Overrated guitar players.... Underrated guitar players...

[napalmdeath]

In light of the Kirk Hammett thread, I'd like to explore who others think are overrated guitar players, as well as underrated. It's not intended to start a flame war, it's just a matter of opinion.. For me:

Overrated:
Mick Mars - MEH.
C.C. Deville - thought he was awful. But, was successful, as we all know.
Tom Morello - He's listed as one of the GREATEST of all time?? He was innovative, and creative, yes. Gut does he REALLY deserve to be on a list of one of the GREATEST ever??
Vernon Reid - Never got that one, either.

Underrated:
Andy Larocque - My hero, (next to Gary Moore). The man deserves some love!
Gary Hoey - Another GREAT player, IMO. Definitely under the radar.
Marco Sfogli - SICK.
Olaf Morck - SICK.
Mats Haugen - Also sick, and grossly under the radar, as is the band, Circus Maximus.
Tommy Vetterli - Coroner! 'Nuff said!
Rick Hunolt - Played second fiddle to Gary Holt in Exodus, and battled drug problems forever. But, he also took lessons from Satriani, and, (IMO), was the better of the two. VERY tasteful solos back in the day.

 

[iplayloudly]

Personally I think innovation and creativity are what make a good guitarist. Not just technical skill and shredding speed. Perfect example: Satch. No doubt he has the chops, but he bores me to death.

 

[cardinal]

I think C.C. Deville has apologized for his playing haha. I remember reading something from him where to talking about the music training he’s had and doesn’t understand why when he goes to lay a track the spits out what he does.

 

[Speeddemon]

In light of the Kirk Hammett thread, I'd like to explore who others think are overrated guitar players, as well as underrated. It's not intended to start a flame war, it's just a matter of opinion.. For me:

Overrated:
Mick Mars - MEH.
C.C. Deville - thought he was awful. But, was successful, as we all know.
Tom Morello - He's listed as one of the GREATEST of all time?? He was innovative, and creative, yes. Gut does he REALLY deserve to be on a list of one of the GREATEST ever??
Vernon Reid - Never got that one, either.

Agree on all counts!
Same with Kurt Cobain or Neil Young ending up on 'greatest guitar players of all time' lists.

Underrated:
Akira Takasaki (Loudness); holy sh#tballs, that guy can play and still!! (saw 'm live in 2016)
Bernie Versailles (Agent Steel)
Jon Schaeffer (Iced Earth). I'd recon putting him in a band with Gene Hoglan would make the bluntest and tightest shit ever!
Emmpu Vuorinen (Nightwish) before they went all 'filmscore bombastic'. Very tasteful phrasing leads.
and the usual (which by now aren't really underrated anymore, just by mainstream folks
Malcolm Young, Paul Gilbert, John Norum...

 

[Frehley12]

Underrated: Oz Fox (Stryper).

 

[napalmdeath]

In light of the Kirk Hammett thread, I'd like to explore who others think are overrated guitar players, as well as underrated. It's not intended to start a flame war, it's just a matter of opinion.. For me:

Overrated:
Mick Mars - MEH.
C.C. Deville - thought he was awful. But, was successful, as we all know.
Tom Morello - He's listed as one of the GREATEST of all time?? He was innovative, and creative, yes. Gut does he REALLY deserve to be on a list of one of the GREATEST ever??
Vernon Reid - Never got that one, either.

Agree on all counts!
Same with Kurt Cobain or Neil Young ending up on 'greatest guitar players of all time' lists.

Underrated:
Akira Takasaki (Loudness); holy sh#tballs, that guy can play and still!! (saw 'm live in 2016)
Bernie Versailles (Agent Steel)
Jon Schaeffer (Iced Earth). I'd recon putting him in a band with Gene Hoglan would make the bluntest and tightest shit ever!
Emmpu Vuorinen (Nightwish) before they went all 'filmscore bombastic'. Very tasteful phrasing leads.
and the usual (which by now aren't really underrated anymore, just by mainstream folks
Malcolm Young, Paul Gilbert, John Norum...

I agree.. Kurt Cobain?

And, I tried to get into Nightwish, and never heard any leads.. On that genre, I'd also add Evergrey's Henrik, snd Thomas. Tasty guitar players.

 

[GOHOINC]

What makes a great guitar player?

Technically ability?
Speed?
Innovation?

Or the ability to use the instrument to craft a song that speaks to millions?

It's a debatable point I suppose. Slash is my favorite guitar player but even he admits he has limited technical knowledge, he just plays. What he has played has been received and loved by the masses so how do you rate it?

 

[messenger]

In light of the Kirk Hammett thread, I'd like to explore who others think are overrated guitar players, as well as underrated. It's not intended to start a flame war, it's just a matter of opinion.. For me:

Overrated:
Mick Mars - MEH.
C.C. Deville - thought he was awful. But, was successful, as we all know.
Tom Morello - He's listed as one of the GREATEST of all time?? He was innovative, and creative, yes. Gut does he REALLY deserve to be on a list of one of the GREATEST ever??
Vernon Reid - Never got that one, either.

Underrated:
Andy Larocque - My hero, (next to Gary Moore). The man deserves some love!
Gary Hoey - Another GREAT player, IMO. Definitely under the radar.
Marco Sfogli - SICK.
Olaf Morck - SICK.
Mats Haugen - Also sick, and grossly under the radar, as is the band, Circus Maximus.
Tommy Vetterli - Coroner! 'Nuff said!
Rick Hunolt - Played second fiddle to Gary Holt in Exodus, and battled drug problems forever. But, he also took lessons from Satriani, and, (IMO), was the better of the two. VERY tasteful solos back in the day.

Hmmm very odd. I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone say that C.C. was good. I’d actually consider him UNDERRATED. Same with Mick Mars. Underrated

I’d say Hendrix is over rated.

 

[Rick Lee]

In light of the Kirk Hammett thread, I'd like to explore who others think are overrated guitar players, as well as underrated. It's not intended to start a flame war, it's just a matter of opinion.. For me:

Overrated:
Mick Mars - MEH.
C.C. Deville - thought he was awful. But, was successful, as we all know.
Tom Morello - He's listed as one of the GREATEST of all time?? He was innovative, and creative, yes. Gut does he REALLY deserve to be on a list of one of the GREATEST ever??
Vernon Reid - Never got that one, either.

Underrated:
Andy Larocque - My hero, (next to Gary Moore). The man deserves some love!
Gary Hoey - Another GREAT player, IMO. Definitely under the radar.
Marco Sfogli - SICK.
Olaf Morck - SICK.
Mats Haugen - Also sick, and grossly under the radar, as is the band, Circus Maximus.
Tommy Vetterli - Coroner! 'Nuff said!
Rick Hunolt - Played second fiddle to Gary Holt in Exodus, and battled drug problems forever. But, he also took lessons from Satriani, and, (IMO), was the better of the two. VERY tasteful solos back in the day.

Hmmm very odd. I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone say that C.C. was good. I’d actually consider him UNDERRATED. Same with Mick Mars. Underrated

I’d say Hendrix is over rated.

Ditto. I think Hendrix was a better songwriter than player. And even though no one will ever say EVH is underrated, I think he's a better rhythm player and songwriter than anything else. Flame away.

 

[messenger]

In light of the Kirk Hammett thread, I'd like to explore who others think are overrated guitar players, as well as underrated. It's not intended to start a flame war, it's just a matter of opinion.. For me:

Overrated:
Mick Mars - MEH.
C.C. Deville - thought he was awful. But, was successful, as we all know.
Tom Morello - He's listed as one of the GREATEST of all time?? He was innovative, and creative, yes. Gut does he REALLY deserve to be on a list of one of the GREATEST ever??
Vernon Reid - Never got that one, either.

Underrated:
Andy Larocque - My hero, (next to Gary Moore). The man deserves some love!
Gary Hoey - Another GREAT player, IMO. Definitely under the radar.
Marco Sfogli - SICK.
Olaf Morck - SICK.
Mats Haugen - Also sick, and grossly under the radar, as is the band, Circus Maximus.
Tommy Vetterli - Coroner! 'Nuff said!
Rick Hunolt - Played second fiddle to Gary Holt in Exodus, and battled drug problems forever. But, he also took lessons from Satriani, and, (IMO), was the better of the two. VERY tasteful solos back in the day.

Hmmm very odd. I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone say that C.C. was good. I’d actually consider him UNDERRATED. Same with Mick Mars. Underrated

I’d say Hendrix is over rated.

Ditto. I think Hendrix was a better songwriter than player. And even though no one will ever say EVH is underrated, I think he's a better rhythm player and songwriter than anything else. Flame away.

Agreed

 

[messenger]

Kirk Hammett

Overrated in general public
Underrated on guitar boards

 

[crankyrayhanky]

Personally I think innovation and creativity are what make a good guitarist. Not just technical skill and shredding speed. Perfect example: Satch. No doubt he has the chops, but he bores me to death.

Wow. Satriani is the example of someone who has super-chops but holds back to express melodic and creative hooks to serve the song.

 

[riffermadness]

Even though he has passed on Chriss Oliva from Savatage..The Dungeons are Calling...Power of the Night...and many more,,I love my RR and EVH and Jake and many others,but IMO Chriss was just kickass ! There are more but off the top of my head..

 

[Crunchity]

Wow. Satriani is the example of someone who has super-chops but holds back to express melodic and creative hooks to serve the song.

Totally agree. Satch' real magic is composition, expressive phrasing with feel and also his harmonic note choice - his melodic lines are often far more interesting than what many of his peers spit out.

I never do these, especially the "overrated" players because you're always gonna offend somebody's fav and start a whine fest. That said, I will mention a couple I think are underrated/underappreciated...

Greg Howe
Jeff Kollman

edit (couple more underrated lol

Jeff Carlisi (38 Special)
Kerry Livgren (Kansas)

 

[napalmdeath]

Even though he has passed on Chriss Oliva from Savatage..The Dungeons are Calling...Power of the Night...and many more,,I love my RR and EVH and Jake and many others,but IMO Chriss was just kickass ! There are more but off the top of my head..

You are so right, Criss Olivia was a monster player. He was quite popular here in Tampa.

 

[CEG85]

These are off the top of my head.

Overrated:
Slash
Joe Bonamassa
Zakk Wylde

Under rated:
Robert Fripp
Adrien Belew
Allan Holdsworth
Frank Zappa

 

[Startingline]

Even though he has passed on Chriss Oliva from Savatage..The Dungeons are Calling...Power of the Night...and many more,,I love my RR and EVH and Jake and many others,but IMO Chriss was just kickass ! There are more but off the top of my head..

I was going to post this too Criss Oliva was an amazing player/composer. Gone way too early 10/13/93 RIP

 

[Findthetone1]

I think I’m gonna go ahead and nominate Mark Day for most underrated guitar player. Everytime I watch his videos I think that’s the level I wish I could be at.
Cheers Mark

 

[SpiderWars]

I can see how Jimi was overrated but his sense of rhythm still makes me go wow.

Elliot Easton is one I think was underrated.

 

[suhrimmetal]

Underrated
- Justin Derrico
- Shawn Tubbs
- Myles Kennedy
- Magnus Henriksson
- Neil Giraldo
- Me after 2 Bourbons


Overrated
- Yngwie Malmsteen
- Dan Donegan
- Paul Stanley
- Me after 4 Bourbons