Distinctive guitar players whose playing/tone you easily recognise?

HAL9000

Roger McGuinn

Redlester

HAL9000 said:

Roger McGuinn

Great shout! 

And what about latter-day George Harrison when he played slide. He had a vocal quality all of his own that really stood out. 

grungebob

If we’re talking recognising someone’s playing and not a song they wrote or composed then the only obvious ones I would be able to identify would be Tom Morello and Billy Corgan. 

The moment Corgan bends a note you can tell it’s him. 

Sassafras

Joey Ramone.
Robbie McIntosh.
Whichever bloke played lead in Squeeze.

Voxman

A lot of the obvious ones have been mentioned, but here's a few more:

Francis Rossi...I'd recognise his style and phrasing anywhere. Massively under rated guitarist. Ditto Rick Parfett (rip) again, very distinctive and hugely under rated rhythm guitarist ...he was like a human metronome. 

Bill Nelson of Bebop Deluxe, very distinctive style, just listen to 'Sunburst Finish'. One of his guitars even had a theramin built into it! 

Andy Powell of Wishbone Ash, his tone and phrasing are unmistakable. If you've never heard any Ash, check out Argus with tracks like Blowin' Free and The King Will Come!

The Reverand Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, again that glorious thick grinding tone and those texas rock blues riffs played in an almost laconic manner are just unmistakable. 

Gary Moore...did no one mention Gary? If not that's unbelievable. His beautiful playing style and that tone are just to die for.

Jan Ackerman from Focus. He uses some less usual scales to give some unique phrasing, with great touch

And finally...

Mr Rory Gallagher (rip).unbelievably distinctive style and tone from his Strat with virtually all the paint rubbed off and slammed through a cranked AC30. 

Sassafras

Andy Summers.
I'd recognise that chorus and flanger anywhere.

hollywoodrox

Defo Evh 

TTBZ

Probably all the "guitar hero" greats fit into this category tbh, they got to this status by having something unique and identifiable about their playing. 

Bellycaster

Dave Murray, Pick once at the start of the Tour 

chotu495

James Dean Bradfield
Jonny Marr
Johnny Greenwood
John McGeogh
Robert Smith
James Hetfield

Yep, i’m a sucker for a good blues player 

imalrightjack

Creed_Clicks said:

Though I'm not really into shredding, I always thought Vai had his own style. Satriani too perhaps. In the world of metal, Marty Friedmann and Dave Mustaine had their own style. Maybe Mustaine had more of a particular sound rather than his own style.
Kirk Hammet definitely has his own style which he has flogged to death
Also, Nels Cline. Big time.
Not forgetting Steve Harris and Lemmy. Again, maybe Lemmy's was more his sound as opposed to what he was playing. But Steve Harris has a unique style.

@Creed_Clicks ;

Hammet’s style was largely based on Mustaine’s, if you listen to the No Life ‘Til Leather demos. Mustaine definitely has his own thing, the aggressive chromatics, spidery riffs, etc. My Last Words, Killing Is My Business, Poison Was The Cure, etc. Stunning and unmistakably him. 

Harris = rattle and gallop 

IsambardKentucky

Campilongo! The Dalí of the telecaster

oh and Buchanan

Creed_Clicks

@imalrightjack True enough, Mustaine sounds like Mustaine. Also on those early Megadeth records, was it Chris Poland? He had this jazzy snakey kind of style. He is a jazz head if I remember correctly.

imalrightjack

@Creed_Clicks Yeah, I believe so. Great playing also. 

Fishboy7

Most easily recognisable players, that instantly spring to mind, ....

Neil Young
J Mascis
Grant Green
Marc Ribot

, ..... Django 

Fishboy7

Not sure if Derek Trucks has had a mention yet, 

Neurone

No one mentioned Vini Reilly, or Tom Verlaine. And yet.

vanlooy1

Someone must have mentioned him already but just in case.....Chuck Berry!!!!

jdgm

I'm a bit old school.......

Chuck Berry.  Johnny 'Guitar' Watson.

T-Bone Walker. Though there are LOTS of close imitators.

Totally agree about John Lee Hooker, J.J. Cale, John Scofield (Sco, not Scho as in Matt Schofield who is tremendous but not so immediately recognisable).  Johnny Winter anyone?

I followed Larry Coryell for years, very distinctive on electric. 

The late Pete Cosey in the Miles Davis band 1973-75.

Steve Khan.  John Abercrombie.  Mclaughlin has been mentioned already.

Ralph Towner the ECM 12-string player sounds like no-one else.

Philip Catherine is fantastic but you have to see him live or find the right album.

Plus a slew of country players with Chet and Jerry Reed the ones I'd know instantly.

Great thread. 

I couldn't identify Bonamassa either. 

vanlooy1

Townshend