The Ghost bends,But Joe picked it up and copied some of those riffs and plays just as well.He is a bit wilder,but the confessor showed me a nother side.Hotel California is a perfect example of their similarities.
I think Felder is most exquisite, calm and tasteful, maybe better technique. But... Oh, man!! Walsh's playing is so powerful and full of energy!! My vote for Joe.
Comes down to if you prefer technical ability vs a signature sound and spontaneity. I've always preferred players who had their own style that you could recognize instantly over someone who hits every note perfectly night after night. It's just my personal preference. It's cool if I see someone playing the solo for "tornado of souls" note for note, but am more impressed seeing someone be able to work their "sound" into anything at that moment. The best part about these arguments is there's no wrong answers.
Don is friggin great. Joe is just a whole different ballgame. I never played the who is better game. It is not a sport. It is how it moves you. Joe is THE reason I picked up a guitar in 1979-80. Felder cannot write a song. He is a guitarist and nothing more. Joe writes killer riffs and killer songs and he sings too. I don`t compare. I will say this as fact. Felder does not fill an arena. Joe has been filling them since 1969. It is that simple. I am not in the music scene anymore, but when I was, everybody knew Joe. Nobody mentioned Felder. It speaks for itself. Joe was touring the world while Felder was giving guitar lessons.
Meanwhile, there are ample numbers of legend guitar players who looked up to Joe and cite his playing as an influence. Contrast that to the numbers of legends citing Felde... oh. never mind. Don't get me wrong, Don is fantastic. But he's not on the same level and as influential as Joe Walsh. Don't believe me, that's fine. I'll sit comfortably wrong in the company of the great guitarists spanning a couple of generations that rave about Joe Walsh, but nary a mention of Felder in the same vein.
To me, neither one is better than the other. They both have their own great styles and both are fantastic guitar legends. I can listen to either one for hours, but I still never tire from watching and/or hearing their live solo battle duet on Hotel California. They complement each other so well.
I agree. Their styles are so different and they're both at the top of their respective styles, I couldn't choose one over the other. What I like about comparing these two particular guitarists is just that. That there are millions of notes and chord combinations, but carving out a style yields a type of sound that can be quite different depending on who's playing it. These guys couldn't be any more different yet they gelled to make one of the best twin-guitar solos ever. The only two other guitarists that epitomized this kind of algorithm are Duane Allman and Dickey Betts.
Joe Walsh and Don Felder are like fire and ice. Joe had the fiery chaotic guitar style that you never knew what you were going to get, just that it was going to be great. Felder was the like an ice cold technician that played with precision to perfection. Together they created an amazing sound that few guitar duos could hope to match.
You hit the nail on the head! Gun to my head if I had to pick…Joe Walsh. I know not the technical answer but the soul of his playing is really unmatched.
Comparing two players is unwise. Won't go into why right now. It really is unnecessary. You seem like a nice cat. I'm not putting you down for posing the question. But there are better things to discuss. I am curious to know what caused these big flap between the two of them. It seems like if there was peace amongst them the quality of musicianship could have been maintained.
Joe is a really fine rock guitarist. Don is simply a fine guitarist and is vastly underappreciated. I like them both but Don can play anything. Joe can play Joe.
Well you need to keep up with Joe a little closer , I’ve heard him play things vastly different than his style,saw him play While my guitar Gently Weeps and then saw him play with Ray Wylie Hubbard , and much much more
Both amazing guitarists. I'm a musician but not a guitarist, really like both of them but prefer Dons style and musicality more. The guitar duet in Hotel California is so great. I never tire of listening to it. Sad what happened thanks to Henley and Frey.
Best guitar duo of all time. Felder wrote Hotel California, the greatest Eagles song and the greatest American song of all time. Thus making him the most talented Eagle and the best member in the band. Hotel California is better and has generated more interest and revenue than several entire Eagles albums combined. Henley and Frey were jealous and didn't wanna let Felder sing Victim of Love or have a chance to write another gem.
Henley is the most talented Eagle. This is evidenced by the fact that they are still touring with a whole lot more than just Hotel. They had the best selling album in the US... BEFORE HOTEL... so while I agree its probably their best song, Felder could write and play as good as any, but Henley and Frey were the heart and soul of that band, even if they had drama with Don.. the fact is Don was "less irreplaceable" than Glenn, Henley, and Walsh.. Stuart Smith filled in for Don, but he cannot fill in for Walsh.. just sayin... Also, thank God they did Victim of Love the way they did, Henley is objectively a better singer, and it doesnt sound right when Felder does his version and sings it..
I could name several duos better than Walsh and Felder. Just for starters, Robertson and Gorham from Thin Lizzy and Rossington/Collins from Skynyrd. That doesn't even scratch the surface. I could make an argument for at least a dozen more right off the top of my head. Working together on two albums doesn't put you at the top of the heap.
Totally agree about the One of These Nights solo. Perfectly constructed 12 (or so) bars. Hard to make a perfect statement in such a small space of time, but he did it on that one. Perfectly fits the song.
Appreciate your comment, brownie. Thank god I am not the only person who adores that solo. Try to get that tone. It’s just impossible. But it took me a long time of fumbling around learning to play it, to realize a lot of that uniqueness was not just the tone but his playing style, with lots of ghost notes, string skipping, etc.
They both are perfect for each other meaning they both have good chemistry 🧪 and taste while playing live when they play together and complement each other’s sound , crowd loves it 💯
/ Agreed Felder can technically play circles around Joe but Joe is a world-class songwriter and entertaining raw guitarist and together they were magic. I will say that if you follow Joe from his early career all the way, you'll notice his guitar chops get better AFTER he joins the Eagles and starts working with Felder... Joes career arc is far more entertaining and fulfilling than Felders (Joe is a Rock & Roll icon) Felder is the former guitarist for the Eagles... But Felder is a magician on the fretboard
I've followedJoe Walsh since 1969 when I 16 years old. The guy is flat out phenominal. Totally original. Doesn't copy anyone. Don Felder is just a great guitarist, period. Different guitarists with similarities. Neither is better than the other.
Watch Washington 77. Felder by a country mile. They are both great. But dons touch is sublime.. And his tone. His strat tone on new kid in town is one of the best Stratocaster tones I've heard. Equally his tele tone on lying eyes is the ultimate tele tone. And his iconic licks make the songs... they wouldn't be the same without them.. Taste and precision.
They both contributed so much to the eagles music. Without either of them, The Eagles would not have made it to where they are today. Don is an awesome music teacher and a brilliant guitarist and Joe, I just love his blues licks.
@@adrianamatlack532 I don’t need to do anything 😉. Maybe Walsh is technically better but I think Felder has way more swag in his playing style. I urge you to check that video on TH-cam.
I've been a guitar player for about 30 years and grew up with these guys...for me , it's Felder by a half-bend ( play on words fully intended ). Felder just has a bit better feel and sense of melody in his playing...plus I have seen him melt some faces so he CAN play fast as well...but just over all a little better feel from Don's playing. Great vid and thanks for sharing.
I love Joe Walsh as a solo artist, but purely for the guitar work, I have to give this one to Don Felder. For me, his Fender tones on the chiller Eagles songs like Lyin' Eyes, New Kid in Town, and so forth, just help make those songs better. Obviously, his Gibson tones bear mentioning, but I'm also going to throw in his lovely mandolin playing on the live versions of Tequila Sunrise, and his classical guitar for Hotel California on Hell Freezes Over. Beautiful sounds!
Agree - Felder was the cleaner and more versatile player, and the Gibson afforded him a warmer sound... whereas with Walsh... you knew you were going to get it dirty... unpredictable, amazing dirt.
Walsh is a legend, much bigger catalogue over the years but in the Eagles Felder was the man. Joe played 2nd guitar. Listen to 1977 concert, Felder plays all of Bernie Leadon's stuff seamlessly plus One of These Nights, New Kid in Town, Hotel California is Felder at his best.
Bernie Leadon made the Eagles sound like the Eagles. After he left they turned into a boring mainstream band. That doesn' t mean I don' t like Felder and Walsh.
@@lesterpaul9657 wrong my friend. Leadon the first guitarist but they didn’t have a unique sound with him. Leadon couldn’t deal with the egos and whining in the band so he told them that he knew who they needed to solve all the issues they were botching about…..his old high school buddy of Don Felder. Felder is responsible for the Eagles’ sound we all know and love.
Both are great. Turn to Stone is my favorite Joe Walsh song - one of the first that I learned on guitar and still love to play (Dm-C-Bb). Don Felder might actually be a better guitarist. His lead in Hotel California is legendary.
I saw the Eagles right after Hotel California came out and kept watching Joe during most of the leads from the songs they did on Hotel California. It was then I saw that Joe was not playing them.... Don was. Holy crap, I was sure it had to be Joe. WRONG. From New Kid in Town and many others, I assumed it had to be Joe playing them. So yeah it was then that I became a fan of Don's playing and writing abilities. That being said, I have loved Joe since the James Gang days. Both are great but just a little different flavors. I see it as a toss up. Both are simply amazing at what they do. The big difference is that Don got fucked in the end.
And he composed both parts of the solos in Hotel California. Then he taught Joe his part. But it's not worth discussing who is better--just who you prefer.
Without Don "Fingers" Felder the Eagles would have been just another one of those soft 70's bands, like Poco, Firefall, America, Pure Prairie League. He put them on the rock n roll map.
Except they have the second most sold album (albeit a compilation) in the US that includes 0 songs felder played in. They were without a doubt a better band with him in, and a true rock and roll band thanks to him. But, i wouldnt say they wouldve been another poco considering their first 3 albums sold a shit ton of records
@@bassesatta9235 Felder is on Greatest Hits 71-75, he played on One Of These Nights, Lyin' Eyes, Take It to The Limit, Already Gone, & Best of my Love. Joe Walsh isn't on 71-75 at all.
@@dw9034 you're exactly right and I figured that the comment made by previous contributor got Felder and Walsh mixed up. There really is no fair comparison because Felder has a much more accomplished and finished presentation. Walsh on the other hand ad libs everything and I wonder if he could even play a piece of sheet music. I don't know
One point not mentioned, the Eagles were great with Felder before Walsh, but they have never been great without Felder. Nobody can play his solos the same, even if the notes are the same, including Walsh. Of course Joe shined more in his solo career than the Eagles than Felder did.
I gotta disagree. I’ve been to 3 separate Eagles concerts, one of which was just last week, and while all the band members sound a bit older, the music still sounds as good as it ever did. Steuart Smith, while maybe not quite on the same level as Felder, he’s still very good. And after having taken Felders role in nearly every song for the better part of 20+ years, he’s settled in and even brings his own flair to the music. Again, no one can ever truly match Don, because he’s the original, but to say that they’ve never been great without him is something I simply can’t agree with. They were amazing before he joined the group, they became even better during his tenure, and they’re still one of the best live bands you’ll ever see after his departure.
Desperado is possibly their greatest album. And the title track probably their best ballad. How can you say they were never great before these two joined
@@NowhereMan7 I was inferring never great since Felder left. And they always made great records but I think they became a much better live act when Felder joined and even better when Walsh joined, those 2 had serious chemistry. Felder was able to cover Bernie's parts but nobody has ever been able to cover Felder's with authority.
Who is better? Damn, I honestly couldn't say. They are different. Joe is Mr Rock and Roll, a man of many, many classic riffs and physical soloing. The way he's bending those leads in the live video for "Walk Away" is a fine example of that. I think Don is a master of those well planned out, melodic solos. Never a note out of place. Never a bent note not exactly in pitch. Another great video Mark, thanks for the lessons.
Dang! If that isn't spot on I don't know what is! One thing I forgot to point out is that Joe and Don were a truly classic guitar combo. We all know that of course, but they aren't celebrated like, say, Duane and Dickie were. I wish they would've stayed together in the same band longer.
Not an opinion of who is better, but my favorite is Felder. Many Eagles songs have his subtle chord based melodies adding that layer that makes music great. Often reminds me of Knopfler in that way.
It's like comparing apples to oranges. Their styles are quite different. I love them both, but, if push came to shove, I'd take Felder. His solos just seem to me to be a little more innovative. We shouldn't forget that Bernie Leadon was a multi-instrumentalist and a pretty good guitarist in his own right.
I believe I heard Glen Frey say at one point that he and/or other members called Don “Fingers Felder” meaning that he could play anything with strings (guitar, mandolin, ukelele, etc). I saw the Eagles in 1974 and my recollection was Felder seemed to always be changing instruments. Joe Walsh did not join until 1975
Bernie Leadon was the guy who played all the stringed instruments in the early Eagles - before Felder joined and also on "One of These Nights", when he and Felder were the main guitarists for the band. Felder played guitar and some keyboard. "Fingers" was what Frey called him because of his guitar playing.
They're both great guitarists, although Don's playing appeals to me the most. There's a really cool video of The Eagles performing "Turn to Stone" live in 1976, and that Felder's solo is just face melting. They complemented each other perfectly, it's sad that they don't play together anymore. I think it would be neat if you could maybe make a lesson on how to play in style of Felder/Walsh, what scales to use and so on 🙂
Totally agree - both are great and it's a shame they don't play together any more. I've done a few videos on Joe Walsh's style. There's more on the Member's site, but haven't done that much on TH-cam. Something for the future maybe.
@@bearsmartdurango Yes, but there's a video on TH-cam where Joe Walsh and The Eagles are playing it together. I'm not sure but I think Joe was a member of The Eagles at that time
I'm a Joe Walsh fan. His playing on "County Fair" will live with me for the rest of my days. Also, his performance at the Fender Stratocaster 50 Year Anniversary was truly remarkable.
Funny, I didn't remember County Fair at all and just today someone asked about it. Yes, nice song! I'll have to look up the 50th Strat Anniversary now!
Just listened to Don Felder's song "Heavy Metal (Takin a Ride)". The way Don bends a string is an art form. I saw the Eagles Hell Freezes Over tour, great concert but it just wasn't the same without Don's artful playing.
Walsh was "fire" to Felder's "ice" when they were in "The Eagles". Felder was cool and sharp. Methodical in his approach. His skills were clear, precise and finely tuned. Walsh meanwhile was a wildcard. His energy, pace and style to the guitar had an edge, an element of unpredictability to it. Both were equally skilled yet played the guitar in distinctly different styles. In theory, these two should have clashed but in fact, they complimented each other immensely. Because they had different personalities and attitudes (Felder was the introvert and Walsh was the extrovert), they each brought something different to the table and in turn, elevated one another to a new level that was exciting to watch and listen too.....
I'd say Joe's solos are for live show, they chew the scenery as they say in the movies. Don on the other hand compliments the song and the vocals. He won't outshine them he raises the level of the whole thing ala One Of These Nights.
I got to go with Don Felder...I like Joe...but Don just had a more serious vibe with his guitar work...that being said the 2 complemented each other very well
Both are phenomenal guitarists without a doubt, but the Eagles were a completely different band with Felder than they were without him. It's no coincidence that they reached the zenith of their popularity when he was with them.
As a casual player, I tend to like guitarist's that have a signature sound (round to Walsh). But there are guitarists that excel at adding value to a song, complementing but not dominating it (round to Felder). My tie-breaker goes to Felder, because Felder can do Walsh as good as Walsh (solo on Heavy Metal).
Yes, Joe has that signature sound and definitely a harder edge to his play. Felder was more content to lay back and just make the song better as you say. Heavy Metal is a real burner! (Cool animation too!)
I'd say Joe made a better "rock star" but Felder was better from a "musical" perspective. They're both awesome and very cool but in different ways. That's my two cents.
Yes, I hear you. The title really should be "What makes each of these players great and how do they differ?" But that just doesn't have the ring to it. I really just wanted to see people's opinions on *WHY* and what they think makes each player stand out.
Just saw Felder’s band in Fl and I realized that his guitar mastery is what was missing (along with Glenn Frey’ voice) when I saw the Eagles a short while earlier. I also read his book about playing with some giant egos (Heaven Hell). I hope they can all mature enough to give one more tour with the two of them getting along to produce songs like Life in the Fast Lane and Hotel California again!!
That's a tough one, but no argument here ,Joe because you recognize his sound straight off and all the songs we love he plays. Respect both musicians very much. Love Kris IL
They both bring a lot to the table. Joe has a signature sound and moves. Felder has more musicality and versatility. Joe has a raw sound - very rock. Don is smooth and his bends are perfect. No argument on your choice from me!
Ya I forgot to tell you.... ironic we were were talking about where to buy guitars..... SWEETWATER just got bought out!!!🥺look up Barry Jhons studio talk SWEETWATER BOUGHT OUT on TH-cam...boy that came out of nowhere!!! Maybe we should all take a class field trip to Indiana real soon!!! You probably already know....upsetting....
For me, Joe Walsh is the master. Don Felder did some really good stuff, but Joe's had a long career outside of Eagles, both before and after. Quite the lyricist , too. He added the writing on the inner space of L.P's, too. _"Never let your monster lie down"_ on "The Long Run" was a great example. You'd have to be a Joe Walsh fan to understand the meaning, but "The Greeks Don't Want No Freaks" has a hint at it.
Joe Walsh was one of the guitarist's I played over and over learning guitar from in the late 70's. He and Felder are probably my favorite pair of guitarist's in a band together.
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I saw Joe Walsh back in 1970 when The James Gang supported the Who on tour in the U.K.They weren't as good as the Who but they were pretty good and Joe was a class act even then and was lauded by Pete Townshend.Can't be bad!!!
Sure, makes sense. Helps to understand differences though and why you like a player if you think about what makes them really good and maybe how they mesh with other players.
I don't know who's best, but I know who I prefer to listen to and that's Joe Walsh. With the James Gang, a trio, he played lead, rhythm, and sang,--many times on the same song. And wrote the lyrics and music. With the Eagles he also sang and occasionally played piano. Personally, I never listened to the Eagles until he joined them.
Desperado is maybe their best album - before either of them joined. Its hard to compare to Hotel California or One of These Nights though since they are different styles of music. Those three are unquestionably the three best Eagles albums.
On "I Can't Tell You Why," Felder's amazing solos have Joe Walsh accompanying on keyboard (along with Glen Frey). For Joe to defer to Don that says something. Both are amazing guitarists but Felder seems more versatile ... saw him perform in Lancaster, OH and still bringing it well into his 70s. Both are superb in their own right and Walsh has hits just on his own to vie for Eagles top spot - "Life's Been Good to Me So Far" is epic. But "Hotel California" and Felder's double-neck playing is the classic rock gold standard. Walsh's playing on that song is also epic but Don does a bit more. For any band to have two guitar players of their ability and stature is not only rare but simply unheard of. Thus The Eagles are America's greatest band - at least they were in their heyday - with all due respect to Journey's Neil Schon and Aerosmith's Joe Perry.
But ... they had 3 very good players at the time. Glen Frey actually wrote and played the solo on "I Can't Tell You Why" on the album. (Felder played it on their video and during concerts for the most part.) He also did the solos on some other songs. Notably Bob Seger's "Til It Shines". He wasn't in Joe/Don's league, but he knew what he was doing!
Well this is strictly a matter of taste, but for me Felder was the only thing I liked about the Eagles. His solos had a lot of gain and distortion and he played with a certain aggression that lent them the only real "edge" they ever had. He was the only thing that kept them from being complete housewife rock. I heard the new guy play his solos with a clean, plinky tone and it sounded awful. Like a country guy trying to play Led Zeppelin. They lost their left nut with him gone.
Well the eagles started out as a country rock band…and id expect felder to bring that edge as he was the only rock guitarist when you consider frey is a rhythm guitarist and leadon only wanted to play bluegrass/country sort of leads.
Joe Wash. he can get the sound from his brain through his fingers to the amp as well as anyone in rock. He doesn’t play notes, he plays sounds he has in his head. Fantastic feel.
Yes, that's darn good reasoning there. A few are his equals in that (Santana comes to mind). To me that's the ideal in a guitarist - the guitar is only a conduit through which music inside a person flows out. BTW, Felder is pretty darn good in that too, though I would agree not at Joe's level.
This was a time when all the stars aligned and all was right in the universe! Those two together was absolutely pure magic! How I miss the follies of youth!
I agree with Ray! You’re as talented as any of those guys! Your humbleness and positive approach make your lessons delightful to watch! Thanks for your hard work!
I saw the Eagles countless times from the late 70s, until the early 2000s. One of, if not my favorite band. If I was to be stranded on a desert island with one band to listen to, they would be my choice. Both guys are extremely talented in their own right and complemented each other spectacularly and fed off each other live. My opinion, Don was the more technically gifted player, but Joe is no slouch ......... It's Don by a nose.
Love Joe! Pretty good friend of mine. We did a lot of jammin in the late ‘60s early ‘70s. He’s my hero!!! And a really cool guy!! Cheers from Salem, Ohio.
I spent a long time using modeling apps and modeling amps trying to get the tone to One of These Nights. Just never figured it out. I monkeyed around forever. There’s an interview somewhere on TH-cam where Felder talks about how he did it. First off, he used a ‘59 Les Paul (which of course all of us have one of those) and an old Fender Tweed Deluxe amp from the early to mid 1950s, no effects. He turned every setting up to 10. Besides the ‘59 LP, the other key to the tone was that the Deluxe was wired in some odd, custom way, that creates that super furry tone. He said something about Line 6 having approached him at one point to understand the oddball wiring on the Deluxe, and he wouldn’t tell them. :)
Joe Walsh was a free spirit with a free style that's hard to match. Don Felder was more practiced and laid out in comparison to Walsh. Joe Walsh's drinking issues at the time obviously played into his playing where Felder didn't have that interference in his playing at least not as much.
Both are vitality important without a doubt. I've always leaned on Joe for his humor, his character and most of all his feel for the instrument. I also truly appreciate Don for his accuracy and approach.
Ooooh, that's a good one!! I get the reference, and there's nothing Joe can do about it. ('cause he "lost his license"). Totally agree that both are fantastic!
I saw the James Gangs live tour that they recorded and was blown away. Saw the Eagles several times pre and post Walsh. I always favored the power trio thing as a young guitarist, but really came to love the Eagles during Hell Freezes Over era. Never saw Don perform in a power trio and can't imagine him carrying that weight. For this reason, I lean towards Joe and his body of work, but Don is an excellent and very precise guitarist.
It's pretty tough because technically they are pretty close. Entertaining - Joe Surprising, dirty- Joe Composition - Don Smoothness -Don I have a feeling Don has bigger bag of tricks than Joe. Joe can channel more rage, emotion with playing style and energy. Conclusion: Physical Guitar skills - close Entertaining - Joe Workmanship - Don
I think that makes sense. - You need a session guy to make a song better? Don. - You need a front man? Joe They both bring a lot to the table and together - amazing! Dickie and Duane get a ton of credit, but Joe and Don were a fantastic combo!
@@MarkZabel I think we are on the same page. Hotel California solo is beautifully crafted. It's a thing of beauty they "duel" in perfect harmony and synchrony.☺️
I use chromatic runs and licks all the time when improvising because of Joe Walsh. I have always been a string bender by nature but chromatic runs aren’t part of the scale so I never used them until I realized how often they are actually used in rock music by certain players with Joe Walsh being one I’m most familiar with because of his being in one of the greatest bands of all time, the Eagles. That solo from “One Of These Nights” is one of my all time favorites. Don Felder could hold his own for sure!
Yeah, I totally dig Joe's chromatic use. I think it's because it's so slow and deliberate. Don't "One of These Nights" solo is one of the best-crafted solos in rock. Lots of chord tones, lots of call and response, swings nicely. Just great!
I'm pretty sure Joe Walsh's tipsy guitar sound was a combination of two things: 1) He's a great guitarist who fully embraces the quirkiness of his guitar sound as the right sound for his music, and 2) He drank a lot. Seriously. You could hear the difference in his sound after he stopped drinking.
I would lean towards Felder as the slightly purer technician and just a bit more versatile, but hell, I’m splitting hairs. Love them both, different styles , and both added so much to the eagles - and they played off each other so well … tough call , and no wrong answer here
I think Don is more polished and Joe is more raw. Both are awesome players but I like Don’s playing a bit more. I always preferred bands with two guitarists which complemented each other.
I saw the Eagles 3 times in all. The first time it was Don, and the second time was with Don, and Joe. I have to give the nod to Don, not taking anything away from Joe, a great guitarist in his own right.
They are both great no doubt, but remember that video of Felder showing Walsh where to put his fingers on the guitar for some song. Don was a guitar teacher in his early days. His addition to the Eagles propelled them like a second stage rocket and Walsh was the third stage. That's why the Eagles really became great. I saw Felder and yhe Eagles play in Homewood Illinois in 1975 with Linda Ronstadt opening for them. Felder ripped the lead for One of thes nights and never looked at his guitar. What a solo! The guy was unbelievable! One of the best concerts I ever saw. Linda was beautiful and great. How they treated Felder later was total bs. Talk about imploding the band. First it was Leadon, then Meisner and then Felder. Is this too hard for anyone to see? Henley and Frey, really Frey, Henley just followed Frey because otherwise him and Frey would've fallen out. Such a dam shame! Talk about immaturity, selfishness, whatever you want to call it. I really think Frey did himself in with all of it. Would never admit it tho. I really liked all the Eagles anyway, just don't understand the method of their madness. Walsh or Schmit probably never would have been in the band if no one ever left. The Eagles did suffer after kicking Felder out, but Felder took off on his own. In his "Visions" keep stirring my soul!
You left out his huge contributions of the slide guitar on 'Thunder Island', and his contribution to Richard Marx's song 'Don't Know Nothin'. This along with vocals by Timothy B Schmidt and Randy Meisner, made this an instant hit! Thank you so much for posting this!
Bernie Leadon, then Don Felder, followed by Joe Walsh. I saw Wash with the James Gang at the Long Beach Auditorium in early 1970's, and he was AMAZING, like the white Jimi Hendrix, or so I thought at the time. The Eagles came from country-rock, but became more hard rock when Joe Walsh joined, and Bernie Leadon left - in fact Bernie left because he didn't like the more electric-rock direction the band was going, when he was more into acoustic country old-time type music. I saw him playing acoustically, including banjo and dobro, and Leadon was a great musician on all the instruments he played (can't remember him playing mandolin..?). Don Felder played many of the iconic guitar licks on the early Eagles records, and I especially liked his slide playing - so clean and polished. Joe Walsh is a great guitar player, but I'm not as into distortion and hard rock, as I am clean tones and acoustic playing.
You would have to define the term 'better'----I think that Joe has more raw power and he mixed some rakes and dissonant notes such as in Dirty Laundry then breaks into beautiful melody...he is a powerhouse traditional rock guitarist who pushes the outer limits of at times bridal emotional expression and stands out heads and shoulders over the other guitarist the eagles employed in later years. Fender is all finesse, versatility, impeccable timing and encyclopedic knowledge of different styles including classical and has a real knack for beautiful melodies. In terms of contribution to rock guitar I would have to place Walsh in lead position as much as I love Felder's style.
Hi Steve. (Hey, are you the Dixie Dregs Steve Morse???) I love your breakdown. Very similar to the way I compare the two of them. Joe definitely has a more unique, energetic style and I believe it's why he is much more well-known. Love how Felder plays - he's a great stylist, but I still give an edge to JW. Their contrasts did much to make them a great team with the Eagles. Having said that, the answer doesn't matter. Asking the question and finding one's own structure to compare the two is what counts. It leads to self-discovery and IMHO better enjoyment through deeper understanding. I'm a bit surprised at how many people don't get that ... not you, you get it. :) Thanks for your thoughtful commentary!
@@MarkZabel Hello Greg, I am not Steve Morse I just play his signature model guitar...sorry I didn't mean to mislead you.I lost my old gmail account because I forgot my password then had to come up with a new moniker and my guitar model came to my mind. I am both a cellist and a guitarist and although I am in the legal profession music is my great passion and I am addicted to playing both electric and acoustic guitar and I collect instruments.. I found your video very interesting and full of insight and you really nailed the playing style of both Walsh and Felder. I owned the heavily relicked Joe Walsh signature model Les Paul for which I paid a fortune then sold it because I think the Collectors Choice Les Pauls and the signature historical models are a bit gimmicky.I agree that the contrast of their styles brought great synergistic guitar energy to the Eagles and the way Felder was dismissed was in my opinion shameful especially in view of his immense talent, the fact that he wrote their greatest hit (that should have endeared him to the hyper venal 'Gods') and his gentlemanly demeanor. In closing I love both Don and Walsh....I am going to check out your member's section.Happy new year from Switzerland :)
Both are great guitarist but Joe Walsh is an all time favorite,playing style, personality, song writting. BTW anyone else having trouble downloading the tab, getting protocol error
I''ve never heard of people having issues like that before. I see you've enrolled. If you're still having trouble, try this. Make sure you're logged in (upper right-hand corner) and then use this link to go straight there: mark-z-guitar-school.teachable.com/courses/enrolled/882355
I am a year younger, and grew up with Joe, with the Measles, and James Gang,watching Joe opening the concerts, and closing all the bars in Kent and Akron. No one I have ever heard live, can touch Joe.
I'm listening to Don Felder's book. He has had the best life, the all American dream. I'm at the part where he just gets asked to join the Eagles. Just everything about his early family life and early band life and all the people he knew and got to see have success too, fantastic.
I’d go with Joe Walsh. He doesn’t look at the fretboard. His facial expressions suggest control and confidence. Don is probably more technical, but Joe is the showman. God bless both
I can't say that I like one better than the other, I just know that the eagles were a lot better with the both of them.
That is SO RIGHT!
U could tell they were pushing each other....hopefully in a brotherly way....
I agree 100% . They’re both great guitarist
Amen to that!
I thought they both complimented each other beautifully
But you're right the Eagles were better for both of them
Felder’s technique and melodic licks are beyond compare.
The Ghost bends,But Joe picked it up and copied some of those riffs and plays just as well.He is a bit wilder,but the confessor showed me a nother side.Hotel California is a perfect example of their similarities.
I think Felder is most exquisite, calm and tasteful, maybe better technique. But... Oh, man!! Walsh's playing is so powerful and full of energy!! My vote for Joe.
Listen to Joes solo albums he’s extremely melodic and tasteful.
Don Felder is one of the most tasteful, clean-playing, musical guitarists, that I have ever heard. Felder, definitely!
Don hands down
Well I am bias and going against the grain
I ❤Joe.. 😊
They are both great
Comes down to if you prefer technical ability vs a signature sound and spontaneity. I've always preferred players who had their own style that you could recognize instantly over someone who hits every note perfectly night after night. It's just my personal preference. It's cool if I see someone playing the solo for "tornado of souls" note for note, but am more impressed seeing someone be able to work their "sound" into anything at that moment. The best part about these arguments is there's no wrong answers.
Don is friggin great. Joe is just a whole different ballgame. I never played the who is better game. It is not a sport. It is how it moves you. Joe is THE reason I picked up a guitar in 1979-80. Felder cannot write a song. He is a guitarist and nothing more. Joe writes killer riffs and killer songs and he sings too. I don`t compare. I will say this as fact. Felder does not fill an arena. Joe has been filling them since 1969. It is that simple. I am not in the music scene anymore, but when I was, everybody knew Joe. Nobody mentioned Felder. It speaks for itself. Joe was touring the world while Felder was giving guitar lessons.
@@gib59er56 💯💥💣❤❤
Having seen Joe Walsh the most recent incarnation of the Eagles and seeing Don by himself I can confirm that Don is the man
They are both highly skilled players but I'm going with Felder... for his effortless precision and musicality.
Yeah, I saw him tonight 👍
Yeah I love Joe he's been a big influence but Don was better all round
agreed
Joe is great but Don is better. I think Don is one of the most underrated guitarist ever.
Meanwhile, there are ample numbers of legend guitar players who looked up to Joe and cite his playing as an influence. Contrast that to the numbers of legends citing Felde... oh. never mind.
Don't get me wrong, Don is fantastic. But he's not on the same level and as influential as Joe Walsh. Don't believe me, that's fine. I'll sit comfortably wrong in the company of the great guitarists spanning a couple of generations that rave about Joe Walsh, but nary a mention of Felder in the same vein.
To me, neither one is better than the other. They both have their own great styles and both are fantastic guitar legends. I can listen to either one for hours, but I still never tire from watching and/or hearing their live solo battle duet on Hotel California. They complement each other so well.
I agree. Their styles are so different and they're both at the top of their respective styles, I couldn't choose one over the other. What I like about comparing these two particular guitarists is just that. That there are millions of notes and chord combinations, but carving out a style yields a type of sound that can be quite different depending on who's playing it. These guys couldn't be any more different yet they gelled to make one of the best twin-guitar solos ever. The only two other guitarists that epitomized this kind of algorithm are Duane Allman and Dickey Betts.
Joe Walsh and Don Felder are like fire and ice. Joe had the fiery chaotic guitar style that you never knew what you were going to get, just that it was going to be great. Felder was the like an ice cold technician that played with precision to perfection. Together they created an amazing sound that few guitar duos could hope to match.
Yeah, that's the ticket! Exactly what I'm talking about!
You hit the nail on the head! Gun to my head if I had to pick…Joe Walsh. I know not the technical answer but the soul of his playing is really unmatched.
So true. You nailed it exactly!
Don ice cold ? No, that does not do him right at all, his emotions are
just more subtle than Joe's.
Comparing two players is unwise.
Won't go into why right now. It really is unnecessary. You seem like a nice cat. I'm not putting you down for posing the question. But there are better things to discuss. I am curious to know what caused these big flap between the two of them. It seems like if there was peace amongst them the quality of musicianship could have been maintained.
Joe is a really fine rock guitarist. Don is simply a fine guitarist and is vastly underappreciated. I like them both but Don can play anything. Joe can play Joe.
Well put. Joe was hired to be in Eagles because he is rough around the edges and brought more of a rock vibe to the Eagles.
Correct.
Spot on !!!
Joe looks like he's playing someone's grandma 😂🤣
Well you need to keep up with Joe a little closer , I’ve heard him play things vastly different than his style,saw him play While my guitar Gently Weeps and then saw him play with Ray Wylie Hubbard , and much much more
Both amazing guitarists. I'm a musician but not a guitarist, really like both of them but prefer Dons style and musicality more. The guitar duet in Hotel California is so great. I never tire of listening to it. Sad what happened thanks to Henley and Frey.
Best guitar duo of all time. Felder wrote Hotel California, the greatest Eagles song and the greatest American song of all time. Thus making him the most talented Eagle and the best member in the band. Hotel California is better and has generated more interest and revenue than several entire Eagles albums combined. Henley and Frey were jealous and didn't wanna let Felder sing Victim of Love or have a chance to write another gem.
Well put. I liked Bernie too. Their direction was what made him leave, but he helped change the landscape (with Gram Parsons too).
Henley is the most talented Eagle. This is evidenced by the fact that they are still touring with a whole lot more than just Hotel. They had the best selling album in the US... BEFORE HOTEL... so while I agree its probably their best song, Felder could write and play as good as any, but Henley and Frey were the heart and soul of that band, even if they had drama with Don.. the fact is Don was "less irreplaceable" than Glenn, Henley, and Walsh.. Stuart Smith filled in for Don, but he cannot fill in for Walsh.. just sayin...
Also, thank God they did Victim of Love the way they did, Henley is objectively a better singer, and it doesnt sound right when Felder does his version and sings it..
Allman/Betts are beyond compare.
Felder was f*cked over!
I could name several duos better than Walsh and Felder. Just for starters, Robertson and Gorham from Thin Lizzy and Rossington/Collins from Skynyrd. That doesn't even scratch the surface. I could make an argument for at least a dozen more right off the top of my head. Working together on two albums doesn't put you at the top of the heap.
They are both great but Dons solo on One of these Nights is sublime.
Totally agree about the One of These Nights solo. Perfectly constructed 12 (or so) bars. Hard to make a perfect statement in such a small space of time, but he did it on that one. Perfectly fits the song.
Appreciate your comment, brownie. Thank god I am not the only person who adores that solo. Try to get that tone. It’s just impossible. But it took me a long time of fumbling around learning to play it, to realize a lot of that uniqueness was not just the tone but his playing style, with lots of ghost notes, string skipping, etc.
An all-time great.
It's so damn tasty damn!!!
It's one of those perfect guitar solos for sure.....note wise, execution wise, tone wise. It's just P E R F E C T
They both are perfect for each other meaning they both have good chemistry 🧪 and taste while playing live when they play together and complement each other’s sound , crowd loves it 💯
Couldn't agree more!
Don is more a technician, and Joe is more of an emotional player…but I like both of them! Together they are awesome!
Hey Chet! I think you nailed it. They worked great together and their styles produced great music!
Bingo.
Well said!
/ Agreed Felder can technically play circles around Joe but Joe is a world-class songwriter and entertaining raw guitarist and together they were magic. I will say that if you follow Joe from his early career all the way, you'll notice his guitar chops get better AFTER he joins the Eagles and starts working with Felder... Joes career arc is far more entertaining and fulfilling than Felders (Joe is a Rock & Roll icon) Felder is the former guitarist for the Eagles... But Felder is a magician on the fretboard
You should watch some of Joe’s technical/trading videos. Might change your mind…
I've followedJoe Walsh since 1969 when I 16 years old. The guy is flat out phenominal. Totally original. Doesn't copy anyone. Don Felder is just a great guitarist, period. Different guitarists with similarities. Neither is better than the other.
Watch Washington 77. Felder by a country mile. They are both great. But dons touch is sublime.. And his tone. His strat tone on new kid in town is one of the best Stratocaster tones I've heard. Equally his tele tone on lying eyes is the ultimate tele tone. And his iconic licks make the songs... they wouldn't be the same without them.. Taste and precision.
They both contributed so much to the eagles music. Without either of them, The Eagles would not have made it to where they are today. Don is an awesome music teacher and a brilliant guitarist and Joe, I just love his blues licks.
Hands down Don Felder. Check his leads in the 1974 live version of Already Gone. Perfect!
You are joking right? You need to listen to more of Walsh's work.
@@adrianamatlack532 I don’t need to do anything 😉. Maybe Walsh is technically better but I think Felder has way more swag in his playing style. I urge you to check that video on TH-cam.
@@hidde630 They are both great, the whole comparison is silly IMOP. Like comparing lobster to a T bone steak. lol
@@adrianamatlack532 true. The only reason I commented back then was to throw in that video because it’s awesome.
I've been a guitar player for about 30 years and grew up with these guys...for me , it's Felder by a half-bend ( play on words fully intended ). Felder just has a bit better feel and sense of melody in his playing...plus I have seen him melt some faces so he CAN play fast as well...but just over all a little better feel from Don's playing. Great vid and thanks for sharing.
Thanks!! And thanks for your though-provoking comment too!
I love Joe Walsh as a solo artist, but purely for the guitar work, I have to give this one to Don Felder. For me, his Fender tones on the chiller Eagles songs like Lyin' Eyes, New Kid in Town, and so forth, just help make those songs better. Obviously, his Gibson tones bear mentioning, but I'm also going to throw in his lovely mandolin playing on the live versions of Tequila Sunrise, and his classical guitar for Hotel California on Hell Freezes Over. Beautiful sounds!
Agree - Felder was the cleaner and more versatile player, and the Gibson afforded him a warmer sound... whereas with Walsh... you knew you were going to get it dirty... unpredictable, amazing dirt.
Felder, killer tone, sweet phrasing.
Walsh is a legend, much bigger catalogue over the years but in the Eagles Felder was the man. Joe played 2nd guitar. Listen to 1977 concert, Felder plays all of Bernie Leadon's stuff seamlessly plus One of These Nights, New Kid in Town, Hotel California is Felder at his best.
Felder is more versatile certainly.
Felder. His tone and playing style helped make the Eagles sound, well .. like the Eagles!
Bernie Leadon made the Eagles sound like the Eagles.
After he left they turned into a boring mainstream band.
That doesn' t mean I don' t like Felder and Walsh.
@@lesterpaul9657 - I disagree, but that's okay...
@@lesterpaul9657 wrong my friend. Leadon the first guitarist but they didn’t have a unique sound with him. Leadon couldn’t deal with the egos and whining in the band so he told them that he knew who they needed to solve all the issues they were botching about…..his old high school buddy of Don Felder. Felder is responsible for the Eagles’ sound we all know and love.
Both are great. Turn to Stone is my favorite Joe Walsh song - one of the first that I learned on guitar and still love to play (Dm-C-Bb). Don Felder might actually be a better guitarist. His lead in Hotel California is legendary.
Totally agree!
I saw the Eagles right after Hotel California came out and kept watching Joe during most of the leads from the songs they did on Hotel California. It was then I saw that Joe was not playing them.... Don was. Holy crap, I was sure it had to be Joe. WRONG. From New Kid in Town and many others, I assumed it had to be Joe playing them. So yeah it was then that I became a fan of Don's playing and writing abilities. That being said, I have loved Joe since the James Gang days. Both are great but just a little different flavors. I see it as a toss up. Both are simply amazing at what they do. The big difference is that Don got fucked in the end.
Yes, I had that same reaction seeing the Hotel California live video - who is that? Why isn't Joe playing? Both great ... no doubt.
I’m going to go with Don, because he also wrote that chord progression.
And he composed both parts of the solos in Hotel California. Then he taught Joe his part. But it's not worth discussing who is better--just who you prefer.
Fielder is better but they are a fantastic duo! The sound they had together is definitely missing from the Eagles sound today!
Without Don "Fingers" Felder the Eagles would have been just another one of those soft 70's bands, like Poco, Firefall, America, Pure Prairie League.
He put them on the rock n roll map.
Except they have the second most sold album (albeit a compilation) in the US that includes 0 songs felder played in. They were without a doubt a better band with him in, and a true rock and roll band thanks to him. But, i wouldnt say they wouldve been another poco considering their first 3 albums sold a shit ton of records
@@bassesatta9235 Felder is on Greatest Hits 71-75, he played on One Of These Nights, Lyin' Eyes, Take It to The Limit, Already Gone, & Best of my Love. Joe Walsh isn't on 71-75 at all.
@@dw9034 you're exactly right and I figured that the comment made by previous contributor got Felder and Walsh mixed up. There really is no fair comparison because Felder has a much more accomplished and finished presentation. Walsh on the other hand ad libs everything and I wonder if he could even play a piece of sheet music. I don't know
One point not mentioned, the Eagles were great with Felder before Walsh, but they have never been great without Felder. Nobody can play his solos the same, even if the notes are the same, including Walsh. Of course Joe shined more in his solo career than the Eagles than Felder did.
I gotta disagree. I’ve been to 3 separate Eagles concerts, one of which was just last week, and while all the band members sound a bit older, the music still sounds as good as it ever did.
Steuart Smith, while maybe not quite on the same level as Felder, he’s still very good. And after having taken Felders role in nearly every song for the better part of 20+ years, he’s settled in and even brings his own flair to the music.
Again, no one can ever truly match Don, because he’s the original, but to say that they’ve never been great without him is something I simply can’t agree with. They were amazing before he joined the group, they became even better during his tenure, and they’re still one of the best live bands you’ll ever see after his departure.
@ben loesel I totally agree, but in the Eagles he's not as good as he was in the James Gang or solo where he could be himself.
Desperado is possibly their greatest album. And the title track probably their best ballad. How can you say they were never great before these two joined
@@NowhereMan7 I was inferring never great since Felder left. And they always made great records but I think they became a much better live act when Felder joined and even better when Walsh joined, those 2 had serious chemistry. Felder was able to cover Bernie's parts but nobody has ever been able to cover Felder's with authority.
Stuart Smith can't hold Don Felder's jock strap.
Who is better? Damn, I honestly couldn't say. They are different. Joe is Mr Rock and Roll, a man of many, many classic riffs and physical soloing. The way he's bending those leads in the live video for "Walk Away" is a fine example of that. I think Don is a master of those well planned out, melodic solos. Never a note out of place. Never a bent note not exactly in pitch. Another great video Mark, thanks for the lessons.
Dang! If that isn't spot on I don't know what is!
One thing I forgot to point out is that Joe and Don were a truly classic guitar combo. We all know that of course, but they aren't celebrated like, say, Duane and Dickie were. I wish they would've stayed together in the same band longer.
Not an opinion of who is better, but my favorite is Felder. Many Eagles songs have his subtle chord based melodies adding that layer that makes music great. Often reminds me of Knopfler in that way.
It's like comparing apples to oranges. Their styles are quite different. I love them both, but, if push came to shove, I'd take Felder. His solos just seem to me to be a little more innovative. We shouldn't forget that Bernie Leadon was a multi-instrumentalist and a pretty good guitarist in his own right.
I believe I heard Glen Frey say at one point that he and/or other members called Don “Fingers Felder” meaning that he could play anything with strings (guitar, mandolin, ukelele, etc). I saw the Eagles in 1974 and my recollection was Felder seemed to always be changing instruments. Joe Walsh did not join until 1975
Bernie Leadon was the guy who played all the stringed instruments in the early Eagles - before Felder joined and also on "One of These Nights", when he and Felder were the main guitarists for the band. Felder played guitar and some keyboard. "Fingers" was what Frey called him because of his guitar playing.
They're both great guitarists, although Don's playing appeals to me the most. There's a really cool video of The Eagles performing "Turn to Stone" live in 1976, and that Felder's solo is just face melting. They complemented each other perfectly, it's sad that they don't play together anymore.
I think it would be neat if you could maybe make a lesson on how to play in style of Felder/Walsh, what scales to use and so on 🙂
Totally agree - both are great and it's a shame they don't play together any more.
I've done a few videos on Joe Walsh's style. There's more on the Member's site, but haven't done that much on TH-cam. Something for the future maybe.
You mean "Turn to Stone" - the song Joe Walsh wrote?
@@bearsmartdurango Yes, but there's a video on TH-cam where Joe Walsh and The Eagles are playing it together. I'm not sure but I think Joe was a member of The Eagles at that time
Both are great guitar players .in My humble opinión Joe Walsh slide and tone is Unique when he was with James gang he Made great música.
Part of guitar playing is the ability to write the damn song. Joe Walsh wrote Turn to Stone. No one will match the original solo on his live album.
They were great together and that's what makes great music.
I'm a Joe Walsh fan. His playing on "County Fair" will live with me for the rest of my days. Also, his performance at the Fender Stratocaster 50 Year Anniversary was truly remarkable.
Funny, I didn't remember County Fair at all and just today someone asked about it. Yes, nice song! I'll have to look up the 50th Strat Anniversary now!
Joe Walsh is a better song writer 😎
Just listened to Don Felder's song "Heavy Metal (Takin a Ride)". The way Don bends a string is an art form. I saw the Eagles Hell Freezes Over tour, great concert but it just wasn't the same without Don's artful playing.
Both are fantastic players. For me I like a more raw "feeling" type player over the technical virtuoso. I pick Joe Walsh.
Walsh was "fire" to Felder's "ice" when they were in "The Eagles".
Felder was cool and sharp. Methodical in his approach. His skills were clear, precise and finely tuned.
Walsh meanwhile was a wildcard. His energy, pace and style to the guitar had an edge, an element of unpredictability to it.
Both were equally skilled yet played the guitar in distinctly different styles. In theory, these two should have clashed but in fact, they complimented each other immensely.
Because they had different personalities and attitudes (Felder was the introvert and Walsh was the extrovert), they each brought something different to the table and in turn, elevated one another to a new level that was exciting to watch and listen too.....
Yes ... all of it. Right on!
I'd say Joe's solos are for live show, they chew the scenery as they say in the movies. Don on the other hand compliments the song and the vocals. He won't outshine them he raises the level of the whole thing ala One Of These Nights.
I think that's spot on!
I got to go with Don Felder...I like Joe...but Don just had a more serious vibe with his guitar work...that being said the 2 complemented each other very well
Both are phenomenal guitarists without a doubt, but the Eagles were a completely different band with Felder than they were without him. It's no coincidence that they reached the zenith of their popularity when he was with them.
never mind whos better than the other.. they were the best together! hope those 2 will reunite for a show or two one day...🎸🎶
As a casual player, I tend to like guitarist's that have a signature sound (round to Walsh). But there are guitarists that excel at adding value to a song, complementing but not dominating it (round to Felder). My tie-breaker goes to Felder, because Felder can do Walsh as good as Walsh (solo on Heavy Metal).
Yes, Joe has that signature sound and definitely a harder edge to his play. Felder was more content to lay back and just make the song better as you say. Heavy Metal is a real burner! (Cool animation too!)
I'd say Joe made a better "rock star" but Felder was better from a "musical" perspective. They're both awesome and very cool but in different ways. That's my two cents.
You get it! It's not about the answer. It's about the comparison.
Best is relative. I think they both have their greatness. They are greatest together.
Yes, I hear you. The title really should be "What makes each of these players great and how do they differ?" But that just doesn't have the ring to it. I really just wanted to see people's opinions on *WHY* and what they think makes each player stand out.
Just saw Felder’s band in Fl and I realized that his guitar mastery is what was missing (along with Glenn Frey’ voice) when I saw the Eagles a short while earlier. I also read his book about playing with some giant egos (Heaven Hell).
I hope they can all mature enough to give one more tour with the two of them getting along to produce songs like Life in the Fast Lane and Hotel California again!!
That's a tough one, but no argument here ,Joe because you recognize his sound straight off and all the songs we love he plays. Respect both musicians very much. Love Kris IL
They both bring a lot to the table. Joe has a signature sound and moves. Felder has more musicality and versatility. Joe has a raw sound - very rock. Don is smooth and his bends are perfect. No argument on your choice from me!
Ya I forgot to tell you.... ironic we were were talking about where to buy guitars..... SWEETWATER just got bought out!!!🥺look up Barry Jhons studio talk SWEETWATER BOUGHT OUT on TH-cam...boy that came out of nowhere!!! Maybe we should all take a class field trip to Indiana real soon!!! You probably already know....upsetting....
@@krisstieghorst7415 Oh no! I didn't know. Clearly they were not keeping inventory these last few months!
@@MarkZabel ya talk about the end of an era!!! I'd rather you heard it from me 1st....🥺👺
For me, Joe Walsh is the master. Don Felder did some really good stuff, but Joe's had a long career outside of Eagles, both before and after. Quite the lyricist , too. He added the writing on the inner space of L.P's, too. _"Never let your monster lie down"_ on "The Long Run" was a great example. You'd have to be a Joe Walsh fan to understand the meaning, but "The Greeks Don't Want No Freaks" has a hint at it.
Welcome to the club is one of the most lyrically brilliant rock songs of all time. I still laugh every time
I totally agree. I love Felder but like you said Joe Walsh is the master. Together Felder and Walsh were an incredible guitar duo.
Something about Felder and all those thousands of licks he has.. I really like Felders style..
Me too!
Joe Walsh was one of the guitarist's I played over and over learning guitar from in the late 70's. He and Felder are probably my favorite pair of guitarist's in a band together.
Both great - amazing together!
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I think Joe phrases better. Because with out a guitar jow wouldn't be able to talk.
@@kenclarke4906 Just saw this ... LOL!
joe... by far
joe Walsh the bomber baby !!!
I think Don is very underrated, both are great guitarist, together unbelievable, I think Don is the better musician and a master of the guitar.
Yes. Don is one the best.
I saw Joe Walsh back in 1970 when The James Gang supported the Who on tour in the U.K.They weren't as good as the Who but they were pretty good and Joe was a class act even then and was lauded by Pete Townshend.Can't be bad!!!
Man, that's good on ya' seeing The Who with The James Gang warming up!
I never hold one above the other. I just appreciate that we got to experience both together. Their both great musicians.
Sure, makes sense. Helps to understand differences though and why you like a player if you think about what makes them really good and maybe how they mesh with other players.
I don't know who's best, but I know who I prefer to listen to and that's Joe Walsh. With the James Gang, a trio, he played lead, rhythm, and sang,--many times on the same song. And wrote the lyrics and music. With the Eagles he also sang and occasionally played piano. Personally, I never listened to the Eagles until he joined them.
Joe brought more of a rock vibe to the Eagles for sure!
Desperado is maybe their best album - before either of them joined. Its hard to compare to Hotel California or One of These Nights though since they are different styles of music. Those three are unquestionably the three best Eagles albums.
Joe has a very creative way of playing. His singing and playing go so well together.
I really like Felder, it’s Joe , so many iconic riffs. Plus he plays a Stratocaster every once in a while.
LOL! Man, you are like clockwork on that. So I think I have a real treat for you. Enjoy! th-cam.com/video/pXKv0t_b9A4/w-d-xo.html
@@MarkZabel well that shuts me up, thanks Mark . I never saw him with a Stratocaster before this,
I'll pick Don by a half-step because of his impeccable guitar works in I can't tell you why, and New kid in town.
On "I Can't Tell You Why," Felder's amazing solos have Joe Walsh accompanying on keyboard (along with Glen Frey). For Joe to defer to Don that says something. Both are amazing guitarists but Felder seems more versatile ... saw him perform in Lancaster, OH and still bringing it well into his 70s. Both are superb in their own right and Walsh has hits just on his own to vie for Eagles top spot - "Life's Been Good to Me So Far" is epic. But "Hotel California" and Felder's double-neck playing is the classic rock gold standard. Walsh's playing on that song is also epic but Don does a bit more. For any band to have two guitar players of their ability and stature is not only rare but simply unheard of. Thus The Eagles are America's greatest band - at least they were in their heyday - with all due respect to Journey's Neil Schon and Aerosmith's Joe Perry.
But ... they had 3 very good players at the time. Glen Frey actually wrote and played the solo on "I Can't Tell You Why" on the album. (Felder played it on their video and during concerts for the most part.) He also did the solos on some other songs. Notably Bob Seger's "Til It Shines". He wasn't in Joe/Don's league, but he knew what he was doing!
@@MarkZabel As Glen said, I get the job done.
Well this is strictly a matter of taste, but for me Felder was the only thing I liked about the Eagles. His solos had a lot of gain and distortion and he played with a certain aggression that lent them the only real "edge" they ever had. He was the only thing that kept them from being complete housewife rock. I heard the new guy play his solos with a clean, plinky tone and it sounded awful. Like a country guy trying to play Led Zeppelin. They lost their left nut with him gone.
Agreed. Stewart sux.
An old Fender Tweed Deluxe cranked is a beautiful sound!
Well the eagles started out as a country rock band…and id expect felder to bring that edge as he was the only rock guitarist when you consider frey is a rhythm guitarist and leadon only wanted to play bluegrass/country sort of leads.
Dude you are cold blooded.....but I think you're spot on correct too lol
Joe Wash. he can get the sound from his brain through his fingers to the amp as well as anyone in rock. He doesn’t play notes, he plays sounds he has in his head. Fantastic feel.
Yes, that's darn good reasoning there. A few are his equals in that (Santana comes to mind). To me that's the ideal in a guitarist - the guitar is only a conduit through which music inside a person flows out.
BTW, Felder is pretty darn good in that too, though I would agree not at Joe's level.
When great, influential guitarists are mentioned Don Felder isnt even in the mix. Joe Walsh is.
@@bearsmartdurango that has more to do with personalities than musical ability.
@@Steve13lb12oz - Nope. Joe Walsh is far better. More creative, intuitive, inventive, etc.
@@bearsmartdurango not according to Joe Walsh
This was a time when all the stars aligned and all was right in the universe! Those two together was absolutely pure magic! How I miss the follies of youth!
Joe or Don! I pick Mark. :) It's one thing to be a great player, but being a great teacher is way more impressive to me.
Oh, that's too kind. Thank you so much!
Haha! Plus one upvote here!
Teachers Pet!!!😉
I agree with Ray! You’re as talented as any of those guys! Your humbleness and positive approach make your lessons delightful to watch! Thanks for your hard work!
@@nick39 thanks so much!
I saw the Eagles countless times from the late 70s, until the early 2000s. One of, if not my favorite band. If I was to be stranded on a desert island with one band to listen to, they would be my choice. Both guys are extremely talented in their own right and complemented each other spectacularly and fed off each other live. My opinion, Don was the more technically gifted player, but Joe is no slouch ......... It's Don by a nose.
Love Joe! Pretty good friend of mine. We did a lot of jammin in the late ‘60s early ‘70s. He’s my hero!!! And a really cool guy!! Cheers from Salem, Ohio.
Cheers! Great experience to share Rick! Thanks for watching.
when vnce joined that completely finished me off.
I spent a long time using modeling apps and modeling amps trying to get the tone to One of These Nights. Just never figured it out. I monkeyed around forever. There’s an interview somewhere on TH-cam where Felder talks about how he did it. First off, he used a ‘59 Les Paul (which of course all of us have one of those) and an old Fender Tweed Deluxe amp from the early to mid 1950s, no effects. He turned every setting up to 10. Besides the ‘59 LP, the other key to the tone was that the Deluxe was wired in some odd, custom way, that creates that super furry tone. He said something about Line 6 having approached him at one point to understand the oddball wiring on the Deluxe, and he wouldn’t tell them. :)
Don Felder’s guitar brilliantly contributes to many Eagles songs that created the unique identity of the Eagles. No Felder No Eagles…
Joe Walsh was a free spirit with a free style that's hard to match. Don Felder was more practiced and laid out in comparison to Walsh. Joe Walsh's drinking issues at the time obviously played into his playing where Felder didn't have that interference in his playing at least not as much.
Thanks Ron!
Both are vitality important without a doubt. I've always leaned on Joe for his humor, his character and most of all his feel for the instrument. I also truly appreciate Don for his accuracy and approach.
What a great duo! I’m more of a Felder guy but both are stellar
Felder's Maserati does 186.
Both are great and created memorable music. Thanks for making this fun comparison.
Ooooh, that's a good one!! I get the reference, and there's nothing Joe can do about it. ('cause he "lost his license"). Totally agree that both are fantastic!
I saw the James Gangs live tour that they recorded and was blown away. Saw the Eagles several times pre and post Walsh. I always favored the power trio thing as a young guitarist, but really came to love the Eagles during Hell Freezes Over era. Never saw Don perform in a power trio and can't imagine him carrying that weight. For this reason, I lean towards Joe and his body of work, but Don is an excellent and very precise guitarist.
Sweet!
It's pretty tough because technically they are pretty close.
Entertaining - Joe
Surprising, dirty- Joe
Composition - Don
Smoothness -Don
I have a feeling Don has bigger bag of tricks than Joe.
Joe can channel more rage, emotion with playing style and energy.
Conclusion:
Physical Guitar skills - close
Entertaining - Joe
Workmanship - Don
I think that makes sense.
- You need a session guy to make a song better? Don.
- You need a front man? Joe
They both bring a lot to the table and together - amazing! Dickie and Duane get a ton of credit, but Joe and Don were a fantastic combo!
@@MarkZabel
I think we are on the same page.
Hotel California solo is beautifully crafted. It's a thing of beauty they "duel" in perfect harmony and synchrony.☺️
Mark you're awesome in your own right..well done video amigo!!
I appreciate that!
I use chromatic runs and licks all the time when improvising because of Joe Walsh. I have always been a string bender by nature but chromatic runs aren’t part of the scale so I never used them until I realized how often they are actually used in rock music by certain players with Joe Walsh being one I’m most familiar with because of his being in one of the greatest bands of all time, the Eagles.
That solo from “One Of These Nights” is one of my all time favorites. Don Felder could hold his own for sure!
Yeah, I totally dig Joe's chromatic use. I think it's because it's so slow and deliberate. Don't "One of These Nights" solo is one of the best-crafted solos in rock. Lots of chord tones, lots of call and response, swings nicely. Just great!
My favorite as well.
Felder has a formal musical education on top of his playing skills. He learned slide from the best slide player of all time, Duane Allman!
Don Felder is my favourite guitarist of all time. So expressive, so musical.
I'd take Don Felder any day, but Joe Walsh had an immense contribution to the later part of the Eagles change into a more aggressive outfit.
I'm pretty sure Joe Walsh's tipsy guitar sound was a combination of two things: 1) He's a great guitarist who fully embraces the quirkiness of his guitar sound as the right sound for his music, and 2) He drank a lot. Seriously. You could hear the difference in his sound after he stopped drinking.
I hear you on that.
But
Drinks are free for theBand
I would lean towards Felder as the slightly purer technician and just a bit more versatile, but hell, I’m splitting hairs. Love them both, different styles , and both added so much to the eagles - and they played off each other so well … tough call , and no wrong answer here
Exactly!
I think Don is more polished and Joe is more raw. Both are awesome players but I like Don’s playing a bit more. I always preferred bands with two guitarists which complemented each other.
That nails it exactly. I think it's personal preference.
Check out the original "Wishbone Ash" album called Argus really shows 2 guitarist's talent.
I saw the Eagles 3 times in all. The first time it was Don, and the second time was with Don, and Joe. I have to give the nod to Don, not taking anything away from Joe, a great guitarist in his own right.
They are both great no doubt, but remember that video of Felder showing Walsh where to put his fingers on the guitar for some song. Don was a guitar teacher in his early days. His addition to the Eagles propelled them like a second stage rocket and Walsh was the third stage. That's why the Eagles really became great. I saw Felder and yhe Eagles play in Homewood Illinois in 1975 with Linda Ronstadt opening for them. Felder ripped the lead for One of thes nights and never looked at his guitar. What a solo! The guy was unbelievable! One of the best concerts I ever saw. Linda was beautiful and great. How they treated Felder later was total bs. Talk about imploding the band. First it was Leadon, then Meisner and then Felder. Is this too hard for anyone to see? Henley and Frey, really Frey, Henley just followed Frey because otherwise him and Frey would've fallen out. Such a dam shame! Talk about immaturity, selfishness, whatever you want to call it. I really think Frey did himself in with all of it. Would never admit it tho. I really liked all the Eagles anyway, just don't understand the method of their madness. Walsh or Schmit probably never would have been in the band if no one ever left. The Eagles did suffer after kicking Felder out, but Felder took off on his own. In his "Visions" keep stirring my soul!
You left out his huge contributions of the slide guitar on 'Thunder Island', and his contribution to Richard Marx's song 'Don't Know Nothin'. This along with vocals by Timothy B Schmidt and Randy Meisner, made this an instant hit! Thank you so much for posting this!
You're welcome. Thanks for watching!
Can’t compare them, they each have their own unique styles and personalities. Both are brilliant guitarists.
I agree.
Bernie Leadon, then Don Felder, followed by Joe Walsh. I saw Wash with the James Gang at the Long Beach Auditorium in early 1970's, and he was AMAZING, like the white Jimi Hendrix, or so I thought at the time. The Eagles came from country-rock, but became more hard rock when Joe Walsh joined, and Bernie Leadon left - in fact Bernie left because he didn't like the more electric-rock direction the band was going, when he was more into acoustic country old-time type music. I saw him playing acoustically, including banjo and dobro, and Leadon was a great musician on all the instruments he played (can't remember him playing mandolin..?). Don Felder played many of the iconic guitar licks on the early Eagles records, and I especially liked his slide playing - so clean and polished. Joe Walsh is a great guitar player, but I'm not as into distortion and hard rock, as I am clean tones and acoustic playing.
You would have to define the term 'better'----I think that Joe has more raw power and he mixed some rakes and dissonant notes such as in Dirty Laundry then breaks into beautiful melody...he is a powerhouse traditional rock guitarist who pushes the outer limits of at times bridal emotional expression and stands out heads and shoulders over the other guitarist the eagles employed in later years. Fender is all finesse, versatility, impeccable timing and encyclopedic knowledge of different styles including classical and has a real knack for beautiful melodies. In terms of contribution to rock guitar I would have to place Walsh in lead position as much as I love Felder's style.
Hi Steve. (Hey, are you the Dixie Dregs Steve Morse???) I love your breakdown. Very similar to the way I compare the two of them. Joe definitely has a more unique, energetic style and I believe it's why he is much more well-known. Love how Felder plays - he's a great stylist, but I still give an edge to JW. Their contrasts did much to make them a great team with the Eagles.
Having said that, the answer doesn't matter. Asking the question and finding one's own structure to compare the two is what counts. It leads to self-discovery and IMHO better enjoyment through deeper understanding. I'm a bit surprised at how many people don't get that ... not you, you get it. :)
Thanks for your thoughtful commentary!
@@MarkZabel Hello Greg, I am not Steve Morse I just play his signature model guitar...sorry I didn't mean to mislead you.I lost my old gmail account because I forgot my password then had to come up with a new moniker and my guitar model came to my mind. I am both a cellist and a guitarist and although I am in the legal profession music is my great passion and I am addicted to playing both electric and acoustic guitar and I collect instruments.. I found your video very interesting and full of insight and you really nailed the playing style of both Walsh and Felder. I owned the heavily relicked Joe Walsh signature model Les Paul for which I paid a fortune then sold it because I think the Collectors Choice Les Pauls and the signature historical models are a bit gimmicky.I agree that the contrast of their styles brought great synergistic guitar energy to the Eagles and the way Felder was dismissed was in my opinion shameful especially in view of his immense talent, the fact that he wrote their greatest hit (that should have endeared him to the hyper venal 'Gods') and his gentlemanly demeanor. In closing I love both Don and Walsh....I am going to check out your member's section.Happy new year from Switzerland :)
They were both great and complimented each other perfectly!!
Don, definitely a much smoother player with certain finesse and quality that makes him a true artist.
Both are great guitarist but Joe Walsh is an all time favorite,playing style, personality, song writting. BTW anyone else having trouble downloading the tab, getting protocol error
I''ve never heard of people having issues like that before. I see you've enrolled. If you're still having trouble, try this. Make sure you're logged in (upper right-hand corner) and then use this link to go straight there: mark-z-guitar-school.teachable.com/courses/enrolled/882355
Don Felder with out a doubt.
But Joe is great and Joe and Don on stage together wow what a show.
Walsh is a wonderfully expressive guitarist, but even he looked up to Felder as the more dynamic player.
Fair enough.
Walsh has said it a few times that there were times he couldn’t get a run to go right so he would just defer to Felder
Fielder all day
I think Don Felder had the best solos and his sense of melody is amazing. Joe is almost as good but not quite as good and together they were amazing.
I am a year younger, and grew up with Joe, with the Measles, and James Gang,watching Joe opening the concerts, and closing all the bars in Kent and Akron. No one I have ever heard live, can touch Joe.
Joe walsh has been in my top ten guitarist since the 70s.
I'm listening to Don Felder's book. He has had the best life, the all American dream. I'm at the part where he just gets asked to join the Eagles. Just everything about his early family life and early band life and all the people he knew and got to see have success too, fantastic.
Joe Walsh is one of the few guitarists that can make a guitar smirk, especially on Life’s Been Good.
Love it!
Oh my. My Two loves Don and Joe. I will not choose
Love both. Miss the Old Eagles. Cheri from Ohio
I’d go with Joe Walsh. He doesn’t look at the fretboard. His facial expressions suggest control and confidence. Don is probably more technical, but Joe is the showman. God bless both