Today marks the 40th year since the world lost Jimi Hendrix.Jimi is continually lauded by players like Clapton,Beck,Vaughn etc. as the greatest guitarist that ever lived.He made such an explosive impact on the guitar playing world that its like will unlikely be seen again.Jimi had such an unorthodox but technically brilliant way of playing that he stood the music world on its ear and played with such unbridled passion that the whole world took notice.Jimi taught me more about guitar and guitar playing than a roomful of teachers could and I'll always love and respect him for that."You know what I'm talkin' about..I'm the one that's goin' to die when it's time for me to die ,so let me live my life the way I want to... there...sing on brother, play on drummer."

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

Not only the best guitarist but no one but Dylan can come close to some of his lyrics. Not the top 10 Hendrix songs that most of our young people hear over and over but the ones never played and unknown by the younger generation. Not young peoples fault though, let me be clear on that so I don't get flamed to bad!!

I love Hendrix!

And if I know this Forum someone will be along very soon to tell us what an overrated pile of crap he was!

Each to his own, ladies and gentlemen. Which of us can claim never to have tried playing the guitar with our teeth - and be telling the truth?

Now. Where's my Strat? Time for my take on Wind Cries Mary...

Cheers - C

I dunno ... Dylan seems a little over hyped IMHO. The guy is very talented and all. I have seen him twice live and really enjoyed him in concert. He has done some great stuff and was on the forefront of revolutionary scene. But best lyricist of all time? I hate to stay on the Rush theme from some other threads ... but where does Neil Peart rate as a lyricist?

Ooops ... am I off topic?

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Laughing out loud with fear and hope, I have a desperate plan ...

he may not have been the best guitarist, but he appears to be the best artist, writer & performer. I love his work! It opened new gateways. Saying more recent guitarists are better doesn't convince me... they just had more time to practice and learn from guys like him!

then again, I'm only a

-Nutter

The Greatest you ask......I don't believe this question can ever be answered, even if the person in question is alive today, to pit them against one another would still prove nothing, the older players fans will say there person would have done better in his prime (whenever one is ever in there prime) the supporters of a hot younger one will say he would do better as they get older.

Then there is the question Which gender of playing, there are some fine classical guitarists that can flat play most rock guys into the ground, yet most of us couldn't name one.

Should we base this only on playing, or should we consider the impact of the player as a whole?

Should innovation be put to the front?

With this in mind, i will throw out a list of who i feel deserves the title "Greatest".

In no particular order...

Robert Johnson
Buck Owens
BB King
Edward Van Halen
Les Paul
Tom Petty
Yngie Malmsteen
Eric Clapton

I could add 50 more, but I think each has, in one or more fields be it writing, playing designing or causing a play evolution, each has earned it.

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Marriage is like playing cards...

At first all you want are Hearts and Diamonds.

But in the end, all you really want is a Club and a Spade.

ONE OF the greatest, YES. THE Greatest...No. I still feel like without Buddy Guy before him Jimi would have never been the same guitarist. Lots of his licks, style, and stage moves came from Buddy Guy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftLG61-JmSQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJKFJBbqJfU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KY66HPc ... re=related

BUT, I too love Hendrix's playing and music.

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Blues with a feeling.

GUILD GUITARS: MADE TO BE PLAYED!

In a time where "Clapton is God" Hendrix scared Clapton. Jimi made the best guitarists of his era very nervous. They knew they had to change to keep up with him. That is a great guitarist.

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the vacuum store is a lot like the guitar store. but they do not attract the same clientele as the guitar store, cause if they did, the vacuum store would be loaded with a bunch of broke guys who just wanted to run the new vacuums.

Greatest guitarist lists are always subjective -- how can you say Hendrix is a 'better' guitarist than Wes Montgomery, Jimmy Page, Carlos Santana, Andres Segovia, Fernando Sor, or whomever...

Take out the phrase "greatest ever" and insert "my favorite," and then we can talk.

That being said -- Hendrix was indeed awesome!

I'll be honest, and this may be just my age but for me I don't really enjoy listening to most of Hendrix's stuff along with a lot of stuff from The Beatles.

HOWEVER you still have to recognise the undeniable talent of pioneers in music that artists like these guys had, and the implications these people had on the music that I do enjoy listening to today were massive.

For that alone, on a sad day like today I want to thank Jimi for the music he gave us and its tragic we did not get to see what else he had brewing up inside that magical afro of his.

R.I.P. may not be appropriate, I hope he's still making noises that are anything but peaceful , I hope hes still shredding that axe with the rest of the guys above us.

To each his own. Have you just listened to the same old songs they always play or did you listen to his whole catalog? Makes a whole lot of difference. No problem with me either way my friend but Rush???? Oh well enjoy what you like as long as you like music you can't go wrong. Peace!!

[quote="Ceri"]I love Hendrix!
+1 on that!

The first 3 CD's I ever bought were all Hendrix. Lov'um all!

Andy

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Pending Greatness

I'd be the first one to agree that Segovia,Diaz,Romero,Vaughn etc. are great guitarists but what raised Jimi head and shoulders over everyone else was that he took the licks of Guy,Johnson etc. and raised them to the Nth degree making them his own even taking Buddy's stage antics and refining them to a point to where they were his.Clapton,Townshend and many other greats attest to this day that Jimi had a gift that far exceeded the playing of any guitarist before or since and still speak of him as the greatest guitarist that ever lived.As I said before many times Jimi raised the bar to a point that no one else has been able to reach since and probably never will because no matter how good someone may be you can always say Jimi did that already-only better.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

Jimi was and is the greatest. There I said it. When I look at my guitar or hear the word guitar the first thing I think of is Hendrix.

Jimi had soul._____________________________________:idea: you can feel it in his music.

-Nutter