Most underated/overrated guitar players
 

Zakke Wylde - under

Jimmy Page - over






-- Post your thoughts and any comments.

Frank Zappa...primarily because he was never really in the commercial spotlight. underated

Jack White from the White Stripes...I think that's his name. Anyway, he plays good rock and roll, but doesn't belong on any list of greatest guitar players of all time. overrated

overrated: Jack White (**Slap)

Eric Johnson - WAY under rated

CLIFFS OF DOVER!!

Frank Zappa has to be one of the greatest guitar players ever. I would call him 'underrated'...

As far as overrated, I'm not sure. Probably Jack White, considering all their music is powerchords.

Actually, now that I just typed 'powerchords', I remembered: Kurt Cobain. O-V-E-R-R-A-T-E-D.

That is an intresting subject. Kurt Cobain/Nirvana... Yeah, their music was ok, they did help to boost a new genre of music. But, does he deserve the damn "genuis" status that so many have given? My opinion, NO.

well.... I agree that Kurt Cobain isn't a genious that everyone pegged him as but I'm going to listen to his music and he is a good musician... as good guitarist probably not but still a good musicians.

I think that Jimmi Hendriz maybe a little overrated... hes good but I think that Eric Clapton is better.

Underrated definately is Frank Zappa

I too agree Cobain is grossly overrated.

Hendrix is a little overrated too... Was he good? Yes. Was he the best player? No, but his influence was such, it immortalized him.

Most underrated player? Not enough credit is given to George Harrison.

You beat me to it.

Add Prince, Alex Lifeson and Bruce Kulick to that list.



Do I think that Jack White is over-rated? NO.

I think he is waaaaaaaaayyyyyy over-rated!!

His 15 minutes is up, move on to the next flavor of the month people.

Roger that.

Yep Hendrix is overrated... I love him, but damn he dun make my ears bleed from estacy yet.

over-rated: David Gilmour

Under-rated: Mark Knopfler (he's big overseas, but not so much here)

underrated --> Johnny Greenwood. Sure, he got his props after The Bends and OK Computer, but people have forgotten about him since even though he can still play(when Thom lets him).

overrated --> I'll go with Hendrix too, if only because some treat him like a god, when he's just a great guitar player.

Under rated= George Harrison, David Gilmour (How Gilmour placed in the 80's in that stupid rolling stone list is beyond comprehension). Also I think Kirk Hammet gets dogged because he is labeled strictly as a heavy metal guitarist. Oh and Mark Knophler from Dire straits is pretty sweet too.

Over rated= Dude from the White Stripes is a joke. Cobain was innovative but nothing special. Also Tom Morello, he wasn't that great, just knew how to rock it with some crazy effects.

Underrated: Jim West. Who, you ask? The guitarist for Weird Al Yankovic. In fact, I think his entire band is underrated; they can sound like ANYBODY, quite accurately.

(And I agree with Zappa and Eric Johnson on the pluses, and Jack White and Kurt Cobain on the minuses.)

Sounding like somebody is one thing, writing your own shit is entirely different.

I think what he is trying to say is that no matter who writes it, they can emulate it. And they do have their own 'shit' and it is not bad, altho I don't listen to it, I have heard it.

For all you who are dissing on Jack White, sure he is an average guitarist, but his music is amazing. The first time I heard the album Elephant I honestly thought I was listening to long lost Led Zeppelin.

If you don't appreciate The White Stripes, listen to:
Black Math
I Just Don't Know What To Do
Ball and Biscuit
Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground
Hotel Yorba
and of course, Fell In Love With a Girl

I honestly don't know how anyone who likes classic rock cannot like The White Stripes!

Simple, we have taste.

Phew!...... G.O.T., for a minute there I thought you were gonna say Ace Frehley- under! heh heh heh!

Overrated - not sure, don't really feel "qualified" to make that call; but I do find the whole Kurt Cobain thing annoying, so I'll go with him.

Underrated - I always feel K.K. Downing and especially Glenn Tipton of Judas Priest never get much credit. Best guitar duo in metal IMO.

Yes!

Under-rated:

Larry Coryell (old school Jazz)

I am not taking anything away from Jimmy Paige. I think he is good, damn good. I just don't feel that he deserves the honors that he recieves. Chet Atkins is another, good but not great.

So, would you say that Jimmy is under rated?

Over - Clapton

Under - Mike McCready

Hetfield and Hammet :D

Nah, I think he gets enough credit. But, did you notice I mentioned Bruce?

Eddie Van Halen & Eric Clapton- Way Overrated

Jimmy Vaughn & Jimi Hendrix- Underrated

Stevie Ray Vaughn is also an excellent guitarist. I like 'im.

No, not under rated, but definately not over rated! Everyone has a right to their own opinion, though!

I also agree with 440sixpack on Tipton and Downing!
Priest rocks!

I don't think you can classify Hendrix, Clapton, Paige, Van Halen, and several others as over-rated just because of how we compare them to other guitars players of today. When they got huge with their playing it was because no one had ever heard anyone play like that, they basically invented a new way to play the instrument, so to speak. Sure they probably started out copying their idols but eventually they surpassed them and went way beyond everything else that was out there at the time. You have to remember the context and place in time of when these players came about. For instance, in the eighties when playing guitar proficiently was hugely popular you had most players all doing the same thing, they all copied each other and a lot do actually sound the same, if someone said that the guitar player from (pick one from a hair metal band...Warrant perhaps) was the greatest player ever then I'd have to say that he's overrated because he played just like everyone else of his day. Was he a good guitar player because of his technical skills, of course there's no doubt about it, but there wasn't anything special about his playing, he played just like everyone else around him. However, this doesn't always apply. For example, in Cobain's case, sure he didn't play like everyone else which made him innovative, but was he actually very good at playing guitar, I would have to say no (power chords will rarely win you points with guitar critics). Basically, if you improved on the playing that came before you and went way beyond it I don't think you can be classified as over-rated. So assuming that all makes sense since I probably got lost in there some where, I'll end with my picks.

Over-rated: Kurt Cobain

Under-rated: Prince, Alex Lifeson, Brian May

Oh yeah, and I don't think that Eric Johnson is under-rated, anyone that's heard his playing knows he incredibly fucking good.

OK, I am confused here. He himself said he could not play worth a damn, had to bring in another guitar player to back him up because of his inability. Don't get me wrong, I liked Nirvana. But to even put Kurt in a class of a good musican is a joke..

NOW, before I get flamed here, this is only my thoughts and everyone has them..... Music is here for all of us to enjoy.

Anyone agree with me on this ?

Overrated - Vai, Satriani, Malmsteen, Clapton

Underrated - Prince, Harrison, Jim "Horton" Heat, Gilmour

Agree with the first three big time, but Clapton?????

Oh well, everyone is entitiled to their own opinion. No need for me to start a flamewar.

I'm with you GoT, I don't understand it either.

Personally I don't think Vai or Satriani or Malmsteen could ever be overrated, they're just too good musically and technically for their skills ever to be overrated, but that probably has do to with myself being a big fan of their's. However, you could probably easily overrate their music because some people just don't like it but how can you overrate a virtuoso? You can go ahead and bash me for this if you wish. I can respect your opinion though, everyone has one.

I hadn't thought of "Horton" Heat though, that's a good one. With that I'll have to add Brian Setzer to my underrated list also.

I think some of you are confusing over/underrated guitarists with good/bad guitarists. Someone's ability to play guitar does not have anything to do with his ability to write music.

The Beatles will never be remembered for their musical talent, but their mark in music history is deep because they knew that music doesn't have to be complicated to be beautiful or revolutionary. Bob Dylan is remembered because his music was great, in spite of a below average voice.

You can't fairly judge someone on his guitar playing ability when he makes no claims to be good. Also, people who are calling Kurt Cobain overrated--who has ever said he was an expert guitarist? If somebody thinks he is a great guitarist, please elaborate.

That said, I think Ace Frehley is a good guitarist, but he has to be considered overrated, because he couldn't perform some of his studio solos live. This doesn't make him a bad guitarist, but it does make the perception of him overrated if anything. An underrated guitarist wouldn't be limited by his own band's playlist.

I'm a huge Metallica fan (even the later works); Hammet may not get the respect he deserves from places like Rolling Stone, Spin, etc., but the guitar mags give him his props. In at least one of them he's now ineligible for certain awards because he's won them so many times. He still gets the respect of his peers, last year Kerry King was ripping St Anger and said something along the lines of "you have one of the best lead guitarists in the world and you don't let him go"

You can't expect mags like Rolling Stone to talk about actual talent. They look at album sales and media coverage. They'd never acknowledge a virtuoso like Mike Amott from Carcass or Chuck Schuldiner.

Overrated: Cobain, the guy from Pear Jam, pretty much any "grunge guitarist, and the White Stripes