You are right that ranking guitarists is a fool's errand, primarily because it matters of taste there can be no argument. But.
The obvious answer, at least among Yardbirds guitarists, is Beck, Page, Clapton.
Dismissing Beck just because he never had a hit is silly.
In my opinion, no one had a longer career among the three where he was relevant than Beck. You could argue whether Clapton or Beck were more influential during the '60s, or whether Page or Beck had the more important body of work in the '70s, or even which of the three fought obsolescence the best in the '80s. But the only artist of the three who mattered after the '80s was Jeff Beck.
The thing about back would distinguishes him is how he married his amazing chops with an incredibly creative compositional mind. He's Page, or Clapton but with the maniac ideas of people like Greg Ginn or Paul Leary, who is wonderful as they are, simply wish they could play like Jeff Beck.
Yes the 3 of them are Quite Good but What No Hendrix or Any Black Guitarists for that matter?
I've been to 700+ Concerts (and have seen both Beck & Clapton) & that is Where the Rubber Meets the Road so to speak & the 2 Best Electric Guitarists I've seen are Neil Young (who I've seen 54 times) & Richard Thompson (about a dozen times).
When Neil Young was doing the 2nd Tour with his Country Band, the International Harvesters, he played a Show at the Pier in NYC & I got a dozen or so Friends to join me. For the Encore Neil played Down By the River & it was The Most Intense Rock'n'Roll version of the song I'd ever heard him play! More Intense than either with Crazy Horse or Promise of the Real & this was being done at a Show where he was definitely playing Country & for me the standout in that band (I saw them on the 1st Tour Neil did with the International Harvesters at Jones Beach where Waylon Jennings was the Opener) was his Fiddle player Rufus Thibodeaux.
Neil's Guitar was taking us on a Journey & there were a couple of times where you thought he was bringing the song to a close he start down a Different Path. Myself & half my Friends had smoked during the show & had a pretty good Buzz On & during the Song I asked several of the folks who hadn't Imbibed whether this was As Great As I Thought It Was & they all gave an Emphatic YES!
The next day the Chief Music Critic for the New York Times wrote that last night he heard The Best Guitar Playing he'd Ever Heard!
Another time when I saw Neil Go For It on Guitar was when he showed up in Minneapolis for 1 of the Concerts that a number of Musicians had been playing in Battleground States to try & get John Kerry elected. Neil had played with all the other varieties that had been put together like with Pearl Jam & the Dixie Chick's etc. My Wife & I had flown to Minneapolis to see Bruce & the E Street Band, plus REM, John Fogerty & others.
I had a feeling that Neil was going to show up because this was the only Group of Musicians that he hadn't yet played with so I had a Neil t-shirt on. At a restaurant down the block from the Arena a Woman came up to me & said they've been saying all day on the Radio that Neil was here so it looked like I was Finally get to see my 2 Favorites Play Together! I'd missed a chance when Bruce joined Neil who was on an Acoustic Tour at Jones Beach. I'd already seen Neil 2x on the Tour & he was Fantastic both times the Playlists were the same so I decided to Pass & it Cost me.
During REM's Set they brought Neil out to play Country Comfort so I Knew I was going to see Neil & Bruce Play Together! Bruce & the E Street Band were Hitting It (as usual & I've seen him 30x) & then Bruce introduced Neil who Lost It playing with the E Street Band & his Interplay with Clarence was Incredible & Bruce was Watching with a Big Smile on his face!
Coming out of the Concert the Vibe in the Crowd was that Neil Stole the Show & the next day in the Minneapolis Paper their long time Music Critic started his Review by saying he saw something last night that he didn't think was possible where someone Blew Springsteen Off the Stage! He went on to say that it was the Greatest Concert he'd ever been to! Although I thought it was Very Good I didn't have it that high. For me the first 2 Shows I saw of Neil & Crazy Horse at the Palladium in 1976 were Amazing & Neil played some Incredible Guitar both those Nights! And although this was Way In the Future anyone who got to see him with Promise of the Real got to see something Really Special as Willie's Kids grew up as Neil Junkies & the first 2x I saw them at Red Rocks Knocked My Socks Off!
From the first time I saw Richard Thompson at the Bottom Line on the first Tour he was doing after things ended with Linda I was Mesmerized by his Guitar Playing because it was based on his Folk Roots whereas Most Guitarists are Blues Based like Clapton & Page.
Other Notable & Unique Guitarists I've seen In Concert over the years are Andy Gill of Gang of Four who had Such a Unique Way of Playing his Guitar & was Lucky to have seen him in New York a number of times. Jerry Garcia of the Dead was another Fantastic NonBlues Based Guitarists who took the Dead to some Amazing Places & I could certainly say the same for Dickey Betts & the Allman Brothers!
Someone who is not really known for his Guitar Playing but on 1 Tour he Revealed himself as Someone had he chosen that Direction could've been a Guitar Whiz. I was Lucky enough to see 5 Shows on the Darkness On the Edge of Town Tour including 1 of the 3 he played at the Palladium & the last of 3 at the Capitol Theater (I would Highly Recommend that Everyone Reading this go to the Nuggs site & pick up all 3 Shows from the Capitol Theater although I'm Partial to the 3rd Night because I was there when we Celebrated Bruce's birthday!) Every Night he'd let loose on Guitar on Prove It All Night & it Sent Chills Down My Spine! And you got to Hear what Might Have Been had he gone down the Guitar Hero Path.
And let's Not Forget the Bandmate of both Neil & Bruce, The Only Person to be a Member of Crazy Horse and the E Street Band...Drumroll Please - Nils Lofgren & IF you were Lucky Enough to see Nils in the 70s before he was an E Streeter & you got to see him do those Flips on the small trampoline & Played that Flipped Out Guitar - Neil has called him his Favorite Guitarist!
Wow. Thanks for that blast. I love Neil and am working on a book about his music and his style is so unique to him,he’s almost in a different category to me.
Clapton’s lead phrasing is impeccable. But Jimi was as good a blues lead player and his RnB influenced rhythm playing puts him at the top of the list for me
Huge Clapton fan - best argument I have for Clapton's genius is the opening riff he plays on George Harrison's 'Art of Dying' - only someone born to play the guitar and to play it better than just about anyone else could play something like that.
Being the above mentioned kind gentleman who wrote the Top Ten Guitarists post, I feel I should weigh in. I'm flattered, I've never been referred to in a Substack post before, so thank you, John. John and I had a nice little messaging back and forth about this already, and I'll be repeating myself to him here, but the final choice of my leaving Clapton out of the list is personal, which I said in writing the list. His technical ability is without question - John mentions the elegance and ease of his playing. What I value most in a guitarist is the ability to pierce through and touch something deep in me. This doesn't necessarily rely on masterful technique (though it doesn't hurt) but more what I'd call 'feel.' (Tom Waits has a great song, That Feel, co-written with Keith Richards, Keith playing and singing on it, which is a canonical statement on the matter) This is where, to me, Clapton always falls just short of greatness. I can't explain that subjectively, it's a personal reaction. I do think longevity of purpose is indicative of something essential, and as 'rastronomicals' below says, Jeck Beck is the only one of the three guitars in question who remained new and viable past the 80's. Page sunk into the role of curator of all things Zepplin, which is fine, it's a great, massive legacy, but he's not creating. And what Clapton has created post Dominos leaves me cold. The uncredited solo of 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps' is brilliant and forever. I saw Clapton play live at Great Woods in Massachusetts (what they called it back then) late 90's, I think, and he was brilliant, completely impressive, encyclopedic blues runs, where everybody could kind of sit back and say, "A master a work." And that was the problem. I was impressed but once removed. I didn't feel a thing except, Impressive. Now, some people would have heard the same thing and be falling all over themselves with emotion, but I think it would be analogous to 'shiny new car' emotion. Everybody loves a shiny new car, and that, to me, is what Clapton's playing, post Dominos, has been. But that's a 'well to do suburban' appreciation and doesn't have squat to do with the blues. Clapton's become a safe bluesman upper middle class people can love. So I give Clapton his props for influence and early playing when he was still invested in the game. But he became a figurehead, and an icon, and started playing under glass. Which made me go back and listen to the early stuff, and I'd hear some of that in it. Some of the 'too reverent for its own good' approach he takes to the blues.
I did, John, years back, high school years. I think Araby struck most, since it was about a young man being foolish over a girl, something I could relate to. I didn't get Eveline as much at the time, it was a tad too grown up. But rereading it, it's a great story.
Although I like those three, I am just as big a fan of Hendrix, Mark Knopfler, Rory Gallagher, Joe Bonamassa, Eddie Van Halen, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood, Walter Trout, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Kenny Wayne Shepard as well!
I’d have to go with Pete Townshend. Simply because he provided all of the guitar work for just about every song by The Who. Similar to Alex Lifeson of Rush. I am discounting John Entwistle (and Geddy Lee) because bass is just that… background music.
If you don’t believe me, just listen to Tommy from start to finish.
Peter Green.
You are right that ranking guitarists is a fool's errand, primarily because it matters of taste there can be no argument. But.
The obvious answer, at least among Yardbirds guitarists, is Beck, Page, Clapton.
Dismissing Beck just because he never had a hit is silly.
In my opinion, no one had a longer career among the three where he was relevant than Beck. You could argue whether Clapton or Beck were more influential during the '60s, or whether Page or Beck had the more important body of work in the '70s, or even which of the three fought obsolescence the best in the '80s. But the only artist of the three who mattered after the '80s was Jeff Beck.
The thing about back would distinguishes him is how he married his amazing chops with an incredibly creative compositional mind. He's Page, or Clapton but with the maniac ideas of people like Greg Ginn or Paul Leary, who is wonderful as they are, simply wish they could play like Jeff Beck.
I love Jeff Beck! Have all his records even a great bootleg of his Rough and Ready material. But overall, Clapton to me was more important.
And I love Eric Clapton!
At least through 1977 :-)
Yes the 3 of them are Quite Good but What No Hendrix or Any Black Guitarists for that matter?
I've been to 700+ Concerts (and have seen both Beck & Clapton) & that is Where the Rubber Meets the Road so to speak & the 2 Best Electric Guitarists I've seen are Neil Young (who I've seen 54 times) & Richard Thompson (about a dozen times).
When Neil Young was doing the 2nd Tour with his Country Band, the International Harvesters, he played a Show at the Pier in NYC & I got a dozen or so Friends to join me. For the Encore Neil played Down By the River & it was The Most Intense Rock'n'Roll version of the song I'd ever heard him play! More Intense than either with Crazy Horse or Promise of the Real & this was being done at a Show where he was definitely playing Country & for me the standout in that band (I saw them on the 1st Tour Neil did with the International Harvesters at Jones Beach where Waylon Jennings was the Opener) was his Fiddle player Rufus Thibodeaux.
Neil's Guitar was taking us on a Journey & there were a couple of times where you thought he was bringing the song to a close he start down a Different Path. Myself & half my Friends had smoked during the show & had a pretty good Buzz On & during the Song I asked several of the folks who hadn't Imbibed whether this was As Great As I Thought It Was & they all gave an Emphatic YES!
The next day the Chief Music Critic for the New York Times wrote that last night he heard The Best Guitar Playing he'd Ever Heard!
Another time when I saw Neil Go For It on Guitar was when he showed up in Minneapolis for 1 of the Concerts that a number of Musicians had been playing in Battleground States to try & get John Kerry elected. Neil had played with all the other varieties that had been put together like with Pearl Jam & the Dixie Chick's etc. My Wife & I had flown to Minneapolis to see Bruce & the E Street Band, plus REM, John Fogerty & others.
I had a feeling that Neil was going to show up because this was the only Group of Musicians that he hadn't yet played with so I had a Neil t-shirt on. At a restaurant down the block from the Arena a Woman came up to me & said they've been saying all day on the Radio that Neil was here so it looked like I was Finally get to see my 2 Favorites Play Together! I'd missed a chance when Bruce joined Neil who was on an Acoustic Tour at Jones Beach. I'd already seen Neil 2x on the Tour & he was Fantastic both times the Playlists were the same so I decided to Pass & it Cost me.
During REM's Set they brought Neil out to play Country Comfort so I Knew I was going to see Neil & Bruce Play Together! Bruce & the E Street Band were Hitting It (as usual & I've seen him 30x) & then Bruce introduced Neil who Lost It playing with the E Street Band & his Interplay with Clarence was Incredible & Bruce was Watching with a Big Smile on his face!
Coming out of the Concert the Vibe in the Crowd was that Neil Stole the Show & the next day in the Minneapolis Paper their long time Music Critic started his Review by saying he saw something last night that he didn't think was possible where someone Blew Springsteen Off the Stage! He went on to say that it was the Greatest Concert he'd ever been to! Although I thought it was Very Good I didn't have it that high. For me the first 2 Shows I saw of Neil & Crazy Horse at the Palladium in 1976 were Amazing & Neil played some Incredible Guitar both those Nights! And although this was Way In the Future anyone who got to see him with Promise of the Real got to see something Really Special as Willie's Kids grew up as Neil Junkies & the first 2x I saw them at Red Rocks Knocked My Socks Off!
From the first time I saw Richard Thompson at the Bottom Line on the first Tour he was doing after things ended with Linda I was Mesmerized by his Guitar Playing because it was based on his Folk Roots whereas Most Guitarists are Blues Based like Clapton & Page.
Other Notable & Unique Guitarists I've seen In Concert over the years are Andy Gill of Gang of Four who had Such a Unique Way of Playing his Guitar & was Lucky to have seen him in New York a number of times. Jerry Garcia of the Dead was another Fantastic NonBlues Based Guitarists who took the Dead to some Amazing Places & I could certainly say the same for Dickey Betts & the Allman Brothers!
Someone who is not really known for his Guitar Playing but on 1 Tour he Revealed himself as Someone had he chosen that Direction could've been a Guitar Whiz. I was Lucky enough to see 5 Shows on the Darkness On the Edge of Town Tour including 1 of the 3 he played at the Palladium & the last of 3 at the Capitol Theater (I would Highly Recommend that Everyone Reading this go to the Nuggs site & pick up all 3 Shows from the Capitol Theater although I'm Partial to the 3rd Night because I was there when we Celebrated Bruce's birthday!) Every Night he'd let loose on Guitar on Prove It All Night & it Sent Chills Down My Spine! And you got to Hear what Might Have Been had he gone down the Guitar Hero Path.
And let's Not Forget the Bandmate of both Neil & Bruce, The Only Person to be a Member of Crazy Horse and the E Street Band...Drumroll Please - Nils Lofgren & IF you were Lucky Enough to see Nils in the 70s before he was an E Streeter & you got to see him do those Flips on the small trampoline & Played that Flipped Out Guitar - Neil has called him his Favorite Guitarist!
Enough Said - Let's Talk Maracas Players.
Wow. Thanks for that blast. I love Neil and am working on a book about his music and his style is so unique to him,he’s almost in a different category to me.
Clapton’s lead phrasing is impeccable. But Jimi was as good a blues lead player and his RnB influenced rhythm playing puts him at the top of the list for me
Huge Clapton fan - best argument I have for Clapton's genius is the opening riff he plays on George Harrison's 'Art of Dying' - only someone born to play the guitar and to play it better than just about anyone else could play something like that.
Richard Thompson
Being the above mentioned kind gentleman who wrote the Top Ten Guitarists post, I feel I should weigh in. I'm flattered, I've never been referred to in a Substack post before, so thank you, John. John and I had a nice little messaging back and forth about this already, and I'll be repeating myself to him here, but the final choice of my leaving Clapton out of the list is personal, which I said in writing the list. His technical ability is without question - John mentions the elegance and ease of his playing. What I value most in a guitarist is the ability to pierce through and touch something deep in me. This doesn't necessarily rely on masterful technique (though it doesn't hurt) but more what I'd call 'feel.' (Tom Waits has a great song, That Feel, co-written with Keith Richards, Keith playing and singing on it, which is a canonical statement on the matter) This is where, to me, Clapton always falls just short of greatness. I can't explain that subjectively, it's a personal reaction. I do think longevity of purpose is indicative of something essential, and as 'rastronomicals' below says, Jeck Beck is the only one of the three guitars in question who remained new and viable past the 80's. Page sunk into the role of curator of all things Zepplin, which is fine, it's a great, massive legacy, but he's not creating. And what Clapton has created post Dominos leaves me cold. The uncredited solo of 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps' is brilliant and forever. I saw Clapton play live at Great Woods in Massachusetts (what they called it back then) late 90's, I think, and he was brilliant, completely impressive, encyclopedic blues runs, where everybody could kind of sit back and say, "A master a work." And that was the problem. I was impressed but once removed. I didn't feel a thing except, Impressive. Now, some people would have heard the same thing and be falling all over themselves with emotion, but I think it would be analogous to 'shiny new car' emotion. Everybody loves a shiny new car, and that, to me, is what Clapton's playing, post Dominos, has been. But that's a 'well to do suburban' appreciation and doesn't have squat to do with the blues. Clapton's become a safe bluesman upper middle class people can love. So I give Clapton his props for influence and early playing when he was still invested in the game. But he became a figurehead, and an icon, and started playing under glass. Which made me go back and listen to the early stuff, and I'd hear some of that in it. Some of the 'too reverent for its own good' approach he takes to the blues.
Ever read this? https://johnnogowski.substack.com/p/eveline-a-life-thats-frozen
I did, John, years back, high school years. I think Araby struck most, since it was about a young man being foolish over a girl, something I could relate to. I didn't get Eveline as much at the time, it was a tad too grown up. But rereading it, it's a great story.
Although I like those three, I am just as big a fan of Hendrix, Mark Knopfler, Rory Gallagher, Joe Bonamassa, Eddie Van Halen, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood, Walter Trout, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Kenny Wayne Shepard as well!
https://open.substack.com/pub/johnnogowski/p/on-orwell-dickens-and-popularity?r=7pf7u&utm_medium=ios
I’d have to go with Pete Townshend. Simply because he provided all of the guitar work for just about every song by The Who. Similar to Alex Lifeson of Rush. I am discounting John Entwistle (and Geddy Lee) because bass is just that… background music.
If you don’t believe me, just listen to Tommy from start to finish.
A lifelong Clapton fan here! (But I’m not qualified enough to vote 😳)
Amazing all three were in The Yardbirds at different points in time