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David Gilmour: a signature Stratocaster is just months away

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The March 2008 issue of Guitarist magazine is the publication’s 300^th issue, and, in celebration, it features a summation of what its readers, staff and contributors reckon to be the 50 greatest electric guitar sounds in history.

Genres from grunge to jazz are represented, but before we reveal the run-down in full, we asked Guitarist editor Mick Taylor to explain just what makes a great guitar tone:

“Is it the abrasive punk rock thrash of Johnny Thunders? The full, fat 'n' fruity blues of Billy Gibbons? Great tone is a divisive issue, but the one common denominator we should agree on is that it's memorable. It might not have changed history, it might not have been the first example of its breed, but a truly great guitar tone is the kind of sound that compels you pick up that guitar and play. Wood, metal, volume, overdrive. Bring it on…”

So, without further ado, we reveal what might just be the ultimate iPod playlist for guitarists, and link to some classic video clips along the way:

#50 Charlie Christian - Flying Home
Original Guitar Hero (1939)

#49 Noel Gallagher - Slide Away
Oasis - Definitely Maybe (1994)
Here’s Oasis live at Knebworth in 1996

#48 Chuck Berry - Maybellene
Greatest Hits (1955)
Chuck Berry on French TV in the early 1960s

#47 Ry Cooder - Sister Morphine
The Rolling Stones - Sticky Fingers (1971)

#46 Link Wray - Rumble
The Original Rumble (1958)

#45 Dick Dale - Misirlou
Surfers’ Choice (1962)
Watch this awesome 1963 performance

#44 Larry Carlton - It Was Only Yesterday
Larry Carlton (1978)

#43 James Williamson - Search And Destroy
The Stooges (1973)

#42 James Hetfield - Orion
Master Of Puppets (1986)
Watch Metallica playing Orion at a 2006 studio rehearsal

#41 Chet Atkins - Mr Sandman
(1955, TV show)

#40 Dave Davies - You Really Got Me
Kinks (1964)

#39 Brad Paisley - Me Neither
Who Needs Pictures (2001)

#38 Carlos Santana - Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen
Abraxas (1970)

#37 Randy Rhoads - Suicide Solution
Ozzy Osbourne - Blizzard Of Ozz (1980)
Here’s the late great Randy Rhoads live in 1981, less than a year before his death

#36 Duane Eddy - Peter Gunn
(1960)

#35 Tom Morello - Killing In The Name
Rage Against The Machine (1993)
Here’s RATM’s 1999 live version from The Battle Of Mexico City DVD

#34 Eric Johnson - Cliffs Of Dover
Ah Via Musicom (1990)

#33 Gary Moore - Still In Love With You
Thin Lizzy - Nightlife (1974)

#32 Wes Montgomery - D-Natural Blues
The Incredible Jazz Guitar Of Wes Montgomery (1960)

#31 Rory Gallagher - Walk On Hot Coals
Irish Tour (1974)
Here it is from the accompanying cinema film

#30 Joe Satriani - Ice 9
Surfing With The Alien (1987)

#29 Steve Vai - Touching Tongues
Sex & Religion (1993)

#28 Matt Bellamy - Plug In Baby
Muse - Origin Of Symmetry (2001)
Watch the official video

#27 Robben Ford - Talk To Your Daughter
Talk To Your Daughter (1988)

#26 Pete Townshend - Pinball Wizard
The Who - Tommy (1969)

#25 Johnny Marr - How Soon Is Now?
The Smiths - Meat Is Murder (1984)
Watch the original video here

#24 Keith Richards - (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction
The Rolling Stones - Out Of Our Heads (1965)
Rare Australian TV performance

#23 Kurt Cobain - Smells Like Teen Spirit
Nirvana - Nevermind (1991)
Live on The Word in 1991

#22 Tony Iommi - Iron Man
Black Sabbath - Paranoid (1970)
A psychedelic 1970s TV appearance

#21 The Edge - Bad
U2 - The Unforgettable Fire (1984)

#20 Mark Knopfler - Money For Nothing
Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms (1985)
That famous animated video

#19 Jeff Beck - Where Were You
Jeff Beck’s Guitar Shop (1989)

#18 Paul Kossoff - My Brother Jake
Free - Highway (1970)

#17 BB King - When Love Comes To Town
U2 - Rattle And Hum (1988)

#16 Scotty Moore - Hound Dog
Elvis Presley - Greatest Jukebox Hits (1956)

#15 Jimmy Page - Whole Lotta Love
Led Zeppelin II (1969)
Archive live footage

#14 Peter Green - Stop Messin’ Around
Fleetwood Mac - Mr Wonderful (1968)

#13 George Harrison - Something
The Beatles - Abbey Road (1969)
The original promo video

#12 Ritchie Blackmore - Long Live Rock ’N’ Roll
Rainbow - Long Live Rock ‘N’ Roll (1978)

#11 Billy Gibbons - Gimme All Your Lovin’
ZZ Top - Eliminator (1983)
Live on The Tube in 1983

#10 Eric Clapton - I Feel Free
Fresh Cream (1966)
See an archive video performance here

#9 Jack White - Dead Leaves And The Dirty Ground
The White Stripes - White Blood Cells (2001)
Check out the promo video here

#8 Angus Young - Highway To Hell
AC/DC - Highway To Hell (1979)
Check out this archive TV performance

#7 Hank Marvin - Wonderful Land
The Shadows Are Go (1962)

#6 Slash - Welcome To The Jungle
Guns N’ Roses - Appetite For Destruction (1987)
Live at the Ritz in 1988

#5 Stevie Ray Vaughan
Couldn’t Stand The Weather, Couldn’t Stand The Weather (1984)
Check out the video here

#4 Brian May - Play The Game
Queen - The Game (1980)
Live in 1982 at Milton Keynes on the Hot Space tour

#3 Eddie Van Halen - Sinner’s Swing
Van Halen - Fair Warning (1981)

#2 Jimi Hendrix - Voodoo Child (Slight Return)
Electric Ladyland (1968)
Jimi rocks the Lulu show

#1 David Gilmour - Comfortably Numb
Pink Floyd - The Wall (1979)
Relive Pink Floyd’s Live 8 reunion performance here

Despite it now being 29 years old, Comfortably Numb has been previously voted Best Ever Guitar Solo in Q Magazine (2007), Planet Rock Radio (2006) and Guitar Techniques (2002). In addition, MusicRadar spoke to Fender at NAMM 2008, who confirmed that a David Gilmour signature Stratocaster is on its way later this year...

For more on the greatest guitar tones of all time, check out the March 2008 issue of Guitarist, on sale now.