Welcome to our first-ever Greatest Guitarist poll, where 128 guitarists go head to head, round by round, in a bracketed format, all to crown your choice for the Greatest Guitarist of All Time.
We filled 124 of 128 slots with the names of a host of incredible guitarists (dead and living) — players chosen for their technical ability as well as their importance and creativity, not to mention how influential they've been. We asked you to vote in the final four names, which you did. Now the 128 slots are filled, and we're already well into Round 2.
You might come across one or two interesting style matchups in this poll, which may lead some of you to wonder, "How do you compare a shred guitarist to a blues guitarist?" Aside from how good a player is at his or her given style, here are some things to take into consideration:
• Influence: Who inspired more kids to beg their parents for a guitar for Christmas? Who inspired a wave of copycats?
• Chops/Versatility: Is the guitarist in question a one-trick pony or a master of many styles?
• Body of Work: Who had the more consistent career? Who has played on more classic albums?
• Creativity: Who pioneered new techniques? Who sounds the most radically different from what came before them?
You can check out full results via our regularly updated bracket here.
In today's Round 2 matchup, the late, great Stevie Ray Vaughan goes up against Joe Bonamassa, the innovative blues guitarist who also rocks it up big time with Black Country Communion. Which of these blues masters will move on to Round 3? Vote now!
Readers Poll: The Greatest Guitarist of All Time — Stevie Ray Vaughan Vs. Joe BonamassaThursday's matchup saw Eric Clapton (71.59%) defeat B.B. King (28.41%). View the full bracket.
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Video: Jeff Beck and Stevie Ray Vaughan Perform "Jeff's Boogie" in 1984 (5/10/2013) For this week's Friday Flashback video, we head to Honolulu, Hawaii. That's where — sometime in 1984 — Jeff Beck joined Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble on stage to play an impressive mini-set that included "Jeff's Boogie," a 1966 instrumen... |
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Interview: Joe Bonamassa Discusses Guitar Center's Blues Masters Challenge and More (4/1/2013) Guitar Center’s Blues Masters competition, launched earlier this year through a partnership with guitarist Joe Bonamassa, is offering 10 musicians the chance to perform in Los Angeles backed by Bonamassa’s band. Best of all, it will give an und... |
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Gayageum-Style Video: Girl Covers Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan on Traditional Korean Instrument (3/28/2013) Check out these videos of a young woman — Luna Lee — performing iconic tracks by Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan on the gayageum, a traditional Korean zither-like instrument. The gayageum has 12 strings, although some variants have been mad... |
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Win an Epiphone AJ-220S Guitar Signed by Joe Bonamassa! (3/21/2013) Teaser Content: |
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New Book/CD: Get an Inside Look at Joe Bonamassa's Guitar Style (3/15/2013) An Inside Look at the Guitar Style of Joe Bonamassa is available now at the Guitar World Online Store. The Legendary Licks series presents the music of a band or artist in a comprehensive play-along package. Each book contains note-for-note tran... |
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Win tickets to see Joe Bonamassa at London Borderline (3/13/2013) Read more about Win tickets to see Joe Bonamassa at London Borderline at MusicRadar.com PRESS RELEASE: Here's your chance to win two tickets to see Joe Bonamassa at London Borderline on Tuesday 26 March. The winners will be drawn on 22 March.Eve... |
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Blues Power: An In-Depth Guide to the Amps and Effect Pedals in Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Arsenal (3/4/2013) Stevie Ray Vaughan’s guitar tone was as dry as a San Antonio summer and as sparkling clean as a Dallas debutante, the product of the natural sound of amps with ample clean headroom. However, Vaughan occasionally used pedals to augment his sound... |
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Joe Bonamassa and Guitar Center Launch Blues Masters Competition (2/18/2013) Guitar Center and Joe Bonamassa have launched Guitar Center’s Blues Masters Featuring Joe Bonamassa. The program will offer 10 musicians the chance to perform in Los Angeles backed by Bonamassa’s band; it also will provide one undiscovered blue... |
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Joe Bonamassa to Release Live CD/DVD, 'An Acoustic Evening at the Vienna Opera House,' March 26 (2/12/2013) Joe Bonamassa will release a new live CD/DVD/Blu-ray, An Acoustic Evening at the Vienna Opera House, March 26 through his own label, J&R Adventures. The show, which was recorded at the venerable Vienna Opera House in Austria, represents Bona... |
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Gibson reveals Joe Bonamassa signature (2/4/2013) Read more about Gibson reveals Joe Bonamassa signature at MusicRadar.com Gibson has revealed the Joe Bonamassa Les Paul, a striking gold top Les Paul that will be limited to a run of 400 guitars. The Bonamassa Les Paul features a carved maple to... |
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Excerpt: 30 Years After 'Texas Flood,' We Celebrate the Phenomenal Rise of Stevie Ray Vaughan (2/1/2013) This feature is an excerpt from the March 2013 issue of Guitar World magazine. To read more about the new issue, visit the Guitar World Online Store. Life Without You: Thirty years ago, Stevie Ray Vaughan took the world by storm with Texas Flood... |
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Exclusive: Stevie Ray Vaughan Live at Ripley’s Music Hall, Philadelphia, 1983, from 30th-Anniversary Edition of 'Texas Flood' (1/28/2013) Today, GuitarWorld.com brings you the exclusive stream of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble performing live at Ripley’s Music Hall, Philadelphia, on October 20, 1983. The previously unreleased live set will officially be available tomorrow, ... |
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Joe Bonamassa, drummer Tal Bergman talk Rock Candy Funk Party (1/14/2013) Read more about Joe Bonamassa, drummer Tal Bergman talk Rock Candy Funk Party at MusicRadar.com "Making this record was a great opportunity for me to do something I really enjoyed," says guitar star Joe Bonamassa, talking about We Want Groove, t... |
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Joe Bonamassa: my top 5 not-so-guilty pleasures of all time (12/6/2012) Read more about Joe Bonamassa: my top 5 not-so-guilty pleasures of all time at MusicRadar.com |
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Deluxe Edition of Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'Texas Flood' Due in January (11/27/2012) On January 29, Sony Legacy will release a deluxe, 30th-anniversary edition of Texas Flood, the debut album by Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble. One of the main selling points of the new, two-CD edition is the bonus disc, which features an O... |
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In Deep: Stevie Ray Vaughan's Playing on "Couldn't Stand the Weather" (11/19/2012) Stevie Ray Vaughan’s distinctive playing style is earmarked by equal parts pure power, intensity of focus, razor-sharp precision and deeply emotional conviction. And then there’s his tone—probably the best Stratocaster-derived sound ever evoked ... |
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