February 5th, 2025

Homeskoolin’ Volume 398, Tom Bukovac, “Banner Head Believer Fever”

Chapters
00:00 - Acoustic creamyness
03:03 - Hello, it's just Larry / Guitar phases
06:38 - Morgan Wallen / Dean Z guitar / Lana Del Rey
08:00 - Session blocks
09:43 - Country Band covers Stevie Wonder - Isn't She Lovely -> "Isn't She Country"
10:41 - Gruhn and Eric Ernest Thanks / Doubleneck
12:00 - Spanish playing
12:34 - Lesson: Cat Stevens song
14:30 - Guthrie and acoustic guitar
16:45 - Son Marshall instructional video
19:00 - Bluegrass music / Different genres of music and making money
20:04 - Acoustic buying
20:37 - Lesson: [x x 5 4 2 2] over E; Pho-Jazz
22:31 - Lesson: Millisecond mute with picking technique
23:10 - Lesson: Playing down by the bridge / Stevie Wonder sound


Notes
Uncle Larry rolls out a new twist on some familiar chords, and also reflects a bit on the many "phases” of a typical guitar player's life…

One very important phase I left out was the “fuck pedals, i’m just gonna plug straight into the amp” phase…which is then usually followed by the “I want to build a giant rack to house all my vintage pedals that I can run off a looper” phase…

it never ends my friends...
well, at some point it actually does end i suppose.

anyhoo, if you guys dig these videos please support the cause

there is a tip jar that you could potentially get involved with....the proceeds go towards the imaginary "Uncle Larry foundation" that exists only in my head...it's sole purpose is to pay for the endless supply of groceries that must be purchased to feed these growing boys.

PayPal is tombukovac@gmail.com
Venmo is @Tom-Bukovac-1

February 5th, 2025

Homeskoolin’ “The Definitive Guide To The Elusive 1958-1963 Gibson Hollowbody Doubleneck”

Chapters
00:00 - Going to Gruhn's to talk doublenecks
06:55 - Eric's story of doubleneck obsession
18:13 - Gibson factory workers
19:40 - Neck sets / Dovetail / Horrendous guitar work
23:34 - Doubleneck carve / Wide fret wire
27:40 - '58 Gibson Doubleneck (white)
32:01 - 4 and 8 string mandolin Gibson Doubleneck
37:32 - 1938 Gibson Doubleneck
40:00 - Comparing with old Gibson bass of similar construction
41:09 - Photo of original owner
43:20 - Hollowbody / Closing conversation



Notes
Uncle Larry is joined by two dear friends who both happen to be heavy hitters in the business of buying and selling old guitars.

Eric Ernest, owner and proprietor of Abalone Vintage Guitars

https://www.abalonevintage.com/

and George Gruhn, owner and proprietor of Gruhn Guitars in Nashville TN

https://guitars.com/

Eric Ernest is without question the world’s leading authority on one of the rarest models of Gibson guitars…the hollowbody doublenecks that were produced between 1958-1963

He has had a lifelong obsession with these impossibly rare instruments and has personally owned a large percentage of all the ones that were ever built…which weren’t many…(some accounts say roughly 100)

I personally believe that these hand carved spruce top hollowbody wonders occupy the most criminally underrated and least talked about corner of the entire vintage guitar culture…in fact there is no doubt in my mind about that.

George wanted to make one addendum to something he said in this video…at one point he commented that these guitars have traditional dovetail neck joints but he clearly knows they actually employ the mortise and tenon style joint

Hope you enjoy friends…I have been wanting to make this video for a long time

Special thank you’s to Eric and George for donating a Tuesday afternoon to this cause.

Thank you guys for watching this channel...i clearly realize you have plenty of other shit you could be watching on Youtube.

If you guys are getting some kicks out of these videos you can keep the party going by donating to the tip jar

my PayPal is
tombukovac@gmail.com
my venmo is
@Tom-Bukovac-1

February 4th, 2025

Homeskoolin’ Bonus Jam “Black Country Ham”

Chapters
00:00 - Some sullen acoustic playing


Notes
Just got home from a lovely evening celebrating GT’s birthday
So nice to see some dear old friends and play some music.
Of course I saddled up and wrote some acoustic shit when i got home.

and totally unrelated, i like this guy, he's got a cool vibe...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbwT3e-z1Bw

February 3rd, 2025

Homeskoolin’ Volume 397, Tom Bukovac, “Trappy Birthday”

Chapters
00:00 - Trying out an acoustic and talking about birthday party / Shows
05:11 - George Gruhn enters the picture and a cool bass (George Harrison) / Tons of knowledge coming through
13:45 - Guthrie comparing acoustics


Notes
A little morning visit to Gruhn Guitars in Nashville TN…starring our birthday boy Guthrie Trapp, George Gruhn, Tony Nagy and a pair of ebony rod 43 D-28’s….
hard to beat the sound of that old wood friends

February 2nd, 2025

Homeskoolin’ Bonus Jam “A Touch Of Velvet”

Chapters
00:00 - Exquisite playing


Notes
Uncle Larry explores the deep somber luxurious sustain of an exquisite hand made set neck solidbody guitar recently purchased from the Ricardo Montalban collection…the meticulously crafted velvet lined case smells of rich Corinthian leather with hints of Lilac, aged mahogany and shag carpet…

February 1st, 2025

Homeskoolin’ Bonus Jam “Take Off Your Covers”

Chapters
00:00 - Rockin' some tunes on the Dean


Notes
My dear boy Marshall and I both absolutely FELL IN LOVE with this fantastic old 1980 Dean Z Standard in the fairly rare and exceedingly beautiful “Braziliaburst” today…..

We just couldn’t stop gawking at the thing, so we decided to adopt it and give it a good home

Now the fight is on between who gets to play it here at the crib.

This one is a classic example of that “no covers tone”, or “covers off tone” that I have always been a fan of…
You know, that unmistakable airy bite that you get from a good humbucker with no pickup covers on it…as popularized by every guitar player with a soldering iron in the 70’s.

This guitar also REALLY gives up that “sweetened thirds” thing that EVH made popular…where the thirds on the G and B string are so perfectly squared off in tune that it makes your hair stand up.

The best part is that this fine old instrument was previously owned by one of our favorite people on this entire planet….Mr Greg Voros.

January 30th, 2025

Homeskoolin’ Bonus “Evolution Of An Electronic Drummer”

Chapters
00:00 - Teaching son to play drums


Notes
Well friends, it’s been exactly 2 months since I taught Leo how to cross his hands and play his very first drum beat....that was right before he turned 9 years old…now look at the boy go.

Like I said before, these boys have so much music in their DNA, it’s not really like “teaching”…it’s more like “releasing a fish into water”

January 28th, 2025

Homeskoolin’ Volume 396, Tom Bukovac, “Drones Over Nashville”

Chapters
00:00 - Cover song with imitating Pop drums
03:00 - Hello, friends! / Cold Tuesday morning
03:29 - Lesson: Pop drums and strumming
04:14 - Lesson: Roy Orbison strumming
05:39 - Gibson "Banner Head" J-45 / Bridge story / Joe Glaser
07:00 - Peterson Strobe Tuner
08:27 - Flattening the G / Tuning compromises
09:39 - Droning / Jazzy Donald Fagan / Rolling in his grave (Vince Lombardi)
11:45 - Thanks for Silvertone video / 7 days a week work
13:35 - Gibson "Banner Head" J-45


Notes
Uncle Larry beat boxes one of the popular rhythms of the day, and even hearkens back to the days of Roy Orbison .

Special thanks to Adam Chowning and the boys at Glaser for saving this sweet old J-45 that’s had an even harder life than I have .

January 27th, 2025

Homeskoolin’ Bonus…”Blues-In-Case”

Chapters
00:00 - Rockin' on some different equipment


Notes
Uncle Larry wants to say thank you to the boys at Music City Vintage in Nashville TN for hookin’ a brother up with a fair deal on an EXTREMELY tidy ‘65 Silvertone 1448 with the straightest neck a man could ever ask for…AND a .00005 watt tube amp built right into the case!

Raise your hand if your first guitar was one of these….

We need to start a new trend of building small modeling amps into modern guitar cases with an iPhone type speaker you can barely hear…that would be fuckin’ cool

January 27th, 2025

Homeskoolin’ Volume 395, Tom Bukovac, “The Dregs Of Winter”

Chapters
00:00 - Jimi-esque Blues
04:13 - Rod Stewart? Hey, friends!
05:22 - Hey, friends part 2 / NFL / Taylor Swift / Josh Allen
07:18 - Lesson: Quick pickin lick
07:54 - Goldtop Gibson Les Paul neck pickup
08:36 - Watching NFL
09:35 - Bluesy playing / Whispering guitar / Tweed Deluxe
10:56 - VCB (Viewer Comment Bin) / Hiwatt, Sound City, Orange amps / Big Daddy Don Garlits
12:43 - Sustain, not feedback
13:07 - Good guitar through crappy amp or visa versa?
14:34 - Cliche chords and dissing guitar players for using them
14:45 - Lesson: Funk voicing
15:58 - Fun work week...
16:15 - "Guilty" on dissing common guitar voicings... / Be more decisive on your choices
17:55 - Back to Fun work week / Music business / "Old car in Country video"
20:25 - "When will you be happy with your guitar collection?" / Buying, selling guitars to get what you want
22:10 - Lesson: Picking and skipping strings
22:38 - Gibson ES-150 / ES-350 Charlie Christian
23:49 - Passion - going through life without passion
26:23 - "Cool pedal?"
27:24 - Fender Precision Bass color suggestions


Notes
Uncle Larry tries to give some comforting words about the dead zone we are now entering ….now that the season is officially over.

Brace yourself friends…for the dregs of winter

it probably should be noted that in approximately 1100 videos spanning the last five years, I have never once asked you to “like” or “hit that subscribe button”….

however, if you guys ARE in fact learning some shit from these videos and you are in fact getting some real entertainment and actual enjoyment out of them, it’s never a bad idea to hit the ol' tip jar…donations are my love language...it always helps and it is always EXTREMELY appreciated

PayPal is Tombukovac@gmail.com.
Venmo is @Tom-Bukovac-1

here's that old hippie refin bass....i forgot it didn't have a guard...been a long time since i've seen this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tm_KZSYSiGc

January 25th, 2025

Homeskoolin’ Bonus Jam “Untitled”

Chapters
00:00 - Plucking into an amazing melody with bass


Notes
Some Saturday morning driving music for the class...i just put this up so i didn't forget it...

just gimme a studio, some coffee with half and half, a good engineer, some synths, a drummer and a cool singer….see ya in a few hours

January 24th, 2025

Homeskoolin’ Volume 394, Tom Bukovac, “Electric Mistress Sunset”

Chapters
00:00 - Mellow playing
04:58 - What's Up? / Fun project Dan Auerbach / Miles Kane
08:07 - NFL games
09:00 - What pedal is this? / 70s Electro-Harmonix Electric Mistress
10:30 - VCB (Viewer Comment Bin) / Most versatile pickup? / Most versatile guitar?
12:44 - Gretsch Harmon Booster Playboy aka Jen Fuzz
14:13 - Stalker video guy
15:01 - Gangster movies / Martin Scorsese
15:32 - Lesson: Coolest chord min9 / Gm9 [x 10 8 10 10 x] -> Dm9 [x 5 3 5 5 x] -> Cm9 [x 3 1 3 3 x]
18:19 - Lesson: Em9 [0 2 5 0 3 2] variants
21:05 - '63 Fender Telecaster


Notes
Uncle Larry returns to YouTube to discuss one of his favorite chords, one of his favorite guitars, and one of his favorite old pedals with you…

Thumb nail photo taken by Uncle Larry tonite on his way home from work.

if you feel led to donate to the channel...
my paypal is tombukovac@gmail.com
my venmo is @Tom-Bukovac-1

January 19th, 2025

Homeskoolin’ Volume 393, Tom Bukovac, “Bird Believer Fever"

Chapters
00:00 - Hello, friends! (creepy version) / NFL
02:30 - Thanks, Motor Trend
03:41 - '65 Gibson Firebird I
06:30 - Offset post bridge by Nick Drushel
09:00 - VCB (Viewer Comment Bin)
09:55 - Dave Chappelle
10:23 - Lucky to have a Burst / Hard working
14:23 - Alex Harvey
15:13 - "Top 3 bands you'd watch live?" / The Cars
16:40 - "Jethro Dull"
17:11 - Strymon Brigadier
18:00 - Betting with viewers / NFL
18:55 - "Take pickguard off of Burst?"
20:02 - D'Addario NYXL / Chevrolet Monte Carlo for sale
20:49 - Peterson StoboFlip
24:54 - Tuning / Playing


Notes
this bit of comedic genius had me in tears this morning....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57pGarTBJrU

January 18th, 2025

Homeskoolin Bonus Jam, "Hippie Rock"

Chapters
00:00 - Practice


Notes
Leo Bukovac shows off his 'lectric drums and his bad ass 9 year old pocket...while Uncle Larry caterwauls along .

January 18th, 2025

Homeskoolin’ Bonus…”Our Legacy”

Chapters
00:00 - After hours dropbox


Notes
It should be our goal to leave this world in better condition than we found it in friends…

Besides my children and my help designing the music city bridge, this may be I consider my greatest contribution to mankind hahahaaa

January 17th, 2025

Homeskoolin’ Volume 392, Tom Bukovac, “Burst Believer Fever”

Chapters
00:00 - Hello, friends (creepy version) / Running out of gas
03:00 - Teaching the song "Signs"
04:25 - Mailbox Burst / History of the Burst
13:00 - Alex Harvey Band - Faith Healer
13:57 - VCB (Viewer Comment Bin) / Thanks for videos
14:58 - Homeskoolin' family
15:55 - Lady Madonna improve
16:20 - Alfred Hitchcock intro
17:30 - Losing weight / Richard Simmons
18:55 - Hockey
19:20 - Jeff Beck mods
20:19 - Tom Bukovac vs Charlie Davidson vs Devin Falco
22:20 - Gibson Burst
28:33 - Playing


Notes
Uncle Larry restrings 8 6785 (Jenny Jenny…who can I turn to?) whilst slaving over a hot slab of recent VCB after a long day at the session mill.

here is a fascinating video you have probably already seen...but if you haven't, you're welcome
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXwQPwfZvlY

January 17th, 2025

Homeskoolin’ Volume 391, Tom Bukovac, “Cable TV Special”

Chapters
00:00 - '58 Gibson Les Paul Special / No refret restring


Notes
Uncle Larry prepares for another day at the mill and waxes rhapsodic about the early days of television.

January 16th, 2025

Homeskoolin’ Volume 390, Tom Bukovac, “Hello...1983 Calling….”

Chapters
00:00 - Hello, friends (creepy version)
00:53 - '83 Gibson Les Paul Studio with D'Addario 43-10
01:35 - Gibson serial number year
02:55 - Top wrap and break angle / Tim Shaw pickups
05:10 - Winder
06:30 - Selling house
25:00 - Playing
28:35 - Gibson SG comparison
31:00 - Gibson LP Studio playing and lowering pickups / Low end shaved off


Notes
Uncle Larry undresses a 1983 Les Paul Studio on national television.

The Guthrie/Jedd/Uncle Larry Guitar Party is coming to Chicago in early February...
Two nights At The Martyr's Club
Feb 7&8, that's a Friday And Saturday friends


If you are enjoying these ramblings, the tip jar is never too far away friends..
PayPal is tombukovac@gmail.com
Venmo is @Tom-Bukovac-1

January 14th, 2025

Homeskoolin’ Volume 389, Tom Bukovac, “The 101 Club”

Chapters
00:00 - Looping with brethren instruments
09:31 - Hello, friends! / Blake Shelton
12:26 - Don't feel like talking / Lake Placid Blue Fender Stratocaster & matching Fender Precision Bass
15:19 - 5 way switch, position 2 and 4 are too dark / Forgotten sound


Notes
Uncle Larry REALLY felt like playing some guitar (and bass) tonite after getting home from day two of tracking with dearest Blake Shelton at the legendary Blackbird Studios in downtown Nashville TN.

Blakes new album is finally “in the can” after the last three years of working on it.

Loving these two old instruments that are featured in this little poorly lit video….(replete with the phone falling right off the “camera stand” in the heat of battle) and thought you guys might enjoy seeing them together.

They have known each other in a past life….

These two rosewood board sex kittens were built right on the cusp of when the original Fender factory in Fullerton was taken over by the CBS bean counters…both instruments are very close in serial number…and they both have aged to the EXACT same greenish hue from their original Lake Placid Blue .

If anyone out there has the Telecaster to compete the set I’m all ears

Thanks for watching friends.


oh, and if you guys want to learn about "advanced phrasing techniques" check out this fella....
i've been told it's VERY deep stuff, but i don't quite understand it yet....maybe some of you guys can help me
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWdUDiGhSv0

January 14th, 2025

Homeskoolin’ Bonus “Lunch Talk”

Chapters
00:00 - Picking Gordon Mote's brain


Notes
Starring Gordon Mote and Bryan Sutton…this is what happens when a couple guys get done eating earlier than the rest of the people on the session ….musicians get bored so easily.

Thanks for watching my dear friends