Django Reinhardt - Guide to the World's Best Guitarists

Guitar Legend Django Reinhardt

Guitars and gypsies go hand in hand... The original rock'n'roll drifter, he travelled around France with gypsies as a young man, learning to play guitar—as well as banjo—from them. Musicians as diverse as Willie Nelson and Tony Iommi have been influenced by him. But the most amazing thing about Django Reinhardt is that he did it all minus two fingers on the left hand—and it wasn't cause he was playing guitar left-handed, either. Django Reinhardt - Guide to the World's Best Guitarists - Read Full Story

Duane Allman - Guide to the World's Best Guitarists

The thing about great musicians from the 60's was they were always dying. Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Brian Jones from the Rolling Stones, Jim Morrison, Keith Moon…and, unfortunately, the guitarist whose nickname was 'Skydog,' also known as Duane Allman.

But before all of that, Allman was a noted session musician who was rapidly becoming famous for his work on slide guitar and on a little album called Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs with none other than Eric Clapton. Duane Allman - Guide to the World's Best Guitarists - Read Full Story

Gibson SG Guitar

Ah, the Gibson SG! For many players that is about all that needs to be said. This model is certainly one of the more recognizable guitars in the world, probably in the top 10 or 15 on the list of guitars that are known by sight, very quickly.

As with the Gibson Les Paul and many other desirable instruments, the Gibson SG guitar has been the choice of numerous notable guitarists in the rock field and in other musical genres. Gibson SG Guitar - Read Full Story

JOE PERRY - Real Guitar Hero - Guide to the World's Best Guitarists

No world's best guitarist lineup would be complete without Joe Perry. Guitar player known oh so well to Guitar Hero players, Perry has inspired many to try to play. As the lead guitarist for what has come to be known as 'America's Greatest Rock-n-Roll band' (Aerosmith, for those who have been living in a box for the last 10 years), Joe Perry has received more than his fair share of awards: the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame; two People's Choice Awards; four Grammy Awards; six Billboard Music Awards; eight American Music Awards; 12 MTV Video Awards; 23 Boston Music Awards; and an Academy Award nomination for Best Song, 'I Don't Want to Miss a Thing' (from the soundtrack to 'Armageddon'). Since reuniting in 1984 with his old bandmates, Perry and Aerosmith have sold more than 150 million albums worldwide. JOE PERRY - Read Full Story

JOE SATRIANI - Real Guitar Hero - Guide to The World's Best Guitarists

Known as Saint Joe by his fans and simply as 'Satch' to his friends, Joe Satriani is perhaps the most prominent instrumental guitarist in the world today. No other instrumental rock guitarist has played with so many different people, had so many Billboard hits, or sold anywhere near as many albums. And with good reason: Satriani's masterful presence on the guitar, using every single technique you could possibly think of and then taking it two steps further, result in a variety of sounds it's hard to believe come from a single guitar. Two-handed tapping, volume swells, harmonics, hammer-ons, pull-offs, and lots of whammy bar effects are all standard fare at a Satch concert. Yet through it all he manages to bring out a memorable melody… JOE SATRIANI - Read full story

BB KING - Real Guitar Hero - Guide to The World's Best Guitarists

If you consider the development of rock and roll as a giant mansion, with lots of rooms for each of the different styles and artists over the years, the cornerstone would have to be Riley B. King. Better known as B. B. King, he was old school before it was cool, and like the cornerstone of a building, he is barely visible now. Yet nearly everything stands upon the foundation he (and a few others) laid. BB KING - Real Guitar Hero - Read full story

EDDIE VAN HALEN - Real Guitar Hero - Guide to The World's Best Guitarists

A Complete Guide To How To Sound Like Eddie Van Halen

Fingers flyin', glam-hair whipping around, Van Halen was the prototype for the '80's rock band 2 years before the decade even started. A guitar hero before the games console was even invented. Something like 80 million albums sold, more Top 100 hits than any other rock band in history, and more drama from their revolving door of vocalists than a Shakespeare play. And all along, there was always Eddie Van Halen, tapping and shredding away. As guitar heroes go, he's big. EDDIE VAN HALEN - Read full story

KIRK HAMMETT - Real Guitar Hero - Guide to The World's Best Guitarists

A Complete Guide To How To Sound Like Kirk Hammett

In the early 80's, a generation waited for its own sound. Disco and the 70's were dead; Ronald Reagan was President; and Kirk Hammett began playing with a little known band named Metallica—and heavy metal was ushered into the mainstream culture. Read full story

Fender Telecaster and Esquire

"For you history buffs who haven’t been digging way back into the Leo Fender story, the Telecaster was first introduced as the Broadcaster in the late fall of 1950. The first 300 to 500 made, according to Gruhn’s Guide to Vintage Guitars, were manufactured into early 1951. This amazing resource also notes that the model name was removed from the peghead in February 1951. If you can find a “No-caster” you will have something very collectible." Read full story:

CARLOS SANTANA - Real Guitar Hero - Guide to The World's Best Guitarists

Born in Autl�n de Navarro, Mexico, Santana moved to the United States with his family when he was five with his father who was a mariachi violinist. However, the club scene in Tijuana provided the backdrop for Carlos to hone his guitar skills, until a move to San Francisco in 1961 allowed him to form his own band in 1966, the Santana Blues Band. Read full story

ERIC CLAPTON - Real Guitar Hero - Guide to The World's Best Guitarists

They call him 'Slowhand.' But anyone who's ever seen him play or even just heard him, knows right away that this is a farce of the greatest magnitude. Because if there's anything Eric Clapton is not, it's slow of hand. Read full story

JIMI HENDRIX - Real Guitar Heroes - Guide To The World's Best Guitarists

No matter who it is, when you look at the influences of prominent guitarists over the last 20 years, 9 times out of 10 they will list: Jimi Hendrix. Rolling Stone magazine (not too shabby a magazine, as magazines go) even listed him the best guitarist of all time, as in No. 1 in their 2003 listing. Read full story

Real Guitar heroes - DAVID GILMOUR - Guide To The World's Best Guitarists

"Long before Nine Inch Nails, before Yes, and even before Genesis, there was Pink Floyd. A product of the psychedelic rock of the 1960's, Floyd began with Syd Barrett and Roger Waters on guitar, but only after David Gilmour replaced Barrett on guitar did they break into worldwide commercial success. Gilmour's sparse but soaring guitar solos on albums like 'Dark Side of the Moon' and 'The Wall' provided the perfect counterpoint to the nihilistic lyrics of Roger Waters." Read more

Real Guitar Heroes - Guide to The World's Best Guitarists - JIMMY PAGE

"As you read this article, countless aspiring guitarists all over the world are struggling through the opening notes to 'Stairway to Heaven,' hoping to become the next Jimmy Page. Thousands (if not millions) more are trying to do the same on Guitar Hero. Real guitar player or real guitar hero, Stairway has mesmerised the guitar player or would-be from day one. Of course, being able to crank out the A minor arpeggios doesn't qualify you to record with Robert Plant, but hey, everybody's gotta start somewhere, right?" Read full story...

Fender Jass Bass

Players of electric bass quite often choose between two staples among bass guitars, the Precision or “P” Bass and the ever-popular Jazz Bass. The Fender Jazz Bass was introduced to the music world nearly half a century ago. From 1960 through about 1981, Fender made technical changes and minor alterations to both the “P” Bass and the Jazz Bass. Eventually, the company settled on the Fender Standard Jazz Bass as the foundation for the jazz line. Read full story:

Real Guitar Heroes - Slash - Guide to The World's Best Guitarists

Guitarists are a colorful lot. Even in a room full of them, however, Saul Hudson, better known as Slash, stands out like a sore thumb.

With his trademark black top hat and shock of wild black hair, it's always a wonder that he doesn't run into walls everywhere.

But give the man a guitar—oh, give the man a guitar... PLEASE!

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Gibson Les Paul Standard

This is, literally, the standard by which most Gibson electrics (and other electric guitars) are measured. Hence, the name. But why is it the standard? Yes, it's one of the most-used in rock-and-roll history. Jimmy Paige of Led Zeppelin, Slash from Aerosmith, Steve Howe of Yes, all used or still use this great electric guitar. Aside from being the guitar of choice for rock stars, the sound from this solid-body musical instrument is as close to one-of-a-kind as there is." Read full story