John:
 
One correction to your metaphor.  Jerry painted the heavens above the house during the day, and the Dark Stars at night.
 
Bill, tgo

I like this thread, Fun! The scalloped neck thing was Yngwie Malmsteen's thing in the 80's. I think fender made his line of guitars that way. Now that guy was a technical master. All those classical scales and Marshal distortion.  
   But what is Rock anyway? There is so much music that led up to it. I was watching Bird yesterday and at the end of the film the Coleman Hawkins character was playing some of Parkers licks within penatonic scales and they were calling it rock&roll, cause' it hit on the one. Blues, rock, Jazz, soul, country, whatever. I don't see much difference anymore. I like it all!

Young Guitarist Henry Garza is someone to watch. Clean without all the effects.
 
Noted for the song:
How far is Heaven

Yeah Bill,  he did seem to have a way to get way up there and look back at the world and the music going on but truly for me the Dead was a back bone of grooves and percussive elements that like a foundation it was fun and exciting for me to build on as Jerry conducted it, but I dig where your comin from. Oh and as far as Ralph kickin Vai's Ass, I had always heard that Ralph does play guitar well but was doing  the air guitar thing and Vai did both guitar tracks for the movie crossroads but I never confirmed it
 
(Message edited by john judge on August 23, 2009)

IIRC, it was Ry Cooder who laid down Ralph's track for Crossroads.

Thanks for the info Adam, I wasn't sure who it was but I had heard from a lot of  people that it wasn't Ralph doing it.

For me, Steve Vai's former employer; Mr Frank Zappa. For his sheer unmitigated audacity.

John, Vai is credited with all the work in the final battle scene of the movie. Cooder might have done some of the blues playing, I don't know that for sure. Allegedly, Ralph was fingering the parts accurately until it hit the classical part, but, of course, my comments were a joke.
 
I'll also take this opportunity to add Santana to my list...

I thought Arlen Roth coached Ralph in that flick..

Yes according to wikipedia Arlen Roth did all of Ralph's parts in the movie Crossroads and Ry played the bluesy riffs during the movie

In my younger days my favorite's were John Sykes, Jake E. Lee, Neal Schon, Randy Rhodes, Steve Vai and Joe Satriani. These gentlemen still are my favorites and others have accumulated as I've discovered much of the great guitarists that came before them (and influenced them).  
I still listen to Vai a lot, and I mean a lot. He creates well crafted songs that are'nt just tech heavey show pieces but, with beautiful melodies and arrangements, they hold my attention just as consistently as a great Bach piece(Cello Suite in G Major is a particular favorite) and what a performer! I've seen him twice and the man delivers. I would love to play in his band but I'm a little busy at the moment.      
I know there are some members here that would probably scoff at the sight of Vai but, we must remember this is a listening based art form we are involved in. So no matter how much pomp is involved, there are those that are more visually extroverted and those that are simply subdued but can be equally amazing to the ears which is what matters first and foremost.  
 Get down my Alembic Brethren! Adam

Great thread. For me it is and will likely always be Steve Howe. He entertains me like no other.
 
I was surprised though to see someone else mention Adrian Belew, because that;s what the Vai video reminded me of. I will always be fond of his work with King Crimson and his solo stuff from the same era.  More favs...  
 
Jimmy Page
Stevie Ray Vaughn
Pete Towsend
John Lennon  
Alex Lifeson
John Frusciante
David Bowie
 
I like these players for various reasons and not necessarily technique and execution.  The dude playing/touring with Steely Dan is tremendous as is the guy in Pearl Jam.  
 
Colin

Hendrix - did it for me..changed my life..seriously after hearing Voodoo Chile..it still makes me shudder and the hairs on my neck stand up.
 
Robert Fripp -  then came into my ears..technically brilliant even though he can be a bore on stage.
I would recommend trying his blistering cross picking technique and try to get it accurate(FrackTured from The Construktion of Light)is a good example
 
John McLaughlin - Okay not straight rock but the Inner Mounting Flame & Birds of Fire were at a devastating pace which made the rock audience sit up and notice.
I latched onto his Indian style as it was so different in 1976.
 
But all the previous ones mentioned have there place in rock music and deserve it totally...favourites is a matter of personal opinion.
 
Then I discovered funk....and it's bass players!!!

richbass..Johns scalloped and sympathetic string guitar was designed by Andrew Wechter and built by Gibson(the one on the front cover of the 1st Shakti album) He has second made with a bottom cutaway so he could access the upper frets.
Awesome guitar!!! he used the lightest guage strings so he could play fast and bend them.
Malsteem took the idea to his Strats along with the others mentioned

Terry Kath
Steve Howe
David Gilmour