Is Hendrix still the best?

Question

Jimi Hendrix seems to be at the top of every guitar list, but I don't see why he's so special. He might have been original, but I think that any of the following could have killed him as far as skills go:
- Joe Satriani
- Steve Vai
- Yngwie Malmsteen
- Eric Clapton
- Eddie van Halen
- Jimmy Page

I KNOW Vai and Satriani are better than Hendrix, the others might be.

Does anyone else think that there are a lot of better guitarists than Hendrix now?

Answer 1

There are a lot of guitarists today who surpass Jimi in terms of what we generally refer to as technique. Jimi couldn't sweep pick, string skip, play with two hands on the neck, etc. Most good players today can approximate his technique. Stevie Ray Vaughn could copy it to a T while putting his own Texas background into it.

Why everyone continues to hold him up:

- He truly was an innovator. He did his own thing in a decade where that was the highest accomplishment. And it so happened that a lot of people liked what he did as well.

- He was a cultural icon.

- He had a very solid R&B foundation and a good understanding of blues/r&b chordal work. When most guitar players were happy to bang out basic chords, Jimi truly took advantage of the guitar's flexibility. He would typically be working a bassline, chords and leads simultaneously and it came so effortlessly to him that he was a truly impressive sight. Musical afficionados of the day could hear the whole gamut of r&b history quoted, combined and turned on its ear. You understand just how well he had the whole genre digested.

- His albums had a bit of everything. Experimental instrumentals, straight blues, r&b, pop. All wrapped up in a nice package for the times.

- He was not averse to making a scene, which thoroughly stamped him on the minds of a lot of people. Burning guitars, political statements, etc. One of my favorite instances was when Sgt. Pepper's came out on a Friday and Jimi opened his show with the title track on Sunday.

- He had an almost otherworldly control of feedback in a day and age when the amps weren't meant to do that. Most people even today don't understand how to play the amplifier - at best they can learn to control a bit of feedback for a few seconds. Jimi could make it talk. Santana is the only guy I know today who still understands this technique. The difference is that Carlos just used it for sustain. Jimi could take it places beyond. A bad analogy - most guitarists paddle in the surf of feedback, Carlos can bodyboard it. Jimi surfed.

-He understood and utilized effects long before anyone else, and he knew how to use the studio. He played all the guitars and some bass and keyboards on most of the albums. He built one of the most interesting studios around in Electric Ladyland - some really interesting rehearsal rooms.

Jimi outclassed everyone in his day. If you have a chance to see footage, most times he jammed with another band, the other guitar players would basically just quit to listen to him after a while. That's a pretty impressive testimionial.

So, what would happen if we stood Jimi up against Vai, Satriani, etc. in this day and age? Well no doubt, plenty of players would shred circles around him. If you put them all up to a speed test, or who can connect the most arpeggios or whatever, Jimi wouldn't really be in the running.

But if you gave them all a shot at entertaining both musicians and the general public, and just let them come onstage with a guitar and an amp to do their thing, I don't think any of these players today would even be in the same league.

Strangely enough, I liken him to Chet Atkins. Chet knows fingerstyle guitar like nobody's business. He knows a lot of styles, a lot of techniques and he knows a lot of songs. He also understands how they tick and why they sound good and can combine them as needed. Chet may not can do the kind of complex stuff that Michael Hedges did, but he COULD play Yankee Doodle Dandy and Dixie simultaneously and make it sound like one song. That's musical knowledge vs technique. Jimi had the same kind of thing going on with r&b music.

Answer 2

Jimi was and is legendary because he did things no one else tried and pulled it off every time. His sound was very unique and is still not duplicated. Clapton was a superior player even back then but with a totally different approach to guitar. I saw them both live and it was forever memorable. Modern players like Vai and Satriani are amazingly talented. But have you listened to Pat Methany? He was doing this style playing 15 years ago. No knock to Vai at all. Just that there are so many talented players out there. I ask you to listen to any of the master jazz players from the 50's like Johnny Smith, Chuck Wayne or Tal Farlow. You will hear things that will astound you. Smith is perfect!
Also listen to Wim Den Herder, a young monster player.
http://www.compfused.com/directlink/1391/

Enjoy all of them!

Answer 3

I'm a guitar player and was like you. I thought Joe,Steve and the slew of new school guitarists could blow Jimmi off the stage with their technical ability if they wanted to, but I just finished watching a documentary on his life and it finally clicked for me as to why he is considered by most as the best. You cant compare the 60's style of guitar playing to 80's-06 playing it just doesn't work. You got to think about it in the context of musical evolution. Jimmi was the first, the pioneer and set the stage for the rest to follow. Ironically (for you) all the players that you've listed site Jimmi as an influence.

Answer 4

Jimi Hendrix . Hands Down.

Answer 5

I think Hendrix is best for his pure skill and influence on all the guitarists after him. I also love John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and his solo stuff.

Answer 6

What a waste of a question. They call him the best for more than guitar. He was a pioneer of a time thats why. Also because of his music. Plus most ppl are followers who jump on the biggest thing. I happen to be a fan of jims musci more than the others so i think of him as best.

Answer 7

if u compare hendrix with guitarist now days like sattani and vai,i totally agree that they have more to offer then jimmy but jimmy is old school and i belive if he is still alive today things will be different... god rest his soul .... the man,the legend!!

Answer 8

Why does Hendrix keep winning guitar polls 45 years after he died? He was THAT GOOD!!

Answer 9

He's special because he did it first.

A lot of what Prince does is a bad Hendrix knock-off

Answer 10

Ha ha ha ha ha!!

Are you sure you have seen Jimi playing guitar? He could do things that nobody else even dreams of doing.