Jeff Beck’s legacy as a guitarist is undeniable. Decades after his emergence, his name remains near the top of any list ranking the greatest guitarists of all time. As a member of The Yardbirds and a pioneering solo artist, Beck reshaped blues rock, jazz fusion, and hard rock, leaving an indelible mark on generations of musicians. However, even as he pushed boundaries, he always acknowledged those who came before him—especially one guitarist he believed was untouchable.
Before Beck and his contemporaries revolutionized the guitar in the 1960s, the instrument had already undergone significant transformations. The blues and rock and roll explosion of the 1950s, driven by icons like B.B. King, Chuck Berry, and Muddy Waters, set the stage for the next wave of innovators. With the birth of multiple rock subgenres in the ’60s, guitarists like Beck, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, and Jimmy Page expanded the instrument’s capabilities, cementing their place in history.
While Beck is frequently ranked alongside these legends, he believed the greatest guitarist of all time belonged to a different era. For him, no one could surpass the brilliance of Django Reinhardt. A Belgian-born jazz guitarist active from the 1930s until his passing in the 1950s, Reinhardt’s playing was groundbreaking. His fusion of bebop and Romani jazz, combined with his aggressive fingerstyle technique, gave him a sound unlike any other.
What made Reinhardt’s achievements even more remarkable was the physical limitation he had to overcome. After suffering severe burns in a fire, he lost the full use of two fingers on his left hand. Rather than let this end his career, he adapted, developing a technique that allowed him to execute dazzling solos with just two functional fingers on the fretboard. His ability to turn adversity into innovation not only shaped jazz but also influenced countless guitarists who followed.
Beck, a lifelong admirer of Reinhardt, never hesitated to declare his superiority. In a 1999 interview with Guitar Player, he stated without hesitation: “Django Reinhardt is still the best guitarist, and there’s no question about that, ever.”
Although Reinhardt’s style is less commonly replicated today, his impact remains undeniable. His approach to the guitar was so unique that it continues to inspire players across genres, from jazz and blues to rock and beyond. For Jeff Beck—one of the most innovative guitarists in rock history—no one, past or present, could match the brilliance of Django Reinhardt.