How does my list compare to yours? Who are your top five guitarists?

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This is quite tough for me; I usually tend to single out favourite vocalists but treat the rest of a group as a whole and especially have trouble picking favourite guitarists when a group has more than one, as I can never tell who plays what. One name always stands out for me though:

I've got to think harder about anyone else. In fact this next name I'm going to mention I actually had to look up to include, but his playing is some of the first I thought of when I saw this topic so...

Vince Benaim

Vince Benaim is the guitarist of the prog metal band Spheric Universe Experience. He's the sole guitarist of the group and his playing on their Anima album is insane. I'd go as far to say some of if not the best riffs in prog metal on that album. 

I guess John Petrucci is an obvious pick, but I hardly listen to Dream Theater these days so I feel less and less inclined to include him in a personal top five. He's brilliant though, no doubt.

I'll think about this some more and maybe post again later. 

These Guys are some of my favorites for various reasons.

 

Johnny Marr (The Smiths)

Alex Lifeson (Rush)

Jeff Loomis (Nevermore, Arch Enemy)

Hilmer Hassig (Love Shop)

Andy LaRocque (King Diamond)

Dan Rock (Psychotic Waltz)

Rand Burkey (Atheist)

Piggy (Voivod)

Denner/Sherman (Mercyful Fate)

Vogg (Decapitated)

Steve Vai

 

Sorry...I couldn´t just mention five

 

A lot of people in various Savatage groups have mentioned this, too. For me, whilst I love Oliva's work on 'Tage's early albums, I didn't get into them until 2003, so Oliva was a bit "before my time". And considering the wealth of material Caffery has to his name, with Savatage, TSO, Dr. Butcher, his solo albums and all the session/studio work he's done, for me, he's just much more preferred. 

Oliva is awesome though. 

James Murphy (Testament, Death, Disincarnate)

David Gilmour (Pink Floyd)

Chuck Schuldiner (Death)

Joe Satriani

Got a lot more, but these are the first that come to mind.

Thanks for reminding me, can't believe I forgot. 

Alex Lifeson (Rush)

Adrian Smith (Iron Maiden)

Randy Rhoads (Ozzy Osbourne)

Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath)

Just a few lol

Or my top 5 favorite?

Of the hard rock/metal genres, combining what I feel is jaw-dropping talent along with songs I like listening to:

John Petrucci (Dream Theater)

Andy James

Michael Romeo (Symphony X)

Jari Maenpaa (Wintersun)

Stephan Lill (Vanden Plas)

yeah, there are guys out there I think are better electric guitarists than some on that list, like Guthrie Govan, Paul Gilbert, Steve Morse, Jeff Loomis, maybe Stephan Forte, Chris Impellitteri, Michael Angelo Batio, maybe the guys from Haken, Kiko Loureiro, Andy Timmons, etc. etc. but some of those I don't think of as 'metal (Govan, Morse, Timmons) or I just don't listen to much of them.

The 5 I listed I not only think they have great technique, but I eagerly await anything new by them or their bands.

A few guys that I love for their rhythm playing or their songwriting and they don't have jaw-dropping lead playing are guys like Jon Schaffer, Thomas Youngblood (Kamelot), Mikael Akerfeldt, Karl Groom.

Kai Hansen - Helloween/Gamma Ray

Jason Becker

Criss Oliva (Caffery himself would say it's crazy to choose him over Criss.)

Really difficult to name a fifth, it could change daily: Marty Friedman, Jeff Waters, Steve Vai, Mattias IA, Jeff Loomis, Skolnick, Josh Christian, Joey Taffola (oh, those solos on the Fourth Judgement!), Michael Romeo...

I could probably do five non-metal guitarists:

Frank Zappa

Brian May

Mark Knopfler

Neil Young

Kevin Bloody Wilson (a very accomplished musician outside his comedy persona. He used to teach guitar to children in the outback of Australia via two way radio!)

Too many great guitarists to mention but if i have to choose my favorites i'd have to choose those who have mastered EVERY style of guitar playing: metal, rock, jazz, blues, flamenco, classical, experimental. These choices are for their extraordinary grasp of the entire spectrum of guitar playing.

Therefore:

Bumblefoot

Matthias IA Eklundh

Buckethead

Steve Vai

Fred Frith

I don't really know who would be my favorite guitarists, The way I listen to music I don't really pick out musicians in particular, and if my ears tune in to a certain instrument aside from vocals naturally, it tends to be bass or drums.

Doing a list of favorites now, it'd probably be something like this, guitarists that have a unique sound and are great songwriters. No order:

Kim Thayil (Soundgarden)

Eddie Van Halen

Dimebag Darrell

Ed Wynne (Ozric Tentacles)

Steve Brooks (Floor, Cavity, Torche)

Mick Murphy (My Ruin, Neanderthal)

Jack White (The White Stripes, The Raconteurs, The Dead Weather)

Even though Eddie Van Halen and Mick Murphy are the only two from my old list on my new list, I do still at least like all the guitarists I had in my old list. I especially love Pepper Keenan, but I love his vocals more. If doing a list of favorite vocalists, he'd probably be in my top 5.

when i first learned to play guitar, i only knew national guitarists from my own country..

and here they are my top 5..

1. Andra Ramadhan

2. Pay Burman

3. Edo Widiz

4. Eet Sjahranie

5. Dewa Budjana

and my 5 favorite international guitarists are..

1. Marty Friedman

2. Richie Kotzen

3. John Frusciante

4. Tom Morello

5. Kiko Loureiro

Hmm, let's see...

Chuck Schuldiner (Death)

Duane Allman(or is it Greg Allman? I always confuse the two) (The Allman Brothers Band)

Jeff Waters (Annihilator)

Andy Larocque (King Diamond)

Jeff Loomis (Nevermore)

...of course that list could change quite easily,