March 13th, 2022

Homeskoolin’ Bonus Jam…ZZ Tom

Chapters
00:00 - Rehearsing with the man himself, Billy Gibbons


Notes
A super rough rehearsal sketch from the moment when our little band was joined by the coolest guy that ever walked on this earth….as you all know Uncle Larry is a huge fan of the Reverend Billy G….I have been lucky enough to work with him a couple times in my humble career.

He is the NICEST guy you will ever meet.

Ol’ Larry rarely gets starstruck by anybody but i gotta admit it’s a very cool feeling being anywhere near Billy Gibbons.

I didn’t think he would remember me from the last time we jammed together, but when he walked up on stage at this rehearsal and looked right at me and yelled out “Mr. T” i gotta admit i was instantly 13 years old again sitting in my room listening to “It’s Only Love” off the Tejas album and staring at that amazing album sleeve. Such a genius, such a sweetheart and such a class act…and soooo cool and easy to work with.

If i could ever achieve just one percent of the coolness this man exudes in my own life i would be absolutely thrilled.

Credit to my dear 9 year old son Marshall for coming up with the title for this video….he’s great at coming up with cool names for stuff quickly haha.

March 12th, 2022

Homeskoolin’ Bonus Pack, “Larry’s Blues”

Chapters
00:00 - Rehearsal footage


Notes
In LA rehearsing with a great group of freakishly talented people you may recognize for a private gig…great fun

February 16th, 2022

Homeskoolin’ Volume 128, Tom Bukovac, “Get Your Wings Son”

Chapters
00:00 - Slow, beautiful playing
02:26 - Thumb recovery
02:50 - Ann Wilson rehearsal
03:32 - "Dream On" discussion / Chord progression lesson
07:00 - Steven Tyler story


Notes
Two real truths of life:

1) The human body desperately WANTS to go back to the way it was before we mangled it.
2) No matter how skinny we ever get, the human body ALWAYS remembers how fat we once were

disclaimer: gross misinformation at 06:50....i meant #4 major, not #5 major

February 5th, 2022

Homeskoolin’ Volume 125, Tom Bukovac, “Cabin Fever Jazz”

Chapters
00:00 - Crazy guitar playing
09:30 - '54 Esquire / Old Brain Twister lesson
11:25 - Trip The Witch CDs & t-shirts
12:05 - 4 note chromatic pattern playing
13:20 - Sound and fun playing
14:14 - Difference Rosewood vs. Maple teles / Blues pickin'
16:16 - E13 / Index finger crazy shit
17:40 - Cool sound upstroke on saddles / Clavinet imitation


Notes
“Well…maybe he HAS finally lost it….”

February 4th, 2022

Homeskoolin’ Volume 124, Tom Bukovac, “If I Leave Here Tomorrow….”

Chapters
00:00 - Beautiful playing
01:51 - Covid positive
03:17 - NFL reruns
04:34 - Tele Custom / "I thought you didn't like Teles"
05:41 - Skynyrd - Freebird / Allen Collins (Isolated track)
06:51 - "Rave up" ending lesson
07:47 - Secret of inverting chords / Pull-offs and chords (Need to know)


Notes
Well, if you’re wondering what a man with Covid plays and looks like here ya go fellas.

and here's some poetry for ya'

"IF",
BY RUDYARD KIPLING

If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you, If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too; If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies, Or being hated, don’t give way to hating, And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise: If you can dream—and not make dreams your master; If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim; If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster And treat those two impostors just the same; If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken, And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools: If you can make one heap of all your winnings And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss, And lose, and start again at your beginnings And never breathe a word about your loss; If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew To serve your turn long after they are gone, And so hold on when there is nothing in you Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’ If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch, If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, If all men count with you, but none too much; If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run, Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it, And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!

January 28th, 2022

Homeskoolin’ Super Bonus “Passion”

Chapters
00:00 - Guitar setup expertise
00:38 - "3/64ths"
01:01 - "Raised the action"
02:05 - Step 1...
02:49 - Mathematics of frets
03:32 - Playing the Tele
03:58 - Nut slots and action
04:43 - "Choke"
05:25 - Nut and bridge height mathematics
06:18 - Choking, relief, radius
08:11 - Width / Height of frets
09:26 - Steps from here
11:03 - Fender go to steel? '54 / Trivia
14:34 - "Bend the piss out of the high E"
15:18 - Playing it again / Explanation
16:15 - Continue setup
17:25 - Creasing and stretching the strings
19:34 - '60 Tele Custom
20:45 - Tuning with fingers and playing position
23:00 - Playing it fully set up, acoustically / Tuning with chords
25:17 - Fret end dressing
29:45 - "Worst Nightmare?"
32:50 - Back to fret softening / Fret end jewelry
38:10 - Make your own glue
39:00 - Leather stropping block and chrome polish
42:50 - File and gouging the wood
44:09 - Playing it fully polished


Notes
This one is pretty inside friends….
it could be considered long and boring for some, i totally get that.

This one is actually aimed at those of you out there who REALLY wanna know the inside shit on how that last little one percentile of top tier professional guitar set up and guitar physics REALLY works.

Did you ever notice that any time you see a person doing anything at the highest level it could ever possibly be done at, there is one common denominator you will find every time…..PASSION…..

I mean TRUE passion and a deep love of the craft. There is also deep respect for doing things the RIGHT way.

Greg Voros, head of the repair department at Gruhn Guitars in Nashville…the boy is a true artist, and a dear dear friend of your drunk old uncle….i cannot tell you how much i respect this dude…this video should give you a real good idea why.

Greg is joined about halfway through this video by Lin Crowson….another Gruhns employee who has freakish expert level knowledge of authenticating and repairing old guitars.

Hope you enjoy folks.

January 27th, 2022

Homeskoolin’ Short…”Brain Twister”

Chapters
00:00 - Chicken pickin'


Notes
The first Homeskoolin’ “Short”, for what it’s worth.

So, can anyone out there actually play this clean?

I almost got it….pretty fuckin’ tough riff at the end. Ya’ know, i got some great advice years ago…it was something along the lines of “Tom, don’t ever write a riff you can’t play”

This sweet old 54 Esquire chopper in this video is a cherished gift from a dear dear friend who would be a real strong contender for “the coolest dude to ever inhabit this earth”…if that was ever a contest.

Rock on Homeskoolers!!

January 23rd, 2022

Homeskoolin’ Bonus….”Resto Mod Sunday”

Chapters
00:00 - Kick ass 2-tone Telecaster


Notes
Uncle Larry sharing some deep feelings about old guitars.

Some may argue with Larry’s reasoning here, but file it under the age old debate between “players” and “collectors”.

One of my favorite sayings regarding vintage instruments…”just cuz its old don’t mean it’s cool”

Happy sunday y’all!

December 14th, 2021

Homeskoolin' Bonus Jam, "Uncle Larry Went Down To Texas"

Chapters
00:00 - Great Blues jam


Notes
One thing Mama always told me, "Be careful who you cut heads with son"......your poor Uncle in a bloody back alley knife fight with Grissom and KWS in Austin....fuckin' great players and great dudes.

Thanks to brother Bill Burcham for the videography....God damn it was loud as hell on that stage wasn't it?

"Plexi Soul" record available for download at www.bandcamp.com
Homeskoolin' merch available at www.guitarhouse.net
Homeskoolin' PayPal tip jar tombukovac@gmail.com

November 26th, 2021

Homeskoolin’ Friday Night One Take Freak Out

Chapters
00:00 - Building a loop / Bass
01:10 - Switch to guitar


Notes
I decided to do a one take freak out before going to have some curry at my favorite place on this lovely Friday night…and here it is lads…replete with the occasional “blue note” that goes along with any first take…..hahaaaaa

Oh…and guess what cats??? Plexi Soul CD’s are coming!!!!!!

November 24th, 2021

Homeskoolin’ Volume 116, Tom Bukovac, “Slow Cooker”

Chapters
00:00 - Melodic playing to loop with solo
03:35 - Hello, class!
04:05 - Thanks, kindly
04:35 - Viewer Comment Bin (VCB)
04:42 - Can you cook? / Slow cooker
05:28 - Chess?
06:25 - Newer music you like?
07:40 - Marriage proposal
09:15 - Fender Mustang
09:42 - Loop lesson


Notes
Happy Thanksgiving to all you dear Homeskoolers….

Love Unc

Heres the link to my new record lads https://tombukovac.bandcamp.com/album/plexi-soul

October 27th, 2021

Homeskoolin’ Hump Day Bonus “I’m In The Mood For A Heiny”

Chapters
00:00 - Beautiful, soulful playing


Notes
Well, guys….after ALL the love i have given to my trusted brand for years, not a single soul from Latrobe has reached out to help your sad old uncle…no calls, no letters, no emails…crickets….

now, he is SERIOUSLY considering switching to another green bottle…the same one your old Uncle Eddie enjoyed….

Taking you back to 1983 here with one of the greatest guitar solos ever recorded in my humble opinion….Robbie Blunt’s brilliant contribution to the Robert Plant song called “In The Mood”….which also featured some fine drumming by another English bloke that your uncle holds dear to his heart…..

The super sparkly high end on the '60 Strat i bought at an estate sale is being provided by the Vertex Ultra Phonix Special Overdrive pedal that dear Mason was kind enough to send me....delay is Vahlbruch Space Time that Vahlbruch was kind enough to send me....reverb was a Boss RV-6 i bought at a music store going out of business sale...amp is a dead clean '65 Vibrolux Reverb with the factory Jensen 10's that you DEFINITELY want in your old Vibrolux that i bought off the craigslist.

Record is coming Friday folks on the website Bandcamp….Ill post a link as soon as i know it.

Paypal tip jar is tombukovac@gmail.com

August 31st, 2021

Homeskoolin’ Bonus Jam “The Roadrunner”

Chapters
00:00 - Picking blues mix jam
06:56 - '53 Fender Telecaster


Notes
Hey Homeskoolers, hope all is well….just stuck in the house on a rainy day with a funky old blackguard Tele and my dear son Leo who came in to show me his crumpled up treasure map.

Rest in peace my dear old friend Tim Akers.

For those concerned, the Trip The Witch single will be featured on an exclusive with Guitar World tomorrow (Wednesday) and released in CD Baby (basically all digital platforms) Friday!

August 29th, 2021

Homeskoolin’ Volume 110, Tom Bukovac, “Unclelectric Larryland”

Chapters
00:00 - Bad ass intro jam / Come On
02:00 - Hello, class!
02:58 - Stressful morning / Leo (son) sick
03:25 - Cover tune / Jimi doing Earl
04:42 - '60 Strat / Tuned down to Eb
05:07 - The Gear Page / Thin Lipped Cups
05:52 - Trip the Witch / Jon Anderson
07:30 - Viewer Comment Bin / Football
07:52 - Best 5 guitar amplifiers
09:01 - Direct box
09:42 - Bus story and sense of humor
10:52 - Roland BeeBaa Fuzz
11:31 - Top 5 Worst Guitar Inventions / Thanks
12:45 - EHX Frequency Analyzer


Notes
A brief chat on many things, including hurricanes, tunings, pedals, and people who are NOT fun to hang out with at parties.

Homeskoolin merch available at www.guitarhouse.net
Paypal tip jar is tombukovac@gmail.com
Venmo tip jar is @Tom-Bukovac-1

August 10th, 2021

Homeskoolin’ Bonus Loop Only For You To Practice To

Chapters
00:00 - Track to play along


Notes
Ya know guys, when my solo record comes out very soon, theres gonna be TWO VERSIONS of it….one is the actual record, and the other one is gonna be the same songs but with my solos taken off so you can play along. In honor of that, here is the loop only from tonights broadcast you can jam to. This was two tracks of my red Firebird and one track of me on my 66 P bass.

Homeskoolin merch available at www.guitarhouse.net
Paypal tip jar is tombukovac@gmail.com
Venmo tip jar is @Tom-Bukovac-1

August 8th, 2021

Homeskoolin’ Volume 109, Tom Bukovac, “Mr. Blackfinger”

Chapters
00:00 - Amazing mixed jam
04:21 - Hello, friends!
04:40 - Open strings / Deblocking chords
07:20 - EHX Blackfinger


Notes
A brief chat on chords and a look at one of the most overlooked effects in pedal history…..

Todays sound courtesy of a 1960 Stratocaster and a 64 Vox AC40 top boost. Reverb courtesy of a Boss RV-6.

Homeskoolin merch available at www.guitarhouse.net
Paypal tip jar is tombukovac@gmail.com
Venmo tip jar is @Tom-Bukovac-1

June 12th, 2021

Homeskoolin’ Song Learning Update

Chapters
00:00 - Ending part of Crazy On You playthrough


Notes
When i am figuring out tunes i like to know ALL the parts, not just the guitar parts….when i was learning “Crazy On You” for this Ann Wilson gig i just HAD to figure out the fairly complex vocal arrangement that happens over the E chord….

Homeskoolin merch available at www.guitarhouse.net
Paypal tip jar is tombukovac@gmail.com
Venmo tip jar is @Tom-Bukovac-1

June 10th, 2021

Homeskoolin’ Bonus Track, “High & Lonesome”

Chapters
00:00 - Beautiful pedal steel-esque playing


Notes
Here’s one for the night owls….cheers to all you sweethearts

Love

Uncle Larry

May 30th, 2021

Homeskoolin’ Sunday Night Bonus “The Green Green Glass Of Home”

Chapters
00:00 - Hillbilly rocking jam


Notes
Just goofin’ about on my old 55 Tele...through a little plastic practice amp...it may be a “little bright” sounding as they sometimes say in the studio...but lest we not forget, treble is indeed a stimulant my friends.

This is a slight adaptation of the little riff i played on a Morgan Wallen track called “Need A Boat” where Bryan Sutton and i are battling each other in a full on hillbilly pickin’ bloodbath.

Totally unrelated, if you’re bored check out the new Yola single which just came out recently called “Stand For Myself”....this record was recorded at Easy Eye studio a good while back and my fucking thumb STILL hurts from slappin’ the acoustic on that intro...ouch.

Homeskoolin merch available at www.guitarhouse.net
Paypal tip jar is tombukovac@gmail.com
Venmo tip jar is @Tom-Bukovac-1

May 26th, 2021

Homeskoolin’ Late Night Random Montage, "A Tribute To Your Good Taste"

Chapters
00:00 - String bending intro jam
01:00 - Hello, everyone! / Video setup
01:12 - Heart songs
01:55 - Magic Man tuning
02:27 - Session with Charles Kelly
03:05 - Ben Rector with Tom on guitar
03:43 - '55 Tele & Blackstar amp
04:05 - Magic Man playing & lesson
05:37 - Sessions video


Notes
A little mish mash montage of recent Uncle Larry related items....including a little late night Tele abuse and an ice cold Rolling Rock premium lager (which, as the box says, is a " tribute to your good taste")

Here's the Ben Rector tune....https://youtu.be/b0WqYVLBzwo

Part three of this montage features two of my dear friends....Troy Lancaster (guitarist) and Drew Bollman (engineer)....cinematography by Tony Lucido.

Homeskoolin merch available at www.guitarhouse.net
Paypal tip jar is tombukovac@gmail.com
Venmo tip jar is @Tom-Bukovac-1