20 Greatest Shred Guitarists of All Time......

[Deb]

Agree, disagree? How many have you heard of?

http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/ ... 61030/5#!2

[S2M]

Agree, disagree? How many have you heard of?

http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/ ... 61030/5#!2

MAB should have been #1....it said SHRED. Dude is the fastest, CLEANEST, shredder I've ever heard/seen....

[steveo777]

Agree, disagree? How many have you heard of?

http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/ ... 61030/5#!2

You gotta be fucking kidding me! Those guys, with two exceptions can all kiss Neal Schon's ball sack.
Who printed this garbage.....the rolling stone?

[S2M]

Michael Angelo Batio

Rain Forest
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiT6qtM09tI&feature=related

Like a dude said in the comments. If I had a million dollars for every note this guy missed, I'd be broke. Cleanest player ever. Sorry.

[Deb]

Agree, disagree? How many have you heard of?

http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/ ... 61030/5#!2

You gotta be fucking kidding me! Those guys, with two exceptions can all kiss Neal Schon's ball sack.
Who printed this garbage.....the rolling stone?

Intro......
Shred cannot be confined to one genre of music: it’s evident in rock, metal, neo-classical, jazz and fusion styles. It’s been around for a long time too, with this countdown of 20 guitarists, courtesy of Total Guitar, covering nearly 40 years of shredding.

One thing’s for certain though, and that’s that all these guys are quintessential guitar heroes. Whether they’ve spent years refining their techniques and learning the essential scales and arpeggios to perfect their shred, or whether they had a natural aptitude for speed and developed their skill without lessons or books, these are 20 of the most inspiring, innovative and technically virtuosic shredders you will ever come across.

[Rick]

Michael Angelo Batio

Rain Forest
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiT6qtM09tI&feature=related

Like a dude said in the comments. If I had a million dollars for every note this guy missed, I'd be broke. Cleanest player ever. Sorry.

It says he taught Tom Morello, and that dude is a fucking monster.

[Behshad]

Agree, disagree? How many have you heard of?

http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/ ... 61030/5#!2

You gotta be fucking kidding me! Those guys, with two exceptions can all kiss Neal Schon's ball sack.
Who printed this garbage.....the rolling stone?

Dude , when it comes to shredding , there's about 10000 guitar players out there that are way better than Neal @ SHREDDING ! Just cause you like his music it doesn't make him a great shredder besides why would you want anyone else kissing Neals sack , you're doing a great job at it on your own


The best shredders in my list would be ( in no particular order ) : Vai , Norum , Malmsteen , Satriani , Batio , Gilbert , McAlpine and Slash .

[Rockindeano]

Michael Angelo Batio

Rain Forest
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiT6qtM09tI&feature=related

Like a dude said in the comments. If I had a million dollars for every note this guy missed, I'd be broke. Cleanest player ever. Sorry.

It says he taught Tom Morello, and that dude is a fucking monster.

Morello is the best I have ever seen, period.

[Rick]

Agree, disagree? How many have you heard of?

http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/ ... 61030/5#!2

You gotta be fucking kidding me! Those guys, with two exceptions can all kiss Neal Schon's ball sack.
Who printed this garbage.....the rolling stone?

Dude , when it comes to shredding , there's about 10000 guitar players out there that are way better than Neal @ SHREDDING ! Just cause you like his music it doesn't make him a great shredder besides why would you want anyone else kissing Neals sack , you're doing a great job at it on your own


The best shredders in my list would be ( in no particular order ) : Vai , Norum , Malmsteen , Satriani , Batio , Gilbert , McAlpine and Slash .

Agreed. Neal is no shredder. His middle and ring finger tend to be married, which reduces his shredding capacity to very small. It does, however, like a lot of guitarists that marry those two fingers, gives him the ability to bend strings farther, which makes him and them better at melodic songs.

[Rockindeano]

Agree, disagree? How many have you heard of?

http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/ ... 61030/5#!2

You gotta be fucking kidding me! Those guys, with two exceptions can all kiss Neal Schon's ball sack.
Who printed this garbage.....the rolling stone?

Dude , when it comes to shredding , there's about 10000 guitar players out there that are way better than Neal @ SHREDDING ! Just cause you like his music it doesn't make him a great shredder besides why would you want anyone else kissing Neals sack , you're doing a great job at it on your own


The best shredders in my list would be ( in no particular order ) : Vai , Norum , Malmsteen , Satriani , Batio , Gilbert , McAlpine and Slash .

Agreed. Neal is no shredder. His middle and ring finger tend to be married, which reduces his shredding capacity to very small. It does, however, like a lot of guitarists that marry those two fingers, gives him the ability to bend strings farther, which makes him and them better at melodic songs.

Agreed on this comment too, and Schon is better than all those guys, BUT- there are a fair enough number of players better than Schon....and you guys won't want to hear this, but Nils Lofgren is one of them, and maybe, just maybe, Keith Scott...although I think he is a tad below Schon. Neal raved to me about him, and truly dug his style and sound. But you talk to many guitar experts, and most will tell you Lofgren is better than Schon in most aspects of playing..he like Schon is handicapped in the band he plays in...guess you go where the money is eh?

[conversationpc]

Agreed. Neal is no shredder. His middle and ring finger tend to be married, which reduces his shredding capacity to very small. It does, however, like a lot of guitarists that marry those two fingers, gives him the ability to bend strings farther, which makes him and them better at melodic songs.

I'm not an expert player but played long enough to know that bending a string further doesn't make anyone a better player. Most string bends are done with the index, middle, and ring fingers together anyway and it also depends on what gauge strings you play. SRV, for instance, used very big strings compared to most players. I tended to use bigger than average strings as well, something like .010-.048, if I remember correctly, so it did make that aspect a little more difficult but the tone was a little better as well, in my opinion.

[Deb]

Agree, disagree? How many have you heard of?

http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/ ... 61030/5#!2

You gotta be fucking kidding me! Those guys, with two exceptions can all kiss Neal Schon's ball sack.
Who printed this garbage.....the rolling stone?

Dude , when it comes to shredding , there's about 10000 guitar players out there that are way better than Neal @ SHREDDING ! Just cause you like his music it doesn't make him a great shredder besides why would you want anyone else kissing Neals sack , you're doing a great job at it on your own


The best shredders in my list would be ( in no particular order ) : Vai , Norum , Malmsteen , Satriani , Batio , Gilbert , McAlpine and Slash .

Ya ya I know he's in my fave band and all, but gawd the more I see/hear of his playing I'll admit I don't know squat about guitars besides what I like to hear.......and I don't know if it is his tone? or whatever you call it or it's some effect, I don't know, but I just love the "crunchy?" guitar sound of his in Undertow and LOL have rewound his solo @ 2:30 on a few occasions........ just love it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHGv5FCS ... re=related

Then turn around and listen to an accoustic version of Take Cover in Live From The Living Room and it's got the most sweet, softest guitar sound I've heard in years. Just a shredder he is not. LOL, wait a minute somebody stop me, it's supposed to be all about the vocals. How lucky is this fan to have one of the best guitarists and bassists on the planet in her fave band!

[slucero]

Agreed. Neal is no shredder. His middle and ring finger tend to be married, which reduces his shredding capacity to very small. It does, however, like a lot of guitarists that marry those two fingers, gives him the ability to bend strings farther, which makes him and them better at melodic songs.

I'm not an expert player but played long enough to know that bending a string further doesn't make anyone a better player. Most string bends are done with the index, middle, and ring fingers together anyway and it also depends on what gauge strings you play. SRV, for instance, used very big strings compared to most players. I tended to use bigger than average strings as well, something like .010-.048, if I remember correctly, so it did make that aspect a little more difficult but the tone was a little better as well, in my opinion.

GHS Nickel Rockers

.013
.015
.019 (plain)
.028
.038
.058.

[San Diego Gary]

Ok, this is just my opinion, but even though I KNOW there are guys better than Neal (and I think he shreds too much), there's just so much about his STYLE to love. And in my mind, he has the best vibrato I've ever heard. Never jerky or shaky, just silky smooth.

[Rockindeano]

Ok, this is just my opinion, but even though I KNOW there are guys better than Neal (and I think he shreds too much), there's just so much about his STYLE to love. And in my mind, he has the best vibrato I've ever heard. Never jerky or shaky, just silky smooth.

agreed. Btw, he blows Gilbert away in every aspect of guitar playing....not even close. Gilbert should be ashamed to even shae the stage with Neal.

[conversationpc]

Agreed. Neal is no shredder. His middle and ring finger tend to be married, which reduces his shredding capacity to very small. It does, however, like a lot of guitarists that marry those two fingers, gives him the ability to bend strings farther, which makes him and them better at melodic songs.

I'm not an expert player but played long enough to know that bending a string further doesn't make anyone a better player. Most string bends are done with the index, middle, and ring fingers together anyway and it also depends on what gauge strings you play. SRV, for instance, used very big strings compared to most players. I tended to use bigger than average strings as well, something like .010-.048, if I remember correctly, so it did make that aspect a little more difficult but the tone was a little better as well, in my opinion.

GHS Nickel Rockers

.013
.015
.019 (plain)
.028
.038
.058.

Might as well upgrade to a six-string bass.

[koberry]

Agreed. Neal is no shredder. His middle and ring finger tend to be married, which reduces his shredding capacity to very small. It does, however, like a lot of guitarists that marry those two fingers, gives him the ability to bend strings farther, which makes him and them better at melodic songs.

I'm not an expert player but played long enough to know that bending a string further doesn't make anyone a better player. Most string bends are done with the index, middle, and ring fingers together anyway and it also depends on what gauge strings you play. SRV, for instance, used very big strings compared to most players. I tended to use bigger than average strings as well, something like .010-.048, if I remember correctly, so it did make that aspect a little more difficult but the tone was a little better as well, in my opinion.

GHS Nickel Rockers

.013
.015
.019 (plain)
.028
.038
.058.

You must need a winch to bend those things I've played super slinkys (9-42) for 20 years and have never deviated. Admittedly, sometimes the same set of strings sit on the guitar for 2 years or more

[conversationpc]

Agreed. Neal is no shredder. His middle and ring finger tend to be married, which reduces his shredding capacity to very small. It does, however, like a lot of guitarists that marry those two fingers, gives him the ability to bend strings farther, which makes him and them better at melodic songs.

I'm not an expert player but played long enough to know that bending a string further doesn't make anyone a better player. Most string bends are done with the index, middle, and ring fingers together anyway and it also depends on what gauge strings you play. SRV, for instance, used very big strings compared to most players. I tended to use bigger than average strings as well, something like .010-.048, if I remember correctly, so it did make that aspect a little more difficult but the tone was a little better as well, in my opinion.

GHS Nickel Rockers

.013
.015
.019 (plain)
.028
.038
.058.

You must need a winch to bend those things I've played super slinky's for 20 years and have never deviated. Admittedly, sometimes the same set of strings sit on the guitar for 2 years or more

Yeah, that rust really adds to the tone of the strings.

[koberry]

Agreed. Neal is no shredder. His middle and ring finger tend to be married, which reduces his shredding capacity to very small. It does, however, like a lot of guitarists that marry those two fingers, gives him the ability to bend strings farther, which makes him and them better at melodic songs.

I'm not an expert player but played long enough to know that bending a string further doesn't make anyone a better player. Most string bends are done with the index, middle, and ring fingers together anyway and it also depends on what gauge strings you play. SRV, for instance, used very big strings compared to most players. I tended to use bigger than average strings as well, something like .010-.048, if I remember correctly, so it did make that aspect a little more difficult but the tone was a little better as well, in my opinion.

GHS Nickel Rockers

.013
.015
.019 (plain)
.028
.038
.058.

You must need a winch to bend those things I've played super slinky's for 20 years and have never deviated. Admittedly, sometimes the same set of strings sit on the guitar for 2 years or more

Yeah, that rust really adds to the tone of the strings.

A little extra 'crunch' to the tone. I'm amazed I don't break 'em more often. They're a pain to replace on my dang Schon guitar. Riffing along to Edge of the Moment now - yeah!

[conversationpc]

Yeah, that rust really adds to the tone of the strings.

A little extra 'crunch' to the tone. I'm amazed I don't break 'em more often. They're a pain to replace on my dang Schon guitar. Riffing along to Edge of the Moment now - yeah!

I had an HM Strat, with the Spyder locking trem. Nice guitar but a major pain in the ass to change the strings or I would've done it more often.

[T-Bone]

I'm surprised that Randy Rhoads, EVH or Alex Lifeson didn't even make the list... Satch should have ranked much higher than he did as well... I agree that Morello is a hell of a player too. There were a few lesser knowns that made the list too which I like because at least you know it's not a favorites list instead of a REAL "Best Of".

Another player that is grossly underrated is Andy Timmons. I think the Danger Danger "Hair Band" tag haunts him sometimes. That dude has some killer solo/instrumental releases.

Other mentions are:

Steve Morse
Vinnie Moore
Jake E. Lee

[conversationpc]

Another player that is grossly underrated is Andy Timmons. I think the Danger Danger "Hair Band" tag haunts him sometimes. That dude has some killer solo/instrumental releases.

His "Resolution" album is one of my favorite instrumental releases.

[Deb]

Agreed. Neal is no shredder. His middle and ring finger tend to be married, which reduces his shredding capacity to very small. It does, however, like a lot of guitarists that marry those two fingers, gives him the ability to bend strings farther, which makes him and them better at melodic songs.

I'm not an expert player but played long enough to know that bending a string further doesn't make anyone a better player. Most string bends are done with the index, middle, and ring fingers together anyway and it also depends on what gauge strings you play. SRV, for instance, used very big strings compared to most players. I tended to use bigger than average strings as well, something like .010-.048, if I remember correctly, so it did make that aspect a little more difficult but the tone was a little better as well, in my opinion.

GHS Nickel Rockers

.013
.015
.019 (plain)
.028
.038
.058.

You must need a winch to bend those things I've played super slinky's for 20 years and have never deviated. Admittedly, sometimes the same set of strings sit on the guitar for 2 years or more

Yeah, that rust really adds to the tone of the strings.

A little extra 'crunch' to the tone. I'm amazed I don't break 'em more often. They're a pain to replace on my dang Schon guitar. Riffing along to Edge of the Moment now - yeah!

Ok, and forgive me if this is a stupid question to you guitar players, but as per my post above, how do you get that crunchy tone? Is it the thickness of the strings or a certain pedal used?? Absolutely love that crunchy guitar sound in the clip I posted.

[conversationpc]

Ok, and forgive me if this is a stupid question to you guitar players, but as per my post above, how do you get that crunchy tone? Is it the thickness of the strings or a certain pedal used?? Absolutely love that crunchy guitar sound in the clip I posted.

It's a combination of a ton of different things, i.e., the guitar you're using, pickups, strings, your amplifier, effects, etc. Honestly, just about any player should be able to produce that kind of tone as long as you have a decent guitar and amplifier, though.

[Deb]

Ok, and forgive me if this is a stupid question to you guitar players, but as per my post above, how do you get that crunchy tone? Is it the thickness of the strings or a certain pedal used?? Absolutely love that crunchy guitar sound in the clip I posted.

It's a combination of a ton of different things, i.e., the guitar you're using, pickups, strings, your amplifier, effects, etc. Honestly, just about any player should be able to produce that kind of tone as long as you have a decent guitar and amplifier, though.

Thanks for the answer Dave, like I said I don't know jack about guitars, but wondered what makes that more crunchy sound, some songs have it and some don't. I like it.

[conversationpc]

Ok, and forgive me if this is a stupid question to you guitar players, but as per my post above, how do you get that crunchy tone? Is it the thickness of the strings or a certain pedal used?? Absolutely love that crunchy guitar sound in the clip I posted.

It's a combination of a ton of different things, i.e., the guitar you're using, pickups, strings, your amplifier, effects, etc. Honestly, just about any player should be able to produce that kind of tone as long as you have a decent guitar and amplifier, though.

Thanks for the answer Dave, like I said I don't know jack about guitars, but wondered what makes that more crunchy sound, some songs have it and some don't. I like it.

Well, I only played for a few years and was never very good and haven't played now for several years now. I actually sold my HM Strat to larryfromnextdoor a few years ago.

[koberry]

Ok, and forgive me if this is a stupid question to you guitar players, but as per my post above, how do you get that crunchy tone? Is it the thickness of the strings or a certain pedal used?? Absolutely love that crunchy guitar sound in the clip I posted.

It's a combination of a ton of different things, i.e., the guitar you're using, pickups, strings, your amplifier, effects, etc. Honestly, just about any player should be able to produce that kind of tone as long as you have a decent guitar and amplifier, though.

That's it - a combination of equipment and talent. I'm lacking a bit of both and the rusty strings don't help

[conversationpc]

Ok, and forgive me if this is a stupid question to you guitar players, but as per my post above, how do you get that crunchy tone? Is it the thickness of the strings or a certain pedal used?? Absolutely love that crunchy guitar sound in the clip I posted.

It's a combination of a ton of different things, i.e., the guitar you're using, pickups, strings, your amplifier, effects, etc. Honestly, just about any player should be able to produce that kind of tone as long as you have a decent guitar and amplifier, though.

That's it - a combination of equipment and talent. I'm lacking a bit of both and the rusty strings don't help

That and just how a player plays, for lack of a better description. Two players could play the exact same notes on the same guitar and amp and still sound slightly different. It's rather amazing how that happens.

[Journey/Survivor]

I haven't looked at the list yet. But here are some of my favorites.

Neal Schon. Yes, Neal can shred with anyone!
He may not chose to all-out shred very often. But when he does he can match up with anyone. Neal has the fastest picking hand I've ever heard. The only one who comes close is John Mclaughlin.

Tony McAlpine
Malmsteen
Jeff Watson
Brad Gillis
Paul Gilbert
Neil Zaza

That's just a short list.

[S2M]

I haven't looked at the list yet. But here are some of my favorites.

Neal Schon. Yes, Neal can shred with anyone!
He may not chose to all-out shred very often. But when he does he can match up with anyone. Neal has the fastest picking hand I've ever heard. The only one who comes close is John Mclaughlin.

Tony McAlpine
Malmsteen
Jeff Watson
Brad Gillis
Paul Gilbert
Neil Zaza

That's just a short list.

Take a gander at my MAB video up there....^^^^^^^ you will quickly see that MAB has the fastest(while still staying melodic. I know guys are faster in that dumb most notes per minute crap.) and cleanest style around....