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.
Life's been good to Joe Walsh, but will his lucky streak be enough to propel him past the down-and-dirty Texas blues heroics of Billy F. Gibbons? Vote now!
Readers Poll: The Greatest Guitarist of All Time — Joe Walsh Vs. Billy GibbonsMonday's matchup saw Steve Vai (78.04%) defeat Jason Becker (21.96%). View the full bracket.
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Gibson announces Joe Walsh 1960 Les Paul (5/8/2013) Read more about Gibson announces Joe Walsh 1960 Les Paul at MusicRadar.com Gibson has announced the Joe Walsh 1960 Les Paul, a limited run of 250 signature guitars for the Eagles lead guitarist. The replica 1960 Les Pauls have been built by Gibs... |
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Billy Gibbons talks about the Moving Sidewalks reunion (3/4/2013) Read more about Billy Gibbons talks about the Moving Sidewalks reunion at MusicRadar.com High-profile band reunions are nothing new, but it's safe to say that one of the more unusual reformations of recent years is the Moving Sidewalks. Never he... |
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Exclusive Video: Joe Walsh Performs "Funk #49" for 'Guitar Center Sessions' (12/13/2012) Here's an exclusive clip of Joe Walsh performing the classic James Gang track "Funk #49" from his recent Guitar Center Sessions episode. Guitar Center Sessions, which appears exclusively on DIRECTV, showcases exclusive live performances, all of ... |
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Interview: ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons and the Black Keys' Dan Auerbach (11/13/2012) Mississippi Fred McDowell’s haunted, woody voice sails through the air as the Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach nurses a cup of coffee and flips through a vintage lunchbox-sized valise designed for carrying 45 rpm records. “Lord, when you get home baby,”... |
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Photo Gallery: Joe Walsh (and Jimmy Page) at NYC's Iridium Jazz Club (10/9/2012) Joe Walsh performed with the Les Paul Trio last night at the Iridium Jazz Club in New York City. Les Paul Mondays are a big event at the club, which is on Broadway at 51st Street, and it's not uncommon for some big names to drop by unexpectedly... |
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Joe Walsh Releases New Video for "One Day at a Time" (10/5/2012) Joe Walsh has just shared the official video for the song "One Day at a Time" off his new album, Analalog Man. Watch it below. "This song is about my path out of the darkness of drug addiction and alcoholism," says Walsh. "The message is that th... |
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Win a Pair of Tickets to See Joe Walsh at NYC's Iridium Jazz Club on October 8! (9/24/2012) Teaser Content: |
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Bull Session: The Cowcaster Guitar Is a Texas-Size Tribute to Billy Gibbons (9/7/2012) The Cowcaster is guaranteed to turn heads. That’s because it is one. The one-of-a-kind guitar, designed and built by artist Brent Gandy of Amarillo, Texas, brims with custom features — from Von Dutch–style pin striping on the back of the neck t... |
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Inquirer: Joe Walsh (8/27/2012) What inspired you to start playing guitar? I had first played other instruments growing up. I had lessons on several instruments, and I knew I was musical because I heard music in my head a lot. But the guitar was the first instrument that I cou... |
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Interview: Billy Gibbons talks ZZ Top's La Futura track-by-track (8/20/2012) "A lot of producers would have the drummer come in on Monday, then they'd call the bass player in on Tuesday, the guitar player would show up on Wednesday and maybe the singer on Thursday," says ZZ Top guitar king Billy Gibbons. "When we got tog... |
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Excerpt: ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons and the Black Keys' Dan Auerbach on the Value of Vinyl (8/20/2012) The following in an excerpt taken from the October 2012 issue of Guitar World. For the full story, as well as features on Buddy Guy, Pierce the Veil, A Beginner's Guide to Sweep Picking and more, pick up the issue on newsstands now, or in our on... |
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Poll: The Greatest Guitarist of All Time, Round 3 — Jimi Hendrix Vs. Billy Gibbons (8/10/2012) 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 ... |
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Billy Gibbons hails innovative 'wooden' pickup (8/3/2012) It sounds like an unlikely collision between ZZ Top and the Beatles but a new humbucker-sized pickup, designed by boutique maker Cream T for Billy Gibbons, has Norwegian wood at its core. The GTR-T pickup, designed by Cream T's Thomas Nilson, s... |
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ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons Covers Vintage Fleetwood Mac on New Tribute Album (6/21/2012) Just Tell Me That You Want Me: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac will be released August 14 by Hear Music/Concord. The album features new covers of 17 classic Fleetwood Mac songs, some of which even dip back into the Peter Green era, courtesy of Billy ... |
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Billy Gibbons, Brad Paisley Honor Joe Walsh on June 23 Episode of 'CMT Crossroads' (6/19/2012) Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, plus Brad Paisley, Kenny Chesney and other country music stars will pay homage to recent Guitar World cover star Joe Walsh on the next episode of CMT Crossroads on CMT. The special, titled CMT Crossroads: Joe Walsh &... |
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