I've always liked Clapton's playing but lost a lot of respect for him after a friend of mine played me a song off Disraeli gears (I think it was SWLABR but it was 20 years ago)and then played an Otis Rush song from the late fifties immediately after it. Eric had stolen each and every guitar lick from that song to a tee! My friend was particularly crushed because he had styled his own playing after Clapton's. Turned out for the best because he soon discovered the likes of Muddy Waters, BB, Albert, Otis, Son House, Robert Johnson, etc. etc.
Clapton probably wouldn't even make my top 10 guitarist list anymore (though I hear he's a lot better now that he's sober--saw him perform a couple of times in the 80's and he was lackluster at best). But if anyone's interested (a good thread topic maybe?) my top 5 would be:
Jimi Hendrix
Frank Zappa
Jeff Beck
Alan Holdsworth
John McLaughlin
