Most Talented Guitarists of Our Day

[x2xtreme360]

I just saw Stanley Jordan out in San Francisco, and what that guy does on a guitar redefines it. His sort of Jazz isn't my favorite, but watching him play is simply mind-bending. And he sat down at a piano and played the piano with his left hand, guitar with his right hand... astounding. Then he switched so it was guitar left hand, piano right hand. I couldn't believe what I saw in those 90 minutes.

He came to my hometown and played a concert.

A local band (who I know personally) were getting ready to play their gig and Jordan walked by them with a guitar over his shoulder. The band saw him and figured, eh, he's got a guitar, maybe he wants to play. So they ask him to sit down and play with them. He sits down and starts playing and from the way he told me the story, he said his eyes got very wide and he was speechless. Later that night after they were done playing, they saw him get on stage and headline the show. This band is in their mid 50-60's... they had no idea who he was but they were just blown away.

[DV8]

Yngwie Malmsteen

[Polygon]

This is just too hard of a question to answer. There are FAR too many guitarists to include in the list. Some of which don't play electric guitars.

[VR4's-kick-ass]

the reason people play rock and metal the way they do today is because of EVH. and tom morello, seriously? why is this guy known as an innovator? yeah rage is a bad ass band, but he makes nintendo noises with whammy pedals....

[GTOX]

Tom Morello is pretty unique and awesome.

I'm a fan of Yngwie Malmsteen as previously mentioned, also for talent Michael Angelo Batio LOL, Joe Stump, Jeff Loomis and I rate Eric Clapton as well.

This is just my opinion and I pretty much agree with all the names previously mentioned in this thread, there are so many...

[Valhallaz]

Guess I'm just surprised Carlos Santana's name hasn't come up before now.

[GTOX]

^ Another good one.

What about Steven Seagal?

[green-lantern]

[GTOJOE]

^ Another good one.

What about Steven Seagal?

LOL gotta love Seagal hahaha.

But seriously it has to be Jimmy Page. I have never heard a guitar sing like when he plays.

Page is described by Allmusic as "unquestionably one of the all-time most influential, important, and versatile guitarists and songwriters in rock history", and by Rolling Stone as "the pontiff of power riffing & probably the most digitally sampled artist in pop today after James Brown." In 2010, Jimmy Page was ranked #2 in Gibson's list of "Top 50 Guitarists of All Time" and, in 2007, #4 on Classic Rock Magazine's "100 Wildest Guitar Heroes". Page was ranked ninth in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" in 2003. He has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice; once as a member of The Yardbirds (1992), and once as a member of Led Zeppelin (1995).

[stealthee]

Speaking of making a guitar sing, how about Peter Frampton?