Beck v Clapton v Page v Hendrix

Jeff Beck is the only one among those guitarists that actually evolved and tried different approaches top his playing and songwriting.

Jimmy Page is, in my opinion, the best songwriter of the bunch, even though he never strayed far from his style.

Hendrix was Hendrix, and wether you like him or not (I don't), he had a major part in the development of rock as we know it.

Clapton started off alright, but rapidly became annoying.

So it's a tie between Beck and Page.

Hendrix believed Phil Keaggy was the best guitarist of his time, so he was equally humble.  He was also a great producer and creator.  Great guitarist and great lyricist.  I also think his singing voice was perfect.  Hendrix's performance at Woodstock was mind blowing.  It would be extremely interesting to see what would have happened when he and Miles Davis were supposed to get together.

Page is good, but he gets wayyyy to sloppy sometimes (Heartbreaker) and his tone can be bothersome most notably on the Houses of Holy album.

Clapton is also good, but I think he started his sucky period starting in 1970.  You know, when he went solo and decided he would be a songwriter.  His work on the John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers album is great though. 

Beck is good too and was very creative.  He's actually my number 2 or 3 guitarist of all time, but Hendrix still takes the cake. 

Townshend is actually quite a good guitarist he just doesn't like to be flashy.  The riff to Subtitute is absolutely brilliant. 

Peter Green is another guitar giant that should be on the poll.  His work with John Mayal and the original (and gooood) version of Fleetwood Mac was outstanding.

hmmm

^Didn't manufacturers pass newly created effects to Hendrix in the hope he'd use and thus popularise/endorse them?

Hendrix is mainly associated with Roger Mayer, who started out making effects pedals for all the Yardbirds guitarists.

progismylife wrote: ^ That's what I thought as well...didn't he  use the wah wah pedal first?

Townshend meby not the tecnicaly best but he was the one who rocked hardest and came up with all classic rock moves.

progismylife wrote: ^ That's what I thought as well...didn't he  use the wah wah pedal first?

Nope. A bunch of guys used it before him. Earl Hooker, Clapton... heck, Zappa claimed he introduced the pedal to Hendrix.

FragileDT wrote: You guys all need to listen to early clapton. Early Cream, Bluesbreakers (with John Mayall). He used to be incredible until he started doing heroin. It ruined his ability to play with as much emotion as he used to. He's never been the same. His entire solo career is "ok" at best but he used to be the cream of the crop.

Dick Heath wrote: ...Jeff Beck has longed been known as the guitarist who tried effects before most other guitarists - one guitarist told me mid 70's that Beck's Truth was the first album to really use the wah wah pedal extensively and less as a gimmick - and even his last album (in my collection) You Had It Coming he still employs new effects to some good ends.