Is Kirk Hammett the worst guitar icon of all time?

[sumitagarwal]

I know this is going to make some people very angry, but I think I speak for the silent majority when (as a 30+ year Metallica fan) I wonder if the wah-pedal-abusing, box-pattern-flailing, crap-tone-even-on-a-59-LP Kirk Hammett is truly the worst guitar icon of all time.

What is your judgement?

*This is regarding his actual playing and ability as a musician!* From what I can tell he's a real stand up guy and almost certainly the nicest Metallica member still around from the good albums!

 

[Yul Brynner]

I just found it funny how quickly they went from For Whom the Bell Tolls, Disposable Heroes, and One to the nO sTeP oN sNeK album cover and Don't Tread on Me after making some money.

 

[STRHelvete]

I would hardly call one of the biggest guitarists of all time, the same guy who has inspired multiple generations of guitarists..a bad guitar player.

To me this is like the "Lars is a bad drummer" thing. You only need to be as good as it takes to carry your weight in the band and all the members of Metallica have shown they aren't just good musicians but work together.

May we all hope to be "crappy" half as well as Metallica.

 

[CanserDYI]

This guy obviously has never heard of Dave Mustaine.

Edit: ah, you mean playing. I should read better. Dave Mustaine is wildly good, but insufferable.

 

[Demiurge]

Bashing on Kirk is the sloppy pentatonics through wah pedal of music takes. Yeesh.

 

[sumitagarwal]

Bashing on Kirk is the sloppy pentatonics through wah pedal of music takes. Yeesh.

 

[StevenC]

No, it's Eric Clapton

 

[sumitagarwal]

This guy obviously has never heard of Dave Mustaine.

Edit: ah, you mean playing. I should read better. Dave Mustaine is wildly good, but insufferable.

Seems like the cosmic bargain is you can't be a nice guy and a good guitarist at the same time.

But somehow I fail at both.

 

[sumitagarwal]

No, it's Eric Clapton

Ooo, this might be the correct answer

 

[budda]

Kirk over Kerry King?

 

[gabito]

No, if we're talking about sloppy pentatonic playing that'd probably be Jimmy Page I guess.

I wish I could create stuff half as bad as what they've created, though.

 

[STRHelvete]

Kirk over Kerry King?

Kerry King is just the living spirit of Hot Topic. I wouldn't even consider him a guitarist.

 

[narad]

Kerry is forgiven:

 

[StevenC]

Kirk over Kerry King?

Kerry's got riffs at least

 

[gabito]

Kerry King is just the living spirit of Hot Topic. I wouldn't even consider him a guitarist.

Slayer's solos are low-key experimental guitar music. Put those over a Lou Reed record and nobody will notice. Slayer = hi-speed redneck avant-garde.

 

[sumitagarwal]

Slayer's solos are low-key experimental guitar music. Put those over a Lou Reed record and nobody will notice. Slayer = hi-speed redneck avant-garde.

100%

And it would absolutely crush Lulu...

 

[MetalDestroyer]

Despite his best efforts to toss it in the pisser these last few decades, Kirk deserves his spot in the pantheon IMO

 

[sumitagarwal]

Kerry is forgiven:

I really can't fault Kirk's taste in signature models. The KH-2 specifically is the pinnacle of no-nonsense superstrat evolution. Which by this time is vintage, but I like his more vintage stuff too.

 

[sumitagarwal]

Despite his best efforts to toss it in the pisser these last few decades, Kirk deserves his spot in the pantheon IMO

I think that's fair. Guitarists aren't the only ones with this problem. Just look at Ridley Scott!

 

[Crungy]

No, it's Eric Clapton

I was going to say Joe Bonamassa. I saw the title of this clip and was very let down. The bends sound good and it has feel but I don't think just because it has a lot feel doesn't mean it's amazing.



So I just hate Joe Bonamassa lmao