Your top 5 (or so) guitar solos

[Stadler]

This is hard.  There's got to be some Blackmore and Schenker and Gilmour in there, but I'm not sure which exact one I'd pick.   Randy Rhoads "Tonight" is on the list.   I've been listening heavily to Marillion lately, so I'd probably put "Lavender" on there or maybe "Sugar Mice". 

I'm really glad "Wanted Dead Or Alive" has made a couple lists; it's really, in a lot of ways, the perfect guitar solo.

[PixelDream]

Steve Vai - For the Love of God
Joe Satriani - Goodbye Supernova
John Petrucci - The Best of Times
Kirk Hammett - The Unforgiven
John Petrucci - Goodnight Kiss
Marty Friedman - Tornado of Souls
Brent Hinds - Gigantium

Something like that.. didn't give it too much thought and used this thread for inspiration.

[Podaar]

Glenn Tipton - Beyond the Realms of Death.

One of the most if not the most perfectly executed and well written guitar solos which takes you on its own journey inside a journey.  Glenn builds the solo in such a way that is seamless, inspired and just masterful.  Everything about this solo is just perfect.

The last two notes --  Am I right?!

In that vein, I'll mention Michael Schenker - Try Me. Such tasty note selections.

[Stadler]

"Fire Dance" from Rainbow (actually, that whole album - Bent Out Of Shape - has some tasty lead guitar playing on it).

[romdrums]

Top 5 Non John Petrucci Solos:
1. Steve Hackett - Firth of Fifth
2. Chris DeGarmo - Anybody Listening?
3. Michael Wilton - Empire
4. Steve Rothery - Easter
5. Alex Lifeson - Emotion Detector

Top 5 John Petrucci Solos:
1. Under a Glass Moon
2. Lines in the Sand
3. Barstool Warrior
4. Goodnight Kiss
5. Voices

[pg1067]

A long time ago, I made a tape of songs with my favorite guitar solos.  I don't remember all of them (and I'm pretty sure the tape was made before DT broke in '92), but I know at least the following were on the tape:

Iron Maiden - The Trooper (primarily for Dave Murray's solo where he used the whammy bar to make a horse-like sound)
Rush - Limelight and the "Presentation" section of 2112
Ozzy - Crazy Train (aside from the solo, I love the relatively simple, descending bass line underneath)
Yes - Roundabout (Steve Howe's two solos towards the end of the song, which are interspersed with keyboard solos, are fairly short, but both are very effective)
Dio - Rainbow in the Dark
Helloween - Halloween (the long harmony/unison solo towards the end is all kinds of awesome)
Rainbow - Stargazer

[MrMike]

Just a few off the top of my head:

Eric Johnson - Desert Rose (outro solo, especially the ending)
Glenn Tipton - Beyond The Realms Of Death
Randy Rhoads - Revelation Mother Earth
Alex Lifeson - The Camera Eye
David Gilmour - Have A Cigar

[Mechanix1911]

Planet X - The Thinking Stone (Allan Holdsworth)
Disperse - Enigma of Abode
John Mayer - Ain't No Sunshine (Live Crossroads 2010)
Tool - Jambi
Aerosmith - Love In An Elevator

[LithoJazzoSphere]

Lots of Eric Johnson love in this thread.  "Venus Reprise" is a really underrated one of his.  Probably my favorite EJ moment was seeing him live with Mike Stern.  On "Wishing Well" he was doing these cascading harp harmonics, and it was the most beautiful sound I'd ever heard, I was having to fight back tears.  Some of the cam videos from other shows don't do it justice, he was on fire that night. 

[HOF]

Lots of Eric Johnson love in this thread.  "Venus Reprise" is a really underrated one of his.  Probably my favorite EJ moment was seeing him live with Mike Stern.  On "Wishing Well" he was doing these cascading harp harmonics, and it was the most beautiful sound I'd ever heard, I was having to fight back tears.  Some of the cam videos from other shows don't do it justice, he was on fire that night.

Yes, Venus Reprise is excellent.

[wolfking]

Glenn Tipton - Beyond the Realms of Death.

One of the most if not the most perfectly executed and well written guitar solos which takes you on its own journey inside a journey.  Glenn builds the solo in such a way that is seamless, inspired and just masterful.  Everything about this solo is just perfect.

The last two notes --  Am I right?!

In that vein, I'll mention Michael Schenker - Try Me. Such tasty note selections.

Yeah, that whole last phrase is magic.

Even though I'm new to Schenker, Try Me is his best one.  That hits me fucking hard.  That whole song hits me hard actually.

[JediKnight1969]

David Gilmour - Comfortably numb
Ritchie Blackmore - Highway star
Trevor Rabin - Owner of a lonely heart
Adrian Smith & Dave Murray - The trooper
Andy Taylor - Some like it hot
Gary Moore - Still got the blues

Few more:

Jimmy Page - Since I've been loving you (intro)
Nuno Bettencourt - Get the funk out
Michael Sembello - Maniac