Favorite Bands Featuring Two Guitarists

[Tom Kinter]

Moby Grape, Love, Byrds

 

[bassdude51]

Ha! For me, there are sooo many bands with 2 guitarists that I can't even think of any.

But, The Grateful Dead come to mind with Garcia doing high register notes and Bob Weir doing low register guitar notes.

 

[ELG60]

Steely Dan's early output featured Jeff Baxter and Denny Diaz.

 

[dmt]

Can’t say they’re really a giant favorite of mine, but I’ve enjoyed here and there various tunes by this once well-known two-guitar band that not many may think of today, The Ventures.

 

[Ostie]

In no particular order, because I hate ranking, like Rolling Stone does:
The Beatles—of course
ABB—with Allman/Betts, no offense to Warren Haynes, I love his playing
CSNY—the guitar duels between Stills and Young
Grateful Dead—we all know that Jerry was the genius
Little Feat—Lowell George and Paul Barerre complemented each other perfectly
Rolling Stones —with Mick Taylor, but I love Ronnie Wood, who also plays bass

Skynyrd had three GP so are they disqualified? And The Mothers often had two GP. But neither are my favorites, as the OP posed the question.

 

[DJ Bebop]

All the others so far and, Wishbone Ash

 

[2saddleslab]

 

[bassicmike]

All the others so far and, Wishbone Ash

Was just going to post this!

 

[Sierra Hotel]

Can’t say they’re really a giant favorite of mine, but I’ve enjoyed here and there various tunes by this once well-known two-guitar band that not many may think of today, The Ventures.

The band that I learned how to play guitar to in 1968

 

[Sierra Hotel]

I'm kinda partial to Boston with Tom Scholz and Barry Goudreau

 

[Dincrest]

Avenged Sevenfold- Synyster Gates and Zacky Vengeance

August Burns Red- JB Brubaker and Brett Rambler (though sometimes JB Brubaker and bassist Dustin Davidson switch instruments)

Shadows Fall- Jonathan Donais and Matt Bachand

KoRn- Head and Munky

 

[BassBrass]

To my way of thinking, 2 guitars is 2 strikes on the way to irrelevancy, there is nothing more predictable than harmonized lead lines, I believe they are mainly responsible for the Punk reaction of the late 70s. So, one band is Miles Davis c. 1971-78 (or so) the band with Pete Cosey and Reggie Lucas. They both had different functions. The other is obvious, I just didn't notice them being mentioned yet, but they had a big hit people call out and these days makes 70 year olds cry a little.

 

[Michedelic]

I'll throw in some support for The Church, and The Chameleons. Do any Chameleons fans remember "The Sun and the Moon"?

Did you catch them on the recent reunion tour?

 

[Bunk McNulty]

Long time ago I saw Johnny Winter with Rick Derringer. They blew the roof off the joint.

 

[ultra60]

Did you catch them on the recent reunion tour?

I did not. But I think a friend's band opened up for them in Philadelphia last year.

 

[EricOnTheBass]

I’ve always enjoyed the interplay of the two guitars of The Tragically Hip.

 

[mikeynets]

CCR
Blind Melon
Radiohead
Sonic Youth

All are some of my favorites, for different reasons.

I think Blind Melon’s guitar players, especially when they stepped away from the Allman’s influence, are so tasteful and underrated.

CCR is very traditional lead/rhythm but so solid

Radiohead and Sonic Youth maximize the range with two guitarists

 

[dmt]

Ha! For me, there are sooo many bands with 2 guitarists that I can't even think of any.

But, The Grateful Dead come to mind with Garcia doing high register notes and Bob Weir doing low register guitar notes.

View attachment 7397366

Oh man, I knew I was forgetting somebody…

 

[Michedelic]

But wait, there’s more…
I’m trying to focus on bands with two guitars and no other instrumentation beyond the rhythm section, hence a quartet, or with added vocalist(s). Extra points if there isn’t clear-cut lead/rhythm roles between the two.
So, to add…
MC5
XTC, starting with Drums And Wires
The Buzzcocks
Chris Isaak/Silvertone(James Calvin Wilsey was such a unique player)
Echo and the Bunnymen
Lush
Momma(a current fave recent band who picked up a few things from the aforementioned Miki and Emma)
The Byrds(original McGuinn/Crosby lineup…no diss on Clarence, who was incredible in his own right, but the later stuff wasn’t the same)
Sonic Youth
Big Star(while their signature tune, “September Gurls”, was recorded as a trio, the first album was an inspiration for more than a few bands)

 

[Perrygoround]

CCR
Blind Melon
Radiohead
Sonic Youth

All are some of my favorites, for different reasons.

I think Blind Melon’s guitar players, especially when they stepped away from the Allman’s influence, are so tasteful and underrated.

CCR is very traditional lead/rhythm but so solid

Radiohead and Sonic Youth maximize the range with two guitarists

oh, I love Blind Melon!
Such a fantastic, underrated band.