I’ve been thinking about this list a bit recently and considering who I might put on it. I think that if you asked 100 music fans to compile a list you would get 100 different lists, but this is mine. I’ve included some YouTube clips to help you appreciate the fretboard goodness.

10. Yngwie Malmsteen
Malmsteen was the first of the guitar virtuosos that I got into and his inclusion in the list has a lot to do with nostalgia. Yngwie’s neoclassical style draws much from the work of classical composers like Paganini, and listening to Malmsteen opened my tastes to classical music for the first time. Nowadays, I find his music a bit much, almost like it tries to hard. His guitar playing is a lot of ego (some people like to call it Guitar Wanking) and not a lot of soul, but for sheer speed of playing, you might struggle to find anyone faster. Well worth a listen!

9. Tom Morello
Not an obvious choice perhaps, but I first discovered Tom through Rage Against the Machine, and I appreciate that’s not everyone’s cup of tea! He is a truly innovative guitarist though and extremely talented. He gets sounds from his guitars that you never even knew existed!

8. Ritchie Blackmore
I really enjoy early Deep Purple, not as much as I love Led Zep, but there are few tracks that can get the adrenalin going like “Space Truckin’”! Frankly, I much preferred Ritchie’s Rainbow era. I remember having a Rainbow best of album stuck on permanent loop in my Walkman for months! More recently, Ritchie has been indulging his taste for renaissance music with Blackmore’s Night. It’s worth a listen but it’s a long way from the Deep Purple days. A great guitarist and worthy of his place here.

7. Jimi Hendrix
Many people would put Jimi at the top of their list, but not for me. Don’t get me wrong, I love Jimi’s slack and loose style, and his innovation and contribution to the world of rock is no matter for debate. However, I’ve always thought Jimi’s playing was fairly inaccurate and short of direction at times, particularly in live performances. Listening to his music is sheer joy though and he simply has to be in the top ten.

6. Jimmy Page
Much like Hendrix, Page’s playing was a little messy and inaccurate at times, but he gets a higher rank in my opinion due to his composition skill. My first introduction to Page was Led Zeppelin II, an album I can still listen to over and over and enjoy every time. What a great guitarist! What a great band! Almost every aspiring guitarist will at some point in their playing career pluck out that famous arpeggio that has guitar shop owners running for cover. Yes, I am of course talking about “Stairway to Heaven”.

5. Gary Moore
You can keep your Clapton, Gary is for me the definitive electric blues player. I love the way he plays the blues and am constantly astounded at the amount of sustain he is able to wring out of his Les Paul. Blues is where most guitar players start – easy to learn, but very difficult to master. With Gary, it’s as much about the notes he doesn’t hit as those that he does.

4. Richie Kotzen
What I love about Richie is that he keeps his insane talent in check. For him, the overall composition of the song is more important than massaging his own ego. I love his songs, and his voice and the way his guitar playing perfectly complements it all. Then sometimes, he lets rip… and wow! what a player! If you haven’t heard Richie play yet, make sure you check him out.

3. Joe Satriani
Joe’s sound is distinctively Ibanez with the characteristic twin humbucker “rawk”. I first heard “The Extremist”, an album that probably still stands out as his finest work. Completely instrumental, and every track a winner. I challenge you to find a better driving album. More recently “Strange Beautiful Music” has been a favourite, particularly his version of Sleep Walk which is completely delicious.

2. Dave Gilmour
Another perfect player. Somehow he always finds the exactly right combination of notes for his solos and plays them with so much soul and emotion that it’s difficult not to get carried along. Famous for his work with Pink Floyd of course, but his recent solo album “On an Island” is an essential purchase. He’s not the fastest player and perhaps not what you might term a “virtuoso”, but he has a skill rarely matched.

1. Steve Morse
You may be familiar with Steve due to his solo work, but it was his joining Deep Purple that introduced him to me. Specifically, the track “Sometimes I feel Like Screaming” from the Perpendicular album. For me, Steve has got the lot, but the most amazing thing for me is the accuracy with which he plays. I saw him paying live with Deep Purple in 1999, and he was note perfect live too. Amazing guitarist that deservedly tops my list.

Worthy Mention:
The guys that almost made the top ten where (in no particular order): Lindsey Buckingham (Fleetwood Mac); Rory Gallagher; Ted Nugent; Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits); Brian May (Queen); John Petrucci (Dream Theater); Snails Pace Slim (The Hamsters); Slash; John Mayer; Hank Marvin (Shadows); Ulrich Roth (Scorpions); John Squire (Stone Roses); Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath); Eddie Van Halen.