Total Guitar editor Scott Rowley said of the list: "What's nice about it is that it's not some music critic's opinion of the best guitarists - these guys might not be 'cool' by any music critic's viewpoint but they genuinely are the fastest, loudest, most exciting players in rock and roll."

The complete list is as follows

1. Jimi Hendrix.
2. Jimmy Page.
3. Eric Clapton.
4. Slash.
5. Brian May.
6. Joe Satriani.
7. Eddie Van Halen.
8. Dave Gilmour.
9. Kirk Hammett (Metallica).
10. Steve Vai.
11. Carlos Santana.
12. James Hetfield (Metallica).
13. Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine).
14. Kurt Cobain (Nirvana).
15. Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits).
16. Zakk Wylde (Ozzy Osbourne).
17. Gary Moore.
18. Jeff Beck.
19. Stevie Ray Vaughan.
20. Angus Young (AC/DC)