These are my favorite players (considering I'm basically a rock guitar lover):
David Gilmour ...who translate in music and great sounds the genius of Roger Waters
Nuno Bettencourt...a ray of light of inspiration between tons of great but cold guitar's hero at the end of '80
Gary Moore...every single note sustained by his physical strength
Mark Knopfler...a sort of movie director...every song and solo seems to recall images related to notes you're listening
Steve Ray Vaughan...simply because I've tried to find a defect and didn't find it...he play live as in studio, always 110% in the groove...
I know it sounds like an "average" decision....but those are the best for me.
But there are several others which probably are not so "important" for guitar or not so famous like:
- Chris De Garmo/ Micheal Wilton (Queensryche perfect duo)
- Adrian Smith/ Dave Murray (Maiden...Smith is my favourite)
- James Hetfield/K. Hammet (...I vote for Hetfield)
- Steve Lukather (Ok this is masterclass guitar player but I have to remind him somewhere)
- Jimmy Page (ops...)
...ok I have to close