my opinion would be Steve Vai, Stevie Ray, Clapton,Yngwie Malmsteen,Dimebag Darrle thats my top 5 in no particular order

Hi everyone, new guy here. Just thought i'd put my 2 cents in. Check jimi at monterrey pop festival where he "pulled all the stops" a finer show of guitar virtuosity has never taken place. And his covers of blues and folk songs (Dylan's Like a Rolling Stone) I believe prove that he was ever so much more than a rock guitarist. I'd also like to add jimmy page has the best phrasing of them all in my opinion.

Has anyone mentioned Tommy Emmanuel Yet?  That man is ridiculous!  His brother Phil isn't too bad, either...

A lot of very accomplished guitarists with a very wide range of styles offer a lot of different ways to listen to guitar music. That said, if I had to choose one guitarist that I could sound like, it would likely be Leo Kottke. The first time I saw him play I just laughed to myself (I was just learning a few chords at the time). He sounds like he's playing at least two guitars at once, with a very complex bass line. Amazing. He's got a song he does live sometimes called Crow River Medley in which he plays a version of Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring. Unbelievable. Something great to listen to when it's 20 below zero up in St. Paul, MN.

Hello PJkelly, welcome to the best guitar board. I saw Leo a couple of years ago live/open air and it was great...what a guitarist and what a showman...I had no idea and was in stitches the whole time...

He placed his 6 and 12 Taylors on a small carpet, sat down on a steel fold up chair and just amazed me and about 8 thousand other ppl also.

Just got back from a short 'Leo Kottle concert' on tube and never knew there was so many vids of Leo out there ! Good choice o' guitarists PJKelly...

GuitarZen

For me as to be Robert Fripp

hmmm.......well, if your talkin' rock, then probably herman li (can't get enough of him). but another good one, is andy mckee. instrumental acoustic guitar magic....awesome

the "elegant gyspy" Al Di Meola untouchable.

I WOULD HAVE TO SAY BULL_DOG998 IN THE FUTURE HEEHHEHE ,,,,,   IT WOULD BE (SLASH) FROM GUNS& ROSES