I'd be real curious to know the guitar players who influenced you the most in your quest for sonic heaven. Personally, since I'm now 61 and part of the older crowd, a long time ago after seeing the movie Jimi plays Berkley it was Strats from there on out for me. Jimi's Strat just looked so cool and loved the color, and while I hate that vintage light banana color on anything else in life (uh except bananas), for some reason it's my favorite Strat color. I can certainly see that your age and tastes in music certainly would dictate your inspiration. I could see perhaps Chuck Berry, Albert King, BB King etc being on your radar if you're relic age, or Jimi, Jeff Beck Jimmy Page maybe if you're still cool and 50-60's and probably SRV, Tom Morello, maybe Yngvie perhaps if you're in the younger crowd. Tastes change and peoples influence from new artists could certainly make a difference too... I'm not talking musical styles but more the instrument you choose and the WAY you play it and try to get your sound out of the instrument. For me it would have to be Jimi, SRV and Robin Trower. I know that throwing RT in there might seem odd to some people over let's say David Gilmour who I respect greatly as tone master, but I say RT because I saw that guy in like 76 headline and when you see three guys fill up a coliseum with people and sound, there's not many people that can do that other than maybe ZZ Top. I remember these deep pastel colors on the show and Trower just had these super deep sounding chords and changes and I was pretty blown away by the fact that it was one guy on stage playing guitar and no stinking keyboard players! All three guys play Strats so uh..... hard not to be in love with those guitars. But that's just me!
For me the list is too long, but I guess my 3 biggest in the beginning of my playing days were Jimmy Page, David Gilmour, Jimi Hendrix.
@Deafsoundguy Hi, my top 3 influences are SRV , Angus Young, and Mike Campbell. I am nowwhere near as good as Stevie at blues or them at rock.
I don’t really know. George Harrison, Eric Clapton and Larry Carlton, I guess. But can you hear them when I play? Not really.
Man... top 3... hard choice! I will say in no particular order: Eric Clapton Jerry Cantrell Randy Rhoads
#1 Jimi Hendrix. Before I even played guitar I wanted to sound like that. Fluid, creative, unique. He is the reason I fret the bass string with my thumb and also encouraged my preference for fretting many other chords in ways that are unique to my own style. Jimi Hendrix did not do things the way a teacher would tell you but he figured it out by himself, for himself and he was absolutely himself. 2# Sunny War/Sydney Ward A virtually unknown female guitarist. Early when I started playing guitar I saw a video of her playing acoustic guitar on original songs like „Tiny Town“ and „Deep River Blues“. She played this Gibson J 200 and played everything in a claw and hammer style with two fingers. She‘s the reason I didn‘t look for picks after I lost them and I only played with my fingers from the get go. I still only use my fingers and am not very good at soloing with a pick. I have much more control with my fingers. #3 Keith Richards The Rolling Stones are definitely the main reason I started playing electric blues guitar. Some of the first songs I learned were oddly Stones tunes in open G like „Moonlight Mile“ and „Honky Tonk Women“ and more. I fussed with open tunings very early once I started to play guitar and it made me discover many possibilities thanks to Keef! If I could expand this list I would throw Mick Taylor of the Stones, Derek Trucks, John Mayer, Chuck Berry, Jimmy Page, BB King and Johnny Winter in there too!
I'm going to have to say Some old drunk guy... That's what I sound like... but So so many I like... So so many Meh... Some of my likes don't even play... Maybe Willie Nelso Maybe Rob Bonner
When I first started taking lessons, EVH was definitely my biggest influence as Van Halen was my favorite band.