best non-guitarist, guitar players are..?

Bill Nelson, from the defunct group "BeBop Deluxe"! There are many great guitar "players", but very few that can actually make a guitar "sing". It is also unusual, that unlike many other guitarists, his live recording performances are actually better (technically as well as inspirationally) than his studio performances. His encore finale on the "Live in the Air Age" tour (1977) was a cover of Hendrix's "Purple Haze". Other than the vocal differences, one would swear that Hendrix's spirit was playing the guitar. I have NEVER heard any other cover of a Hendrix song that didn't sound like a cover instead of "the real deal"!

Please note: if you want to purchase the "Live in the Air Age CD", get the U.K. EMI pressing, not the sonically inferior "One Way Records" CD, which is total CRAP (as are all "One Way Records" CD's).

henryhk, im with you on the neil young deal,IMO neal is a great sounding guitar player but isnt even thought of as being proficient.

gohstrider45,FZ was a highly regarded guitar player & composer & i consider him to be 1 of the all time best.

mike.

On the lighter side...

Jack Black (Tenacious D)
Adam Sandler

just my goofy 2c

Ellery

Hugely successfull, and terribly untalanted, but has made an impact on the music scene;

The Edge

Walter Becker by the way, is actually quite good, and has
the sense to get someone more capable to do what he cannot.

completely agree w/ Zappa, Prince, Edge (though both Zappa and Prince are certainly technically proficient!)....the others I don't know well

how about also
Joe Walsh
John Butler (check this guy out from down under!...jam band)
Lowell George from Little Feat
Monte Montgomery (if u do not know u gotta check him out: acoustic w/ an attitude)
Peter Frampton (I know, but then again...)
Bonnie Raitt
Tom Petty (when he wants to)
Bruce Springsteen (Bad Lands!)