I think Buckethead has just as much, if not more, technical prowess as a guitarist, but he lacks that certain element of self-awareness that propels musicians from being proficient at a certain instrument to being proficient as a composer. I remember listening to Acoustic Shards and thinking, "Wow, for just twiddling on a guitar this music is remarkably interesting, but only for about fifteen minutes". Was he more selective about his compositions, he could easily attain that Vini Reilly-esque transcendence of his instrument.
In contrast, Jimi Hendrix's music makes me want to hand out Stratocasters and blotter acid to underprivileged children.
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