After seeing a lot of most overrated and underrated topics, I realized no one had put a most influential guitarist post down yet. So, which three guitarists have had the greatest impacts on you as a musician and why? I'll start.

Jimmy Page-oNe of the first to combine speed with soul and rhythm.

Steve Vai-Incredible musician who starts with a simple soulful melody and builds on it until it is a blazing solo that still has roots in the same melody.

Slash-Not the best guitarist in the world, but his riffs and solos are more melodic and expressive in 1 note than most guitarists could put in 10.

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1988 Kramer Striker 200
1941 Gibson Hollowbody
2010 Fender American Standard Stratocaster
2010 Fender Hot Rod Deluxe III

Kim Simmons
Tommy Bolin
Ronnie Montrose

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"C'est parti mon Kiki "

Jimi Hendrix - It's kinda cliche, but if it wasn't for Hendrix it wouldn't be for me playing guitar.

Martin Barre of Jethro Tull - Just becuase I've spent so much time in the past trying to play Tull songs.

Pete Townshend - I've always loved his guitar playing and it has been inspiration to me, but his songwriting has probably been more inspring than his guitar playing to me.

Townshend, Richards, Page.

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Vintage Hotrod '57 Strat, 81 G&L L2000 Series E Bass, Fender Musicmaster Bass Amp.

John Lennon and George Harrison influenced me greatly and lit the fire for me to become a musician but the 3 guitarists who most influenced my playing were 1.Jimi Hendrix-need I say more-seriously he really opened my eyes and the pathway from my soul to my fingers 2.Pete Townshend-his wild wind-milling way of strumming has influenced my rhytym playing so much that it's clearly evident when playing I bash the strings moreso than strum them.3.Chris Britton of the Troggs Chris's lead and rythym work was so raw and almost primative sounding yet there was a certain refinement to it something like the noble savage.He had a percussive way of strumming and picking that have rubbed off on me to no small extent also.

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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.

Richards, Muddy Waters, Steve Cropper

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Common sense and a sense of humor are the same thing, moving at different speeds. A sense of humor is just common sense, dancin'

Stevie Ray Vaughan - For his tone, lead playing and style.

Jimi Hendrix - For his melodies and chord work.

Rory Gallagher - Because he turned playing guitar into an art.

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Tune Low, Play Hard & Floor it!

Jimi Hendrix

Eric Clapton

Jeff Beck

...but if you had asked me 40 years ago :

Duane Eddy

James Burton

Cliff Gallup

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

Lots of Hendrix on here. That doesn't surprise me. Anyone here a fan of jazz guitar? I know that Les Paul had an impact on me, as did Freddie Green. OF course, not as much as the guitarists I listed above, but still. I can't choose a style that I like more than all the others.

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1988 Kramer Striker 200
1941 Gibson Hollowbody
2010 Fender American Standard Stratocaster
2010 Fender Hot Rod Deluxe III

Clapton - There is a reason he is called God...so many forget just how influential he was, and years before Hendrix came along...Clapton was the only guy Hendrix wanted to play with when he got to England. Clapton was the first guitar hero who could play loud and artful, Hell Cream made Jamming legitimate and after them everyone tried to do it:!:

Duanne Allman - If you play slide, this is how it is supposed to be done. He influenced EVERY slide player after him. That melodicism of his could be mean and soulful at the same time.

George Harrison - You can't count how many guitarist picked up the instrument because of him...easily the best musician in that band.

T2

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What time is it? It's Fender Time.

My 3 that have had the most influence:

James Hetfield-I picked up the instrument because of Metallica. I was a young lad when Enter Sandman ruled the radio, but it was stuff from the first three albums that really made me pick it up. I wasn't in it for guitar solos at this point, it was all about the rhythm which is why I list Hetfield.

Randy Rhoads-After learning the crazy train riff I learned the song Dee off the same album. Been playing classical ever since.

Jimi Hendrix-Sure his solos are great. However, my main influence from him is in his rhythm playing. The way he added in scale and arpeggio passages during chord progressions without getting away from the groove struck a chord with me (what a horrible pun I know >_>)

There's more musicians who influenced me, many who have been previously mentioned, but since you limited me to three I have to stop here <_<

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I traded my car in for a microphone.

Ace Frehley
Eddie Van Halen
Steve Vai

Pretty much in chronological order. Ace made me first want a guitar. Eddie made me want to strive for epic solos. Vai made me cry that I would never be that good.

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HaleAmano- House Of Sharks (Now On iTunes)
http://www.reverbnation.com/haleamano
http://www.haleamano.com

John Lennon and George Harrison,scotty moore.

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I LIKE PIE!!!!!

IF I DO SOMETHING STUPID,DON'T SAY A WORD...

Randy Rhoads
Ritchie Blackmore
Stevie Ray

in order:

1. Eric Clapton
2. Mike McCready
3. Jimi Hendrix

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I got this guitar and I learned how to make it talk...