Comparing guitarists is rediculous... It's like taking a painting by Rembrandt and comparing it to a painting by Michealangelo or comparing Mozart to Beethoven... How do you even find common ground to compare Hendrix to Van Halen. Hendrix played blues and Van Halen played technical rock/metal. There are too many differences to even compare them. Hendrix had the imagination to do what no one else was doing and to start musical movement that has rapidly went from Hendrix to todays virtuosos. Now look at where rock guitar is... people are talking endlessly about who is better in online forums. THERE ARE SO MANY GOOD GIUTARISTS OUT THERE! Just think about this..... people say that some of the best piano players never even play one note... or that the best Olympic swimmers never even swim one lap.... and if not for Hendrix... how many great guitar players never would have picked up a guitar???