my 3 favourite guitar players are....

StefB

As many others have said it is very difficult to name a favourite three, so I'll go with those that have influenced my playing the most:-

Michael Schenker

Gary Moore

Tony Clarkin...

...with honourable mentions for Billy Gibbons, Neal Schon, Mark Knopfler, Bernie Marsden & Micky Moody

JohnPerry

Alex Lifeson

Tom Bukovac

John McGeoch

markblack

John McCauley (Deer Tick)

John Squire 

Jimi Hendrix

(can I sneak Aaron and Bryce Dessner of The National and Jason Isbell in as well?)

Evilmags

Poco de Lucía
Ál Di Meola
Frank Zappa

Vibetronic

Probably Vai, Nuno, and then one of Paul Gilbert/Vito Bratta/Ronnie le Tekro for third. Too hard to decide !

not_the_dj

Jimi Hendrix, Jimi Hendrix and Jimi Hendrix

(I've found it easier to pick just one instead of three). 

littlegreenman

Favourite?

Frank Zappa
Joe Satriani
John McLaughlin

Ones who've actually influenced my playing style?

Al DiMeola
Joe Satriani
Yngwie Malmsteen (no laughing at the back, thank you! )

Honourable mentions:

Dave Gilmour
Alvin Lee
Paul Gilbert

Kebabkid

Ooh...flipping hard this.

Nile Rodgers
Neal Schon or Steve Lukather or Dann Huff or Jay Graydon or Michael Thompson for the "LA/AOR sound players" - ok the latter
Andy Summers

Missing are:
Larry Carlton
Paco de Lucia
Robben Ford
Dave Gilmour
Ian Bairnson
Dominic Miller
Paul Jackson Jr etc etc

bigjon

Three is easy. If it was five I'd be struggling.
1 Allan Holdsworth
2 Stevie Ray Vaughan
3 Phil Keaggy

Hertz32

Hendrix
Guthrie Govan
Pettruchi

Honorable mentions to:
Nuno
Eddie VH
SRV
Knopfler
Alex Hutchings
And myself (obviously )


As much as I admire slash, he is a bit of a one trick pony imo. Good trick, but he's been doing it since the 80's.

samzadgan

Albert king
Mikael akerfeldt
Mike scheidt

digitalscream

bluechargeboy said:

A pleasing number of Nuno fans here. :-bd

Not as many as he deserves, mind.

Philly_Q

digitalscream said:

bluechargeboy said:

A pleasing number of Nuno fans here. :-bd

Not as many as he deserves, mind.

I dunno, I had a hard time forgiving them for III Sides To Every Story.

I quite liked some of his post-Extreme projects though.

AuldReekie

1. Bill Nelson tops my list and has done for 40 years; 2. Bill Frissell - wonderful, creative guitarist. No obvious third but honourable mentions for Richard Thompson, Knopfer, Pierre Bensusan, Tony McManus

Gassage

Gilmour ......daylight.... Gary Moore, Eric, Hon mentions to Jobo, Lindsay B, Glenn Tilbrook, Reeves Gabrels, Buck Dharma, Porl Thompson, Adrian Belew ,Stacey Hayden (big raps fro telling me who he is without googling), Don Felder, Neil Young

Georgie

Brad Paisley

David Gilmour

Albert Lee

^:)^

Gassage

Oops- add Vince Gill to my list too

DLM

Impossible thread, this.

1. Nuno Bettencourt (seen twice)
2. Paul Gilbert (seen four times, had guitar lesson with three other guys)
3. James Hetfield (sadly, since I've had the means there's been no point in going to see Metallica)

I've listed my all-time faves rather than those players I'm into at the moment. No honourable mentions from me, I'd never stop.

@Hootsmon did say who was hot when he was growing up, so:

1. Noel Gallagher
2. Graham Coxon
3. John Squire

Never seen any of them. Gallagher was a bit of an influence, and I quite admired what Squire was doing.

CHRISB50

Hendrix - he started me off
Erik Mongraine - a recent find, amazing guitarist and writes lovely stuff
Peter Green - amazing feel, and made every note count

Starting to sneak in...

Michael Hedges - not someone you really hear that much about, but an innovator and wrote beautiful songs

Rocker

Luther Perkins, Eric Roche, Rory Gallagher.