Guitarists you just don't understand

[311boogieman]

So the Trunk Top 5 thread go me thinking.

Certainly do not want to create a sh*t storm or spam fest.

We all have guitarists that we just don't understand.

Post a few up and maybe we'll all learn something or learn to be more sympathetic/open



Go...

 

[311boogieman]

Like I don't get:

Gary Moore (either) Good guitarist. Lots of soul. Just not for me I guess.
SRV (I know I know - how could I) Good guitarist. Lots of soul. Just not for me.
Yngwie. I've tried many times. Great guitarist. No soul
New Lynch - I just can't stand the guy anymore but used to love him.
Vinnie Vincent


Conversely, I love Eddie Van Halen. The guy can do no wrong - even back when he was fucking up. But I have a good friend who can't stand him. He thinks he is nothing but a wank fest show off. That he inserts himself with the wanks too often in all songs. I get that. I try to show him the rhythm side and the musical side and the production side but the wanking gets in the way every time for my friend.

 

[Goat]

Guitarists that use so much preamp distortion, that you can't hear the guitar itself. With such rigs, just about every guitar sounds the same; as long as the pickup configuration is the same. The compression is so excessive, that it almost mimics the effect of a compressor pedal. By example, there came a point when Judas Priest began using a shit-ton of preamp distortion that (IMO) killed their sound. I stopped listening to them because of it.

 

[Rdodson]

I don't get the guys for whom it is more attitude than music, tone, creativity, etc. Just turns me off and always has. I get that IS rock and roll for a lot of folks...so I'm in the minority.

My first guitar hero was the guy on the left, who was dead by the time I started playing, so maybe that says something:

 

[Beyond Black]

Slash- Way overrated
Clapton- Zzzzzzzzz. Boring
Kirk Hammet- Luckiest guitarist in history

 

[napalmdeath]

Like I don't get:

Gary Moore (either) Good guitarist. Lots of soul. Just not for me I guess.
SRV (I know I know - how could I) Good guitarist. Lots of soul. Just not for me.
Yngwie. I've tried many times. Great guitarist. No soul
New Lynch - I just can't stand the guy anymore but used to love him.
Vinnie Vincent


Conversely, I love Eddie Van Halen. The guy can do no wrong - even back when he was fucking up. But I have a good friend who can't stand him. He thinks he is nothing but a wank fest show off. That he inserts himself with the wanks too often in all songs. I get that. I try to show him the rhythm side and the musical side and the production side but the wanking gets in the way every time for my friend.

Gary Moore, though might not be for you, will always go down as one of the greatest. He changed my life, and enhanced my desire to play guitar. You have to put his blues albums aside, and listen to Victims Of The Future, Corridors Of Power, and Live in Detroit. And absolute monster shredder back in the day, and, quite frankly, ahead of his time.

SRV got boring for me, real quick. His music was shoved down our throats, to a point where I just couldn't take no more.

Slash? Overrated. Never did a thing for me.
George Lynch? One of the greats, but kind of an arrogant douche.
Yngwie, another arrogant douche. An innovator, who deserves his due, but I can't stand listening to him for more than 5 minutes.

There are so many great unknowns out there, it's not even funny. John Norum belongs on my list. Andy Larocque was my second biggest influence, next to Gary Moore.

Right now, I think Martin Miller is the greatest thing since sliced bread. I simply can't get enough of his videos, and, his skills are simply mind-blowing. Guthrie Govan is another, though I still like Martin more.

 

[skullfxr]

Slash- Way overrated
Clapton- Zzzzzzzzz. Boring
Kirk Hammet- Luckiest guitarist in history

This.

Adding:

Yngwie
Buckethead

 

[ace_operations]

Allan Holdsworth

He surely can play stuff I never will, and he has influenced many guitar greats. I even saw him live once hoping that when I see it, I'll have an aha moment or something.. I just did not understand him.

 

[crankyrayhanky]

Yngwie is simultaneously amazing and awful. Many people fit into this category, like Michael Angelo Batio.

Buckethead, on the other hand, is just flat out fantastic. He plays a wide variety of material that does not shred that is creatively interesting. If you don't like what you hear, try another release- he released a full album a week for like 7 years!! He is an alien.

 

[311boogieman]

Guitarists that use so much preamp distortion, that you can't hear the guitar itself. With such rigs, just about every guitar sounds the same; as long as the pickup configuration is the same. The compression is so excessive, that it almost mimics the effect of a compressor pedal. By example, there came a point when Judas Priest began using a shit-ton of preamp distortion that (IMO) killed their sound. I stopped listening to them because of it.

You mean kind of around the Turbo era? Yeah.

Gary Moore, though might not be for you, will always go down as one of the greatest. He changed my life, and enhanced my desire to play guitar. You have to put his blues albums aside, and listen to Victims Of The Future, Corridors Of Power, and Live in Detroit. And absolute monster shredder back in the day, and, quite frankly, ahead of his time.

I know. I know. I keep trying.

Allan Holdsworth

He surely can play stuff I never will, and he has influenced many guitar greats. I even saw him live once hoping that when I see it, I'll have an aha moment or something.. I just did not understand him.

Agreed too. I know he was a huge influence on EVH but when I see his (concert) stuff its like an alternate reality.

 

[JMP2203]

yngwie? moore? allan?

i dont undestand the guitarist that post on this thread

 

[Purpleibby]

yngwie? moore? allan?

i dont undestand the guitarist that post on this thread

Indeed Those guys are great(legends)

 

[Goat]

Guitarists that use so much preamp distortion, that you can't hear the guitar itself. With such rigs, just about every guitar sounds the same; as long as the pickup configuration is the same. The compression is so excessive, that it almost mimics the effect of a compressor pedal. By example, there came a point when Judas Priest began using a shit-ton of preamp distortion that (IMO) killed their sound. I stopped listening to them because of it.

You mean kind of around the Turbo era? Yeah.

Yes. I actually stopped listening to them after POE.

 

[311boogieman]

yngwie? moore? allan?

i dont undestand the guitarist that post on this thread

Who said I was a guitarist

 

[Racerxrated]

Vernon Reid for me. That's one that I never really got, I just didn't hear anything that was 'awe inspiring' like I read him to be.

Gary Moore? Amazing. Sorry he will always be one of my favorites. 13 gauge strings an inch off the fretboard. Unreal feeling. Not that string gauge or action matters that much, but that's what he used reportedly. Can shred with anyone, and play blues like a master.

When guys mention Clapton, Hendrix etc I think you have to remember the time they came out...no one played like Clapton in 65 then when Hendrix came out in 67 no one played like him. Like EVH in 78...EVH was a flamethrower of guitar onto the scene, and for 30 yrs guys emulated him.

SRV? Who plays RnB like that? Ever? It's like he took Hendrix and continued. Another guy who played 13 gauge strings with high action. Mitts for hands I guess.

Kirk Hammett...gets a lot of shit but he's in Metallica and you're not. Lol. I do wish his vibrato was something he ever worked on. When he took lessons from Satriani, dammit he should've made it a priority!

I agree on Vinnie Vincent, it's like "hey lets just run my pick as fast as possible across the strings and hope it sticks!" Lol. I do like some tunes off "Invasion" though.

 

[Racerxrated]

Guitarists that use so much preamp distortion, that you can't hear the guitar itself. With such rigs, just about every guitar sounds the same; as long as the pickup configuration is the same. The compression is so excessive, that it almost mimics the effect of a compressor pedal. By example, there came a point when Judas Priest began using a shit-ton of preamp distortion that (IMO) killed their sound. I stopped listening to them because of it.

You mean kind of around the Turbo era? Yeah.

Yes. I actually stopped listening to them after POE.

I noticed this, but starting with 'Defenders of the Faith'. Their tone had this low mid quality to it that was consistent until Defenders and after...too much gain.

 

[base341]

Frank Zappa.. I don't get it.

 

[Goat]

Guitarists that use so much preamp distortion, that you can't hear the guitar itself. With such rigs, just about every guitar sounds the same; as long as the pickup configuration is the same. The compression is so excessive, that it almost mimics the effect of a compressor pedal. By example, there came a point when Judas Priest began using a shit-ton of preamp distortion that (IMO) killed their sound. I stopped listening to them because of it.

You mean kind of around the Turbo era? Yeah.

Yes. I actually stopped listening to them after POE.

I noticed this, but starting with 'Defenders of the Faith'. Their tone had this low mid quality to it that was consistent until Defenders and after...too much gain.

Exactly.

 

[Metlupass2]

Buckethead

 

[crankyrayhanky]

regarding Tipton/Priest, they are Spinal Tap Chameleons. Think of their evolution: blues Led Zeppelin Rock, to early 80s Metal, to PAINKILLER. That disc was a game changer for many young metal heads, and these guys were in their 40s. I actually dig the anger of the Jugulator era, and then the return of Halford really brought back a synergy of their entire catalog. Sucks their guys are too old and getting replaced, but from a business perspective, it is impressive. That train keeps rolling! and everyone who laughed at the bass player who played bare minimum and hardly moved- now who's laughing? That's going to be the last guy standing lol