Who's the most underrated guitarist of all time?

[swconcepts]

Who said Phil Keagy? Canderson? Canderson for President!

Phil Keagy is a guitar...no, really, he is not human, he is actually Phil the Gibson Les Paul Studio Sunburst Keagy Guitar Man.

Silly, I know, but if you have heard Mr. Keagy, you will not think I am silly. He really shines. And, his message is HIS message, which makes it all the better.

Also, I have not noticed any mention of "Cueball," err, I mean Joe Satriani. Wow, he gets no credit. What about Steve Vai? Eric Johnson? Muddy Waters?

OK, Muddy Waters was a little out there...but, remember BB King's "The Thrill is Gone?" Not quite the screamin' neamee's of Mr. Van Halen, but there's a lot more soul in BB's Lucille!

Finally, I mention David Gilmour. How can anyone overlook the heart of Pink Floyd? Wow! He once said "I am really slow, that's true - my fingers don't work...but, I put my heart into the strings. That must mean something?"

Only on the Dark Side of the Moon, apparently.

SWConcepts

[mobilehomeboy]

Joe Satriani (especially), Eric Johnson, Steve Vai, Steve Stevens, John Petrucci, Vito Bratta, Nuno Bettencort, Jennifer Batten, Lita Ford, Dimebag, Vernon Reid, Victor Johnson, EVH, Zakk Wylde, Jake E Lee, Michaelangelo, Blues Saraceno, Marty Friedman, all shredders in their own right, and the REASON I started playing guitar.

But not exactly underrated.........

[DamienProject]

[GregK]

I could go on and on ad infinitum about incredible guitar players such as Satriani, Vai, Jeff Beck, Gilmour, Petrucci, Malmsteen and how much they left an indelible mark or a significant DENT in the world of music and how guitar can be played. HOWEVER- this thread is "underrated guitarists"- and as much as I personally raise my axe and salute all the great guitarists listed above- these guys are on the covers of countless guitar magazines month after month- look in your magazine section at the store-you will see EACH month "How to play THIS 20 second bit by Vai-or Yngwie-or Satch" and there are page after page of full songs by Zeppelin or Beck or Stevie Ray.. now I am not knocking how incredible these guys are- or how awesome a show they DO or DO NOT put on (ok- Satch and Petrucci- no offense guys, but when you play live I might as well be watching grass grow- I know the stuff is hard to play and move around- but pleeeze- ya gotta make your shows more interesting!)
So- this thread is about the guys that are not already well known in the guitar Pantheon. I STILL say you folks have to hear some of the stuff that was played by Michael Hedges- this guy completely blows my mind..and it is a shame he has passed- he was one of the great ones that really had not been fully discovered.

[darthluigi]

I'd say atleast one of the most underrated guitarists of all time is steve hackett of genesis who was the first guitarist in popular music to make wide use of tapping, and he is one of the best guitar writers I've ever witnessed (if you call listening to an album witnessing).

[underfeather]

From this list............
Trey Anastasio

[martouk]

Satriani? Vai? Sure they're great, but the best of all time is Frank Zappa and he is the most highly underrated guitarist around. People could not get past his lyrics to hear his compositional genius. Time will make Frank Zappa the 20th Century's guitar Mozart. If you don't believe me then listen to any of his guitar instrumental albums Shut Up And Play Yer Guitar or Shut Up And Play Yer Guitar Some More. Vai learned from Zappa, even played with him for a while.


http://www.musicforte.com/member/martouk

[Kyoshi]

I've gotta say John Squire from the Stone Roses- check out the Second Coming album, the playing is unbelievable: great raw tone with loadsa melody. His solos are hummable (you can hum them) which i reckon is the sign of a good solo. His playing is complex but simple all in one. And he writes the songs on that album too.

But out of that list, it has to be Prince- he's such a prolific songwriter, great performer and musical genius that you don't realise how good a guitarist he is.

And the same goes for Wyclef Jean- i saw the Fugees reunion in London and he was a formiddable guitarist. You don't realise how good a musician he is.

Anyways, just getting my 2 pence worth as we say over here in the UK.
Peace

[dannyfrederick]

keith richards definately.

[mr_molasses]

wayne krantz

[yourockradio]

This seems like one of those "Who gives a rats ass?" type of threads.

People like talking about this stuff though. Too bad. Seems like a waste of time we could be using constructively... Ahhh well, "Give the people they want, until you can force feed them what they need.

That's my new motto, what do ya think?

[Thisdayinmusic]

I would say George Harrison. He was a fantastic guitarist.

[Reconsiderate]