Which guitarists do you think have been the most influential and groundbreaking players in history. Any genre, any era.

Django

Charlie Christian

Wes Montgomery

BB King

Hendrix

Clapton

Iommi

Blackmoore

Van Halen

Yngwie

Satriani

Vai

Thats what I think off the top of my head, but I've probabley missed out some really important ones.

Oops..........I forgot Robert Johnson.

Nice. The three big ones in rock for me are Jimi Hendrix, EVH and Yngwie.

Blues: Robert Johnson annd B.B King.

Classical: Andreas Segovia

Flamenco: Paco de Lucia

Alternative/Fusion: John Mclaughlin Allan Holdsworth

I told you i'd forget some important ones! Some good choices there.

I suppose you could argue the point from a few different angles. I mean, Kurt Kobain wasn't necessarily a great guitarist, but he has been very influential to a whole legion of kids who picked up the guitar because of him.

Jimmy Page could also be a contender considering the influence of Led Zep.

Al Di Meola
Jeff Beck
Jason Becker
Jimmy Hendrix
Eric Clapton

Off the top of my head...

Robert Johnson
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Jimi Hendrix
Eddie Van Halen
Randy Rhoads
Yngwie Malmsteen
George Lynch
Chuck Berry

Marty Friedman

Jimi Hendrix

Eddie van Halen

Paco de Lucia

Yngwie Malmsteen

Jimmy Page

Jeff Beck

Dave Mustaine

Chuck Shuldiner

Ritchie Blackmore

Woops :o Seems like I'm not the only one who forgot Robert Johnson, haha!

Yeah - sometimes it's easy to take the blues for granted. But as my grandpapy used to say - "If yo don't remember where yo come form, yo won't know where yo gonna get" - or some other crap like that.

LOL!!!

Yngwie Malmsteen
Vinnie Moore
Tony Macalpine
Steve Vai
Al Di Meola
Paco Delucia

Right now Vinman is really doing it for me. I have so many influences, and new ones everyday.

The most influental guitarist ever is Hendrix, he has influenced a heck of a lot more people than anyone else i can think of.