Well the best guitar, without doubt, is Hendrix with Band Of Gypsys. I'm not saying his other performances wern't good, but you could really tell he was in the 'mood' that night. I think I would question anyone who said the guitar of 'Machine Gun' isn't the best they've ever heard.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVvtIS2YGVI

I don't really talk about solo's much because I don't really know any difference. I'm a bit of a Hendrix man, so I'm generally always playing 'lead', even when I'm not like. (which isn't meant to sound big-headed!)

On of my all time favorites is Duane Allman's solo on In Memory of Elizabet Reed (live version) .... even though he wasn't playing a Fender

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Jimi Page - Tea for One - I love his tone on this solo

Okay this is a Strat forum

Hendrix - Litte Wing (the whole song) and Voodoo Chile

and what about the "Telemaster" Danny Gatton - Harlem Nocturne - saw him play this one live in NYC 1991 at the Lone Star Roadhouse - It was like God himself picked up a guitar.

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i have always dug hendrix's solo on "the wind cries mary". such wonderful double stops and such a simple feel.

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"coretta" '71 tele thinline
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tone=fingers; fingers=tone

A lot of the great ones have been listed, but a few that haven't yet. (gotta add videos since words alone can't describe these. Sorry for the long post)

Allen Collins on Freebird.
The best version of the solo to me is the Knebworth Rock Festival in '76. Good thing they did not book any bands that would upstage the Stones... In hindsight, it is unfortunate that Ronnie cut the solo short considering the couple hour delay from issues 10cc had with getting set up. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pr821USCLiQ

And the whole song from A Day On The Green show in Oakland just a few months before the crash, just because Rossington's slide solo/bridge and Billy Powell's piano solo with Rossington's slide tweets are worth hearing. Steve Gaines is more in sync with Collins on this one too: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 2433508243

Gilmour on On The Turning Away
Lots of mention of Gilmour, but I didn't see this song. My favorite song and my favorite version from The Delicate Sound Of Thunder tour/video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqHBL1CIq_w

Clapton with Cream on Spoonful
Nice raw video from back when Clapton played some funny shaped, neck heavy guitar. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sf2tJkkYpmg

And since this is in the Stratocaster section


SRV on Testify
The live version from Japan. This is a cool video because of the improv and SRV just shredding, but it is even sweeter because it is one of the few times he played Lenny when not playing "Lenny" or "Riviera Paradise". Then he switches to Wife #1 and tears it up. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tm4Y-nCj7Z0

Eric Johnson on Cliffs of Dover
Nice song in any case, but I like this live version from Austin City Limits. The sound on the solo is very different and it is the only time I've heard it like that. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjA3s3STaLI

I like intense stuff.

For that, 2 solos immediately come to mind.

1) Leave My Girl Alone - SRV, live on Austin City Limits 1989. This version can be heard on disc 2 of 'The Essential Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble'. The man was clearly among the best to play the instrument, and it sounds like here, during this solo, he is really giving it all that he's got. Really, really intense, powerful stuff.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQsqRBCXiuw

2) Crossroads - Clapton, (Cream) Live at Roseland 1968. This is possibly the most intense blues solo ever put to tape. He really finds something here. And the way he just stops on a dime here, and grooves back into the song is unspeakably powerful, and pleasurable to listen to. I can't find a link to this one, but it's the version on 'Complete Clapton'.


If you like your guitar work more mellow, as I also like,

Riviera Paradise and Lenny are of course, both amazingly beautiful.

I also like the solo on 'The Jack' - Angus Young. Really great, bluesy solo here. particularly the live version from 'If You Want Blood, You Got It' from Glasgow, 1978. Super powerful stuff. If you crank up this one, or the first 2 I mentioned to maximum volume, and you don't feel like you have super strength... you may not be human.
'The Jack' - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ASMrZ4RJ54 I particularly love the second solo in this one.

There is a story to the effect that Bill Graham, who owned the Fillmores, listened to Hendrix's first set and chewed him out for carelessness and otherwise poor performance. Too much fancy moves like splits and playing behind his head, etc. He supposedly told Hendrix that he was the best guitar player in the world and that he expected him to show that to the audience. And that is supposedly how we got Machine Gun. No way of knowing if it's a true story though. Sounds plausible.

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My favourite is by far: Red Hot Chili Peppers - Hey
The two solos are nothing complicated, but i think it's a very, very beautiful solo!

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"When the intellectual part of guitar playing overrides the spiritual, you don't get to extreme heights."
- John Frusciante

Man, I can't answer with one solo. So many great solos out there.

We all have to love Eruption.
Holy Wars-Megadeth
Sanatarium (sp?)-Metallica. I love the opening solo, which was played by Kirk Hammett, but he got the idea from Cliff Burton. Great use of arpeggios, and still retained a ton of feel
Steve Vai in the Crossroads movie
Little Wing-Hendrix
Alex Skolnick-Trial By Fire-He opens the solo with a decending then accending six string arpeggio sweep...really cool. His tone is all 80's era ADA preamp, sweet
Jimi Page- Heartbreaker-sloppy and choppy but classic and full of attitude
Jimi Page-Since I been Loving You-The Blues served hot

I can go on forever, and never list them all

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Guitars:
1. mid 70's Ventura MIJ Gibson l6-s clone (Pre-lawsuit) in Black with Rosewood FB and EMG 81 BR/ 85 Neck
2. ESP KH2 Neck Thru
3. 2008 Am Std Strat in 3 tone sunburst

just about everything from eddie van halen
the master!

Stevie Ray - Waterloo Village Stanhope NJ 7/5/90 "Things that I used to do"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWLw7nozO_U


pretty this whole song is a solo

Listen to this whole song through if you want some serious guitar, great slide in the first half and the last five minutes unbeleivable. Talk about getting a crowd worked up with a solo!!!! Not Strats though.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-_8xivR ... ature=fvwp

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The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

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Hey, that's one of the ones I posted the google video of since it starts a little sooner and does not kill the last note. Tragic band. Still put on a good show with Rickey Medlocke on that solo. Now Hughie Thomasson, who played with them for a while (on a Strat), passed in his sleep a couple years ago. And Billy Powell.

EDIT: completely remiss in not mentioning Ean Evans' very recent passing as well. Getting hard to keep up

Impeccable taste, my friend!

Its hard to pick anyone solo because there are so many. Gilmour is the popular pick now with the Gilmour Statocaster and the name being out there. Too many peeps its kind of like and Allstar game and who's name is most popular now. But through the years theres been many greats.

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The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson