Who Are The Biggest Influences On Your Guitar Playing?

VictorB

VictorB

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It could be famous guitarist, a guitar teacher you had, a family member, or even someone who plays a different instrument...

My dad is my biggest influence when it comes to practicing, but who I listen/ed to the most that actually had an effect on my playing, seems to be Jimmy Page, Johnny Winter, Dickey Betts, and Warren Haynes.
 
I've got a friend and somehow we always made each other play better, like a yin and a yang. We started out jamming in the '80s we'd play rhythms and then toss around the lead. He's easily my biggest influence; we both went from not knowing what we were doing to whaling over a few years. Still play with him on occasion; still have that magical musical connection. Also had a shredder teacher for a couple of years back in the '80s, fantastic guitarist named Steve McKnight. He could listen to something a few times through and have the whole song down. Amazing memory. I picked up a lot of cool stuff from him.

Musically my influences are mainly melodic shred meisters at the moment - Satriani, Santana, Schenker, Petrucci, Beck. Not saying I can play like them, but that's what I've been learning these last few years on guitar.
 
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VictorB said:
It could be famous guitarist, a guitar teacher you had, a family member, or even someone who plays a different instrument...

My dad is my biggest influence when it comes to practicing, but who I listen/ed to the most that actually had an effect on my playing, seems to be Jimmy Page, Johnny Winter, Dickey Betts, and Warren Haynes.
Click to expand...

For me, historically, and starting at the age of 12 up until the early 80s, it would be: Ritchie Blackmore, Dickey Betts, Warren Haynes.
 
Brad Gillis and Brian May. I could play all of Brads solos on the first three Night Ranger Albums back in the day. But I gave up using the Floyd after 10 years to further develop my own style. And honestly, learning your favorite songs sometimes takes away the magic of listening to the recordings when you learn everything note for note from the record.

I only know a few Queen tunes for the same reason. They are my favorite band. And I really love to listen to them.
 
The 9 year old me thanks Ed Sullivan for inviting George Harrison to perform in February of 64. But for that I'd probably have remained a trumpet playing cellist. But watching Harrison's comping that evening inspired me to pester the shit out of my parents, who relented and presented me with classical lessons...

Stephen Antionez was my first guitar teacher. I never looked back. Fast forward from 1964 to the 80's....
Probably Bill Evans, and Miles Davis. but.... there's a long list of musicians who have inspired my aspirations.
It's impossible to separate in which direction my influencers manifested my pursuits.
 
rolandson said:
The 9 year old me thanks Ed Sullivan for inviting George Harrison to perform in February of 64. But for that I'd probably have remained a trumpet playing cellist. But watching Harrison's comping that evening inspired me to pester the shit out of my parents, who relented and presented me with classical lessons...

Stephen Antionez was my first guitar teacher. I never looked back. Fast forward from 1964 to the 80's....
Probably Bill Evans, and Miles Davis. but.... there's a long list of musicians who have inspired my aspirations.
It's impossible to separate in which direction my influencers manifested my pursuits.
Click to expand...
My instructor in 1984 was a guy up in your neck of thee woods named Chris Sorensen. He got me wailing in a few months. He introduced me to Hendrix. He also taught me to develop my ear.
 
I don't really have any sort of influence, I play what I like and whatever stems from that is what you get lol
 
My Dad, the two guitar players in the band he was in, Rick Bailey and Randy Marcum, George Harrison, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, Jim Heath. Although I was surrounded by music, and especially loved the Beatles, when I was very young, I wasn't really interested in learning guitar until I borrowed dad's Woodstock soundtrack and heard Jimi Hendrix play the national anthem. So I would say Hendrix would be the most important influence, because I mightn't have started playing if not for him.
That said, my dad taught me to play, and when I was around 14, I started playing with him and Rick Bailey. Rick Taught me how to play rhythm, and play in a group. Later on he taught me how to play lead, I'd put them both solidly at the biggest influence on my style of playing.
Since then, I've modeled my playing most after George Harrison, Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry.
 
Had a friend in 7th grade that had a few guitars in their house. The four member family all played some. Where I got my interest and learned my first bits. They had: an early 70s Tele Thinline, two six string acoustics and a 12 string acoustic.

I received this model acoustic in December 1974 - not my image. The action was suitable for slide, but learned full barre chords on it.

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Showing off my barre skills with the next guitar (Kingston) that a neighbor gave to me along with a small 60s tube amp. Might have been a Magnatone. Wish I had saved them. Had a nice neck for what it was. Big hands were most helpful.

The neighbor was ~10 years older than me and had been in various bands I remember as a kiddo. One band name was "Reunited 27". He was quite a gear flipper too.

Got to see and play some pretty cool examples of classic gear; a Jimmy Page style Echoplex, a Dan Armstong Ampeg acrylic guitar with both slide in pickups, a checker bound Rickenbacker 4001, an early 70s ash Strat, a custom made 6 / 12 doubleneck made with Fender 12 / Mustang bits, A Les Paul Recording Model with low impedance pickups, a 100 watt Hiwatt stack and various Fender amps I cannot recall.

Never had a regular job I was aware of. He was a small time weed and who knows what other substances dealer. A perfect influence on me, taught me a lot of chops to get me started. Once I turned 18 or so I'd smoke with him too.

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It was around that time I discovered Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix and Deep Purple. All huge influences, especially Jimmy Page.

Had to get a Les Paul because of Jimmy. I got this used '73 Lester which I have had since 1976. Guitar face was inevitable. A scan from a badly faded 1977 color negative I heavily tweaked to get this image. The Frampton Comes Alive LPC was the influence for the gold knobs.


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The Lester as it is today. I still have all original hardware.

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