Top 5 guitar players

[Ceasar’s Palace]

You can never do this too often.

1. Jimi Hendrix
2. Brian May
3. Steve Howe
4. Stephen Stills
5. Walter Becker

[Enlighten]

If we’re talking all time, living or dead, I would say,

Shawn Lane
Larry Carleton
Eddie Van Halen
Adrian Belew
Alan Holdsworth


If we’re talking the best alive and at the top of their game today,

Steve Vai
Steve Lukather
Guthrie Govan
Ian Thornley
Eric Gillette

[pianozach]

Comparing guitarists? Futile.

There are so many "styles" of guitar playing. The fifteen listed already ARE great guitarists. Here's ten more:

Django
André Segovia
Glen Campbell
David Gilmour
Martin Barre

BB King
Jimmy Page
Ellas Otha Bates
Jeff Beck
Bill Nelson

[Roundabob]

Steve Howe
Andy Powell
Mark Knopfler
Jimmy Page
Jan Ackermann

Had to add Roy Clark, Chet Atkins, Wes Montgomery, and George Harrison to my list of 5+.

[RelayerI]

Randy Rhoads
Lindsey Buckingham
Richie Blackmore
Tony Iommi
Jimi Hendrix
Dave Gilmour
Steve Howe
Rory Gallagher
Eddie Van Halen
Glenn Tipton

Pick five from that lot - I can't !

[Old Frothingslosh]

Jimmy Hendrix
Tommy Bolin
Rory Gallagher
David Gilmour
Dickey Betts

[luvyesmusic]

Michael Schenker

Steve Howe

Tony Iommi

Ritchie Blackmore

Michael Angelo Batio

[Soundwaveseeker]

So many greats with an individual style, can't go with just 5. Here's some I find to have the magic:

Fripp
Hendrix
Holdsworth
Brian May
Adrian Belew
Zappa
Phil Manzanera
Steve Vai
Jimmy Page
Reeves Gabrels
Rick Witkowski (of Crack The Sky)
Trevor Rabin
Mike Homes (of IQ)
David Gilmour
Elliot Easton (the Cars)
Marc Bolan

and of course:
Steve Howe
Steve Hackett
Steve Hillage - these three should form a band (with Steve Hogarth on vocals and Steve Harris on bass)

so many greats, but top spot would have to be Brian May. Such an individual sound - he had to invent it himself.

[YesWill]

so many greats, but top spot would have to be Brian May. Such an individual sound - he had to invent it himself.

and yet, he had to ask Steve Howe to play the spanish guitar solo on the song Innuendo. That just underscores the point that it is as much about playing style as it is about aptitude

[Ash Armstrong]

In no particular order:

Jimmy Page Jerry Garcia
Steve Hillage
Frank Zappa
Paul Kossoff

[alex peters]

John McClaughlin

[Mr. Holland]

If we’re talking all time, living or dead, I would say,

Shawn Lane
Larry Carleton
Eddie Van Halen
Adrian Belew
Alan Holdsworth


If we’re talking the best alive and at the top of their game today,

Steve Vai
Steve Lukather
Guthrie Govan
Ian Thornley
Eric Gillette

Nice to see you mentioning Steve Lukather, who hardly ever gets the recognition that he, in my view, deserves so much.

[Mr. Holland]

For me:

Rory Gallagher
Prince
Steve Howe
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Jimi Hendrix

[PeterCologne]

Well, mine are:

Ry Cooder
Manuel Göttsching (Ashra)
Steve Howe
Elvis Costello
Prince

well, also worthy being in a somewhat extended top five would be:
Richard Thompson
Michael Rother
Trevor Rabin
Fripp/Belew
Nile Rodgers
Robin Trower

Edit: Stephen Stills must not be forgotten...

[patrickq]

George Harrison
Chuck Berry
David Gilmour
Prince

best rhythm guitarist by far: Niles Rogers