeff Loomis btw how much can you put in a poll? is 9 the limit?

Hi.

Yeah, no Jeff Loomis, cos the limit is 9. Anyways I would have preferred to include Greg Howe or Jason Becker instead of Loomis in case that there were to be no limit or whatever. Loomis main value is the background for his solos. There are truly metallic, thrashy while all these other guitarists are more influenced by Hard Rock or Jazz in their rythmic sections. However, Loomis is perhaps a bit below in soloing as compared to Vai, Satriani, Macalpine... and he does not have such a huge solitary career as these others.

I am sorry for you people missing Loomis.

Hi all again.

As from 15.50 Monday the computer programs at my work are failing, so I have been navigating for some long time and found a quite interesting article.
AND I also learned that guitarist is written with just one "r", though to say "guitarrist" or "guitarrrrrist" sounds more metallic. LOL. I have corrected this issue in the post title and everywhere else in this post.
I found a poll created in a magazine asking many metal-related musicians about their favourite guitarrrrrrrrrrist, though making no difference between lead and rythmic:

"Thiago Sarkis of Roadie Crew magazine organized a poll in which 330 guitarists were asked about their favorite guitarists of all time. Among the participants in the poll were current and former members of such bands as GUNS N' ROSES, KISS, MACHINE HEAD, NIGHTWISH, MEGADETH, SCORPIONS, TESTAMENT, ARCH ENEMY, KING DIAMOND, SEPULTURA, DIO, TWISTED SISTER, KAMELOT and DOWN (see full list below).

The results of the poll are as follows:

01. Jimi Hendrix
02. Eddie Van Halen
03. Yngwie J. Malmsteen
04. Randy Rhoads
05. Ritchie Blackmore
06. Jimmy Page
07. Tony Iommi
08. Steve Vai
09. Jeff Beck
10. Michael Schenker
11. David Gilmour
12. Dimebag Darrell
13. Allan Holdsworth
14. Uli Jon Roth
15. Angus Young
16. James Hetfield
17. Brian May
18. Marty Friedman
19. Joe Satriani
20. Jason Becker
21. Gary Moore
22. Paul Gilbert
23. Eric Clapton
24. Al Di Meola
25. Zakk Wylde
26. John McLaughlin
27. John Petrucci
28. Adrian Smith
29. Steve Morse
30. Stevie Ray Vaughan
31. Slash
32. Kirk Hammett
33. Robert Fripp
34. Alex Lifeson
35. Chuck Schuldiner
36. Ace Frehley
37. George Lynch
38. Dave Murray
39. Glenn Tipton
40. Neal Schon
41. Eric Johnson
42. Trey Azagthoth
43. K.K. Downing
44. Andy LaRocque
45. Malcolm Young
46. Django Reinhardt
47. Jeff Loomis
48. Steve Lukather
49. John Sykes
50. Denis "Piggy" D'Amour

Current and former members of the following bands participated in the poll:

ADAGIO
AFTER FOREVER
AGENT STEEL
ALABAMA THUNDERPUSSY
ALICE COOPER
AMON AMARTH
AMORPHIS
A.N.I.M.A.L.
ANCIENT RITES
ANGRA
ANTHRAX
ARCH ENEMY
ARCTURUS
ARTILLERY
AS I LAY DYING
ASTRAL DOORS
AT THE GATES
ATHEIST
AUGUST BURNS RED
AYREON
BATTLELORE
BEHEMOTH
BEHOLD... THE ARCTOPUS
BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME
BLEAK
BLOTTED SCIENCE
BLUE CHEER
BLUE ÖYSTER CULT
BONFIRE
BORN FROM PAIN
BRAINSTORM
BRUJERIA
CACOPHONY
CANNIBAL CORPSE
CARCASS
CATHEDRAL
CELLADOR
CELTIC FROST
CHILDREN OF BODOM
CHTHONIC
CINDERELLA
CIRCUS MAXIMUS
CITY BOY
CLAWFINGER
CONCERTO MOON
CONVERGE
COSMOSQUAD
CRIMINAL
CRUCIFIED BARBARA
CRYPTOPSY
CYNIC
DAGOBA
DARK ANGEL
DARK TRANQUILLITY
DARKTHRONE
DEADSOUL TRIBE
DEICIDE
DIO
DIVINE HERESY
DOWN
DR. SIN
DRAGONFORCE
DREAM EVIL
DRY KILL LOGIC
DYSRHYTHMIA
ECHOLYN
ELF
ELVENKING
EPICA
EUROPE
EVANESCENCE
EVERGREY
EVERY TIME I DIE
EXODUS
EYEHATEGOD
FAIR WARNING
FAITH NO MORE
FATES WARNING
FEAR FACTORY
FEINSTEIN
FIREBALL MINISTRY
FIREHOUSE
FOCUS
FOGHAT
FORBIDDEN
FOZZY
FRAMESHIFT
FREAK KITCHEN
FREEDOM CALL
GAMMA RAY
GENESIS
GILLAN
GIRLSCHOOL
GMT
GOJIRA
GRAND FUNK RAILROAD
GUNS N' ROSES
JAG PANZER
JORN
HADES
HALFORD
HANOI ROCKS
HEART
HEATHEN
HELLOWEEN
HELSTAR
HOLYHELL
ICED EARTH
IMPERIA
IRON MASK
KAMELOT
KING CRIMSON
KING DIAMOND
KING'S X
KISS
KREATOR
KRISIUN
KROKUS
LABYRINTH
LACUNA COIL
LANFEAR
LEATHERWOLF
LIFE OF AGONY
LION'S SHARE
LIVING COLOUR
LIZZY BORDEN
MACHINE HEAD
MAJESTY
MANOWAR
MANTICORA
MARDUK
MARILLION
MARTYR
MEAT LOAF
MELDRUM
MELIAH RAGE
MEGADETH
MERCYFUL FATE
MICK JAGGER
MINISTRY
MNEMIC
MORTIFICATION
NAZARETH
NEMESEA
NEVERMORE
NIGHTWISH
NILE
NORMA JEAN
NOVEMBERS DOOM
OBITUARY
OPETH
OZZY OSBOURNE
PARADISE LOST
PENDRAGON
PRETTY BOY FLOYD
PROTOTYPE
PYRAMAZE
REDEMPTION
REIGN OF TERROR
SACRED STEEL
SAVATAGE
SCAR SYMMETRY
SCORPIONS
SEBASTIAN BACH
SECRET SPHERE
SEPULTURA
SEVEN WITCHES
SHADOW GALLERY
SIEGES EVEN
SIR LORD BALTIMORE
SONATA ARCTICA
SOULFLY
SPASTIC INK
SPIRAL ARCHITECT
SPOCK'S BEARD
STRAPPING YOUNG LAD
STRATOVARIUS
STREETS
STUCK MOJO
SYMPHONY X
SYMPHORCE
TANK
TEN YEARS AFTER
TESTAMENT
THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER
THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN
THE HAUNTED
THE OLD DEAD TREE
THE RED CHORD
THERION
THUNDERSTONE
TOTO
TOURNIQUET
TRIUMPH
THIN LIZZY
THUNDER
TWISTED SISTER
UNEARTH
UNLEASHED
URIAH HEEP
VANISHING POINT
VENOM
VENTURIA
VICIOUS RUMORS
VISION DIVINE
WARRANT
WATCHTOWER
WISHBONE ASH
WITCHERY
WOLVERINE
WUTHERING HEIGHTS
YES "

I never thought that Marty would take the lead here. Well, I suppose that this is due to the fact that he is the shredder that got the maximum recognition from them all playing with a band such as Megadeth where he did a really great job. But please don't misunderstand me. The guy is fantastic alone and with company. I prefer Vai, Batio or Satriani but it is just my opinion. I thought that Vai, Satriani or Yngwie would take the lead here.

Written by Yossarian on 26.05.2009 at 18:31

I never thought that Marty would take the lead here. Well, I suppose that this is due to the fact that he is the shredder that got the maximum recognition from them all playing with a band such as Megadeth where he did a really great job. But please don't misunderstand me. The guy is fantastic alone and with company. I prefer Vai, Batio or Satriani but it is just my opinion. I thought that Vai, Satriani or Yngwie would take the lead here.

Give a listen to Cacophony.. The vocalist is terrible(imo) but who cares.. Jason and Marty are still godlike.. Both albums are amazing

I give my vote for Joe Satriani. But it was slice between him, Vai, Yngwie and Gilbert... But Joe Satriani take my vote with his magnific compositions...

After a long time meditating this poll I decided to go between Yngwie and Vai, but in the end my vote goes for Vai, he is THE man. But hey, who doesn't love Yngwie's album covers with him showing his chest

Written by chematss on 27.05.2009 at 00:22

Give a listen to Cacophony.. The vocalist is terrible(imo) but who cares.. Jason and Marty are still godlike.. Both albums are amazing

Hello and welcome. I am glad to see the first girl-woman in this post. And the first from Turkey.

I have given to Cacophony dozens of listenings starting some days after they released their albums.
-I am kinda old-.
Anyways, I was the one who made this poll...so I have listened fully to everybody mentioned here. I would not be sincere otherwise.

I still see Vai or Satriani more skilled than Marty.

Cheers.

Written by Yossarian on 27.05.2009 at 18:13

Written by chematss on 27.05.2009 at 00:22

Give a listen to Cacophony.. The vocalist is terrible(imo) but who cares.. Jason and Marty are still godlike.. Both albums are amazing

Hello and welcome. I am glad to see the first girl-woman in this post. And the first from Turkey.

I have given to Cacophony dozens of listenings starting some days after they released their albums.
-I am kinda old-.
Anyways, I was the one who made this poll...so I have listened fully to everybody mentioned here. I would not be sincere otherwise.

I still see Vai or Satriani more skilled than Marty.

Cheers.

I was suspecting that you might hear them. Thats why I didn't explain what Cacophony is.but hey!

And you are lucky.I'd kill to see Jason when he was active.He is one of my musical heroes, even though I am not a guitarist myself.
great poll btw.. and i had to vote for Marty cause Marty is the one I listen to more often.. Maybe not the best but he is still my favourite out of these 9.

Ps. Sorry for my English

I voted for Marty. He's the only one on the list that I listen to really. Ynwie, Satriani and Steve Vai all kind of annoy me because they would rather Showboat than write solid music. And as for the others, well, I don't think i've heard of em, besides Paul Gibert, who is awsome.