Unknown Soldier

The above post was my categorization of what a great guitarist is, Rolling Stone have different parameters on how they classify a great guitarist. Robbie Robertson was an outstanding guitarist, but unless you`re really into music not too many people will remember who the Band were, had he been in the Rolling Stones, well he`d probably be a lot higher on their list.

TheBig3

So you are saying how a guitarist "struts his stuff" matters? Or you're not?

Either way, what Rolling Stone says is one opinion. I happen to think its too heavily influenced by what was great in the 1960's. I also don't know that Buckethead should be on a greatest guitarists list.

To me Buckethead sits outside the boundaries of the guitar because to me he's thinking macro level. I don't think he wonders about things like "how to I play the following 45 notes in such a manner that it fits with the keys" I think he says "what sound is going to fit in this space that will enhance it."

No he chooses to play a guitar, but with all the effects he uses, the people he surrounds himself with, and the different layers he has going on record to record, I see him more as a producer (in a sense) than a guitarist.

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Unknown Soldier

Yes I`m saying how a guitarist "struts his stuff" does matter, as long he meets enough of the other criteria of being a good guitarist as well. Basically, a great guitarist should have enough talents and aces up his sleeve to excel in what he does.

Nostalgia is important, as it more or less goes hand in hand with hindsight, because quite often to really know how great a guitarist is/was, he needs to be judged not only in the present, but also in his era and with his fellow guitarists at that time (hence the contrast between Hendrix and Buckethead pits two different generations of guitarists together and on top of that, both are completely different types of guitarist as well, but that is the fault of the OP) and also the impact that they have had on their fellow guitarists today, I mean....people like Hendrix, Page and Iommi pretty much inspired a multitude of people to pick up a guitar, as for how influential Buckethead will be, only time will tell. Basically a great guitarist today, can only only really be judged in hindsight, now that`s an opinion but I think a valid one.

Mrd00d

Hit the nail on the head there, I think. To add to this, on his solo work, he does the drum machine or plays, he usually plays the bass track, he usually plays the guitar unless otherwise stated. His main, go-to drummer is Brian "Brain" Mantia. Not officially, but from what I've noticed with him all-together, he goes to Brain most often, drum machine second, and himself third. He is a multi-instrumentalist and he's wild with all of them. He plays bass on par with Claypool just about, plus he takes his guitar shredding and applies it on the bass when necessary.

Very well written.

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