Under: Mark Knopfler, Jeff Beck, The Edge, Prince.

I love guitarists who have a distinctly unique sound.

Over: Van Halen. Anytime I hear him in the list of Top 5 guitarists, etc., I get sick to my stomach. He is good no doubt, but Top 5?

Also, Johhny Marr from the Smiths. Very distinct.

Objectively where does Eddie VanHalen place. Over or Under?

If that question is to me, I would put him around 10 to 12. I think he is great as a guitarist, and he certainly had commercial success. However, musicians like Jeff Beck are known primarily for their prowess as a guitarist, not for their individual songs. Eddie, however, is part of one of the greatest rock bands of the last 25 years.

Hmm, I think that Slash and Joe Perry are very underrated. These guys for sure have a distinct guitar sound and are very blues oriented. Taking in to account the old croud, B B King is an excellent guitarist as well as Chuck Berry. Zakk Wilde is very under rated (he may get the publicity now, but back in the 80's he was pretty much underrated), CC Deville (Poison), or even the Cinderella gang ( if people remember).

Overrated hard to really tell, since all good guitarist deserve some credit and each have their uniquness.

Unfortunetly this seems to be all about rock guitarists, but for jazz guitarists I'd say
Pat Matheny - Very overrated
Jim Hall - Underrated, I'd say he's one of the best in the world.

yes, well.....there are lots of guitarists (and people who play other instruments) working in experimental/new classical/avant-jazz formats who are underrated simply because their music does not penetrate the wall of commercial music....

agreed entirely on pat metheny.

underrated: sonny sharrock. john mclaughlin during the period with miles davis's band and before.
fred frith. everyone should know who this cat is....really interesting, really innovative player/composer...

am not a fan of the clean old-school jazz sound--i appreciate what is required technically, but the sound seems prissy to me.

Overrated: Eric Clapton While Slow hand has had a massive influence on my own playing, after checking out superior technical players he falls short on them sometimes

Lots of ya have Kurt Cobain. I doubt he'd say himself he was much of a guitarist. Greatsong writer, bad player.

That White STripes guy, probably can play fairly well but he's being held down by his drummer.

Underrated: Hendrix. Lots of you have said he's overrated and you're not seeing the HUGE absolutely MASSIVE contribution he had to music that we hear today. Without Hendrix there would be no Heavy Metal, no Hard Rock, No killer guitar players after him like Page, Van Hallen, Beck, Via, Satriani and so on and so forth. He has had an influenece weither you know it or not on your own playing (if you play)

Jimmy Page is a blues like player and a lot of people associate that with cop out playing. yeah he sticks inside a box on the guitar. Hell, BB King is so underrated it's not funny. Page is a %100 montherFU<ker on the guitar.



PatMy Wennie (Pat Methany) is so overrated it brings the bile to my throat (not that much just you know what i'm saying) Sco or Abercrombie could play him out of any club with there originality and personal touch. Pat's a great technical player but ever since Bright Size life it's been the same old stuff.

Jim Hall is a huge master, I think he IS the best in the world.

Abercrombie is underrated.

Ben Moniter is overrated.

And Eddie Van Hallen is Overrated, he is a great finger tapper, that's all I hear when I listen to him, sorry

Oh yeah, Lenny Kravitz.

Shutup Kravitz, you suck.

I think Ry Cooder and Johnny Greenwood are underrated.

Can't think of anyone overrated.

I haven't seen Brian Setzer mentioned here. I don't see many write ups on him, but I think he's an awesome guitar player.

Not really. Jimmy Page played like that before Hendrix had come out, and Led Zeppelin had a much bigger influence on hard rock then Hendrix did. Shredding might have existed before Page, but without Heartbreaker it probably never would have caught on. Then again, if it wasn't for shredding there wouldn't have been hairmetal, or the backlash of untalented musicians after it.

Thanks chos. I would have thought he would have been higher but I am certainly not a musician and really can't name too many guitarists expect for the big ones.

over: Jimi Hendrix
Kurt Cobain (why does his name even come up?)

under:
Duane Allman (outside of that one list awhile back I rarely ever see him mentioned)
Bob Dylan
Pete Townshend (Just never see him mentioned alongside Clapton,Hendrix, Van Halen ,etc.)
Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top who Hendrix even praised
Dick Dale

The KINKS and Dave Davies had a lot to do with the garage sound/heavy metal/punk. IMHO moreso than Hendrix as there were others just as experimental that just didn't get the attention he did.. I'd take the solo of You Really Got Me over any other solo in the 60's.

Dave says how he did it was to take an old Elpico amp and he slit it open and put knitting needles in. They called it the "fart box".

Hendrix praised Dave's guitar playing and was quoted once as saying that solo inspired him.

You know why that is? It's because he's a rhythm guitar player. I think he's great, but people are always going to put him on tier two because of that.

I always thought Al DiMeola was underrated, cause so few people know how incredible he was.

Still, I'm just a bass player, what the hell do I know :)

Roger that on Mark Knopfler

I dont know who David Gilmour is so he must be some what overrated

But the Guitarist from poison is way overrated I saw him on VH1 as being one of the better ones WHY ??

David Gilmour is the guitarist from Pink Floyd. He's a good player, but his riffs have been pretty repetitive over the years.

overrated - steve vai, joe satriani, yngwie malmsteen, jack white, tom morello

inderrated - buckethead, john frusciante, dave navarro,tim mahoney, mike einzinger

pat metheney is extremely overrated

Underrated - Prince and Carlos Santana.

I think Cobain is my pick as the most overrated.

I don't think Slash has received enough votes, so add one for him!

...and to those who say Jimmy Page is OVERRATED.. HAH! No f'n way. The man is flat out amazing. You do realize that his style of play is what created the inspiration for most other rock music that you enjoy, right?

It makes you wonder where rock would be without Zeppelin..

Overrated would have to fall in the category of someone who can play guitar, but really isn't anything special, yet everyone currently holds on a high pedestal yet probably won't be remembered 20 years from now.

Jack White is one of them... I've heard the White Stripes, and as someone who can appreciate and spot talent, I'd have to say they aren't anything special... he might be decent at it to the point where he has a mainstream music career, but he's definitely NOT someone who will be remembered 100 years from now as a great guitarist. No more special than the guitarist from... say, Staind (or pick any other current mainstream band).

Kurt Cobain might not've been an innovative guitar player, but goddamn were his songs amazing. He took very simple power chords and made some of the greatest songs from them with ease. No, he didn't have amazing solos like Page/Slash, but when he played.. it was simple, raw, powerful, and to the point.. and IMO, that is what makes him a great guitar player. Yeah, anyone could play Smells Like Teen Spirit.. but when that song came out, no one had ever heard anything so raw and powerful.

Jimmy Page, on the other hand, WILL be remembered for a LOOOOOOOONG time, and rightfully so because he's amazing.

Underrated would be those people that really SHOULD be regarded as the greatest guitar players.. IMO, Slash is underrated. Slash is just awesome. His riffs are just some of the most memorable in rock. Most solos sound sloppy, kind of out of place, but when Slash plays a solo, you really get kicked in the ass with it.

I read an interview with Myron Grombacher (Pat Benatar's drummer) asking about his favorite guitarists, and he named Townshend as one saying (paraphrased) "he doesn't take a lot of leads, but he plays a lot of guitar". I would agree with that, and in fact I saw some recent live concert footage of him playing with the remains of The Who at some charity event or something, and he did some soloing. It just sounded wrong because it was so un-Townshend-like.

I agree with those who said Alex Lifeson was underrated. I don't much like what Rush has become these days, but the man can play. He still has it too -- check out the Rush in Rio DVD for numerous examples (mostly on their older songs, though).

Yeah Stevie Ray Vaughn is way overated, especially if you consider most of his licks he stole from Albert King.

Ritchie Blackmore - i wouldnt say underrated but i dont think he gets enough credit for his playing

Agreed: Prince is one of the most underrated guitarists ever. I saw him on the George Harrison tribute thingy playing the solo from "while my guitar gently weeps." Blew my mind.

But here it is:
Underrated: Bill Haley
Overrated: BB King

Yeah I saw that Prince thing too...okay now...

Anyone saying Hendrix, Paige, Gilmour, Van Halen, Carlos Santana, Clapton etc. are overrated aren't listening enough...who sounds like them? Not many if there are any. They're good...they worked hard at making good music..they deserve all the praise they get.

Underrated...hmm...I definitely have to agree with Prince, Mike McCready, Slash, anyone who's ever played for the Allmans, Trey Anastacio (he's getting love now though), Supertramps Guitarist has played some really great guitar solos in his day like on Don't Leave Me Now, I like Justin Haywards playing a lot too..dunno if he's THAT good though. I basically like Guitarists who play words with their guitars...the solos are like mini songs in themselves...Why I like Gilmour so damn much...Robby Krieger rarely ever gets mentioned..he's quite good. John Popper and Chan Kinchia of Blues Traveler are pretty good, Leslie West, CCR and Lynard Skynard probably have 4 of the most underrated ever as well mainly cause they look at the whole band instead of individuals. Almost forgot Billy F. Gibbons of ZZ Top..theres more though I know...LOTS more...I just can't think right now.

Overrated? Hmm Mark Tremonti formerly of Creed now of Alter Bridge I'd say is pretty overrated...I truely realized it when I heard his pathetic attempt at a guitar solo on Alter Bridge's video. Why do people think speedy playing = good? If yer playin that card ya gotta do more than just play fast. After seeing where Jack White placed on Rolling Stones list I'd have to say he's pretty overrated too though I don't think he holds himself in such high regards. I think I'll stop there

Also I gotta add there are a few BRAND new bands that have some good guitarists that show some promise...The Darkness's Justin & Dan Hawkings are quite good...Justin is a little too show boaty at times but he has potential...Los Lonely Boys Henry Garza has some really nice licks..ain't really heard that in a while good sound too. Theres more...I just can't think of em right now.

Asta!!

Oh man, Brian May is definately underrated. Page is definately NOT overrated.
How the hell are people comparing? By overall talent? In relationship to each other? Or simply in the respect they deserve?

Rating following the last rule would make a lot more sense to me.

While I'm a huge fan of Les Paul and Angus Young I can't really say that they are underrated as some people have mentioned. They may not be on the radio and TV much anymore but they've both got their names on guitars, pretty famous ones at that, and that seems like plenty of recognition to me.

Mark Knopfler should be better known but I think it's mainly that people don't know his name. Guarantee you though that the majority of people could recognise his style though. Who can't pick out a Dire Straits song by the first few notes of his guitar. When it comes to famous guitars too, what about his steel guitar from back in the day, thats a really famous one too.

A guitar player who really impressed me but you rarely hear anything about is Django Reinhardt. To think about the solos he churned out with only two fingers is simply mind blowing.

Page and Hendrix get the correct amount of respect from the public, but not enough from guitarists. I bet if they had used crappy looping speed tricks like modern guitarists they could shred effortlessly. I really have no doubt that if he had known of it Page would have mastered sweep-picking and two handed tapping.

Underrated - Pete Townshend, Tom Morello. Great rhythm guitar = instant good song. Eddie Van Halen is underrated thanks to hairmetal. The guy invented two-handed tapping, and is seemingly incapable of not being perfectly clean.

Overrated - Yngwie. He's completely incapable of using his speed effectively. Speed is meaningless if you can't use it. That's why Steve Vai is great, and everyone hates Yngwie...well, maybe it's because he's always "UNLEASHING THE FOCKING FURY".

See above post

most under rated is Eric McFadden. Gitar playa in George Clintons funkadelic. Has about 10 other bands and puts out 2 or 3 solo albums a year. The guy is the shit.

Overrated is a tie between Knopfler and Clapton. Once great players that had their soul sucked dry by corporate cash.


Oh yeah, Ry Cooder is pretty fuckin under rated as well.

that´s ericmcfadden.com boys and girls. well worth your while.

over - hammet's, havent heard anything from metallica with amazing guitar

under - alexi laiho, adrian smith and dave murray