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.
Our next second-round matchup sees Led Zeppelin's iconic guitarist take on Fleetwood Mac's fingerstyle wizard. Will Jimmy Page or Lindsey Buckingham make it on to the third round? Vote now!
Readers Poll: The Greatest Guitarist of All Time — Page Vs. BuckinghamWednesday's matchup saw Frank Zappa (67.98%) defeat Tom Morello (32.02%). View the full bracket.
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Free Podcast: Brad Tolinski Discusses 'Light & Shade: Conversations with Jimmy Page' at Apple Store (2/21/2013) What?! You weren't able to attend last week's interview with Guitar World Editor-in-Chief Brad Tolinski as he appeared live at the Apple Store in SoHo (NYC) to talk about his new book, Light & Shade: Conversations with Jimmy Page? Don't fre... |
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Meet Brad Tolinski, Author of 'Light & Shade: Conversations with Jimmy Page,' Wednesday at Apple Store in SoHo, NYC (2/11/2013) Be part of the audience of a live taping of the Apple "Meet the Author" series featuring Brad Tolinski, editor-in-chief of Guitar World magazine, as he discusses his new book, Light & Shade, Conversations with Jimmy Page. This event will ta... |
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Excerpt: Jimmy Page Discusses the Post-Reunion Singer Search (12/12/2012) The following is an excerpt from the January 2012 issue of Guitar World, which is now available on newsstands and in our online store. Weren’t there plans to form another band with a different singer and go on tour? No. You see, what we did—do... |
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Rival Sons' Scott Holiday talks Jimmy Page, riff writing and epic guitar performances (12/6/2012) Read more about Rival Sons' Scott Holiday talks Jimmy Page, riff writing and epic guitar performances at MusicRadar.com If Head Down were Rival Sons' debut album and not their third release, we'd be heralding the unexpected arrival of a bright n... |
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Jimmy Page on Upcoming Led Zeppelin Remasters: "This Will Be Really Substantial Stuff" (11/26/2012) Given a ravenous bootlegging community that dates back nearly half a century, it's hard to imagine there's much in the vaults of Led Zeppelin that fans haven't heard before in one form or another. But with a slew of remasters on their way beginn... |
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Exclusive: Lindsey Buckingham Premieres Live, Acoustic Version of "Bleed to Love Her" (11/12/2012) Legendary Fleetwood Mac guitarist Lindsey Buckingham will release his first ever solo acoustic live album, Lindsey Buckingham: One Man Show, tomorrow, November 13. But today, we're excited to be teaming up with Lindsey to premiere the second tra... |
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Jimmy Page: 2013 Led Zeppelin Album Remasters Will Include Extra Material, Alternate Takes (11/2/2012) The song remains the same? When it comes to Led Zeppelin's upcoming remasters, that's not necessarily true. In a new interview, Jimmy Page told Mojo that every original Led Zeppelin album will be reissued (in remastered form) in 2013, each in it... |
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Available Now: Brad Tolinski's 'Light & Shade: Conversations with Jimmy Page' (10/25/2012) Light & Shade: Conversations with Jimmy Page is available now at the Guitar World Online Store. This “oral autobiography” of Jimmy Page, the intensely private mastermind behind Led Zeppelin — one of the most enduring bands in rock history — ... |
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Excerpt from Brad Tolinski's 'Light & Shade: Conversations with Jimmy Page': Recording 'Led Zeppelin' (10/23/2012) Brad Tolinski, editorial director of Guitar World, Revolver and Guitar Aficionado magazines, has interviewed Jimmy Page more than any other journalist in the world. Those interviews have led to his new book, Light & Shade: Conversations Wit... |
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Shred Zeppelin: How to Play Like Jimmy Page (10/17/2012) Though he's mostly revered for his huge-sounding, eternally cool riffs, inventive altered tunings, acoustic fingerpicking masterpieces and otherworldly, ambient soundscapes, Jimmy Page also is one of the most influential lead guitarists in rock.... |
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Jimmy Page: "I’ll Definitely be Doing an Album" (10/17/2012) We've been promised a new Jimmy Page album for years now, but it seems as though the impending release of Led Zeppelin's Celebration Day film has been just the spark the legendary guitarist needed to rekindle his interest in recording and perfor... |
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