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Bo Diddley

I think if you narrowed this down to genre that would be easier. As in Tonni Iomi influenced hard rock and heavy metal more than any other guitarist, but it's not like he changed classical guitar at all.

Most influential to the electric guitar?

In mostly-sequential order:
Les Paul
Chuck Berry
Bo Diddly
Dick Davies (and his razor)
Jimi Hendrix

+1 to Hendrix and Fripp

Also gonna throw Keith Richards out there. No Satisfaction = no fuzz.

Also also Jimmy Page and Brian May. The overdubbing those guys did was insane.

snipelfritz wrote:Also gonna throw Keith Richards out there. No Satisfaction = no fuzz.

While I'd gladly go on record saying that Keith is the best rhythm guitarist of all time (with Clapton coming a close second), I'm a little confused by the Satisfaction = fuzz bit.

D.o.S. wrote:

snipelfritz wrote:Also gonna throw Keith Richards out there. No Satisfaction = no fuzz.

While I'd gladly go on record saying that Keith is the best rhythm guitarist of all time (with Clapton coming a close second), I'm a little confused by the Satisfaction = fuzz bit.

Satisfaction was one of the first songs to use a fuzz pedal.

but, the Ventures recorded 2000lb Bee in 1962 using a fuzzbox, but Satisfaction wasn't recorded till 1965.

no 2000lb Bee = no Fuzz

Satisfaction was what made it huge they sold out of those pedals practically the next day after that track was released. Incidentally, that guitar line was meant to just be a scratch track for horns. Keith didn't intend for it to stay on the final cut but some smart producer decided otherwise. Also, +1 to Richards being an awesome rhythm player.

The4455 wrote:I think if you narrowed this down to genre that would be easier.

Who said I wanted to make it easy?

Also, I'm not as concerned with specific genres as I am with overall influence.

Interesting responses so far, especially phantasmagorovich putting up a prepared guitarist as most influential, since many of the others are more or less rock guitarists.

Chankgeez wrote:

The4455 wrote:I think if you narrowed this down to genre that would be easier.

Who said I wanted to make it easy?

Also, I'm not as concerned with specific genres as I am with overall influence.

Interesting responses so far, especially phantasmagorovich putting up a prepared guitarist as most influential, since many of the others are more or less rock guitarists.

Yeah, if the style were wider spread, I'd say Thurston Moore/Lee Renaldo. But sadly noise/experimental rock aren't as generally influential.

If we're talking prepared guitars, wouldn't Glenn Branca (however you spell it) be more influential? What with the Sonic Youth/No Wave connection and the hundred guitar orchestra?

edit: looks like "influential" is really indebted to where you are, snipez.

Sonic Youth are hugely influential and so, yeah, Branca is definitely more influential via his Sonic Youth/No Wave connection than any prepared guitarist with a more singular approach.

I don't think of Branca primarily as a prepared guitarist though. Aside from the third bridge stuff, preparing guitars isn't as important to his music as tunings and drones.

Fripp nearly made it into my post for all the reasons listed by others as well as being one of the earliest prominent adopters of guitar synthesizer technology. he was taming the Roland back in '81, when most people were afraid to even LOOK at the dedicated controller.

i like the fact that the thread opened up from my development-of-the-instrument approach. these things always remind me of music and artists i know but have forgotten about...big ups on the Rowe and Sir Lord Baltimore refs.

nieh wrote:

D.o.S. wrote:

snipelfritz wrote:Also gonna throw Keith Richards out there. No Satisfaction = no fuzz.

While I'd gladly go on record saying that Keith is the best rhythm guitarist of all time (with Clapton coming a close second), I'm a little confused by the Satisfaction = fuzz bit.

Satisfaction was one of the first songs to use a fuzz pedal.

but, the Ventures recorded 2000lb Bee in 1962 using a fuzzbox, but Satisfaction wasn't recorded till 1965.

no 2000lb Bee = no Fuzz

blooghost wrote:Marty Robbins' pedal steel guy, and Marty Robbins himself. That one blown tube, and the green light from Robbins to keep on playing...the birth of fuzz-the reason this forum exists. Not necessarily saying the MOST influential ever, but I think we all owe those dudes a debt of gratitude

No Marty Robbins= No Fuzz

The Devil.

He gave all those guys the means to perfect the sonic assault upon good people everywhere!

Everyone I can think of has been listed in thread.. LOL