Each his own. Growing up, I only knew the 80s hits and thought they were great. Scorpions with Uli is like a nice wine. You have to be into it.
I like the Uli era way way better, but it's due to the musical style as much as the guitarist. I loved the Schenker parts back then as just as much as the UJR. Not long after Mattias joined, the Scorpions took a pretty major step toward playing (in my view) more mainstream 80s metal and worse yet power ballads. No guitarist was gonna make that stuff sound as good to me as Fly to the Rainbow.
Uli for me, but Jabs suited the more commercial style with which they became massive, and is also a very good player. I just prefer the Hendrix/classical blend that Roth brought to the party.
Matthias Jabs is good and has always worked well in the band, but I have to give the award to Uli Jon Roth. He’s played some of my favorite guitar solos of all time.
Jabs is a very good guitarist. However: Speedy’s Coming Top of the Bill In Trance Pictured Life In Your Park Catch Your Train etc, etc, etc. and so on, and so forth… There’s just no comparison. Uli all the way.
Yeah, I really don't want to denigrate Matthias Jabs either. In fairness, there are probably more people who know his playing than know Roth's, just because of "Rock You Like a Hurricane," a song I will defend to the death and which has a really great solo. But: The Sails of Charon Sin in My Hand Yellow Raven This Is My Song Robot Man
Uli was great for those 70’s albums.Jabs fit the 80’s hair and era perfectly.They each complimented the song appropriately.It would never be the same without the rythym geetar no matter wich lead guitarist is better.I guess my answer then is it doesn’t matter to me because it is all about the song.
Jabba's. Better songs & album sleeves. Also, apart from his rotten vocals, the Oily Johann era was tainted by the Dannemann contact-low. Ewww.
Still haven't heard a full album from Uli's tenure with the band but I love some of his solo work. However, regarding Matthias, Lovedrive to Crazy World is my go-to era with The Scorpions, and his playing is a major part of why.