Originally Posted by: ChrispycritterSatriani effected guitar music very profoundly as an instructor as well as a player. How many groups would have never even
been what they were?

I didn't really think about it until I read this, but without Satch, there possibly wouldn't be a Metallica, as Satch was Kirk's teacher in his teenage years. And there probably wouldn't be a Steve Vai, since Satch was not only Vai's teacher also, but Vai has said that he was always inspired by Joe and would go to see his band play all the time.

And not to take anything away from the man, but Les Paul didn't invent the solid-body guitar. Others had dabbled in such a thing before him, most notably Adolf Rickenbaker. And it was Richard Bourgerie who designed the electric pickup, and he designed one for Les at his request. Les approached Gibson with his ideas for a solid-body, but they stubbornly refused him many times, until Leo Fender came out with the Broadcaster (later, the Telecaster) and Gibson realized they were missing the boat. Les was a helluva guitarist though, and made many other significant contributions to music, including inventing the multi-track.