LoL guys you are naming off people like Malmsteen, Petrucci, Angelo... and I'm sorry but none of these people compare to straight-foward classical/flamingo guitarists, who don't need a pick to sweep. Not only does their using 5 fingers make them faster, but it allows them to play mutliple notes at a time. You'd never see Malmsteen playing a bass and 2 lead notes simultaneously. I like to say it's because he's a chicken ****, but the truth is, it's just not his style. Not saying he couldn't do it, even though I seriously doubt he could. He'd have to go back to classical 101 and learn how to fingerpick (and not everyone can fingerpick.. Eric Johnson mentioned in one of his videos that he was unable to take the classical aproach to his guitar, and was still working on it..if he says that, he's saying alot)

If any of you heard William Kanengiser, Elliot Fist, Eugino Martinez, and even a non classical player Monte Montgomery who I think would smoke Malmsteen or these guys on any day (and he plays everything acoustically), you'd be amazed. Classical may not be your style, but it is the upmost disciplined style of music in the world, and no neoclassical repetitive shredding guitar player can amount to the discipline, technique, and diversity of a straight-foward classical musician. Alot of people will probably disagree with me on this, but the chances are you are under the age of 15 and probably think Ted Nugent is great guitar player lol

P.S. I personally think Steve Vai would smoke any of these 80's shredders being mentioned here. He just isn't narrowminded like Angelo the rest of them, he adds some style to what he does :)