The Top 100 Guitarists (as voted for by Total Guitar readers)

Slash Freeman · August 3rd, 2002, 04:57 PM

100. Nile Rodgers
99. Steve Cropper
98. Jeff Hanneman
97. Deryck Whimbley
96. Kelly jones (WTF?!?!?!?!?!)
95. Tom Verlaine
94. Paul Simon
93. Richard Thompson
92. Rivers Cuomo
91. Marty Friedman
90. Peter Buck
89. Walter Trout
88. Johnny Ramone
87. Munky
86. Robbie Krieger
85. Lee Gaze
84. Steve Howe
83. Lindsey Buckingham
82. Neil Young
81. Dave Mustaine
80. Janick Gers
79. Tommy Emmanuel
78. Steve Morse
77. John McLaughlin
76. Stuart Adamson
75. Chet Atkins
74. John Squire
73. Django Reinhardt
72. John Petrucci
71. Eric Johnson
70. Paul Gilbert
69. Robert Fripp
68. Graham Coxon
67. Nuno Bettencourt
66. Paul Weller
65. John 5
64. Mike McCready
63. Head
62. Frank Zappa
61. Mick Ronson
60. Paul Kossoff
59. Robert Johnson
58. Nick Drake
57. Alex Lifeson
56. Peter Green
55. Kerry King
54. Adrian Smith
53. Daron Malakian
52. Dave Grohl
51. Dave Baksh
50. Noel Gallagher
49. Mike Einziger
48. Billie Joe Armstrong
47. Johnny Marr
46. James Dean Bradfield
45. Billy Corgan
44. Steve Jones
43. Tom Delonge
42. Rory Gallagher
41. BB King
40. Dimebag Darell
39. Joe Perry
38. Hank Marvin
37. Wes Borland
36. Chuck Berry
35. Jonny Greenwood
34. Yngwie Malmsteen
33. Pete Townshend
32. Mick Thomson
31. The Edge
30. Noodles
29. Matt Bellamy
28. Richie Sambora
27. Keith Richards
26. John Frusciante
25. Dave Murray
24. George Harrison
23. Ritchie Blackmore
22. Tony Iommi
21. Randy Rhoads
20. Angus Young
19. Stevie Ray Vaughan
18. Jeff Beck
17. Gary Moore
16. Zakk Wylde
15. Mark Knopfler
14. Kurt Cobaini
13. Tom Morello
12. James Hetfield
11. Carlos Santana
10. Steve Vai
9. Kirk Hammet
8. Dave Gilmour
7. Eddie Van Halen
6. Joe Satriani
5. Brain May
4. Slash
3. Eric Clapton
2. Jimmy Page
1. Jimi Hendrix

All i can say is, WHAT THE FUCK?!?!?!?!?!?!?! Tom Delonge from Blink 182 voted BETTER than Adrian Smith? and Kerry King? And where the FUCK was Dave Edmunds? The Top 5 is okay, but the rest are pretty full of crap. I mean, Kelly Jones (the guy who said "I've done all the Van Halen shit, i'm better than that now") made it in there at 96, while Dave Edmunds (who recorded Saber Dance) didn't even make it in there. Is it only me who thinks this poll was utter bollocks?!?!?!

Sargoth · August 3rd, 2002, 05:34 PM

must have been many retards who voted, can't find much right on that list...

xenophobe · August 3rd, 2002, 06:44 PM

Obviously it's based on popularity, not talent....

NaTaSMAI · August 3rd, 2002, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by xenophobe
Obviously it's based on popularity, not talent....

Agreed

HarmonyDies.... · August 3rd, 2002, 08:01 PM

Who is Kelly Jones?

WarHead · August 4th, 2002, 02:26 AM

WHY IS MALMSTEEN 34!??!?!?!??!

and how did James Hetfield beat Randy Roads,.,,.and where is Jason Becker? ANND WHYYY IS KORNS GUITARISTS EVEN ON THERE? arrg!

As of now the majority of Total Guitar readers should never vote on any Top 100 surveys and should have their guitars taken away from them right after i personally kick them in the testicles.

sands of the seas · August 4th, 2002, 03:11 AM

72. John Petrucci
*faints*

10. Steve Vai
9. Kirk Hammet
*faints again*

87. Munky
*faints for a third time*

14. Kurt Cobaini (i'm assumeing that's Kurt Cobain, unless it's some guitarist i've never heard of before)
*faints yet again*

I could go on like this for quite some time

nevershine · August 4th, 2002, 04:11 AM

THAT LIST SUCKS MY MEDIUM HAIRED ASS!!!

Jo · August 4th, 2002, 04:22 AM

It is certainly a useful list for people at the magazine

~UlvedaL~ · August 4th, 2002, 01:19 PM

That list is complete bullshit!!!

MacMoney · August 4th, 2002, 01:39 PM

I can't believe you people still believe mass media understands anything about actual music.

Infinite Reach · August 4th, 2002, 03:40 PM

"best guitarist" has got to be one of the most subjective topics on the planet. If the list doesn't provide any basis for the choices made (ie technical aspects, songwriting abilty, etc) its nothing but a pile of names. I mean Wes Borland (37) John Petrucci (72)....

xenophobe · August 4th, 2002, 03:50 PM

I will have to say We Borland was the only thing talented about Lip Bizquick, but in no way should Petrucci be 72 and Borland 37...

That's why I'm saying it's a popularity contest, and not an actual one based on talent... otherwise Borland wouldn't even be in the top 500, IMO.

I didn't see Frank Gambale or Buckethead on there... and James hetfield at #12? Yeah, right. That guy can't play a lead to save his life, and I doubt he can still play his old stuff, which was never technical or complex anyways.

Slash Freeman · August 4th, 2002, 06:09 PM

Yeah, my thoughts exactly. If it had been called something like "TG readers favourite 100 guitarists" then it might be okay.

And 1 spelling mistake ain't bad. it is meant to be Kurt Cobain.

So many amazing guitarists were missed out. the poll is utter bullshit.

Slash Freeman · August 4th, 2002, 06:20 PM

Harmony Dies: Kelly Jones was the guitarist and vocalist for Stereophonics, a band which was okay until they sold out. Kelly Jones was a mediocre guitarist who thought he was god and too good to play guitar anymore. he actually said "I've done all that Van Halen shit, i'm better than that now".

Stormbringer · August 5th, 2002, 03:21 AM

who the fuck voted steve jones into the top 100???? i love pistols but jones cant play anything but chords - have you ever listened to a pistols solo??

and pete townshend 33??? the who were great but...

blackmore only 23? blackmore kicks major ass, and was defo one of the best and most creative and influencial guitarists ever.

and why does jimi hendrix ALWAYS win all these top guitarists ratings??

i once read an interesting, scientific article by bo diddley about guitar playing, which said that already back in the late 50s technique wise everything was discovered on guitar that was discovered. only hendrix, page and blackmore invented some new stuff.

Downfall · August 5th, 2002, 03:39 AM

For those lists, people always vote every member of the band they favour. Like said, you can check out that list if you want to see how popular they are...

Opus(sy)2 · August 5th, 2002, 07:34 AM

i actually find that list fucking hilarious.........its a complete load of bullshit. Everybody who voted for that list deserves to be beaten to death.

chileanmetal · August 5th, 2002, 09:40 AM

87. Munky (!!!!!!!!!!!)
72. John Petrucci
71. Eric Johnson
70. Paul Gilbert
65. John 5: Who the fuck is he? Are you kidding me if he's from Slipknot!
63. Head (!!!!!!!!!!)
50. Noel Gallagher
48. Billie Joe Armstrong (Green Day better than Gilbert?)
45. Billy Corgan
43. Tom Delonge
40. Dimebag Darell
37. Wes Borland (!!!!!!!!!!)
34. Yngwie Malmsteen
30. Noodles (Offspring! WTF!?)
21. Randy Rhoads
19. Stevie Ray Vaughan
16. Zakk Wylde

parimal2k29 · August 5th, 2002, 11:08 AM

Do i care?

hehe

Heartless · August 8th, 2002, 07:28 PM

"That's why I'm saying it's a popularity contest, and not an actual one based on talent... otherwise Borland wouldn't even be in the top 500, IMO."

Exactly.

A question, were the "voters" able to just submit ANY guitarist's name they wanted? Or was there a SET LIST of people that they simply had to rearrange? If there was a set list to begin with id have to say this whole thing is bollox!

7 Dying Trees · August 9th, 2002, 05:31 AM

oooooh! popularity contest as voted for by concious minded 16 year olds making a list of their favorite bands main guitarist (see bloke from lost prophets...) and some older ones just to look like it's a well balanced though out list. Then send it off to the "best guitarists poll"

My arse speaks more truth than this list compiled mainly by prebubescent idiots.

Slash Freeman · August 9th, 2002, 05:36 PM

from what i know people voted by putting their top 5 guitarists, and the ones who got the most votes were put in. apparently there were about 450 guitarists mentioned, and 778 poeple voted (i was NOT one of them). Somehow i doubt Dave Edmunds was mentioned in there, and most of the actual GOOD guitarists won't have been mentioned either.

btw, Borland isn't actually a particularly bad guitarist. he's not great, and certainly not 37th, but he's not bad. he's better than most of the punk guitarists around nowadays, and better than most of the nu-metal guitarists too. although thats not hard. i'm better than most nu-metal and punk guitarists, and that would be blindfolded and one hand tied behind my back.