A more apt description would be "Slash was the last famous guitarist that non guitar players would probably ever remember being mentioned in the popular press".

It's along the same lines of saying "McDonalds is the fast food most people have heard of" or "BASIC is the most common programming language that everyone has heard of, so it must be the best".

Within each sub-culture, there are dedicated fans that go deeper and have a set of idols that they look up to. I can readily identify fellow guitar players (AND the genre of music they prefer) by mentioning names like Joe Bonamassa, Doyle Bramhall II, Brad Paisley etc. Blank stares just mean that the person is not involved in the guitar world at all. Someone who gets excited when I mention Paisley, I know is into the pop/country stuff.

I've heard people write off John Mayer as a 'non guitarist' even on guitar forums, but when I show them this clip [0] and tell them to come back to me when they have mastered playing that particular off beat riff and sing the melody at the same time, like he does, then I will gladly pay them $10. My money has been safe in my wallet for years.

[0] - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DfQC5qHhbo

Guitar players are usually not remembered by the general public unless they have something else (like being cute). Worse for bass players and drummers, but the frontman/singer gets remembered. It was always a fight. Singer/guitarists is always easier but, like you said, usually considered non guitarist. I listened to the youtube you included and disclaimer taste/I am old, but then I listened to a lot of what he did: it is not very impressive. Sure, if you can do that live and long stretches that is talent but a good guitarist (what is the definition outside taste? that is a question, taste should not have anything to do with that)? Do you have something that shows he can do something? And the singing is just taste but without it would be better if you have.

Well, as far as musicianship, this is the best case of '3 guys really deep in the pocket with a tight groove' that I have ever seen... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vlBGk9qCio

As far as a nice, tasteful guitar solo at 03:25... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qG6GKh3NWkQ

Another guitarist/singer that is a favourite of mine is Joe Bonamassa. He is almost invisible outside of the guitar player or blues/rock enthusiast field, but is VERY successful, and busy touring the world... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-69Djk5HdQ

Again, I might be old or weird but all you posted is nice but something not, to me, interesting to play. This is all personal taste and whatever, but as a guitar player, I can not only feel what they will play but also just play it. And, as it goes with many things, if I can do it, it cannot be all that special(that is probably something people take pills for these days ;)

So some things I find amazing:

https://youtu.be/v1c1SaG_gKA (with his huge fingers, playing one note with feeling you cannot copy)

https://youtu.be/9IrWyZ0KZuk

https://youtu.be/3l0BLog1rQY

Also blues but

https://youtu.be/G3LvhdFEOqs

I like bass (I only have a bass left anyway);

https://youtu.be/w_8NtbKsYuA

https://youtu.be/Kyw-Lere8Kc (did not watch this but any Steve Harris)

and drums

https://youtu.be/nC0QUrya3eA

https://youtu.be/LQqNJwa5lig

Like said my definition is surely different than yours. And a lot of it is taste.

But that's a weird bet to make. What are you trying to prove with that? Why would anyone learn to play something with a very personal style that has taken the artist probably a decade to master... for $10? Of course it has been safe in your wallet. It doesn't prove _anything_ about the versatility or technical skills of that particular artist.

Purely to prove a point to some salty poster on a forum who bangs on about John Mayer "not being a real guitarist and not really doing anything that anybody else can't do".

A simple "Well, post a video of you doing that and I will Paypal you $10 as a token of appreciation" is just a simple challenge guaranteed to weed out anyone who is even remotely qualified to make such a call.

So far, none of the more trollish posters have ever come back with evidence of them being able to do it. Better players however (who usually NEVER talk smack about another player of Mayer's calibre, thus never have the challenge gauntlet thrown at their feet) have done so.

Whoa... is there a slap bass guitar player hiding behind him for the solo at 4:00, or is that really possible on an acoustic?

I had the same reaction as you when I heard it the first time - I never thought one person could make all those sounds on the guitar AND sing. And if you listen you will hear that the singing melodic line is a completely different rhythmic feel from the guitar riff. How he syncs the two of them together is beyond me.

But I know it is possible, and not dubbed at all because I've seen and heard my own son do it as part of his repertoire now...

That has more to do with the propaganda apparatus of producers and promoters cherry-picking virtuosos and taking them on a fame ride to demonstrate the miracle unicorn lotteries of capitalism's permissive pop culture, when contrasted against the typical realities of the meritocracy-oriented communist worker.

Matt Bellamy of MUSE was my last guitar hero.

Was?

???

Jack White

John Mayer

Are they on the list?

They're famous, and they play guitar, but they aren't famous for their guitar playing

"fell in love with a girl" is an awesome song but not so challenging to play:

https://youtu.be/95HRZ2SLMJk

Contrast with this though: https://youtu.be/mto7vBtabEU?t=24s

Seeing Jack White play live with the White Stripes was one of the greatest musical experiences of my life. Part of the beauty of their style is that it is built on very simple fundamentals - literally an enumerated set of rules - which form a platform on top of which Jack White can experiment with incredible virtuoso stuff (the best of which is obviously observed in the live performances).

You are 100% spot on though that Jack White isn't famous for this. In their popular singles really only the basic song frameworks, and not so much of the experimental stuff, are exposed. I think it might be some mixture of intentional artistic obscurity, and fitting to the 'radio market' for economic reasons, but either way if you're not familiar with them I really suggest giving all the albums (and some of the live shows e.g. Live Under Blackpool Lights) a deep listen through - really quite incredible stuff :-)

Mayer is an amazing blues guitarist, and recognized as such. He tours with Pino Paladino as his bassist, a testament to his own chops!

And Jack White, while not a "virtuoso" has mastery of the rock guitar language. It's not immediately obvious to everyone, but his technique is flawless.

I'll add Angus Young. A guitar hero if ever there was one and pretty well known outside of narrow music niches.

https://youtu.be/skoZ7j5PBE8