Who is the greatest lead guitarist in the world ?
466306
stevie ray vaughan (for the deceased category)\njoe satriani (for the alive category)\n\nbut as you said, there are many other....
856328
I think the best one is Steve Vai. you should see him playing the guitar. videos available in his website for free.
414990
Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Bonham, and John Paul Jones\n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Led_zeppelin
499036
Deep Purple's Richie Blackmore wails on the guitar. Yet he started about the same time as Jimmy Page in the late 60s. Actually a few years later than Page. Page was a studio musicians and played for the Yardbirds before he joined Led Zep in 1969. Same holds true for Eric Clapton, he started in the 1960s. On sheer talent, however, I would also put Jeff Beck up there, yet he also might have started in the late 1960s. So to be exact, someone who definitely started in the 1970s, I would say the best is Eddie Van Halen.
924241
Dimebag Darrel IS/WAS a Great Guitarist, But In My Opinion, He Isn't one of the best. There are others that can top him off easily, I Don't mean to be a hater here, I'm just answering a simple question in my own eyes. But He Is/was a great Guitarist, But I Just don't hear A Uniqueness In His Chords That Says 'He's The Best Ever.'
716863
I'd say Kirk,\nI mean just listen to his solos (especially from 80's), \nthey're really breath-taking or simply marvellous.\n\nHowever Zakk is great guitarist, & has a unique "tremolo" style,\nwhich would fit Ozzy's songs, also he performs better than Kirk \non stage, (well, sometimes Kirk makes a mistake there; see Live S-h-i-t, for instance!)\n\nBut anyway, Kirk's the man!
714826
Eddie Van Halen\nJimi Hendrix\nSlash from Guns N Roses era\nJimi Page~~
1126476
to me personally Joe Strummer\nto everybody else, i don't know\nMartin Luther King\nJesus\nGhandi\nBuddha
1130887
Based on skill and influence:\n\n1. Jimi Hendrix\n2. Eric Clapton\n3. Joe Satriani\n4. Steve Vai\n5. Jimmy Page\n6. Duane Allman\n7. Eddie Van Halen\n8. Stevie Ray Vaughn\n9. David Gilmour\n10. Randy Rhoads
531210
I loved them when Peter Frampton was with the group...and only then.  But, I am a huge Frampton fan.  Even today..I think he is one of the top 5 most talented guitar players alive.
390272
Did someone say Eddie Van Halen??? LMFAO!!!!\n\nMy vote goes for Vinnie Paul.  THE MAN!
1185003
yupp i agree the electric guitar is the best
313790
Tough one....all depends on the style of the tune. In my opion , Hendrix and Townsend were not great guitarist like the others mentioned here, but they WERE two of the greatest innovators of the electric guitar when it comes to sounds and tone. Clapton is soooooo smooth (Layla), Alvin Lee is one of the best blues player ever. Page and Eddie VanHalen, again, great innovators as well as fast and accurate. And as the other fella said about Dimebag, another great guitarist, I honestly have not listened to a lot of his tunes.\nLets not forget some of the others, mainly the women. Bonnie Riatt, one of the BEST slide players around, and I'm gonna go out on the limb, and say even better than EC on the bottleneck, and while we at it, Duane Allman ,again my opion, the BEST slide player. Lita Ford, Shannon Curffman, Allison Robinson, and we can go on forever.\nSo is there one greatest guitar player......no, they are all great. Here I will put in the name of one I like to listen to and I feel like he is probably the smoothest....Santana.\nIf you can make a good living being a guitar player and support your family well, then you are a good player. If you become a household name...then you are a great player. Another analogy if you will, a lot of people play football, but how many are in the NFL?. Thanks for letting me answer my first. Stay in tune.
945209
As lead guitarist in a church band, I was heavily influenced by Jimmy Page of Led Zep in my younger years. Isn't it amazing how God can take something worldly and turn it around for His glory? I even play a sunburst Les Paul in church through a tube amp. To God be the glory.
890028
You asked, and I'm telling you... it is Dave Lombardo!!! The man is a freakin' genius. He inspired me so much to improve my drumming... and he is an incredible awesome dude in person. Genuinely down to earth.
603911
Possibly Dave Mustaine?
355117
not even close.\nseriously he's good don't get me wrong. but think of all the great guitarists that have come and gone.\nsome of the greatest guitar players were never even in rock bands, that chick that was on the surreal life, Charro? or somethin like that, she's probably one of the top 5 guitarists EVER. (i don't like her music but shes a hell of a guitarist) and people like Esteban? another great guitarist, who ever heard of him before his infomercials?\n\nthen you also got to factor in hendrix, jimmy paige, clapton, stevie ray vaughn? come on guys, actually think about this one.