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The 50 greatest guitar tones of all time

David Gilmour scoops the prize in new poll, but who else features?

The MusicRadar Team, Wed 20 Feb 2008, 4:06 pm UTC

David Gilmour: a signature Stratocaster is just months away

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#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)

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User comments (15)

  • matter

    Avatar for matter

    46 weeks ago.

    jimi=#1

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  • nickgreen32

    Avatar for nickgreen32

    Sat 20 Sep 2008, 9:50 pm UTC

    I've got to say that I'd like to see Tom Morello moved up the list but then again I'm a RATM mark, so pushing personal bias aside I'd say the list is pretty well rounded. Slash earned his place on the list as did Tony Iommi. I don't know how Jack White made his way onto this list though.
    Narconon

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  • eivind

    Avatar for eivind

    Fri 25 Jul 2008, 8:09 pm UTC

    Dave at the top of that list is 100% correct. With Gilmour it's tone all the way.
    (For the shredders list - look up the sports section) ;-)

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  • SimonJohnOwen

    Avatar for SimonJohnOwen

    Fri 30 May 2008, 1:30 pm UTC

    Wheres Andy Summers ? Wheres Joe Perry ? Wheres Nick Drake ? And how come Jack White is ahead of Peter Green and Carlos Santana ?

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  • forgodandcountry

    Avatar for forgodandcountry

    Fri 23 May 2008, 5:56 pm UTC

    whats up with people its a list of tones not shredding its a list of people who played with that amp thing and got some interesting noises, why is there a list of people qeueing up for the first few posts just saying its wrong like its lists of the worlds best players

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  • HIM

    Avatar for HIM

    Wed 16 Apr 2008, 2:40 am UTC

    WOW!!!!
    Who ever put this list together must smoke crack on a hourly basis!!!
    cobain and some guy named white ahead of Santana???? Do you folk even know what a guitar is???? You are lame, stupid, retarded idiots!!!!

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  • stratcat33511

    Avatar for stratcat33511

    Thu 3 Apr 2008, 5:11 pm UTC

    Serious problems with this list
    Beck Vai Rhodes Morello Moore johnson Page- and More Move them up!
    Move the slackers like Jack White Curt Cocaine and Keith Richards to the back
    Way back
    Wheres Satriani ?
    Seriously who writes this crap ? Who votes this way ?
    I think this is just to get us to argue!

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  • ProfWoland

    Avatar for ProfWoland

    Sat 29 Mar 2008, 4:15 pm UTC

    Shouldn't number 33 be Brian Robertson rather than Gary Moore? A good list nonetheless :D

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  • bosoxs_77

    Avatar for bosoxs_77

    Fri 22 Feb 2008, 1:12 pm UTC

    I cant believe Rockin in the Free World by Neil Young is not on the list. What a guitarist.
    Why Noel Gallagehr has made the list baffles me !!!

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  • JMan

    Avatar for JMan

    Fri 22 Feb 2008, 11:04 am UTC

    Oh, I think as with ANY list, there'll always be people for and against it. I actually agree with most of those in this list.
    NOW...... if the Mag could just include GuitarRig3 or Amplitube2 presets for all those, I'd be a VERY happy man !!! ;-)
    J

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