My Top 3 Most Influential Guitar Players

3. Peter Buck: as criminally underrated as some guitarists that I love are, Buck’s playing is far too unique for me to ignore. I could not think of a more unique guitarists that has created such popular pop melodies as Buck has with R.E.M. Buck’s slide guitar has always been of interest to me as well as his tone that is extremely bright sounds absolutely massive when paired with a slide. Buck’s use of open arpeggiated voicings lend themselves perfectly into the mood of all of R.E.M’s greatest hits.

2. Chris Poland: Without a doubt my favorite Fusion/Metal/Jazz/Shredder/Funk… really I could go on forever about the pure versatility of Poland’s playing, but the Bebop lines that he can somehow incorporate into a thrash album speaks for itself. Poland is the cleanest shredder to ever pick up a guitar, Period. His work with Megadeth and OHM are what I consider to be the pinnacle of uniqueness paired with genuine virtuosity. Poland’s isolated solo track from Peace Sells says it all.

1. Dean Deleo: Coming as no surprise to anyone who knows me, Dean’s playing has been the key factor in my interest to study chordal voicings and really let my own personal study be expressed through as many chord progressions as possible. Deleo’s tone is impeccable, if I had $2,700 to throw away on a Demeter TPG-3 Dean Deleo reissue preamp I would. I have never heard such a full, layered tone that cuts through the mix with so much brightness and high end, it really does amaze me listening to his isolated tracks.