This has been an interesting thread which I have enjoyed being a guitarist myself.
For me, the sign of the really great guitarist is their versatility. Several guitarists are usually mentioned as being “great” due to what they do in the context of their bands music. Dave Gilmour does fantastic dreamy melodic solos, Angus Young plays great blues based solos within a hard rock structure.
However, could Dave Gilmour play “Eruption”? Could Angus Young play “The Dance of Eternity” ? Could Eric Clapton play “Flight of the Wounded Bumble Bee ?
If Guitarist A could not play some of Guitarist B’s parts, are they considered inferior to Guitarist B ? Or is the ability of Guitarist A in terms of “what they do” considered more important in establishing “greatness”?
In my opinion, the greatest guitarist who ever lived is Gary Moore. He could play rock, metal, jazz, fusion and blues, but also had the ability to write songs. However, I believe that what really sets him apart from everyone else is his skill with melody and feel.
For me, a guitarist who cannot or does not play melodic or tasteful solos will never be truly great. A lot of guitarists will agree with me when I say that it is easier to play a flashy, fast solo then a melodic solo – after acquiring a decent amount of technique, anyone can play a fast run using picked notes or legato, or both, but playing a great melodic solo that really moves people is NOT easy to do. Gary was a master in this type of playing.
However, I have never heard Yngwie or EVH play consistently tasteful melodic guitar. Some people might say that it isn’t in their style, or the musical style or sound of their band doesn’t lend itself to incorporating melodic parts in their songs. So, are we then going back to what I said at the beginning, whereby guitarists are judged on what they do in the context of their bands music and are considered great by what they CAN do, rather than what they CAN’T do ?
Lets consider JP. Amongst metal guitarists, he is the best in my opinion; not only can he riff, shred and play power chords better than the rest, he has other strings to his bow. He can play complex intricate parts in the prog vein, plus, he is also a great melodic guitarist who can display the “feel” that I like to hear (Lines in the Sand, Breaking All Illusions, The Spirit Carries On, The Best of Times, end of Octavarium, to name but a few). However, I would argue that we haven’t seen the versatility that Gary Moore has displayed, or even that JP is probably capable of.
Could JP play fusion ? Almost certainly – he has the technique for it and Al Dimeola is one of his influences. Could he play blues ? I am typing this listening to “Since I’ve Been Loving You” from the “Uncovered 2003-2005” album. Great guitar work – although possibly a little overplayed.
Using my earlier principle of “can Guitarist A play all of Guitarist B’s parts ?” – is there anything that JP can’t play as well as someone else ? Is he “slower” than Herman Li ? Possibly, but arguably JP is the better “all round” player. So, at the end of the day, it comes down to versatility – or at least in my book.