Hit Parader Magazine's Top 5 Guitarist of all time are:

5. Tony Iommi - Black Sabbath

4. Angus Young - AC/DC

3. Jimmy Page - Led Zeppelin

2. Jimi Hendrix

1. Eddie Van Halen

Who are your favorite guitar players??????? 

****Dimebag Darrell (the dude in the Avatar was #12)

5. Thurston Moore/Lee Renaldo

4. Jimmy Page 

3. David Gilmour

2. Stevie Ray Vaughn

1. Pat Metheny 

"Every day holds a new beginning and every hour holds the promise of an Invitation to Love." 

Jimi Hendrix

Jimmy Page

Jeff Beck

Carlos Santana

     
“Half a truth is often a great lie.”

Ben Franklin

george harrison

peter frampton

alex lifeson

rick nielsen

THE EDGE - dave evans

pete townshend

joe strummer

johnny ramone

bob wootton

joe pennington

great list of very cool guitarists everyone!

Without a doubt, Gary Moore

Tied for second: SRV, David Gilmour, Jimi, Jeff Healey, Yngwie Malmsteen, Jeff Beck, Nigel and David (Spinal Tap) Alex Lifeson, Tom Scholz, John Lee Hooker . . ..

I'm sure I could add a few more.

Edit: I forgot Joe Satriani, But I'll add Eric Johnson, Dave Mustaine, and Ritchie Blackmore.

george kooymans

barry hay too, woo!

Some of my Favorites not mentioned (so far)

Chris DeGarmo - Queensryche

Brian May - Queen

Randy Rhodes  - Ozzy

Slash - Guns and Roses, Velvet Revolver

Ace Frehley - KISS

George Lynch - Dokken

John Petrucci - Dream Theater

Scott Ian - Anthrax

Kim Thayil - Soundgarden

Alvin Lee

Robin Trower

Mike McCready - Pearl Jam

Joe Satriani

"Every day holds a new beginning and every hour holds the promise of an Invitation to Love." 

Gary Moore

John Sykes

Al DiMeola

Steve Vai 

Female department :

The chick from White Stripes

Oops wrong thread for Meg !

Thanks. Man, back on topic when you listed Link Ray i was impressed- haven't thought of him in years -but you're right- original, seminal source. Chuck Berry is not a virtuoso, but he too is a seminal influence on guitarists and deserves a mention. 

Also breaking ground on guitar breaks is , help me out here, the guitarist of the Kinks. Oh yeah, Dave Davies.

Oh yes Chuck Berry forever ! And the Delta Blues, and Robert Johnson progenitors too.  

That " too many notes" quote hits home. Hit Parade rates E Van Halen as no 1, but I felt his speed was great, notes per millisecond , but somehow he didn't break through that and really cut loose. That's just me. Just a constructive criticism of a fine guitarist.

I hear you. Not really concerned with a Van H reunion one way or the other.  may as well jump.

Si habla Jeff Beck as a top 3 choice.

Eric Clapton is pretty decent.

 Is he ?  he is a pretty good player  but he made that  most anoying 'lady in red' tune didn't he ? lowest pitts of hell with him!

 
Although he is cheeky, I do like the earlier work of Steve Vay (Zappa, PIL)