The 6 Coolest Strat Solos Ever.

[matonanjin]

Really?  Well according to Guitar World anyway. Well, according to Chris Gill at Guitar World anyway.  We haven't had any discussions like this on here for a while.  No arguments please.  Keep it civil.  But according to Mr. Gill here are the 6 Coolest Strat Solos Ever.

What do you think? 

Me?  Jimi Hendrisx: Voodoo Child (Slight Return).  Check

David Gilmour: Comfortably Numb.  Check.  Not just one of the Coolest Strat Solos ever.  One of the greatest solos ever. Period.

Stevie Ray Vaughan.  Texas Flood.  Sure. 

But Dire Straits.  Sultans of Swing?  I love this song but Coolest Strat Solo ever?  Nope.

And the rest of them?  Meh.

[Plantsman13]

I'll go along with Hendrix, SRV, Deep Purple, and Gilmour (which is still my favorite).  My problem is my favorite solos are just that, musical, and not limited by the guitar played.  I've never been the Strat vs Les Paul vs Ric type of guy...just the OMG, what did that artist just do with that instrument in his/her hands.

Bryan

[gotto]

"Cool" to me means something different than "greatest". The coolist may also be the greatest but they are not interchangeable in my mind. That said (not to be argumentative ?), in defense of Sultans Of Swing I was instantly smitten with the catchiness of the guitar play overall by Mark Knopfler and the hooky nature of the lead work. It was really unlike anything I had ever come across musically in that uniqueness, I think because of the snappy percussive fingerstyle plucking technique he employs. I personally  think this is very cool, and in truth, very difficult to reproduce. You do not see cover bands try to reproduce this song live, ever in my experience, and really capture the vibe of the original. Just like Matonanjin, I love this song. Only my thoughts on "Coolness".......?

Greg

Edited July 8, 2018 by gotto

[matonanjin]

Greg, I could not agree with you more and you are not being argumentative.  "Smitten" is a great word for the way I also felt when I first heard "Sultans".   How many times did I play it?   And it was Mark's unique fingerstyle playing that created that hook, that catchy rhythm that was such a breath of fresh air at the peak of disco.  But was it a cool solo in the strict sense or a guitar solo?  I would argue that Brothers in Arms has a much "cooler" or "greater" Strat Guitar Solo.  But there is no arguing that Sultans of Swing is one cool Strat song.

Two things: 

1. 1) My wife and I were in Las Vegas a couple (few?) years ago to celebrate our anniversary.  For which we went to the top of the Stratosphere for dinner. They actually had a very good cover band playing and they did an outstanding job of covering "Sultans".   Unfortunately, I don't remember the name of the band. They did " capture the vibe of the original" and  I went up to them as we were leaving and told them so.  Even though the lead guitar player was playing a semi-hollow Gibson (335?) ?
2. Somewhere in my mountain of cd's I have a recording of  live version of "Sultans of Swing".  It's doubtful that I can find it and I'm not sure where I got it or where concert was.  But if you think what you've heard so far is "cool" just wait.  There is about a 5 minute intro of the rest of the band jamming and then Mark comes in with that riff.  I can visualize his coming on stage and starting in.  Should I find it pm you.

Ron

[gotto]

I would like that. Brothers in Arms-incredibly moving as a song and I would agree, much greater as a solo. One of my all time favorites. Vegas is one of the best places to see any bands, cover or otherwise. I need to get back there someday...it has been a while.

Greg

[matonanjin]

Greg,  @gotto I was looking for that CD and realized as I was looking that it wasn't Sultans but Money for Nothing.  Which doesn't matter because I am still looking.  But as I was looking I came across a CD with a half dozen live recordings of Clapton, Santana, et. al.  I have no idea where I got the songs.

But one of them is Sultans of Swing with Knopfler and Clapton.  I wasn't sure how to get that to you when I decided to look for the concert on YT.   I think it's very cool despite the horrible 70's video quality:

 

[gotto]

Very cool. He was playing a Pensa Suhr guitar back then for any guitar nerds that may be interested. We are working on this in my rock/blues band...it is hard to recreate his spanky plucking style tonally. Very unique finger pickings style.

Greg

[Wim VD]

Eric Johnson's Cliffs of Dover is in my top 3 of coolest Strat solo's.

Wim.

Edited August 3, 2018 by Wim VD