Originally Posted by: light487Is Bach "better" than Mozart?.... I mean.. really.. it's so subjective it's not funny... but it does beg the question, as turkeyjerky214 has already mentioned, "How do you define 'best'?"..

I was chatting on the Reaper IRC channel last night and someone suggested I have a listen to this guitarist called John McLaughlin.. personally I'd never heard of the guy.. but he is pretty amazing. He was part of the Mahavishnu Orchestra.. an experimental band from the 80's I think.. though they look like they are all hippies from the 70's.. :) Anyway.. the violinist in that band is simply amazing.. but the guitarist, John, is one of the best I have ever heard. I checked out some of his other stuff and the only thing I can think is the cause of him being relatively "unknown" is that he may possibly be too "classical" sounding to be considered "popular".

The point is.. you are always going to find these obscure "best of" people and songs that you never knew existed as you go through life. Even with a Masters Degree in Musicology or Musical History.. you still can't definitely prove one "artist" is better than another.. and certainly not "the best".. all you can do is give an opinion and back it up with facts and opinions of others.

I agree "the best" can never be quantified, and after returning to this forum after a year, I see this debate is still ongoing. Looked at the YT vid of Shawn, very talented, no doubt about it. Best? Not my cup of tea. Would I like to know what he knows and how? Sure. The best in my book? No.

I don't have a favorite anymore. Used to be Santana, almost strictly for his tone, but I found his (live) solos very lyrical.

re: McGlaughlin. He's not unknown to old-timers like me. He was at the forefront of fusion. When I saw him with MVO, he had a female violinist. She matched him note for note. "Sick" as kids say today (I learn modern slang from my teen daughter and 22 yr. old nephew, lol.) McGlaughlin is very well respected by oldies of my generation. At one time he played a guitar with a scalloped fretboard! I have a friend who's a big-time Holdsworth fan, so he's getting heavy into theory, modes, etc. He told me that McG has something like a 9 DVD set of lessons that's just sick.

True, it may be that McG is relatively unknown and not very popular among guitar players right now, but he certainly is respected among those who have followed him. To say that McG is a sick player would be an understatement. That said, I can only listen to him in bits and pieces at a time. I know what he's saying is light years beyond my understanding.