How does Rick Nielson rate as a guitar player.

[AlexVonHaig]

Don't just judge him as he is today, he's been playing since the 70s

[TooOldToCare]

Rick has always been "fun" as a guitar player. However, his skills as a professional seem basic and often sloppy. I think they serve the Cheap Trick catalog. Not a technical player at all.

[Dyslexicheart]

Yeah, I would say effective as a guitarist, great as a writer. You don't need to be a shredder to be a good guitar player.

[Brainy Lane]

10/10 perfect pop guitarist

[Ozzy Stradlin]

His style works perfectly for the songs he plays - most of which he writes.

[dmbrocker]

Not the greatest virtuoso out there, but he's a great pop rock/hard rock guitarist.

[TeslaFan]

He wrote two of the greatest songs in rock history. Yngwie Malmsteen he’s not but he’s a legend. Been around forever. Hall of Famer. What more could you want ?

[skinni]

perfect for Cheap Trick

[mrspeedgene]

People bitch about ACE Frehley's skills and then suck on Rick's bobo. He is bar band rythm guiartist level. Good song writer though.

[TooOldToCare]

People bitch about ACE Frehley's skills and then suck on Rick's bobo. He is bar band rythm guiartist level. Good song writer though.

I'm surprised at the answers above since CT ALWAYS gets shit on this board.

I happen to like CT and have enjoyed seeing them three or four times. That said, Rick is raw with some slop, but he still gives it a show and seems to be having fun.

[Gibsonite]

Best thing I can say about him as a guitarist is that he wrote some decent songs anyways..

[murdercitydevil08]

surrender is one of the best rock songs of all-time...

[GreatWhiteSnake]

People bitch about ACE Frehley's skills and then suck on Rick's bobo. He is bar band rythm guiartist level. Good song writer though.

Rick's not nearly as chemically impaired...

[Sleek]

He's a good seventies style player. Should be in the conversation with Joe Perry, Randy Bachman etc.

[unclejoshc]

As a guitarist he is an amazing songwriter.

[Sleek]

As a guitarist he is an amazing singwriter.

I fuckin' love a good singwriter.

[Lobo]

The guy did exactly what's needed with this band. Check out their "Live At The Whisky 1977" box set.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFGrfOW ... Zu8Br27jDR

His tone is great and he plays exactly what the tunes need.

Cheap Trick were a pop-rock band. He fit them perfectly.

[Gibsonite]

He's a good seventies style player. Should be in the conversation with Joe Perry, Randy Bachman etc.

Randy Bachman can play rings around either one of those fumble-fingered hacks

Blue Collar
https://youtu.be/lvV0d0SddJ8?si=VSTJynvcZg2CQH4c

Lookin' Out For Number One
https://youtu.be/N4_0Pt3HAR8?si=0pCfAAhe-V4f1uR6

[veritas]

Medicore player.

But, as they say, great songwriting and great guitar playing are not hand in hand -- in fact, they are often oppositional.

[tooth]

Standard guitarist, excellent songwriter. Does he still use a bunch of silly guitars live? Like he had the 5 neck one, the double neck that was an image of himself, the checkerboard explorer etc.

[aznsquirt]

People bitch about ACE Frehley's skills and then suck on Rick's bobo. He is bar band rythm guiartist level. Good song writer though.

Pretty strange comparison. Nobody's calling Rick an all-time great or anything, they're just acknowledging him for what he is.

Meanwhile, Ace is a legendary guitar hero who has turned into a sludge-haven of a trainwreck of epic proportions.

[Sleek]

He's a good seventies style player. Should be in the conversation with Joe Perry, Randy Bachman etc.

Randy Bachman can play rings around either one of those fumble-fingered hacks

Blue Collar
https://youtu.be/lvV0d0SddJ8?si=VSTJynvcZg2CQH4c

Lookin' Out For Number One
https://youtu.be/N4_0Pt3HAR8?si=0pCfAAhe-V4f1uR6

Meh. Bachman knows a handful of one-trick-pony jazz rock chords. Both of these song's entire vocabulary is already contained within Undun by the Guess Who: https://youtu.be/VLMF5GM0Kt8

Having one more arrow in the quiver does not make him an exceptional player.

[GreatWhiteSnake]

I did some research and turns out he DOES use a pick...

[mrspeedgene]

People bitch about ACE Frehley's skills and then suck on Rick's bobo. He is bar band rythm guiartist level. Good song writer though.

Pretty strange comparison. Nobody's calling Rick an all-time great or anything, they're just acknowledging him for what he is.

Meanwhile, Ace is a legendary guitar hero who has turned into a sludge-haven of a trainwreck of epic proportions.

You may be correct, however any rating of Rick as a guitarist other than adequate would be overdoing it. I like CT and they have a jillion great songs, but I cannot think of ONE memorable solo he has in all these years. Feel free to throw one out so I can be wrong. I'll admit it.

[aznsquirt]

You may be correct, however any rating of Rick as a guitarist other than adequate would be overdoing it. I like CT and they have a jillion great songs, but I cannot think of ONE memorable solo he has in all these years. Feel free to throw one out so I can be wrong. I'll admit it.

That's the thing; nobody said anything about his lead playing in this thread. Everyone's just basically given him credit for being great at getting the job done in the context of Cheap Trick.

Putting the Ace thing aside, you're not far off from a technical aspect on the "bar band rhythm guitarist" level, but I do think his jangly sound/feel and overall loose arrangements is a huge part of the CT sound and beyond what most "bar band rhythm guitarists" would come up with.

For sure, most of his solos do have that "the lead guitarist is running late for rehearsal, so the rhythm guitarist is fumbling around in the meantime" sound .

I think a case could be made for his lead work on the live version of "I Want You To Want Me" being "memorable", but that's mostly about it being a component of the big high energy crescendo in an iconic song rather than the guitar work itself being anything special.

[steviedoes]

I cannot think of ONE memorable solo he has in all these years. Feel free to throw one out so I can be wrong. I'll admit it.

"I Want You To Want Me"
"The Flame"
"Ghost Town"
"World's Greatest Lover"
"Dream Police"
"Didn't Know I Had It"
"If You Want My Love"

I find all of those solos to be very memorable. Not flashy or "technical" but melodic and definitely memorable.

[Metal Heart]

I love Cheap Trick's first four albums. All Shook Up (5th album) had some good stuff on it too. I own all of their records. I have seen Cheap Trick live many times. I consider myself to be a fan. As far as professional guitar players go, Rick is pretty bad. He was better when he was younger. But now in his later years he puts very little effort into playing. At least on stage. He has said in interviews they don't rehearse. Which is apparent. He is super sloppy, hits the wrong notes, stops playing at times to mug for the audience. He is more of a showman than a guitar player. I would rate him a 2 out of 10 in the world of pro players. As said previously, he is on level was bar band guitarists. Rick is a song writer, not a gunslinger.

[tooth]

now in his later years he puts very little effort into playing. At least on stage. He has said in interviews they don't rehearse. Which is apparent. He is super sloppy, hits the wrong notes, stops playing at times to mug for the audience. He is more of a showman than a guitar player. I would rate him a 2 out of 10 in the world of pro players.

Where would you rate Janick Gers?

[RicksPickWrangler]

Rick has always been a average but very energetic and entertaining guitarist. That he's written the lion's share of the CT catalog is a testament to his song writing ability. But his visuals, stage presence, moving guitar show, and being the actual front man has made him the most important member of the band (actually probably even with Robin Zander).

[SchenkerFan]

I always considered him to be very average. I can't think of any solo that stands out, though there are a few cool riffs (The House Is Rockin').