How many great guitarists didn't play a Strat?

Twelvebar · **Posted:** Thu Aug 27, 2009 7:42 pm

Q: How many great players didn't play a Strat.

A: When you think about it, across all genres, most.

bluesguitar65 · **Joined:** Tue Nov 27, 2007 8:56 am **Posts:** 1277

Scot06 wrote:

Martian wrote:

Well, let's see. Off the top of my head and in no particular order: Les Paul, Chet Atkins, Ted Nugent, Andres Segovia, Angus Young, and of course, Esteban. :lol:

how many of them would you consider truly great guitarists and not just good guitarists in comparison?

Well, what do you consider a truly great guitarist and just a good guitarists?

texasguitarslinger · **Posted:** Thu Aug 27, 2009 8:05 pm

Off the top of my head the people who haven't been mentioned yet are Albert Collins (Tele) and Steve Howe (Gibson).

63supro · **Joined:** Tue Aug 07, 2007 2:19 pm **Posts:** 8827

Scot06 wrote:

My top three favorites all played Strats

1. Jimi Hendrix
2. SRV
3. Eric Clapton

Just look at the Fender Artist series.

just about every single great guitarists you can think of played a Strat as the main guitar! I was trying to think of a few that didn't play a Strat and could not come up with many. Mainly BB King, then there is Jimmy Page - but I would consider him more of a great song writer then a great guitarist. I think of him as a good guitarist and a great songwriter. Not really a great Guitarist in the same league as the three mentioned above. Other notable high profile guitarists that dont play a Strat would be Slash and Randy Roads and who else? There are a lot of good guitarists that don't play a Strat but not many great guitarists.

All three of your picks weren't Strat exclusive. Clapton played Gibons ES335, Lps and SG's he still plays big jazz boxes too, Hendrix played lots of guitars, Gibson Flying V, Jazzmaster, a tele or two, and SRV played a Dano doubleneck from time to time as well as others. Most big players use what they need. Just because they use a Strat in videos don't mean they use them in the studio. Thousands of performers aren't Strat exclusive or even a main axe.

hendrixfan99 · **Posted:** Thu Aug 27, 2009 9:05 pm

+1 on what 63supro said.

Fine guitarists, but an extremely naive thing to say that the majority of greats used Strats all the time.

I agree with everything said: people use what suits their needs. In fact, I like Clapton for his work with a Paul and a 335.

I wouldn't consider SRV or Clapton very high. Sure, they were/are fabulous guitarists, but I'd only give them points for keepin' the blues alive. Not highly innovative however. Just more blues players, is all. There are better blues guitarists (Reinhardt, the three Kings). Technically, Hendrix was pretty good, a lot of guys outclass him today. But he had a lot of soul and was EXTREMELY open to new things and ideas. Come to think of it, in his day, he was practically using Jackson Soloists or Schecters with Floyd Roses and Mesa Boogies. :shock:

Maybe I'm just blabbering...

-The Screamin' J

budglo · **Joined:** Fri Jan 02, 2009 3:17 pm **Posts:** 1986

Some of the things that made SRV great was he played the blues with more conviction than anyone i know.His tone was legendary too.Also he paid homage to his mentors without copying them, he made those songs his own.As far as alot of guys today outclassing him, none of them made you listen like SRV did.There are alot of guys today that are technically good, but quite uninspiring.

Eracer_Team · **Joined:** Thu Oct 30, 2008 8:46 am **Posts:** 133

Did I miss something here?

the topic said "didn't play a strat".. but the first three names listed were predominantly known for playing a strat.