Opinions of most underrated or overrated guitarist of all time

Underrated: Roy Buchanan.

Overrated: anyone before, or since, Jimi Hendrix.

The Edge isn't so much overrated (who actually rates him?) as he is disproportionately successful and rich in relation to his actual talent and and ability. Years of doing it professionally give him some basic competence, but otherwise not that impressive. Was Radiohead's "Anyone Can Play Guitar" directed at him? The intro has a superficial resemblance to a U2 song.

Underrated : Albert Lee - some of the best guitar work I have ever heard is on Chas n Dave Live At Abbey Road - it sounds like there are three of the greatest guitar players playing at their peak, but no it's just Albert. His solo albums are all quite special. The Emo of the guitar and I can pay no finer compliment than that. Yet nobody ever mentions him although he's Head, Hands and Feet above the crowds. 

Others would be Nick Drake who never got the credit he deserved for being the nearest thing to Robert Johnson in several of his tracks.

And of course Hank Marvin. 

Overrated: Difficult I'd probably just name guitarists who play in bands I don't like such as those that focus on power chords like Kiss or Motley Crue, but I not sure anybody rates them. Steve Vai seems a popular choice. 

Tal Farlow.  Pre-dates Wes Montgomery.  Check him out on Spotify.  You will be amazed.

Do you play the Guitar?

The Edge is a very good player,outstanding is a word i would use.

What that man does live ?Takes some doing,Very technical not forgetting the buttons his foot has to hit every few seconds/ mins.

Dont knock it until you have tried to do it.

It aint easy.

Stu

Underrated: Pete Cosey

Stu,

Ever seen Bill Baileys video taking the mick, pardon the pun, out of Edge. He was able to break down his "technical" ability and very easily reproduce his 'sound' with reverb and echo. My son, who plays guitar in a band, thought it was hilarious that he'd finally been outed. Good luck to him though as he's made quite a few bob out of it.

Steve

Stu,

I've just found that sketch on youtube. Here is the link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...t=PLAE12FB13B75AD54B

Steve

Steve,

I have seen that before.

Bill is very good at what he does.

But there is more to what the Edge does than those two chords and reverb.

I quick question?

are you into Rolex?

Stu

Rolex or Bolex Dementia 

One the most underrated guitarists in the history of rock music and somebody who wrote one of the greatest pop songs ever to grace pick of the pops. That is the wonderful late Mr John Du Cann. He was a true innovator - the original psych guitarist that the others copied. Some of his later output was not as immediately impressive as his earlier work, but that should take nothing away from him. 

John died last week and few seemed to notice 

It's a clue to the answer we all chase 

Another underrated guitarist is Danny Kerwan - yes when anybody thinks Fleetwood Mac they think Peter Green (who was Mr Wonderful) and some think Jeremy Spencer (who wasn't wonderful), but few think of Danny and they should. OK he wasn't Peter, but next to the great man he was Fleetwood Mac's greatest contributor and sadly now is down and out, 

Tim,

Is one of the all time greats imo.

He can still walk down a street and go into Tesco/Sainsbury and no one knows who he is.

He has played live with Pink Floyd/Roger Waters  and he is on so many other peoples albums.

And a nice bloke .

Stu.

Stu, is he recognised in Waitrose and Idl then? 

Excuse my ignorance/ recognition failure but  who is it?

Mr Guitar is simply the best, better than all the rest - well he is pretty good

Tim Renwick

Steve,

I have seen that before.

Bill is very good at what he does.

But there is more to what the Edge does than those two chords and reverb.

I quick question?

are you into Rolex?

Stu

Stu,

Rolex?

Just listening to John Mayall Crusade. Mick Taylor was a fine blues guitarist. Martin Stone (Stones Masonry, Savoy Brown and Mighty Baby) was a great guitarist. I wonder what happened to him?

Steve

Agreed!  Was listening to "Fuerst Set" (Xanadu 109, 1975) the other night.  Incredible playing, but mediocre at best sound quality.

Wondered about the spelling of "first", and also wondered if there was a better sounding record.  Did some googling, and found out that the album was made in 1956 using a portable recorder, in one take, at the NYC apartment of Ed Fuerst (who, apparently, hosted lots of jazz parties, and made many recordings).  Knowing this, it made listening to the album a second time a lot more interesting.

Hook

Martin Stone became a book scout - there was a documentary about him on TV; he now lives in Paris, where one night is like a year in any other place. He was the guitar player in psych combo - the Action. The Action became Mighty Baby. Mighty Baby went a bid odd after a promising debut and didn't really enjoy the success they suggested they might. 

All the best, Guy  

Hi Guy,

I quite like the the Mighty Baby albums, especially Jug of Love. I have the original Blue Horizon LP, I believe this has been reissued on vinyl in the last year.Are you analogue or digital or both? Martin was also in Matthews Southern Comfort.

Cheers

Steve

I don't play the guitar great but neither does he, obviously he must have some fans such as yourself or he wouldn't be rich.  Everyone's entitled to their opinion.  I personally don't think he's very technically competent with the guitar and you hit the nail on the head "not forgetting the buttons his foot has to hit every few seconds/ mins." - exactly my point.

DJL

DJL

How on earth  can you say he doesn't play guitar?

DO you think there are many electric guitarist out there that DON'T use effects?

Does that make them all technically in-competent?

Saying that there are plenty of acoustic guitarists out there that use effect pedals too.

One thing you can't deny is that he sounds exactly like the Edge.

You may not like that, but I'm pretty sure it's has to be played, the pedals etc don't play the guitar, he does that. Effects are precisely that, they effect what's played.

Most overrated: Eric Clapton

Most underrated: Jimi Hendrix

Having seen Guys post about John Du Cann I have dug out Atomic Roosters Death Walks Behind You. I haven't played it for a long time. Thanks Guy I had forgotten how good it is.

Steve

Underrated would be both the Pink Fairies axe men, Paul Rudolph and Larry Wallis (checkout the Finland Freakout and Death in Guitar Afternoon CDs), I believe the above-mentioned Martin Stone was a member briefly too. Speaking of effects, we only recently lost the guvnor of course, John Martyn, would could get the most stunning sounds out of both accoustic and electric guitars. For something different again,  checkout the American 'jazz' guitarist Norman Brown, there's an ace live clip on youtube.

Overrated, another vote for Clapton.

Cheers John