RoxyMoron

Do you wonder if most of them were picked simply because they're dead and died at a young age? I also wonder if they had lived, would people still think of them so highly.
Eh...sometimes I have too much free time and think about things too hard.

Joel007

I suspect that if Jimi was still alive, and had improved at the same rate... He would still be hailed as one of the top guitarists of all time

trick-r-treat

Jimi's sound was very distinctive. He was great while he was still alive, not just after he died.

compl3x

I'll second that. I think the biggest tragedy was he died so young and couldn't continue on.

Joel007

Most guitarists' new material and live shows tend to slowly diminish after their deaths.

danceomatic9

Hendrix gets my vote

Cobain323

Another vote for Jimmy Page. It`s not all about technical skill because I think Jimi and Eddie beat him out on technical skill. I don`t feel the same emotion behind those guys as I do from Page though. Maybe it`s just personal preference but when page plays I feel something very from any other guitarist I listen to.

petermason2000

I hate these questions. I hat these polls. Alot of this is a matter of opinion. Can you rip off a billion notes a second like Yngwie Malmstein, or hold on to one note and let it cry like Eric Clapton. Or perhaps you can play and dance and twirl around like Steve Vai and CC Deville?

If I had to pick one guitar player that I could play like, it would absolutely be Stevie Ray Vaughn. The music and emotion that he channeled through his guitat is amazing. And I swear he used to make up notes. He was taken from us entirely too soon. If he were still alive, there would be no doubt about the answer to this question.

3plus3

Stevie Ray Vaughn would be my vote as well. I love all his music, I second petermason2000, he was def. taken from us far too soon. Jimi Hendrix would be a second one that I like.

matthike

Stevie Ray Vaughan was a pure genius! The Rolling Stone List should be called the 100 most influential guitarists of all time, not greatest. There is no way that Joey Ramone, Kurt Cobain, or Jack White are better guitarists than Eddie Van Halen (#72???), Buddy Guy, or Toni Iommi. Don't get me wrong, I love their music and am a huge fan and respect the huge influence they had/have on the music scene, but as far as their guitar skills, they shouldn't be that high up on the list.