Waaasssuuuppp!!!

[Selluwud]

How old and where is it?

I was mistaken because of how long ago the memories are. I did a little google researching about Gibson guitars with images and have concluded the model I had was a very old Melody Maker not an SG. At the time I had very little knowledge about guitars other than the popular manufacturers of the day. Nevertheless, I did break and repair it, then obviously lost possession of it. After my failed music making career, I later was in a group working the sound system, rocking the patrons in night clubs and bars around VA and NC in the early 70's.

 

[Homer Potvin]

a very old Melody Maker not an SG

Phew. Because that SG could potentially have been worth $100K+. There's a guy in town a know a little bit who sells guitars to Joe Bonamassa. He's had a few of those pre-Les Paul SGs, one of which Joe bought for more than my house is worth. Some of the parts alone are worth thousands. Then again, some of them are worthless.

The old school Gibson Flying V's are where it's at. They don't sell for nearly as much as the SG/Pauls because the rich assholes aren't as impressed by them, but they're nearly impossible to find. They just didn't make too many of them, but I've heard the pickguards alone are worth a few thousand if they're the right style.

 

[Rath Darkblade]

It's Jimi and Eddie and then a bunch of other dudes

Um, yikes? I wouldn't call Curtis Mayfield, Frank Zappa, B. B. King and Chuck Berry "a bunch of other dudes" ... as if they don't matter.

Come to think of that, I wouldn't call Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Joni Mitchell, Mother Maybelle Carter or Elizabeth Cotten "dudes". They're dudettes.

But Pete Townsend. David Gilmour. PJ Harvey. Johnny Ramone. Bo ****ing Diddley, for heaven's sake. The Bo Diddley riff is legendary.

Maybe this list is too generic; it covers too many styles, too many periods. Guitar playing changes over time, obviously ... and also sounds different, depending on whether you're playing the blues, R&B, rock 'n roll, or heavy metal. I don't know much about guitars, but even I know that.

So maybe lists like "Top 50 Blues Guitarists", "Top 50 Heavy Metal Guitarists", etc. would be more meaningful?

 

[Bakkerbaard]

He's great, don't get me wrong, but flash doesn't equate to being "the best."

No, but Flash was a Queen song and they are also the best. ;o)

If you mention Steve Vai for technical ability don't you also have to bring Yngwie Malmsteen into the conversation? (I think I spelled his name right). Seems wrong to leave him out.

It was spelled right. But if I mention Vai, I can't leave out Satriani either, who taught him how to string a guitar, for starters. Didn't teach him well, because Steve somehow wound up with seven strings on the thing, but you get my point.

Rolling Stone rated the best 250 guitarists of all time.

The problem with any list, and this conversation, is that some dude or dudette somewhere is gonna be looking at that list with a smirk and shred the hell out of any name on it, just for shits and giggles. And then they'll have to rush to get to a dead end job on time.

Also, I prefer dark mode. I like that the new forum has it.

 

[Homer Potvin]

"a bunch of other dudes" ... as if they don't matter

Only when it comes to the pantheon. Many excellent and legendary guitars, but we're not having this conversation without Jimi and Eddie defining the parameters. It's them in the 1, 2 spots then everyone else in some distant order.

 

[Selluwud]

Best Folk guitarist: Leo Kottke

 

[That Guy Named Aaron]

Best Folk guitarist: Leo Kottke

/Django Reinhardt and Monte Montgomery enter the chat

Edit to add: Oops, you said 'folk,' not 'acoustic.'

/Bert Jansch walks into the chat instead.

 

[big soft moose]

Doc Watson

 

[Homer Potvin]

Django Reinhardt

That's Gypsy Jazz... we get into the jazz guitar world and we're into a whole other kettle of fish:

Django
Kenny Burrel
Wes Montgomery
Johnny Smith
Billy Bauer (my fav)
John McLaughlin
Al Dimeola

That shit gets deep in a hurry.

 

[That Guy Named Aaron]

That's Gypsy Jazz... we get into the jazz guitar world and we're into a whole other kettle of fish:

Hence why I threw the forktruck in reserve and said Bert instead.

 

[That Guy Named Aaron]

John McLaughlin
Al Dimeola

Pretty much, you just shut down the whole "best guitarist of all-time" discussion right here and now.

 

[Homer Potvin]

Pretty much, you just shut down the whole "best guitarist of all-time" discussion right here and now.

Throw Andres Segovia in there and it's even murkier. Classical and Jazz is infinitely harder to play than any rock. There are physical feats required that transcend normal human muscle capability. Rock is paint by numbers by comparison.

 

[Rath Darkblade]

Only when it comes to the pantheon. Many excellent and legendary guitars, but we're not having this conversation without Jimi and Eddie defining the parameters. It's them in the 1, 2 spots then everyone else in some distant order.

Fair enough. I agree Jimi belongs in #1. Eddie... you know more about him than I do, I'm not so sure. But that list has so many good guitarists on it.

Speaking of Hendrix, I'm not afraid of dying ... 'cos hopefully I'll go to heaven and Jimi will be there, playing a lick on the harp. Cool.

And maybe Hendrix and Handel could have a match-off. (Jimi used to live in Handel's old address).

 

[Homer Potvin]

Fair enough. I agree Jimi belongs in #1. Eddie... you know more about him than I do, I'm not so sure. But that list has so many good guitarists on it.

Speaking of Hendrix, I'm not afraid of dying ... 'cos hopefully I'll go to heaven and Jimi will be there, playing a lick on the harp. Cool.

And maybe Hendrix and Handel could have a match-off. (Jimi used to live in Handel's old address).

The thing you need to know about Eddie was that he was a pioneer. Not just the playing techniques that everyone copied, but engineering, recording, guitar construction, solo composition. Hendrix was the first guitar hero but Eddie brought it to the mainstream. There wasn't much left to innovate after Eddie. And he played with a natural swing that nobody has really been able to copy yet.

It would have been interesting had Hendrix lived longer. The Claptons, Pages, and Becks of the world wouldn't have anywhere near the rep they earned had he not died. They were all Pipens to his Jordan while he was alive.

 

[Rath Darkblade]

The thing you need to know about Eddie was that he was a pioneer. Not just the playing techniques that everyone copied, but engineering, recording, guitar construction, solo composition. Hendrix was the first guitar hero but Eddie brought it to the mainstream. There wasn't much left to innovate after Eddie. And he played with a natural swing that nobody has really been able to copy yet.

Fair enough. I've never played guitar, and don't know much about the intricacies of how it's done. I'm only speaking as an admirer of people who can do it and make it seem effortless. (Hendrix made it look so easy, like the guitar was a natural extension of his arm). I watched this guy, for instance, explain how Eddie did what he did:

Musically speaking, I started singing about 20 years ago, and I can do it fairly well now. (My theory is a little shaky, but I can improvise like anything). But of course I know that playing guitar isn't easy, which only makes me admire good guitarists even more.

 

[Homer Potvin]

Fair enough. I've never played guitar, and don't know much about the intricacies of how it's done. I'm only speaking as an admirer of people who can do it and make it seem effortless. (Hendrix made it look so easy, like the guitar was a natural extension of his arm). I watched this guy, for instance, explain how Eddie did what he did:

Musically speaking, I started singing about 20 years ago, and I can do it fairly well now. (My theory is a little shaky, but I can improvise like anything). But of course I know that playing guitar isn't easy, which only makes me admire good guitarists even more.

Eddie saying he doesn't know music theory is like an author with perfect diction saying they don't grammar rules. It may be true, but if you're doing it perfectly, it doesn't matter if you can articulate it. Hendrix and Stevie Ray would say the same thing. Sure they couldn't read music, but they didn't need to when somebody plays one note and they instinctively know all the other notes that are going to follow.

 

[Amontillado]

I'm not saying a government cabal used AI wrested from alien spacecraft for rock and roll mind control, but it's hard not to see the obvious connection.

AI art sometimes puts nine fingers on one hand, eleven on the other. I've heard Van Halen's solos. There's no way that's just four fingers and a thumb on each hand.

Van Halen is AI. Gotta be.

 

[big soft moose]

Van halien

 

[big soft moose]

I had another oft forgotten great Neil Schon... from Journey/Santana/Bad English etc

 

[Homer Potvin]

I'm not saying a government cabal used AI wrested from alien spacecraft for rock and roll mind control, but it's hard not to see the obvious connection.

AI art sometimes puts nine fingers on one hand, eleven on the other. I've heard Van Halen's solos. There's no way that's just four fingers and a thumb on each hand.

Van Halen is AI. Gotta be.

Economy of motion. Four fingers play like eight if you reduce motion to a minimum. I've seen Buckethead a few times over the last couple of years, and I swear he's barely moving. Even my guitar teacher was like, yeah, no, I can't help you there.