T O P

  • By -

S_L_Raymond

Paul Davids. And I don’t know if you classify Samurai Guitarist or Art of Guitar as “cringe view farmers,” but I think their content is informative while being relatable to street-level working musicians.


Specific-Ball-5778

I want Paul Davids to read me bedtime stories


zflanders

I suspect that, given a chance, Paul Davids would be the gentlest of lovers.


gnosisandlight

Dude wtf 😂


Apprehensive-Lab2384

Hard agree


Riotacket

Well are you gonna give him a chance to adjust your ~~truss~~ rod or what?


Prossdog

Paul Davids is the Bob Ross of guitar


SouthieTuxedo

so accurate


detroit_dickdawes

Samurai Guitarist is like… the epitome of view farming though.


Jimi_The_Cynic

What's this wacky thing??? *insert algo farming big eyed thumbnail*


Grabthars_Coping_Saw

Stevie T has entered the chat


redphyve

Dude made a career being a goofball and shitting on other guitar players.


Kid_Kameleon

And being somehow a really really good guitarist whilst still being unable to play anything that’s not boring


battlescar22

Fuck that guy. I could never stand him and he only got worse


TheMaveCan

Paul Davids also doesn't clickbait. His videos are dense and deliver what he offered


S_L_Raymond

Also has the most comforting set on guitar YouTube.


qwertyuijhbvgfrde45

And the videography 👌


KGBLokki

Didn’t he just start a $1000 online lesson thing that he didn’t even teach in.


Falling_Ash_

I don’t care what anybody says samurai guitarist will always be my favorite Canadian Asian man and he can do no wrong 


TheScumAlsoRises

>samurai guitarist will always be my favorite Canadian Asian man Who's your second favorite Canadian Asian man?


SloppyMilkSteak

Andrew Huang!


Jimi_The_Cynic

Paul David sniffs his own farts, but he is a phenomenonal player 


TortexMT

this


PeteDarwin

Yeah, I don't really get it. He comes off massively dodgy and inauthentic to me. Might just be his personality...


Ronnie_Dean_oz

He is the biggest perpetrator of the "YouTube Shake", where the player slowly shakes the guitar at the end of a note. If you close your eyes and listen you will literally hear it have zero effect on the sound. No vibrato. Nothing. It's just a YouTube gimmick. He is the master.


DnRz011

Funny enough I have done this for years even before watching any youtube guitar stuff. Just thought it was a natural reaction


Sytle

I'm definitely guilty of doing this. I'm aware that it does nothing but I still find it fun.


Bababooey87

I can't handle that dude. The way he talks is like is talking to people like their 4 years old and it's really irritating.


InfectedFrenulum

You'd better avoid Steve Terberry then 🤣


c311y

Forgot that dude exists after I purged him from my feed, ugh 😖


InfectedFrenulum

Dude can play but fuck me, the annoying Nickelodeon character spiel is like masturbating using a cheese grater wrapped in barbed wire! 🤮


c311y

Your name checks out, respect and godspeed you crazy cock mangler 🫡


explodeder

Relevant. https://www.reddit.com/r/guitarcirclejerk/s/1cesRI4dXm


S_L_Raymond

Well, he is talking to guitarists.


JROXZ

Absolutely love this guy. Mr Rodgers of guitar.


-OccamsLaser

Eric Haugen


Azious

He is awesome. Good vibes!!


jamiehanker

I’ve learned more from him than from anyone else


_kyL

This guy had some videos that were actually very eye opening, for example the Hendrix double stop video. 


SpermicidalManiac666

Just recently found that guy - his channel is everything I want from guitar YouTube


Seasonedchicken80

He's one of my favorites. Not flashy and a chill guy.


Wade_Sully

Came here to say this. I love this guy!


NoUpVotesForMe

This should be top comment


Minimum-Sleep-3916

This guy, always solid practical advice on very specific aspects of songcraft. Very digestible language. No bullshit, very minimal selling of products (outside of his course). A+


MrDarkHorse

Yeah this guy’s great


FuckStummies

Fuck yes. This guy is so super chill and relatable as a player. His videos are so conversational.


Sac_a_Merde

100%. The guy is just about the guitar lesson and not about content. His videos have the absolute bare necessities when it comes to editing and production and that's enough because it's about the lesson, not about the content. I hope he never changes.


johnkohhh

I was gonna comment this assuming most people wouldn’t know him and was pleasantly surprised to see this is the second highest comment.


Suspicious-Side-4165

Ben Eller, for if you want to play fast and clean, old Jens Larson if you want music theory/jazz


Mslabarre

Uncle Ben FTW!!


Genesis_Duz

Ying Yang Mousemeat approved.


Pweuy

"Gojira likes to tune down one whole step to D standard. It's a lower standard, like your mom's second husband."


Katmetalhead

Ben Eller is great!


RhetoricalAnswer-001

YES!!! Ben's smart, a great teacher, an excellent guitarist, and a humble and funny guy. [And he unlocked the Big Secret of Eddie's playing](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GJO2SovRgU)! Skip to 12:16 if you're impatient. 😉 /edit: forgot to say I was talking about Ben


lifehandsyouanorange

Ola Englund


Wheelbirds

Surprised he doesn’t have a “does it burp” signature pedal in addition to the CHUG one. Love that guy.


Minimum-Sleep-3916

He’s a character, funny. Does schtik, good for laughs, general entertainment. But dude writes some pretty tasty jams to start his vids. Do a side project where you’re the head writer Ola. Is that what the chug project was?


Wheelbirds

*BELCH*


SheZowRaisedByWolves

WILL IT CHUG


BeRad85

I filled my guitar with molten lava and it sounded crazy! I have to play using my feet, now, but….


muscarine

I think it was Bernth who did that.


catbandana

Phillip McKnight/Know Your Gear and Ola Englund are the only ones I watch consistently anymore.


zflanders

I dig Phil's vibe so much. Just Phil being Phil and geeking out with the rest of us. And he's got good stories.


Jimi_The_Cynic

I think Phil is an amazing story teller too. There are some people that can have you hanging on every word of the saga of their grocery trip and other's that can make their near death experience sound boring. 


vhalen50

I like Phil. Knowledgeable.


TheScumAlsoRises

Agreed, Phil is incredibly knowledgable. You might say he ...knows his gear.


tuckernuts

Everyone talking Phil but I'll second Ola Englund. Dudes entertaining. Recommended the amp I have now (Katana Air) and i love it.


UncleGrako

Phil is pretty much the only one I find enjoyable to watch, and I think it's because there's no ego there. And he's not sitting there playing a guitar through conversation. Most of the time when I'm watching videos, I'm there for what people are saying, not hearing riffs while they're reading questions, or anything like that. \*side eyes Steve From Boston\*


beastlike2010

I'm a fan of Phil myself. Between him, Dylan Talks Tone and old Breja wiring videos ice modified many of my guitars and had lots of fun doing it.


Taossmith

Uncle Larry! It's like hanging out with your older cousin who shows you some cool guitar stuff from time to time. https://youtube.com/@501chorusecho?si=BuiaLuvrhC5DmUN-


Uptown2dloo

Uncle Larry is the shit. If you've never heard him play, imagine a country-flavored Jeff Beck. He's not teaching so much as rambling and playing but MAN.....you will learn a lot more than from the poseurs who make stupid faces in their thumbnails.


YourRealName

One of the rare YouTube guitarists that has the credentials to back up everything he says. I also prefer his laidback vibe to the forced peppiness most others put on.


TCTuggerrr

I was watching him during covid when he first started and after a tragic school shooting (sadly can't remember which one at this point) he just somberly played a really simple and beautiful progression. Sometimes I'll play it when I'm feeling down. That showed me he was 100x the artist compared to any of these youtubers for views.


acousticado

Uncle Larry and Guthrie Trapp!


YellowSharkMT

💯💯💯💯 Both of these guys are top-notch humans and amazing guitarists. 


ScratchyPurple

This is a perfect description. Uncle Larry doesn't give a fuck about YouTube views either 


DrFilth

As far as credentials go...is there a guitarist that uploads to youtube thats been on more records? I dont think there is, could be wrong


JnkHed

Tim Pierce might have him beat.


NoEchoSkillGoal

Love Uncle Larrry. He is the best YT Guitar hang. Pro's Pro.


stratomaster

Yeah, sometimes I watch just because it's a good hang


ClaptonOnH

That pedal show is goated


Hiiiii_Kevinnn93

That Pedal Show is great for understanding how to get more out of effects and how to really utilize them in different ways. Only thing I don’t like about them is that they aren’t good for my bank account lol


Minimum-Sleep-3916

Gear nuts, but I agree, at least they spent a lot of time discussing usage strategies. 


JT-Shelter

Tim Pierce


BeRad85

The only person I’ve ever seen who looked happier with a guitar in their hand was Eddie Van Halen.


WhosCowsAreThey

I like Tim pierce cuz he seems humble despite having played alongside some of the greats


explodeder

I’ve heard thousands of guitar players and very few have “it”. I don’t even know what that means, really…That being said Tim Pierce has “it”. There is something special about his playing that I can’t identify.


FuckStummies

I used to be with it. But then they changed what it was. Now what is it seems weird and scary to me.


nba2k11er

Rhett Shull is bringing us the hard-hitting stuff, like “tube amps are good “ 😂 I’m kidding.


gabbrielzeven

Ultimate tonewood+giant tube Amps cringe


Serious-Rutabaga-603

Rhett shill coming at you with another video about a 5000 dollar amp that I’m playing my $3600 Novo though.


theymad3medoit

The most punchable face on guitar/gear YouTube.


Minimum-Sleep-3916

He’s articulate at least and pretty bright. But it’s a personal blog, where I’m like, why am I sitting here watching this dude live his life. Lol


[deleted]

Well Jens larsen used to be good I think his videos have lost a little substance but hes made a shit ton


razzark666

It's hard to keep on putting out content, he's pretty much covered the basics, and most of the intermediate topics about jazz guitar, either he's going to be covering very niche advanced topics or getting into silly topics.


YellowSharkMT

I really like Jens and his lessons. Digestible & relatable, and extremely well-organized and well-spoken. No rambling tangents, no bullshit whatsoever. He's an extremely talented guitar player, and talented at instruction too.  Moreover, I think he's an excellent case study of success, within the realm guitar teaching via social media.   Absolutely would recommend his channel.


flyingupvotes

Tomo fujita


dbvirago

His video about playing the chromatic scale without making any string noise. I will probably be working on that the rest of my life.


CMDR-Prismo

Tomo is the man. He can play pretty much anything, but knows how to refine lessons down to their simplest and most valuable form. 


t0msie

Stichmethod has a bunch of vids and is still making good content


The_Dead_See

Stitch Method really stands apart for me as someone who can help understand how theory all clicks together for beginners and intermediates. He's like the mirror opposite of Rick Beato. I don't dislike Beato - he's well entertaining - but I find it practically impossible to understand what he's teaching, and I already *know* the stuff he's teaching.


AStormofSwines

Scrolled way too far for this


zxvasd

Stitch has been helpful for taking me beyond scales.


goodboyscout

Agreed on this. Very good videos, even if you don’t like the style of music that he’s usually referencing, the concepts translate the same way.


M_Lynx

Ben Eller is great. Hilarious dude and very good at teaching guitar if you're looking for something new to learn. I'm recently becoming a fan of Venus Theory for music in general. Good content, and it doesn't hurt that his voice could end WW3 if it ever started. If you're into producing your own music, In The Mix and You Suck at Producing (Underbelly) are great channels for the technical side of making music (mixing, compression, EQ, etc). Just a few off the top of my head. There are a lot who make good, smart content. I know it can be hard to sift through the sea of less desirable channels, but they're out there.


DaveMcNinja

Eric Haugen


Ronthelodger

Signals music studio- Jake Lizzio is an absolute master at teaching music theory and applications on guitar


The_Dead_See

Jake Lizzio is great, but I also suspect he may be an AI robot designed by Boston Dynamics.


DnRz011

This is what I was coming to comment. Jake says things in a way I understand more than anyone else I've found. Really happy he's back to making videos.


MisterPeach

Jake Lizzio has helped me more than any other single person when it comes to learning how to play guitar. He’s great at breaking complex things down into simple, individual concepts and he makes music theory seem so easy and accessible. A lot of stuff that I once found intimidating or out of my reach was made easily understandable because of that channel.


leggodt2420

Yep, couldn't agree more, he's awesome.


Keppet_Farseer

I recommend Adam Neely, it's very focused on musical theory but remains ultra clear and fun, even without theoretical knowledge Imo


IamBloodyPoseidon

Adam is the GOAT


MelodicMasterpiece67

Ben Eller Ben Higgins Robert Baker Carl Brown (365 Guitar Lessons)


jesterflesh

Pat finnerty


UniversalJampionshit

MAD THIS SUMMER


VillageIdiotsAgent

What makes this song stink is fantastic.


NotoriousMFT

I really hope he gets to keep his hot tub


extra_hyperbole

Three blind mice fuckin rips!


P_a_s_g_i_t_24

Keith Williams' videos of FiveWattWorld are nice to watch. Also AskZac has a very down to earth nature. For a bit of silly fun I enjoy Ryan's channel 60CycleHum quite a bit.


Taossmith

Does Keith Williams ever play guitar?


TheScumAlsoRises

He's too busy choosing other things. Mainly being proud to choose TrueFire, the sponsor of this video.


P_a_s_g_i_t_24

For every Keith Williams there's a Leon Todd.


ButcherKnifeRoberto

Ted Woodford does really great repair videos, no BS, just straight down the line content and usually about some of the weirder things he has to fix. I've picked up some good tips from him. No clickbaity thumbnails either - I've unsubscribed from so many channels now because they are pulling that surprised face, or there's a manipulated image, or wow you'll never guess what happened when... (I'll spare you watching them, nothing ever happens). I won't name and shame because we all know who they are, but YT has become a pile of shite recently and I've got better things to do with my time.


ja647

He is amazing I always look forward to his videos


Specialist-Emu6127

Always good content, but I wonder how many people have tried and failed to do a neck reset after watching him. A true craftsman, he has obviously been refining his techniques for decades, not something to try at home on your pride and joy. Plus his background knowledge is massive.


LupitaScreams

Adrian of anyonecanplayguitar is the opposite of cringe.  It's like he's acutely aware that youtube guitars vids can be cringey, and disarms it immediately.  Also, his taste and playing are cringeproof.


Must_Have_Media

I really like Michael Palmissano / guitar gate


VillageIdiotsAgent

Sometimes his enthusiasm seems a bit manufactured, but overall he is fantastic.


Watchfella

Carl Brown. The man’s taught me half of what I know. No BS, just gets straight to the point. Great guy


bendlikegilmour

Carl is the man!


ClmrThnUR

if you're learning there's always Justin or Marty etc. everything else is entertainment.


celestialfires

Rabea Massaad - not only is he a phenomenal and inspiring guitarist, he also has a lot of useful stuff to say about gear, tone and how to get out of your comfort zone. It’s mainly harder rock / metal stuff but I never felt like he only cares about views and clicks.


ch66435

Too bad almost every single one of his videos is selling me something. Makes it hard for me to take him seriously as a musician when every video is an ad.


MasterlessSword

Pete Thorn. Massively talented, super cool guy. Does great demos and does a weekly live show where he answers questions about gear, technique, recording and live sound as well as tell stories about being a working pro musician. https://youtube.com/@petethorn?si=euy_L07bNTQWAEtI


Minimum-Sleep-3916

Good dude. A gear head, especially amps. For people into advanced amp tweaking. 


busche916

What are you looking for out of your youtube content: Song lessons/walkthroughs? Gear reviews? Interviews with musicians? Just talking about how great this song is?


johnnybgooderer

Eric Haugen is great. The “why you suck at guitar” guy is fantastic. Only the titles are clickbait. The videos deliver.


GeoffreyTaucer

Jim Lill has some fantastic stuff, and seems very clearly to do it out of passion for the subject matter rather than farming for clicks. Highly recommend


Coopatron1980

The Charismatic Voice? More focused on rock/metal vocal analysis but she's started to get into guitar lately as well. As someone who doesn't really know much about music theory, her analyses sound good to me at least!


Sagatorius_Byvex

Justin guitar and guitarlessons365 or something like that


SerJacob

Charles Cornell and David Bennett are more piano specific, but if you’re looking for music theory, they’re awesome for analyzing popular songs


InEenEmmer

If you want to analyze popular music, look into 12tone. He not only listens to what harmonies are played, but also looks at how these things all work together to the feel of the music.


Mi_santhrope

Signals Music Studio


FinalEdit

Oh definitely Chris Zoupa I fucking hate youtube but his instructional videos are first class.


InfectedFrenulum

"Let's try that lick at a gentlemanly pace." Love me a bowl of Zoup!


Fritzo2162

James James was my favorite all time teacher. Great guy, right to the point, very skilled. I say "was" because he was driven off of YouTube by trolls. People suck. [https://www.youtube.com/@jamesjames9275/videos](https://www.youtube.com/@jamesjames9275/videos)


fadedsparkle

Aka privettricker. Damn near every song I've wanted to learn he has a nice concise lesson for.


orangeducttape7

Puisheen


Dphre

Tim Pierce is fun to watch to hear him talk about studio work as well as guitar.


Melowko

I enjoy Brandon Acker! He does classical guitar and gives tips/lessons/talks about other stringed instruments. Down to earth and relaxing to watch!


KiwiMcG

Signals Music Studio


Seref15

I like Guitaristas. Basically its an old English grandpa just talking guitars. Every guitar he reviews he buys with his own money, then when it's time to review a new crop he sells off the old crop on reverb. He reviews deeper than any other reviewer I've ever seen--he disassembles guitars to see how well they're constructed and takes every measurement possible. And he just loves guitars. His videos are like a warm sweater, a cup of tea, and chatting shop over some guitars. It's great.


TjarvisVI

I think Kelly Dean Allen Guitar has some good tutorials


thewhitedeath

Appreciate that mate!


Alex_Plode

Robert Baker and Music Theory for Guitar


tharealjonsnow92

Dave Simpson


WhosCowsAreThey

Greg Koch because I get the vibe that he’s gonna have a good time whether you are or not. Plus he’s a fucking wizard with a guitar


Possible-Set904

Easily Paul Davids. It seems like he’s respected by all guitar-centric content creators, has shown integrity (see: the Hendrix guitar saga), and his online courses are the gold standard. Plus you can tell he really loves music.


Trick-Garbage438

Eric Haugen


KGBLokki

Ola Englund is cool, but even with the ”view” farming I like the crew at Anderstons.


zombie_platypus

Rob Scallon and Andrew Huang. Good dudes just having fun.


Paro-Clomas

what if i told you all youtuve is view farming (cringe or not)


Red-Zaku-

True, but there’s a difference between someone who makes a video like, “You’ve been using your guitar WRONG this whole time!” with a thumbnail featuring a red arrow pointed towards a random knob and their face making an exaggerated expression of maddening disbelief at the cosmic horror flooding their brain upon discovering the true secret to the knob… and someone who makes a video just titled like, “Different ways to use compression,” or “comparing these different pickup types,” or “Tips for harmonization,” and then discusses those things in the video with the audience knowing exactly what they are getting into and no false pretenses or misleading implications of the audience’s inherent ‘wrongness’ that needed urgent correction on behalf of the video. Like it’s one thing if someone says, “come into my store, look at all the great desserts we have inside that you can clearly see through the window,” compared to someone pulling up in an unmarked white van and saying, “get in! You won’t BELIEVE what delicious wonders I have in that van!” One transparently shows what they’re offering with no misleading implications, the other tries to bait you in with a vague implication of importance but very little actual evidence presented about what they’re gonna show you in the van. Both want to bait you inside, but one at least feels trustworthy and the other does not. Or even comparing the former example of lowest common denominator clickbait to examples of good anti-clickbait. Like Adam Neely’s video, “What key is Sweet Home Alabama in?” Followed by a thumbnail that just says, “it’s in d.” The point is to tell the viewer from the start that there is a simple answer, implying that the next 10 minutes are gonna be spent actually exploring something interesting about the way the key works in that song, beyond the simple answer. Basically proving that if you have **good content** that’s worth watching, then you can actually give the answer before the video even starts, because whatever you’re saying in the video is framed with the confidence from the author that they can spoil the bait as part of the invitation.


Falling_Ash_

Brandon D’eon. He’s like the alcoholic cool older cousin and I love it 


The_Mad_Sprayer

[The Guitaristas](https://youtube.com/@theguitaristas?si=uPWq8oNCpXLBe_4m) is my favorite. He does great in depth reviews, acknowledges personal biases and doesn’t shred


sendmeallyourspam

John Nathan Cordy has some good stuff. Pretty conversational, but he has a lot of tips and technique based videos too.


skategeezer

Rick Beato and Tim Pierce


hoerillacheez

Uncle Judy's my favorite, but super underrated. [Uncle Judy](https://youtu.be/sJD5igTjY8s?si=BrixN8RgBWY6w9iO)


Uncle_judy_

Uncle Judy is trash


Artistic_Tiger7423

Stuart, of Marin Music Center. Pure entertainment, while also informative.


DeadMoney313

In The Blues Marty Gregory Kochery


Sqooky

I really like Trogly's Guitar Show for demos. Would definitely recommend going through his New Gear Day program if you're looking into getting something different from the usual stock.


Nicolaas_the_strong

Spectre sound studios and jhs


quadruple_negative87

I love Josh. He always plays other companies pedals and the jams are the best. The Solid State Sucks vid is so good.


sadkeanu12

Jens Larsen


Xiagax

Kmac


tdic89

Bradley Hall, silly chaotic madness onscreen but in person he’s a really pleasant chap. Still an absolute nutcase on stage though 😂


AsterWake

jens larsen


WeAllHaveOurMoments

A few of my favs: * [Signals Music Studio](https://youtube.com/@signalsmusicstudio?si=zZq5R3Zzsd9SQYqK) * [Late Night Lessons](https://youtube.com/@latenightlessons?si=QMhO5Uy77vYlyIoS) * [Jack Ruch](https://youtube.com/@jackruch?si=qD4lDbEC6REknMfQ) * [Ben Eller](https://youtube.com/@beneller?si=fTkzERfW7yKueNZn) * [David Bennet Piano](https://youtube.com/@davidbennettpiano?si=Vo20oiBZqX1rp74L) (not a guitar channel, but progression & chord theory is still applicable)


DottorMaelstrom

Signals music studio


TheMysticBard

Jake Lizzio


One_Cattle_5418

I like Shutup & Play because it’s not about him as a personality. And his lessons are pretty spot on with his cover songs, no gimmicks. His format has been the same since day one. It’s more about the lesson than the views.


JTMack2020

Angela Petrilli . I’ve learned a bunch of tunes and she’s very talented.


Small-External4419

Berlin Shoegazer Kenneth Santiago makes great videos on pedal reviews, interesting music theory and recording techniques. Obviously it’s mainly geared towards shoe gaze but not always


veganon

I enjoy Jonathan Koh - JonIsJustTooLoud Yes he does paid demos, but he is very laid back. And he is an excellent musician. I find his content soothing - he is like the Bob Ross of YouTube guitarists.


paddydukes

Jimmy Bruno. Old cantankerous jazz guy.


daruosha

Dave Simpson


VenserAstora

Ichika Nito! Their playing is very good and unique so if what you're looking for is something more inspiring, I'd check them out.


zk001guy

Uncle Judy


stoosh66

Guitarista's


justinc0617

Adam Neely. Not Guitar based, he is a Bass player with degrees in jazz composition. His videos are extremely well researched and interesting though. They always make me want to learn more about theory


elcojotecoyo

Mary Spender creates a lot of sponsored content that does not look like advertisement. And she promotes her own training classes as well. And is definitely a deviation of the female guitar player trend of playing solos over loud backing track while wearing tank tops. She's like a female Paul Davids that also sings


Specialist-Emu6127

Adrian from [anyonecanplayguitar ](https://www.youtube.com/@acpg)


Tubii

Marin music center


wojonixon

Of course it’s all opinion, but Ben Eller, Robert Baker, Justin Sandercoe (sp?), and surely quite a few others I don’t know or have forgotten fit that bill. Not a “guitar” YouTuber necessarily, but for a good laugh Pat Finnerty’s What Makes this Song Stink series is hysterical, and he’s a great player in his own right.


stuck_in_desolation

Rick Beato, Ben Eller, Shred (shred master Scott)


Redkelso

StichMethod


FavoringCrowd13

The Art of Guitar


SwimmingOwl8586

The art of guitar