even before the term shred was invented ( or emerged ), guys like Django, Barney Kessel, John Mc Laughlin, were already doing it. if playing very fast licks & scales is the basis for what we call shred, then Jazz / bebop cats like Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Ornete Coleman, Eric Dolphy, Cannonball, Mc Coy Tyner & even Pat Martino would be "categorized" as sreadders 
But the grand daddy of shred must be Paganini.
that's where that douche YJM got his demonic arpeggios from hell. 
Korek ka dyan bro, younger players today just play really fast to impress people.
When you hear fast lines from Charlie Parker, George Benson, John Coltrane etc. its all melodic, in other words walang nasasayang na nota.
Kumbaga may sense yung sinasabi at hindi lang puro giberish.
Unlike most shredders today, it's just some fast note-patterns played over and over, boring lang pakinggan.
Their playing only comes from the finger, from finger exercises not really what they hear inside.
That's the reason kaya panget ang reputation ng mga shredders at pinagtatawanan lang sila ng mga ibang instrumentalists.
I guess why nothing good is associated with shredding is because good music needs contrast, obviously, kung puro fast lang eh di boring.
