rogifan said:

PeteSilas said:

subjective, matter of taste, i think both of them had lots of room for improvement. Hendrix was sloppy live, Prince wasn't perfect either but no one is. In terms of impact, legacy with the instrument, no one comes close to Hendrix, so much so that people forget all the other stuff he did well(showman,songwriter, producer).

I agree with subjective. For example I always felt Jimmy Page was a sloppy player. Same with Neil Young. Yet many swear they’re both brilliant. Sorry I don’t get the brilliance in this. Sounds awful to me.

Well of course if you're going to give a bad example.
Take this:

I don't understand everyone chiming in this "apple vs. orange" issue.
Total different era, completely different approach.
Jimi, Led Zep, Neil Young and others were going for organic.

Prince was tight. He's the best rhythm guitarist ever.

But here's a good example of "sloppy" Prince, giving Jimi a run for his money.

And if you insist on comparing the virtuoso poses, here, my dear.

[Edited 1/8/18 0:20am]

PeteSilas said:

databank said:

What appears to me is that Prince was a better guitar player in his later years than in the 80's, despite what some hysterions have claimed. Similarly, I find ONA much superior in terms of piano than Intimate Moments, again despite what same hysterions claimed back in 2002. Now I don't play any instrument so I can only judge from a listeners' perspective, and I'm open to any guitar or piano player (as opposed to non musicians) challenging my claim.

Prince was better as he got older, he was a better singer too and as much as people might disagree I think he got cleaner in his production. It's the same for a lot of artists though, their seminal work was done comparatively haphazardly and with limited means. Elvis' sun sessions were about as primitive as moder music gets but it's still better than most of the stuff that came after. But by the 70s' elvis' productions were far superior even if the product wasn't. there's an interview with him laughing about how "funny" the early records sound.

He definitely got much cleaner in his production (and indeed most artists follow that path as they age). Beginning with D&P his albums sound like they've been recorded in real studios, as opposed to his basement

Was it for better or worse, it's up to anyone to decide. But what Prince lost in spontaneity, he gained in sophistication.

PeteSilas said:

rogifan said:

PeteSilas said:

morris hayes said something interesting, he said steve vai had Morris give prince a guitar or something because he was his hero, steve vai is technically better than both, he once said he was better player than jimi, not in an egotistical manner, but he said stated he was only following a style that jimi pioneered. Steve's awesome and humble.

purplerabbithole said:

true. Jimmy was a surprisingly good songwriter. He was a guitar playing innovator. But at 27, Prince was a better singer, dancer, piano player (I assuming) , songwriter, and was a pretty damn good guitarist.

lonelyalien said:

Thats true.

[Edited 1/6/18 12:51pm]

[Edited 1/6/18 12:51pm]

Yep he said guitar was a signature Vai 8-string and when he gave it Prince looked at it and replied: “I can do it with 6”.

smokeverbs said:

coldasice said:

rogifan said:

Yep he said guitar was a signature Vai 8-string and when he gave it Prince looked at it and replied: “I can do it with 6”.

At 27 Drums were his standout. Earlier from the beginning to 1999 it was Bass by 30 guitar. Although I believe his bass writing was the best of his generation through Lovesexy

bonatoc said:

Prince--hands down.

And I say that as a 25 year player who has studied and stolen from both.

It isnt about technique, where each of them excel, it is abouty MELODIC SENSE -- pure and simple.

And here P takes a backseat ONLY to Miles in this last Century.

Hendrix gets the nod for innovation on the guitar to be sure--in his day it was MUCH harder to squeeze tone and effects out of full stack and a Strat.

But where MUSICALITY (and MUSICOLOGY) is concerned Prince smokes Hendrix and, frankly, everybody else who ever played the guitar.

How many other instruments can the shredders play?

That tells it.

reiterating my subjective theory, there was a poster on her about a year ago who said Hendrix and a bunch of other guitarists made prince look like a first year player. I'll say this, i think Prince did pass jimi because he had more years to improve, by the time of the hall of fame performance, he had filled the one chink in his armor that i could see, that was i thought his playing didn't have the same passion and emotion that Jimi's did, well that performance was technically brilliant as well as passionate, still one of the best, if not the best live guitar performance I've seen, all things considered.

Prince DEFINITELY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The man was a genious guitar player.

Stimpy said:

bonatoc said:

I don't understand everyone chiming in this "apple vs. orange" issue.
Total different era, completely different approach.
Jimi, Led Zep, Neil Young and others were going for organic.

Prince was tight. He's the best rhythm guitarist ever.

But here's a good example of "sloppy" Prince, giving Jimi a run for his money.

And if you insist on comparing the virtuoso poses, here, my dear.

Why are you trying to kill me?

[Edited 1/8/18 14:57pm]

Jimi was better than Prince at age 27. Prince used a lot of effects and tricks to make him sound like a better player than he actually was in the '80s. Not that he wasn't great but he was no Hendrix when it came to solo's. Prince's playing really took off in the 90's and his playing got better and better for the remainder of his life. When he passed his playing went way beyond Hendrix in every way .

[Edited 1/8/18 17:43pm]

coldasice said:

PeteSilas said:

morris hayes said something interesting, he said steve vai had Morris give prince a guitar or something because he was his hero, steve vai is technically better than both, he once said he was better player than jimi, not in an egotistical manner, but he said stated he was only following a style that jimi pioneered. Steve's awesome and humble.

Technically better at shredding maybe. Hand him that Benson Epiphone and lets here some Jazz. Technically better? No way...just because Prince did most of his solos in that weird mixolydian scale doesn’t mean he lacked in tech. Hendrix was the sloppiest guitar player ever, but he gets a pass for his innovation. Sometimes he hit cringeworthy notes. Especially at 27.

definitely better, he thought so too, he said that his 80's guitar playing embarrassed him. But, even if his technical playing hadn't improved, the feel and emotion when he got older was certainly better, as it should be with any aged musician. There was a story about a kid, don't know if it was true, but he played the blues, a couple musicians were talking about him and how perfect he played, the other guy said, "yea, but he needs to go out and get his heart broken". Jimi's playing surpassed everyone in my book as far as emotion, everyone. It's true that Jimi was a lot less disciplined and a lot less functional in the world than Prince was, that is why he died and Prince had the extra 30 years to improve. Also, i don't think everyone gives jimi a pass, i've seen it written here on the org "no thanks, he's too sloppy".

chrisslope9 said:

Jimi was better than Prince at age 27. Prince used a lot of effects and tricks to make him sound like a better player than he actually was in the '80s. Not that he wasn't great but he was no Hendrix when it came to solo's. Prince's playing really took off in the 90's and his playing got better and better for the remainder of his life. When he passed his playing went way beyond Hendrix in every way .

[Edited 1/8/18 17:43pm]

Oh yes, and Jimi achieved the wah-wah effect by plugging his strat in his ass and flexing his buttocks.
He also had two midgets under his cape whose role was to sing what he was playing in real-time, one for the octave above, one for the octave below.
His fuzz tones were achieved by shaving himself every morning above his wide open amp cabinet.

Oh yes, these otherwordly solos we've been blessed by the Urn.

Easy on the reefer my friend.

joyinrepetition said:

NorthC said:

Stimpy said:

Prince--hands down.

And I say that as a 25 year player who has studied and stolen from both.

It isnt about technique, where each of them excel, it is abouty MELODIC SENSE -- pure and simple.

And here P takes a backseat ONLY to Miles in this last Century.

Hendrix gets the nod for innovation on the guitar to be sure--in his day it was MUCH harder to squeeze tone and effects out of full stack and a Strat.

But where MUSICALITY (and MUSICOLOGY) is concerned Prince smokes Hendrix and, frankly, everybody else who ever played the guitar.

How many other instruments can the shredders play?

That tells it.

Okay. Post your version of Machine Gun. I'm waiting...

JorisE73 said:

At 27 Hendrix. But Prince surpassed him in later years and did more awesome solos.

that's how i feel. Prince also played more styles than Hendrix.

Prince shares more with Marc Bolan than Hendrix, as a guitar player, glam appearance etc. and Prince was right, they compare him to Hendrix only cuz his was black. First, Prince aint primary a guitar player but a composer, arranger and producer. Second, ppl wanna push Prince into some virtuoso or greatest guitar players lists with Jeff Beck, Clapton, Hendrix, or whatever I dont mind that lists, they are overrated in my book. The only musican and guitar player who undestood Prince is Pete Townshed.

prince was compared to prince because he took so much from him and because he was black. when he used to deny the influence completely it was ludicrous because he did the mouth thing with the guitar that jimi did, wore the boes, took the colore purple etc.., etc.., As he got older he got less big head. but what was true was that he was more influenced by santana, no doubt about that.

According to rolling stone magazine prince isnt even as good as keith richards lol.

http://tvtropes.org/pmwik...sOfAllTime

lonelyalien said:

According to rolling stone magazine prince isnt even as good as keith richards lol.

http://tvtropes.org/pmwik...sOfAllTime

those list usually take in a lot of other criteria (influence, originality). Chuck Berry once stated he was maybe in the 50th percentile as far as guitarists, I'd say he's a lot better than that but he isn't a good a player as he's often rated, neither are a lot of the older guys on those lists. A guy like Scotty Moore was hugely influential but without his Elvis connection no one would remember him. Fact is, there are tons and tons of great guitarists, it's the reason i never liked the instrument, what's the point spending all your time learning something that all these other guys can do as well or better?

HENDRIX WAS ON TOP WITH HIS GUITAR INNOVATION. Prince was awesome in his own right but a follower still at 27 on guitar, IMO.

>

Rogifan, your comment about Page is so over the hills and far away:

rogifan said:

PeteSilas said:

subjective, matter of taste, i think both of them had lots of room for improvement. Hendrix was sloppy live, Prince wasn't perfect either but no one is. In terms of impact, legacy with the instrument, no one comes close to Hendrix, so much so that people forget all the other stuff he did well(showman,songwriter, producer).

I agree with subjective. For example I always felt Jimmy Page was a sloppy player. Same with Neil Young. Yet many swear they’re both brilliant. Sorry I don’t get the brilliance in this. Sounds awful to me.

^^^

Yes there are plenty of documented sloppy playing (say no to drugs!), but Page could be tight, too, do classical runs fwiw and was most brilliant at rock improvisational lines. I think Bonham can be left out of the equation of guitar playing, no? Led Zeppelin the band used each other to be as good a band as they were, though, true.

bonatoc said:

chrisslope9 said:

Jimi was better than Prince at age 27. Prince used a lot of effects and tricks to make him sound like a better player than he actually was in the '80s. Not that he wasn't great but he was no Hendrix when it came to solo's. Prince's playing really took off in the 90's and his playing got better and better for the remainder of his life. When he passed his playing went way beyond Hendrix in every way .

[Edited 1/8/18 17:43pm]

Oh yes, and Jimi achieved the wah-wah effect by plugging his strat in his ass and flexing his buttocks.
He also had two midgets under his cape whose role was to sing what he was playing in real-time, one for the octave above, one for the octave below.
His fuzz tones were achieved by shaving himself every morning above his wide open amp cabinet.

Oh yes, these otherwordly solos we've been blessed by the Urn.

Easy on the reefer my friend.

Sorry brother but Prince flanged and chorused his way through every solo in the 80's. Prince is by far my hero of hero's musically but he was nowhere near the player Hendrix was at age 27. He relyed ofetn on the same runs for solos throughout the 80's . As I said, something changed in the 90's and he got better and better. It's true Jimi used a lot of wah and distortion but not even close to the set up Prince was using on the SOTT and Lovesexy tours. And Jimi would often play things straight which Prince rarely ever did , even towards the end.

[Edited 1/9/18 20:00pm]

[Edited 1/9/18 20:02pm]

[Edited 1/9/18 20:06pm]

chrisslope9 said: