Over rated. Completely.

"OOOOOOHHH HAMMER-ONS ZOMG"

I've been playing guitar myself for quite a few years and while Eddie Van Halen is a very good guitar player, there is a tendency to overrate him, especially from those who've heard his hammer-ons and think he's God's gift to the guitar. His technique is quite good but sometimes less is more and that's why players like Chet Atkins, Mark Knopfler, and even Joe Satriani-with whom I frequently see Van Halen compared-are all better guitar players. Frequently those who rate Eddie Van Halen as the best guitarist of all time are headbangers or party animals who haven't heard the likes of Les Paul, Django Rheinhardt, or Al DiMeola-all of whom I consider better guitarists than Van Halen.

im a guitarist my self and take it from me he is not over rated and does not lack versatility anyone who sais so dosent know what the are talking about eddies changed the way guitars are played and has by many well known guitarists been noted to of changed guitarist styles all over the world.and if you want versatility the man youse to be a classical pianist.get it right and know your facts.also look how many good to bad marks there are a million birds cant be wrong.

He's overated

Notice in a lot of late 60s and 70s hard rock there is just something missing. Eddie nailed the tone along with many other problems which had not been tackled. This tone gave way to the feeling which Eddie emotes when playing in the form of his picking, harmonics and tremelo usage. The tapping for me is just a bonus component which spiced up his excellent lead style. Rhythm is also where Eddie rains supreme... Notice players like Joe S and Steve V layer many many tracks on top of each other to create their songs... Yes they are great players but Eddie's guitar can carry an entire song which says a lot.

Someone else please name a player before or during Eddie's time who combined their own ripping tone with the tremelo usage (whammy bar) tapping and lead and rhythm style the way Eddie did... cant be done! The first album Van Halen (1978) in my eyes is on of the best guitar driven albums released. Is he still technically the best? Long shot! no of course not. But he is an innovator none the less.

EVH is a good guitarist. Something seems to be missing.

UPDATE: I pledge...to refrain from baiting Eddie's fanatical disciples with comments about his limited range and repetative techniques, unless absolutely provoked.

ORIGINAL COMMENT: A likeable guy with lots of flash and style but for me its all in one ear and out the other.   Doc Watson, John Renbourn and Leo Kotke are as impressive or more when they are warming up and they do it all without a bunch of pedals, cables, processors and guitars that can go to 11. 

THE ABSOLUTE BEST ! PERIOD !! BECAUSE B-MAC SAID SO !!!

Guitar GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HE OWNS

This is best in ability, not most popular people...

Eddie's a damn good guitarists but the band as a whole isn't very good.

Remarkable in magnitude, effectiveness, full of intense with his playing. The greatest player in the universe.

one of the greats!  I once witnessed a grown man lactate because he was so moved by eddie's playing.  the band ain't much to speak of with their silly teenage boy with an erection lyrics and the rest of the musicians have a hard time keeping up with evh.  docked a notch for giving david lee roth a platform for his awful vocals and hair. 

In case any of you whiny snorks didn't notice, I gave VH a 3 star rating.  I'd hardly call myself a fan.  Pay attention dickhead!

EVH isn't really terrible, but I've given him a *1* to offset one of the votes from his abysmally ignorant fans. 

BTW, David Lee Roth is the best thing about this band!

No way, no how is Eddie van Halen the best guitarist in the world. He should be beaten up for allowing Dave Lee Roth near a stage, never mind anything else...

one of the best shreders around...

  Eddie is one of the best guitar players of all time, but he certainly aint the best

Wot also pisses me off is the way people always say Eddie was the first person to use finger tapping, when the likes of Ace Frehley were doing it long before he was

Not bad, stole from everybody.  I need to elaborate. EVH popularized the "tap" style of playing and was always a tastefull guitarist. Just enough soloing to support the song. IMO Van Halen was never better than when David Lee Roth was the lead singer. What enormous egos Eddie and DLR have to deprive the rock and roll world of their combined talent. You egomaniacs suck!

Most innovative, creative, musical, and technically proficient rock guitarist of all time. Changed guitar forever.

The greatest ever! My childhood was great. Thanks to Eddie and the 80's.

what a bunch of a**holes. Eddie changed the face of guitar for an entire generation....and you make stupid remarks like, "no that bad..." and "stole from everybody..." You are a bunch of frikkin guitar snobs. I don't know who "#! is because it's all so subjective. But, I suppose, I am nobody compared to the brilliance of you guys,,,,

  I like him, to a point, but I can't stand EVH zealots who mark ones on other guitarists just because they're not EVH. Not a bad guitarist, kind of catchy at times, no where near the god some people seem to think he is. Playing fast doesn't make anyone a great guitarist in fact occasionally makes them less enjoyable. Being self taught doesn't mean anything and never really happens, every guitar player learns things from others by listening to them.  

There are guitarists that are more polished and probably better, but there are a couple of things that increase his ranking, in my opinion. He has a distinctive sound and leaves little doubt who you are listening to when he plays. There's also the fact that he was self taught on the guitar, which goes a long way with me. I can also throw a little sentimentality into the mix since I've always been a Van Halen fan.

There are better guitarist out there, but blues really don't do shit for me. A song doesn't have to be a masterpiece instrumentally. When I'm really in the mood to rock, I wanna rock...its that simple.

Eddie van halen in my view one of the greatest elecritions ever. But as a guitarist there is nothin g grea about him I mean creating modifications on the guitar does'nt make you a good guiarist.

There's nothing wrong with him, but there's no genius here. None of the flaring, incandescent brilliance of say, four dozen or more of the other folks on this list. None of the influence of say twenty others on this list.

Nothing says "flash in the pan" like "Eddie Van Halen." Except maybe his pathetic, brainless fans, who mark one star for everyone on this list who gets close to their beloved Eddie.

And as far as making his own pedals, amps, pick-ups etc, that may make Van Halen a hell of an inventor or an electrician, but it doesn't say anything about his playing ability. 

Not just his speed but his accuracy and precision. The degree of closeness. Be able to calculate the quantity and measure the quality of tones. Hands down! Eddie is the greatest ever!

Was the best in the 80s and can still rip.

Come on..if you don't like him then you should not take this survey

HOTS 4 TEACHERAS

A fair guitarist but lacks versality

The King, Absolutely the greatest of all time.

eddies good but a little over rated.   johnholt did u here micheal schenker  w/ ufo in the 70's

Not my favorite, but respect him as a musician.

No review needed

you suck for making me choose

ROCK ON!!!!!!

The Best

my opinion one of the best all time --he invented so much on guitar that most rock gutarists use today

The absolute best....

Great guitar and voice definite top 5

Nothing but respect for Eddie. He's talented, and tasteful and makes flashy fun.

The best untill the late eighties when he began writting the same song over anf over again. Still awesome though.

Eddie was always great at improvisation, and creativity so he gets big points for me. Not to mention very influential for a great many guitarists. I have to give him big points because he was the one that got me interested in playing guitar in the first place. Maybe it was that "brown" sound of his that hit the spot. And it is my opinion that his playing has only gotten better over time. All the licks that he used to have a bit of trouble with (no guitarist is flawless) he hits without problem now.
He just seems to be a guitarist that constantly impresses me, so it's impossible for me to give him a low score. Rather than play the notes, he FEELS the notes, especially live. Live he is exciting and lovable to watch, so again, big points there. He is also talented in other instruments, such as the keyboard, piano, and drums. Can't really go wrong with this one. :)

-Cursed 

i just wanna help hendrix to #1!!!

a little overrated

Where do you start? one of the best ever for certain.

hellz ya man hes awesome great great great guitarest bitch!