20 Most Underrated Guitarists

Truly a UNDERRATED guitarist!

The get what you play for live epitomizes the purity of Rock bands in the day in the early 70s & the textures & flavors of Gary Richraths playing is unparalled! listen to all the songs on the live album & check out the expression he uses with a cry baby wah pedal & the time signature changes during solos on some of the songs with Neil Doughty's keyboard playing that showcases Garys unique style. He carves up the songs with a melodic chainsaw of a sunburst les paul with lines that dance in your head for days after listening. He was an innovator & a hall of famer in my book!

Old school, plug it in and shred it. The man's fingers moved with speed, accuracy and just plain skill. The tone he could make that Les Paul crank out was unparalleled. He was always ripping it up and trying to make the bubble gum crap that started to prevail in the 80's REO lineup worth listening to. The man was a legend. And he was a good man with a big heart who cared about his family, friends and fans. #8 with a bullet.

try listening to riding the storm out the original studio recording. hes an awesome guitarist his leads are so good. RIP

Absolutely the best guitar riffs ever when playing with REO speedwagon.

His solos on Golden Country, 157, and just about every other tune on the 77 live album really show how great a guitarist he is. Gets a bad rap for their sappy material, but back in the day he really jammed!

never heard of him til recently because i totally dismissed the band but check his work on their records pre1980, he rips and is in total control of the instrument

Good ad. I forgot about him. The guitarist for REO Speedwagon-and before all of you groan, in the seventies when REO was a actually a pretty good rock band before they became a nothing but fluff pop band Gary Richrath would belt out some of the meanist, furious leads you can imagine. Check out the live version of 157 Riverside Avenue for just one such example. A true underrated guiarist!!

There's a dinosaur named for Mark...the Masiakasaurus knopfleri. True story look it up

Great with Chet A. One of his mentors.

His style quotes back to Buddy Holly and Scotty Moore, but he rocks.

The Mainstream recognition does not do justice to his mastery of the art and control of guitar. He can make it cry, sing and smile. He never went out of control like Jimi Hendrix nor stuck to a singular style like Eric Clapton. He is the best guitarist who could also sight read musical notes unlike the other great guitarist.

I agree totally. Mark is great. Love him

He's under the mainstream radar as a solo artist, obv. not with Dire Straits.

This man is the master. In the best 10 of all time.

Comment above subjective.

He actually has too much mainstream recognition to be considered underrated.

tone, timing and taste - Knopfler has 'em all in spades. He repeats himself a bit, but I'd repeat myself too if I was stringing together licks and phrases like that.

Coins the term UNDERrated.

How is Knopfler this low?? I supose he is well known is Guitarist circles, but he has almost no mainstream recognition. Should be higher.

Can anyone help me with the chord progression for Dearg doom!!! Just want to play with original track- (I can't solo:-( If you can- I'd be over the moon!!!!! Cheers Email ok123eep@aol.com

Comment above - an exemplar oxymoron.

You can't be on this list if your band is essentially unknown. You have to be in a noticable position to be considered underrated.

THE man is so talented. Recently recored an outstanding unbeatable live version of his I'll be waiting on live at the O2 2010. Amazing from an amazing and very underated band Horslips. They're back! StephenF

Johnny Fean- One of the greatest guitarists I have ever heard, a mean singer too.

Just listen to the Proto-shred in "The Neromancer.

King Lerxst is unquestionably the most humorous underrated guitar player ever! Just listen to how he teaches us the Canadian alphabet in "YYZ".

I liked his early bluesy stuff better.... later stuff to much chorus and delay, very processed tone

To be capable of playing music with Ged and Neil you must be legendary.

So versatile ! Let's face it for any player to keep up with Geddy and Neil, they have to be incredibly special. Alex is a beast.

In a band with such other great musicians that he tends to get lost. But the textures he weaves on his guitar are as perfect as any in rock history.

Alex Lifeson is completely incredible! . He is a complete god when he picks up that guitar. I wish that people would recognize him for the legend he is.

he's my uncle

What can I say... his guitare wiz skills technique is perfect. He works hard and it never shows. That is a sign of real masternig it's craft. He is without a doubt one of the most super underrated in the music world.

Lifeson is the most amazing guitarist out there.... nobody can play his songs like him he is way better than van halen and way better that jimmy hendrix

The greatest guitar player of all time also happens to be in the greatest band of all time; Rush. He is a combination of longevity, creativity and technical ability unlike anyone else.

Great guitarist. Exceptional-technical guitarist, but not at the level of Van-Halen, Hendrix or Page.

love him in my opinion he is right up there with van halen hendrix and paige

Alex is amazing so overlooked, Saw them live at the Cleveland show last week, he shreds.. so versatile. Knows his gear top to bottom and just rocks!!

damn straight. Lifeson is incredible in so many ways.

BY FAR, the most underrated. Nobody, and I mean Nobody, talks about Alex Lifeson as a great player. He is GREAT.

Not under rated in my book... but far from a household name, but an 80s legend

Adrian Smith is better

legato king

One of the first great guitarist I noticed as boy.

No question here. One of the best of all time. Great singer, too.

This bloke could play Jazz, Rock, Classical and a bit of Bass to boot, was double tapping in 1969 long before VH. listen to Free Form Guitar

So underrated he doesn't appear on most underrated lists. Chicago were an extreme band, but most people only know of the ballards. First 7 albums covered every style of music.

listen to california purples or 25 or 6 to for incredibly powerful

Yes. Very underrated. Should be on the greatest guitarist of all time lists

underrated is an understatement. If you try and argue this with most guys who think they know what they are taliking about, they'll look at you and say, "who?"

Jimi Hendrix, Eddie Hazel and Ernie Isley had a baby. His name is Prince. And he is funky!

One of the most under-rated of all time due to his copious amounts of other talents (song-writing spanning dozens of genres, that voice of his, his showmanship, his ability to play every other instrument on the stage, his RIDICULOUS output of good pop music etc) overshadowing just how well he plays. Unlike most "rekknowned guitar greats", playing 'guitarist' hasn't been central to his career as a musician. And he doesn't just throw in solos because he can. Everything fits the music. But, believe me, see him play live (particularly what he's doing currently with 3rdeyegirl) and you'll see just how darn good he is.

Great guitarist but people often talk about how good he is. I think his popularity as a pop star does overshadow his playing.

That is incorrect. George Harrison did do the solo on Hey Bulldog. Check Wikipedia. They are very accurate on all things. Harrison did most of the Lead Guitar for his group. Quite well. Also one of the best Slide players ever.

Paul McCartney played the solo on Bulldog, ding dong!

agreed. he was never a flashy guitarist, but when he did decide to show off you get a solo like "hey bulldog" or "i'm only sleeping". awesome.

Don't forget to listen to his work on The Needle and The Spoon as well. Incredible!

That is true , the last comment. Really like his playing a lot. Go Ted!

He's not on any Rolling Stones list because of his politics ... period. Sad, really.

Ah yes - Ted and Sammy Hagar - two of the best.

Not exactly underrated. David Gilmour is one of the best for sure.

How can the lead guitarist in one of the best selling bands of all time be underrated? Gilmours genius come more from the studio work imo

Very underrated.

Definately not underrated! Awesome guitarist. A man of style not speed.

Sure we have, and Gilmour is a great guitarist- but I wouldn't say he's underrated. He's consistently recognized as a great guitarist.

How in the world is he under rated. Best dope smoking music ever.

B.Gibbons is very underrated, player for sure. Love the Texas Blues sound.

Jimi Hendrix said that Billy was the best that he ever saw

Iommi was under rated in his time, he only got the recognition after every guitar player and his brother copied him in the 80s. But in 70s hecwas very underrated.... as was Sabbath itself, there music was sold by word of mouth.... radio didn't play them and the critics blasted them

I think the point is that he's never really in the discussion as one of the greatest. It's always EVH, Hendrix, Jimmy Page, etc. Even though he's pretty much the riff god.

What? How is Iommi underrated? He is one of the most celebrated guitarists, and considered an icon in the rock and roll world! I mean, everyone who is interested in that genre and/or guitars knows who Tony Iommi is?!

tony iommi isnt underrated, hes one of the most well known and respected guitarists in the rock and metal world. a guy known as the "god father of heavy metal" isnt at all underrated

Buckingham is Fleetwood Mac. Without his guitar skills Fleetwood Mac wouldn't have that signature sound that it has now

Don't hold it against him--like most unconsciously do--that he uses a guitar pick. To most rock/blues types, that's communist, and that's why he--Buckingham--is the most skillful guitar player in the Rolling Stone top 100 guitar players barely makes it at #100.

You want a good example of Lindsey's work. Stephanie off the Buckingham Nicks album

Agree Buckingham is very underrated

One of the few on this list I agree with.

i dare another guitarist on this list or Rolling Stones Top 100 try to out play him... I dare them

Absolutely! One of the true greats.

he just doesn't want atention that is why he's so underrated (sorry for my bad english, i'm a Croat)

How the hell is he underrated? His brother is underrated.

While neither innovative, technically proficient, original, nor able to hold my attention for more than long enough to determine who's playing (which isn't very long), he does bring an above average level of excitement with his style. With the exception of this and his showmanship, he brings nothing to the table when discussing talent. If I were to rank every guitarist I know of, he'd be just above the ranks of Green Day and 3 Doors Down (not very high).

Has he got any CDs out?

UNDERRATED??!! He's one of the most famous rock guitarists of all time! On top of that (sorry) he's quite mediocre. I love Angus he was one of my first guitar heroes 30 years ago when I started playing but he is what he is.

Yep, great power chord. Composer, also.

The Who, get it right. He rarely plays solos, but his chord progressions are masterful and in no need for solos. He more or less invented the power chord. Listen to the ever-recognizable intro to "Pinball Wizard" and you'll realize what I am talking about. Also, his blues and rock and roll influences helped shape rock music as we know it.

He play's with Barry Manilow doesn't he?

Come on. He's a guitar legend!

People are redundant when they say that Les Claypool is an amazing bassist. Just think of how amazing a guitar player you have to be to play around that!

larry is a god and he doesn't get the credit he deserves he's also a bastard, of course

Should be higher up, Not only is he pivotal in the most unique band in rock, Primus, but he was also the guitarist of the highly influencial extreme metal band Possessed. His technique is anything and everything done perfectly.

He shreds guitars and is a master at the distortion peddal

My favorite guitar player. Had his own style and played so hard he sweated the paint off his guitar.

great

He's a great guitar player and a big influence on post-punk guitarists, but most of his stuff comes from one album. He should have written more.

Listening now to Martin Barre solo on Tull’s second album, song “we used to know.” This is brilliant, transcendent guitar playing. Genuine, unique, and authentic.

Aqualung has one of the most famous riffs in rock. Barre is fantastic!

Gary Moore without a doubt, underrated. I Got the Blues !

A guitar genius!!! Could play any style.Rock In Peace Gary windfingers Moore. Very much missed.

His stuff grows on me every time I hear his guitar. Go Johnny, Go.

Just listen to his live album "Where the Light Is"

John Mayer is one of, if not the greatest guitarist this generation has seen!! he has an incredible sense of rhythm and some of his licks are the sweetest you have ever heard. Dare I say, does Hendrix better than Hendrix!!

Very talented guitarist, even though I hate most of his music.

Amazing live performer

YES! I do this a lot in my head and Mike Campbell is always atop my list. Glad to see him on another even if he is 23rd.

Jeez. You want to talk about underrated! His riffs are classic.

By far the greatest guitar player I have ever had the pleasure to hear in my lifetime

Hands down, greatest guitarist of all time.

Very much so. Greatest guitarists of this 2000's decade.

fabulaow player

I agree with guest. A very mediocre player

Mick is awesome. The best melodic heavy/blues player. No stupid notes.

Come on man. Mick Mars is nothing special.

Very simple and tasteful, yet very creative at the same time. He brought classic rock guitar back into the 90's.

oh well he really is underrated

Mick Taylor wasn't just the greatest musician that the Stones ever had. He's also one of the world's greatest guitar players, period (just check out his playing on "Get Yer Ya Ya's Out!).

my favorite guitarist he added something to the stones nobody else possibly could.

easy fella taylor he was the best guitarist the stones ever had. brian jones was the best musician the stones ever had

For my money, by far the best guitarist the Stones ever had, just listen to "Sway", or "100 Stones Ago", or... ****, anything he did with them in his period with them. It wasn't a coincidence there best albums were with Taylor!

Finally someone speaks the truth. As the Stones have said over and over, Mick Taylor was the BEST musician the band ever had.

If they ever publish a history of recorded guitar, he should right the forward.

He is a wonderful guitarist, and you're right about him being the best slide in the business. My favorite Ry Cooder is "Theme from Southern Comfort;" it is nearly as moody and relaxing as the drink itself.

Also, he's EXTREMELY versatile, you could listen to three smashing pumpkins albums and never guess they came from the same man

YES. Billy corgan is a legend, even though he's fairly unknown among casual guitarists cause his music tends to be fairly simple.. (he can play worth eleven stars, it's just that he tends to choose pretty riffs over fast ones so you wouldnt realize how good he is unless you watch the live vids, particularly the solo to Starla from live at the metro 1993)

very complex guitar work.

Lifeson an absolute monster of a player.should b top 20 all time

Robbie Robertson may be the most underrated guitarist of all time. Yep, great solo on Ophelia.

Try the solo in Crystal Ball.

Extremely underrated and forgotten nowadays... amazing in all aspects.

He's great!

Godzilla is known as a "novelty song" but my god there is incredible lead playing all over that song... buck is one of my faves

Just listen to his solo guitar work on "Dominance & Submission" and "I Love The Night" to hear the brillant range. "...to the pleasure of the Dreaded Master." "...the Light that never warms..."

Invented death metal? Surely you jest.

Chuck Schulinder was the best Death/Prog Metal guitarist,far better than John Petrucci(who by the way somehow made this list,alongside Yngwie Malmsteen and Ace Frehley...nice) or anyone else that gets all the mainstream credit.Not to mention his huge influence on all Progressive and Extreme Metal,having invented both Death Metal and Technical Death Metal.

Doesn't get the credit he deserves

Are you kidding. Mr. showboat?? He's certainly not underrated by himself. Sorry, he seems to be a bit taken with himself. Definately not underrated. Not by a long shot.

underrated?! no he's not.

Underrated?

its about time someone reconized his talents. personally he should be rated in the top 10 . Long Live Criss

Should be number one. Is the best and most under rated guitarist in metal history.

Just watched YES concert at the Apollo and this guy was amazing

Classical, jazz, rock, shred. . .Akkerman displayed an astonishing range of styles with incredible techniques in the very early seventies including sweep picking, legato speed runs, manic alternate picking, volume swells, etc. Definitely does not get the accolades today that he and his groundbreaking abilities deserve!

Genius

How exactly is he underrated? He's one of the best, and he's considered one of the best...

Neal Schon is is this low on the list? Listen to Stone In Love (or any other Journey song for that matter) and reconsider this one. Listen to him live and you' ll crap your pants.

Come on man.... Listen to his OCEAN solo..... He is simply amazing..... He must be in the top ten!!

Plays where many other blues guitarists have stepped before, but gets his own distinctive tone. Very good player.

I cant believe Joe Bonamassa is not in the top 10! Really?!!!

He's a truly master on dynamics, the perfect piece for Black Country Communion... Not only an amazing guitar player, also an incredible singer...

Amazing guitar player, amazing tone... Simply the best...

Some of you may remember when Creed was at the height of their popularity at the tail end of the 20th century. I recently revisited the Creed catalogue with an open mind and trying to ignore Mr. Ego Scott Stapp and was just amazed at the choices this young guitarist made on their debut and sophomore efforts. When was the last time you listened to What If off of Human Clay? Amazing stuff!

in loving memory, the most beautiful song in the whole world, written by him

check guitarist.com. His blackbird solo was voted the best ever over eruption. His true potential wasn't seen so much in Creed but listen to Alter Bridge and his new solo albu"All I was". He is a great guitarist.

People pass him off as because he didn't do anything in Creed. He is much more prominent in Alter Bridge. Listen to Blackbird by them.

He is starting to get noticed. Nice player and becoming great.

Critically acclaimed and notoriously overlooked. Ty, Doug and Jerry of King's X are way above average musicians/performers that I have had the chance to see live only twice but rank as some of the best live shows I have ever seen. Worth checking out!

He invented the guitar sound of alternative 90's. Hey. I didn't say it. Jeff Ament did.

Ty isn't just underrated, he's practically unknow, which is a shame. Listen to King's X albums from 1988-1996 and marvel at Ty Tabor's virtuosity. Listen to the song Lost in Germany and tell me you've ever heard anyone comparable. Then check out the solo in the song Moanjam. Or the chunky goodness of Dogman. Wonderful stuff.

Private Eyes, Teaser. Give them a listen, you will be amazed.

Personally Tommy is #1 in my book. A master in so many ways. R.I.P. Tommy

Tommy should be way higher on the list. If you've never listened to his Private Eyes album you are missing out big time.

"Quadrant 4" off Billy Cobham's Spectrum album is enough evidence

a really mr blues man, truely amazing singer and songwriter

Carved out his own sound and tone, not a gymnast on the fretboard but unique plays with energy and dynamics that shift upward within songs. Live performances of Like A Hurricane and Cortez the Killer are all you need to hear to get the idea he’s not just an old hippy in the coffee shop. One other note, almost all solos played with the Bigsby tremolo arm in use, which subtlety affects the tone and isn’t easy to do.

Any doubts should be removed by listening to the live rust cd trance like in a good way

Amazing

Spawned 2 generations of percussive guitarists. Kaki King is the latest iteration he has spawned.

30 years is a long time in politics

Are you kidding me? In the eighties you couldn't pick up a guitar magazine without seeing his face on it. Plus, he sounded like half the shredders out there. How can you consider him underrated?

my personal favorite dimebag and the rest of pantera were beast then later he shredded heads in damageplan listen to floods cowboys from hell.

Smoking solos, made the guitar sing, less is more, no type writer stuff from this guitar legend, every note counted!

space ace is the best and will always be the best beacuase his solos will blow u away

The Space Ace yes sloppy but sloppy was his forte look at solos in the songs shock me, and the riff from cold gin both written on his black cherry custom not a piece of paper and the funny thing he never forgot the notes even when he fell off the stage in 77! He's the true ROCK SOLDIER!!!!

It's about freakin time he has the crazy great solos #seattle born and raised

Yes. Finally someone understands.

Very much like Zappa in the way of " Shut up, just play the guitar damnit"

Just listen to bootlegs of his "Johnson" tour. I was lucky to see it live, what a guitarist!

Agreed 100%. One of the best of all-time. One of the greatest songwriters as well. Knew how to convey emotion with every note...and when he wanted to go technical, he did it just as well.

He's such a genius people forget he's a guitar player.

He should be in the top 10. No debate period.

Profound and oh-so subtle

maybe the most underrated of all guitarists and also a true showman and singer…had the triple threat down.

One of the most amazing, innovative artists of all time. With over 50 albums and counting, Phil Keaggy's skill & technique have never stopped growing. Any time I see him play live, I still come away with rug burns on my jaw from my mouth hanging open in amazement. Truly a very talented man.

Could have been on every top 10 list but traded fame for faith.

Eric Clapton called Phil Keaggy the best!

Who put him on the list? He already on all the ton tens???!

Being in the Hall twice isn't being overlooked.

No one funkier than Hillel.

Agree. The best and most expressive musician in the band. I like his solos more than I like the band.

The problem with Easton is that every note of his solos was dictated to him by Ric Ocasek. This is documented.

Finally! I was waiting to see his name. I'm not a huge Cars fan ( I like them ) but he's an exceptional guitarist. He should be way up on the list.

Should be much higher

he should be WAY further in the rankings Listen to last 7 min of Harry Hood 12/31/93 and you will understand me

He's easily one of the best guitarists. Can play any style. As good as his licks are, he's a better singer. So talented and criminal that he's not better known.

Is name was Maury Muehlheisen (sp) and he was fong brilliant.

While I agree that the guitar lines in Jim's songs are excellent and tasteful, he wasn't the one playing them. Just check out some live videos. The man playing lead on pretty much all Croce's stuff had some solo albums of his own. His name escapes me.

Mike is a beast! Plays all styles of music and maintains a fluid melodic sound. Has control of not only his FX loop but the dexterity of his left hand can control the intonation, volume and sheer awesomeness. If you haven't listen to him and your not already an incubus fan. Check out the song Sick Sad Little World when they play it live at the Red Rocks. The improv is amazing. He knows when to be fancy and when to keep it simple and pretty.

You swine! Mick is from the CLASH!!!

I'm not sure if he's that underated! have you heard the new Foreigner lately? They're much more powerful that the original.

Listen to "Polar Nights". The guitar work (including the wah-wah pedal) is insane!

A phenomenal guitarist who is underrated time and time again. He can get so much emotion out of a guitar and his technique is incredible. He can shred, listen to the solo in "A Million Days", he can play blues, listen to "Control" and combines an ecletic style of folk, rock, blue, jazz - but most of all his guitar playing has soul.

he should be number one as the most underrated

Love this guy's style!! He seems to play a lot of Harmonic Minor mixed perfectly with the Natural Minor scale. He's awesome.. Check out the song 'House of God' and his guitar tone.

Andy slays

I feel that his work isn't too well known around, and his riffs feel complete, His solo's are great, and the fact that he got the job over slash is saying something

MOST UNDERATED IN HISTORY people think just because hes from Poison hes bad. He's is insane. I think hes better than slash the most over rated, and joe perry.

Ok this is blasphemy to have Dave as 95 on this list. The guy is not just shredding the whole time he serves the song and if need be he'll slip in a solo. His guitar work along with the rest of janes was the catalyst for 90s alt rock and they did it before all of the other "I hate myself and my parents suck" gen x bands even got out of the garage.

Dick Wagner would have to be the most underrated guitarist going around..and has probably played the most underrated solo on Alice Coopers Album 'Da Da'. Listen to the solo on Pass the Gun Around

Steve is great!

Because his vocals are directly conected to his playing skills... Christ. He is underrated.

Bob Dylan is a fabulous guitarist!

This is an underrated guitarist list, not singers. Dylan is a much better guitarist than most people realize.

Totally over-rated. His singing reminds me of a Honda 50 (that's a motorbike from fadó fadó) starting up. Avoid.

Phenomenally underrated. Master of the bend. Knows when to play at light speed (and can) and knows when to bring the guitar down to a slow caress.

He's influenced Richie Sambora and many others. Great harmonics and a perfect compliment to R. Schenker!

The way he plays guitar makes me want to throw up.

I say underrated because of the fact he gets WAY to much hate. I really don't know of to many people that disrespect his abilities, most people hate shred (from what I've noticed) and he is one of the KINGS of shred!

His tones so good that Prince stole it.

His guitar playing is completely his own. Nobody sounds like him. A great songwriter too.