oldunc
Friend of Leo's
I don't know about that, I really don't see a lot of "great" in rock in general, but he was a good musician and a good musical ambassador; among other things, he used his name to get any number of fine musicians heard.
Jeff Beck: Was he ever considered the best rock guitarist?
- Thread starter 2HBStrat
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Dismalhead
Doctor of Teleocity
Probably was considered the best by many, but IMO there is no such thing as a singular "best". I can name a dozen guitarists as good as Jeff Beck in their own style. I have a few favorites, and Beck was definitely one of them. I saw him four times and three of the four times he was absolutely incredible.
Very talented guitarist, but he wasn't even in my top 20, let alone my top 10.
I like good, catchy, well written songs.
I like good, catchy, well written songs.
Groan.
OK I might call JB the best guitarist who played Rock but not the best Rock guitarist.
His best I think came later when Rock was not really what he was doing.
The most wonderful amazing stuff he did with his Strat kind of required him to expand beyond the limits of genre.
As for most people saying JB is the best Rock guitarist?
Nutter writer there at that sort of dim publication called Guitar World.
Writing for magazines 101 will tell you to include claims which are annoying or infuriating to at least some readers.
Then they spread the news for you, get you more pubilicity, more hits, more comments.
Write stuff we all agree with about an artist we all know, why would we bother to tell anyone we read just what we expected?
OK I might call JB the best guitarist who played Rock but not the best Rock guitarist.
His best I think came later when Rock was not really what he was doing.
The most wonderful amazing stuff he did with his Strat kind of required him to expand beyond the limits of genre.
As for most people saying JB is the best Rock guitarist?
Nutter writer there at that sort of dim publication called Guitar World.
Writing for magazines 101 will tell you to include claims which are annoying or infuriating to at least some readers.
Then they spread the news for you, get you more pubilicity, more hits, more comments.
Write stuff we all agree with about an artist we all know, why would we bother to tell anyone we read just what we expected?
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loudboy
Tele-Afflicted
He was a groundbreaker, for sure. Beck, Townshend and Hendrix were responsible for creating "electric" guitar, vs. amplified guitar. They pioneered the use of distortion, feedback, etc. into the vernacular.
He was also a singular voice - I've yet to hear anybody than can play/sound like him. His note choice and skewed vision of what rock guitar should be were unique. You could be influenced by him, but you sure weren't going to sound like him. As his career progressed, he got a little bit too much into a sort of stunt guitar for my tastes, but still one of the greats.
He was also a singular voice - I've yet to hear anybody than can play/sound like him. His note choice and skewed vision of what rock guitar should be were unique. You could be influenced by him, but you sure weren't going to sound like him. As his career progressed, he got a little bit too much into a sort of stunt guitar for my tastes, but still one of the greats.
I think it best to look at it from the point of view is that there is a handful of people who change how the guitar is played. There are many many great players, but only a few innovate. Like Allan holdsworth there’s not a lot of people who sound or even approach things like Jeff. But Jeff played it like no one else before, and really no one since.
Without disparaging anyone, many of whom I love the playing of, there are players like Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Eddie Van Halen, who innovated, and who are great, but were able to be copied. Jeff, Allan Holdsworth, Danny Gatton and maybe some others are uncopayable.
Without disparaging anyone, many of whom I love the playing of, there are players like Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Eddie Van Halen, who innovated, and who are great, but were able to be copied. Jeff, Allan Holdsworth, Danny Gatton and maybe some others are uncopayable.
Tonetele
Doctor of Teleocity
What's with this "best" thing. It's not a competition. Music is different for all people as an art form and so it should remain.
ce24
Poster Extraordinaire
To me and me only as far as avant guard RnR J Beck & J Hendrix share the mountain top.
Strat Jacket
Tele-Holic
I read an article in one of those "magazines", decades ago; an interview of Jimmy Page in, I believe, Guitar Player.
When asked about Jeff Beck, he replied..."When he's on, he's the best there is".
That was all I needed to know.
When asked about Jeff Beck, he replied..."When he's on, he's the best there is".
That was all I needed to know.
Cadillac_Mike
Tele-Holic
As far as public perception there's generally 3 tiers of guitar players:
1) Guitarists in popular bands that guitarists look up to (EVH, David Gilmour, etc.)
2) Guitarists in popular bands that guitarists don't look up to (Lindsey Buckingham, Slash, CC Deville, Brad Gillis, etc.)
3) Guitarists that guitarists look up to (Jeff Beck, Danny Gatton, Tommy Emmanuel, etc.)
The guys in tier 3 are always the best skill-wise but never the most well known.
1) Guitarists in popular bands that guitarists look up to (EVH, David Gilmour, etc.)
2) Guitarists in popular bands that guitarists don't look up to (Lindsey Buckingham, Slash, CC Deville, Brad Gillis, etc.)
3) Guitarists that guitarists look up to (Jeff Beck, Danny Gatton, Tommy Emmanuel, etc.)
The guys in tier 3 are always the best skill-wise but never the most well known.
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Blackmore Fan
Friend of Leo's
I can recall reading guitar magazines back in the 80s. LOTS of great guitarists admitted to admiring the heck out of Jeff Beck, but almost all of them would throw in this qualifier (paraphrased): "I don't know why he's playing what he's playing now...its almost like he's playing for himself rather than for others."
I think both sides of that opinion are in play for Jeff Beck. He was an amazing guitarist...but he was after something other than popular opinion.
I think both sides of that opinion are in play for Jeff Beck. He was an amazing guitarist...but he was after something other than popular opinion.
Blackmore Fan
Friend of Leo's
Any guitarist that doesn't look up to Lindsey Buckingham isn't a guitarist that I would pay attention to. Lindsey is absolutely amazing. Would I rather be Malmsteen or Van Halen than Lindsey? Perhaps. But to pretend that Lindsey Buckingham isn't amazing is to not understand the instrument.
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Cadillac_Mike
Tele-Holic
He's a perfect "play to the song and put my ego aside" guitarist which I actually respect more than anything. I think Lindsey generally isn't as well regarded because "he replaced Peter Greene and only played on the sellout mid 70's - 80's hits" lol. It's like Steve Lukather playing on Chicago's 80's hits versus the legend Terry Kath; no matter how good you're always second fiddle...
Cadillac_Mike
Tele-Holic
bottlenecker
Poster Extraordinaire
This is completely correct.
bottlenecker
Poster Extraordinaire
Don't those two things usually go together? Someone really great in art or music has developed their own taste beyond the level of popular opinion, and they can choose to follow their own path and be great, or sell their potential short and be popular.
Me too, and my list of 'best' guitarists would comprise guys who have created brilliant guitar parts that elevate great songs. Page is an obvious one, and Elliott Easton, Billy Gibbons and Davey Johnstone also spring to mind immediately. Oh and SRV would be on the list cause he was a freak.
Now there's an underrated guitarist for sure! His rhythm work with Elton is really really good.
