Dicky Betts, Duane Allman..

I'm not a huge fan of either but you know its them from hearing their sound right off the bat; Eddie Van Halen and Tom Scholz.
 
Geddy Lee you can be fairly sure its him from his tone but let him sing one note and there is NO Doubt.
 
A few months back I jammed at the house with Mike( from the club) his drummer Pete and my old guitar player. I remember him telling Mike and Pete that he could tell my playing from my sound right away and how no mattter what I played through. Made me feel real good to hear that from Jeff, who happens to be an awesome guitar player.
 
Olie

Gotta add the late/great Roy Buchannon (sp?).

Ernie Isley, Vernon Reid, Eddie Hazel on guitar.
 
Bootsy Collins, Larry Graham on bass

Frank Gambale on guitar, Pino Palladino on bass, Ron Carter on upright bass, how about banjo? - Bela Fleck

I always thought that George Harrison's slide work was very easy to distinguish from anyone else's style. He was always very underrated as a guitar player and song writer.  
 
 
Regards,
Pete

Robert Cray deserves a mention as does Miles Davis, Augustus Pablo.
 
This subject got me thinking, and forgive me i'm not mad but is it possible to distinguish a dummer's sound from one beat of a drum. I can tell lenny white if he hits that kind of rim shot he does but from one beat of a drum i doubt if I could decifer any other drummer.
jazzyvee

I agree with many listed above, especially Fripp and Zappa, but I would also add Rory Gallagher and Snakefinger. Snakefinger had plenty of solo work, but may be best known ;-) for his work with the Residents. If you have never heard the Residents cover of Satisfaction, you are in for a treat.  Simply the worlds greatest guitar solo, EVER. Speaking of Satisfaction covers.......  
 
OOps, I almost forgot Gerry Casale (DEVO)

Andy Partridge.

David Byrne

Rahsaan Roland Kirk
 
(Message edited by CRobbins on March 13, 2008)

i thought we were just talking about guitar players, here.
i personally think any great musician should have their own distinctive sound.
Guys like Coltrane, Albert Ayler, Peter Brotzmann, Cecil Taylor, Don Cherry, Ornette, Ken Vandermark, Dave Holland, etc.
I can't really dig anybody that just sounds like someone else.

I love the  residents take on Elvis...'The king and eye' is a very sublime album.
 
 'My life in a bush of ghosts' (byrne) is a thing of beauty also.
 
Did anyone notice the zappa les paul on ebay uk?

...and I'm sure we've all heard Howard Roberts whether we know it or not...(gilligans island,brady bunch,...)

Yoko Ono.  
 
Bill, tgo