An acoustic guitar produces a sound that has a calming effect on the mind. It’s least surprising why mellow strains of an acoustic guitar are frequently associated with neo-romanticism. This article brings to light the best acoustic guitarists from various music genres.

An acoustic guitar produces a sound that has a calming effect on the mind. It’s least surprising why mellow strains of an acoustic guitar are frequently associated with neo-romanticism. This article brings to light the best acoustic guitarists from various music genres.

The acoustic guitar is used in various genres of music. Textural ambiance and soundscape an acoustic guitar adds to a composition make it a popular instrument among musicians and composers. Guitar techniques used by acoustic guitarists from across the globe is astounding. Besides using a plectrum to pick strings, guitarists may use finger style methods or hybrid style techniques for the desired sound and feel.

Acoustic guitar techniques

Percussive guitar styles are used by several modern guitar players.

Most acoustic guitar techniques are self developed by guitar players that comes through years of practice or habituated tendencies of fingers. There are some aspects of guitar that have to be learnt, practiced and mastered, however what comes naturally when you play around with the instrument becomes your style. Acoustic plucking is exceedingly popular in love songs and rock ballads. Several accomplished instrumental acoustic guitarists use customized acoustic guitars. Sound and resonance varies in accordance with type of wood used, construction of the guitar by the luthier, guitar method, and playing style of the guitarist. Flatpicking and fingerstyle techniques used by acoustic guitar players in various genres are beyond imagination.

This list includes Classical guitarists and Flamenco guitarists. In no way does this list attempts to rank guitarists, it’s just a celebration of great guitar players in acoustic realms, each with an individual style and technique.

100 greatest acoustic guitarists from various genres

1. Michael Hedges (Fingerstyle/ New Age/World Music)

2. Paco de Lucia (Flamenco)

3. Django Reinhardt (Gypsy Jazz)

4. Eddie Lang (Jazz)

5. Earl Klugh (Smooth Jazz)

6. Alex De Grassi (Fingerstyle)

7. Tommy Emmanuel (Fingerstyle/Folk)

8. Andy McKee (Fingerstyle/Percussive)

9. John Fahey (Folk/ Avant-Garde/ American Primitivism)

10. Nick Webb (Jazz)

11. Andres Segovia (Classical)

12. Don Ross (Percussive/Fingerstyle)

13. Pierre Bensusan (New Age/Celtic/World Music)

14. Erik Mongrain (Percussive/Tapping)

15. Peter Lang (Folk/American Primitivism)

16. Kaki King (Percussive/Fingerstyle)

17. Vicente Amigo- (Flamenco)

18. Julian Bream (Classical)

19. Jesse Cook (New Age/Jazz)

20. Leo Kottke (Folk/ American Primitivism)

21. Billy McLaughlin (New Age/World Music)

22. Davey Graham (Folk/Blues/)

23. Jon Gomm (Fingerstyle/Percussive)

24. Preston Reed (Fingerstyle/Folk/Percussive)

25. William Ackerman (New Age/Jazz)

26. Doyle Dykes (Country)

27. Thomas Leeb (Fingerstyle/Ambient)

28. Al Petteway (Fingerstyle, Pop, Celtic)

29. Trace Bundy (Fingerstyle/Tapping)

30. Agustin Pio Barrios (Classical)

31. Diego del Gastor (Flamenco)

32. Pete Huttlinger (Fingerstyle/Pop/Country/Folk)

33. Justin King (Percussive/Tapping)

34. Antoine Dufour (Fingerstyle/Instrumental/Folk)

35. Doc Watson (Country/Folk)

36. Juanjo Dominguez (Classical)

37. Pat Kirtley (Fingerstyle/Pop)

38. John Williams (Classical)

39. Gerardo Nunez (Flamenco)

40. Tony Rice (Bluegrass/Country/Folk/Americana)

41. Shaun Hopper (Percussive/New Age/Folk)

42. Greg Carmichael (Jazz)

43. Sabicas (Flamenco)

44. Eric Tingstad (Smooth Jazz/Americana/Country)

45. Doug Smith (Fingerstyle/Folk)

46. Peter Rowan (Country, Bluegrass/Country/Folk)

47. Monte Montgomery (Acoustic Rock/Blues)

48. Narciso Yepes (Classical)

49. Carlos Montoya (Classical)

50. Ewan Dobson (Fingerstyle/Bluegrass/ Acoustic Metal)

51. Peter Finger (Folk/Jazz)

52. Tomatito (Flamenco)

53. El McMeen (Fingerstyle/Celtic/Folk/Gospel)

54. Tony McManus (Celtic)

55. Buster B. Jones (Country/Blues)

56. Christopher Parkening (Classical)

57. Eric Skye (Jazz)

58. Jeff Linsky (Fingerstyle/ Jazz)

59. Stefan Grossman (Blues, Folk)

60. William Coulter (Folk/Celtic)

61. Manolo Sanlucar (Flamenco)

62. Pat Donohue (Fingerstyle/Country/Folk)

63. Tom Long (Celtic)

64. Richard Gilewitz (Fingerstyle/Folk)

65. Bill Mize (Fingerstyle/ New Age, Jazz)

66. Tim Sparks (Jazz/Blues/Ragtime)

67. Nino Ricardo (Flamenco)

68. Armik (New Age/Flamenco)

69. Steve Baughman (Celtic)

70. Richard Smith (Fingerstyle/Country/Folk)

71. Blind Willie Mc Tell (Fingerstyle/Gospel/Blues/Ragtime)

72. Eliot Fisk (Classical)

73. Duck Baker (Fingerstyle/Bluegrass/Folk/Country)

74. Tommy Jones (Folk/Jazz)

75. Muriel Anderson (Fingerstyle Bluegrass)

76. Sharon Isbin (Classical)

77. Joscho Stephan (Gypsy Jazz)

78. Craig D’ Andrea (Fingerstyle/Folk/Percussive)

79. Michael Gulezian (Fingerstyle/Folk)

80. Bryan Sutton (Country/Bluegrass)

81. Angel Romero (Classical)

82. Kazuhito Yamashita (Classical)

83. Robbie Basho (Fingerstyle/Jazz)

84. Brooks Williams (Jazz/Blues/Country)

85. Peppino D’ Agostino (Fingerstyle, Jazz)

86. Tim Farrell (Fingerstyle/Folk)

87. Paul Galbraith (Classical)

88. Bruce Mathiske (Gypsy Jazz, Folk)

89. Yamandu Costa (Bossa nova/Samba/Milonga)

90. Robin Bullock (Fingerstyle, Celtic)

91. David Grier (Bluegrass/Country/Folk)

92. Mario Escudero (Flamenco)

93. Brooks Robertson (Country/Folk)

94. John Knowles (Country/Folk)

95. Pepe Romero (Classical/Flamenco)

96. Manuel Barrueco (Classical)

97. Raphael Rabello (World Music/Bossa nova)

98. Bireli Lagrene (Gypsy Jazz)

99. Kotaro Oshio (Fingerstyle/New Age/Jazz/ Tapping/Tap harmonics)

100. Goran Sollscher (Classical)

Squeezing just 100 acoustic guitarists was a tough task. Feel free to mention acoustic guitar players you regard highly but haven’t made it in this list. The aim of this post is to showcase incredible acoustic guitarists.

Love n’ Peace
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