Jeff Beck versus Ritchie Blackmore versus Peter Townshend!

[Foxhound]

Vote for Jeff Beck!

 

[Slip'nn2Darkness]

Ritchie Blackmore

 

[TheFeldster]

Vote for Jeff Beck!

Yes sir

 

[Odysseus]

This is a cruel poll!:

My choice rests with Mr. Townsend. Not just guitar but a total songwriter as well. He always lifts my spirits.

Jeff and Ritchie are unique in their own ways but not as complete as Pete.

Ultimately, there is no question all three have significantly contributed to the classic rock genre. Jimmy Page as well (in spades I might add). If any of them never played another lick, I'd be fine with it. Their legacies are timeless as I continue to discover happy nooks and crannies in there music.

 

[Foxhound]

Here's Jeff as a struggling young guitarist after he'd sold the shirt off his back to buy new guitar strings:

 

[Groovy Man]

First, let me say I really love all three guitarists.

I couldn't choose who's the best?

but, Pete Townshend brings me the most pleasure of all of these guitarists.

Especially, Townshend live - he's insane - a madman - he's intense.

And yes - I know Jeff Beck and Blackmore are great live too, trust me, I know...but there's something about Pete live - it's pretty wild. I'm sure Who fans know what I'm talkin' about!

 

[flipflop]

Too bad he hasn't put out any new material in 15 years. How long is he going to rest on his laurels rehashing Zep tunes?

Anyway...

The latest Page/Plant-thing was in 98. That'd make it 12 years

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that Beck hasn't done too much for guitar playing since the 70's, really. That's when he pulled out all the stops, imo. His 80's stuff has me cribbling my toes, must admit. Jeff Beck in the 90's? How many new albums with new material has he released?

I like Jeff Beck, sure, but he's not everything he's sometimes pumped up to be. There's gotta be a reason that both Page and Clapton made a lot more of it than he did. Some would argue that the listeners are 'too dumb' to get it but... I'd argue that Page and Clapton are in fact better players and writers.

Anyway, I picked Blackmore. Easy for me.

 

[Foxhound]

There's gotta be a reason that both Page and Clapton made a lot more of it than he did.

Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page were in better bands that put out better music, that's why.

But the poll question isn't which of these three guitarists was in the bands that put out the best music. It was which of these three guitarists do you like the best.

I like Jeff Beck, sure, but he's not everything he's sometimes pumped up to be.

Jeff's guitar work comes off very well in comparison when any of these fellows share the same stage though.

 

[Vintage]

I disagree. Granted, Jimmy Page had a really good run with Led Zeppelin. I'd still have to go with Jeff Beck over Jimmy, however, for these two reasons:

1. The output of the Yardbirds with Jeff Beck as the lead guitarist e.g. "Heart Full of Soul", "Over, Under, Sideways, Down", "Still I'm Sad", etc. was far superior to their output with Jimmy Page as the lead guitarist e.g. "Little Games", "Ten Little Indians", "Ha Ha Said the Clown", etc.

2. Jeff Beck has continued to experiment and expand the boundaries of guitar playing in the last 25 years. Jimmy Page has done little in comparison. Part of this may be due to Jeff having escaped the drug problems with which Jimmy was plagued.

I'm inclined to favor Beck over Page for similar reasons. Beck continues to push the envelope to this day while Page is still stuck in the 70s. Sadly, Page hasn't been very prolific since Led Zeppelin called it day in 1980.

 

[b.o.b.]

Ritchie Blackmore