March 31st, 2025

Homeskoolin’ Volume 4:20, Tom Bukovac, “Bongpacker' Blues”

Chapters
00:00 - Guitar goodness
03:06 - "Apologies to Kenny Wayne"
04:20 - Lesson: Bending both notes / Dann Huff
07:07 - Paul Reed Smith, Gibson Les Paul Goldtop, Burst and shootout setup
08:28 - Monty Python and the Holy Grail
10:07 - PRS bridge
12:00 - Burst bridge
13:57 - Goldtop bridge
14:57 - PRS bridge
15:55 - PRS neck
17:37 - Goldtop neck
18:47 - Burst neck
19:41 - Burst bridge
20:13 - Goldtop bridge
21:03 - PRS bridge


Notes
I can already hear y'all complainin'.…

“Jesus Larry, i haven’t seen this many shootouts since i watched “Gunfight At OK Corral”…ease up man…”

well. i'm sorry friends...but this one was by request

ya' see friends, Uncle Larry don't smokes no weeds...but he can still dedicate an episode to all you stoners out there...

Volume 4:20

hope you enjoy

look around the corner friends...right down the hallway, just past the bathroom...
there is a tip jar...any money that you put in there goes to helping bring chords back to music

venmo is @Tom-Bukovac-1
paypal is tombukovac@gmail.com

and one more thing i probably should mention... all of the sudden i've gotten into turkey hunting...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wu8vzgYZDkA

March 30th, 2025

Homeskoolin' Volume 418, Tom Bukovac, "Pack A Lunch"

Chapters
00:00 - Messing with the bar
04:02 - Dann Huff and Brett Papa promotion
05:40 - Trip The Witch announcement
09:15 - VCB (Viewer Comment Bin) / PRS McCarty
13:30 - Boutique gear
17:40 - Uncle Larry guitar or pedal?
19:58 - Lesson: Dr. John piano lick
22:28 - VCB return alien language comment
23:58 - Comparing guitars
24:41 - Stalker Guy
25:12 - Dean Z (Zelinsky)
25:52 - Nice comments
26:39 - Duesenberg lick at 18:01
27:02 - Lesson: Hendrix type lick
27:52 - Intonation
38:28 - '65 Fender StratocasterLake Placid Blue
39:08 - '65 Strat neck
39:17 - '65 Strat middle
39:50 - New Strat bridge


Notes
Ok Larry, this over-posting is getting a little out of hand don't ya think?

Sorry friends...this one is over 40 minutes so you might wanna just stick this one under your bed for a rainy day in case you need it down the road when the next Homeskoolin drought happens ....

March 30th, 2025

Homeskoolin’ Volume 417, Tom Bukovac, “Sunday Drive”

Chapters
00:00 - Playing the PRS McCarty
03:06 - Hello, class
05:13 - Paul Reed Smith
06:13 - PRS bridge / Intonation
07:34 - Stalker Guy imploding YouTube channel / Jumping the Shark
10:08 - Dean Z bridge
12:34 - PRS McCarty
13:06 - Duesenberg Session Man bridge
14:12 - Duesenberg summary
14:41 - PRS McCarty bridge
15:23 - Dean Z bridge
16:27 - Duesenberg bridge / Bridge height / Voxey AC30 sound
17:19 - Duesenberg neck
18:01 - The lick on the Duesenberg
18:30 - Dean Z neck fantastic sustain
20:10 - PRS McCarty neck
21:57 - One more time (PRS)
22:31 - Same horseshit (Dean)
23:33 - Duesenberg


Notes
Uncle Larry puts on his driving gloves and takes a few humbuckers out on a little trip through the country….


best 20 bucks i ever spent right here...the walrus was Paul
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0WJO5iDa6Y

March 26th, 2025

Homeskoolin’ Volume 411, Tom Bukovac, “Jangle Reinhardt”

Chapters
00:00 - Playing a Rickenbacker
03:51 - Hello, friends! / Playing
04:41 - '67-ish Rickenbacker 360 / Doug at Rumbleseat
06:24 - Toastertop pickups / Maple Glo and other Rickenbacker colors
07:40 - Comment sticky / "Surrendered Tone" / Naming paint colors at Sherwin Williams
09:20 - Amatuer guitar player only playing what they know on different guitars
10:30 - Jedd Hughes / Know how to find the good section of the guitar
10:59 - Paul McCartney with Robbie McIntosh story / Can't every guitar the same
12:25 - Opening guitar playing is difficult / Gotta learn how to do it / Hard parts
15:49 - Nothing wrong with being a hobbyist / Doing it professionally...have to be able to do it
18:43 - Rickenbacker reminiscent of Dave Stewart
21:24 - Dave Stewart trip to Tahiti
22:30 - Fishing out a lesson


Notes
Uncle Larry takes you through the sordid experience of owning an old Rickenbacker…

I always thought the company motto should be

“Rickenbacker…lower your expectations”

but…just like an old Gretsch or Mosrite that plays TERRIBLY…it simply doesn’t matter…because THE SOUND is what people are after

friends, if you are truly getting some joy out of these videos...the tip jar is just around the corner....
paypal is tombukovac@gmail.com
venmo is @Tom-Bukovac-1

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

December 7th, 2024

Uncle Larry’s Garage Sale “Early Winter Utilitarian Price Point Edition”

Chapters
00:00 - Led Zeppelin, "where did they steal that lick?"
02:17 - Fender Telecaster
03:10 - Fernandes Tele
04:09 - '79 Gibson SG
05:59 - Led Zeppelin - "No Quarter", "where did they steal that from?"


Notes
Three guitars

79 sg 1250
80s Fernandes tele custom 500
97 MIJ tele custom 1750

Plus shipping

Email me at tombukovac@gmail.com if interested

Local pickup always preferred

Package sale REALLY preferred

November 23rd, 2024

Homeskoolin’ Bonus, Tom Bukovac, “Hello Dolly”

Chapters
00:00 - Dolly Parton - Hard Candy Christmas
04:52 - '44 Gibson J45 acoustic newly bought TR Crandle
06:57 - Hard Candy Christmas / Carol Hall / Artist making song their own
08:13 - Backing up Tommy Exley
08:41 - Thank you for New York / Birthday gig Dec. 20th 3rd & Lindsley


Notes
Just a little something to get all you Homeskoolers in the Christmas spirit…and a VERY special thank you to those who attended the NYC shows

November 16th, 2024

Homeskoolin’ Volume 360, Tom Bukovac, “The Pizza Guy”

Chapters
00:00 - Singing and a playing
06:49 - Hello / Cleveland connection / Netflix - Mike Tyson & Jake Paul
10:30 - Rick Beato & Rick Waitman
11:51 - Session buddy story Martin D-28 busted headstock
16:18 - Discover a song randomly / Dismantling a song to assimilate it / Old Flame song
19:47 - Playing the piano / Arturia
21:55 - Thanks
22:28 - Beatles - "The Sun King" / What analog sounds like / Abbey Road


Notes
Uncle Larry reflects on the biggest money grab in recent memory, and tells a harrowing story of a pizza delivery gone terribly wrong

October 19th, 2024

Homeskoolin’ Bonus “Learn A Song”

Chapters
00:00 - Cover: Paul McCartney - Uncle Albert / Admiral Halsey


Notes
While the boys are in the other room playing X Box I decided to uncover the mystery of Hugh McCracken amazing part of “Uncle Albert”

I just learned this very quickly, didn’t do a deep dive to get it EXACTLY, just a rough approximation more so just to get the feel

Just some old school muscle shoals licks with a TON of reverb on them over the top of another brilliant quirky composition by the greatest pop songwriter that ever walked on this planet…I’ll take it

October 18th, 2024

Homeskoolin’ Volume 350, Tom Bukovac, “Small Block”

Chapters
00:00 - Cover: Missing Persons - Destination Unknown
02:44 - What's up? / Playing
05:55 - Night Rider - Jimmy Bryant
07:00 - VCB (Viewer Comment Bin)
07:45 - "Blowing your musical mind lately?" / Uncle Albert / Admiral Halsey by Paul McCartney
09:00 - Lesson: Beautiful off chords / E6/9 [0 2 6 4 2 2]
09:40 - Lesson: Fmaj713 [8 8 7 9 10 8]
10:56 - "What's on the horizon?" / Producing
12:43 - "What does it cost to make a record?" / $40,000 - $45,000 / Brett Papa course
15:57 - ' 61 - '62 Gibson SG & story
17:18 - Arena tone
19:14 - Old Western playing


Notes
Uncle Larry answers a few questions in the VCB and caterwauls one of his all time favorite songs for your listening pleasure.

October 10th, 2024

Homeskoolin’ Volume 348, Tom Bukovac, “The Age Of Guitar”

Chapters
00:00 - Old Folk, Country type songs
04:27 - Hello, friends!
05:22 - Age of guitar / Jedd Hughes channeling Grady Martin
06:48 - Worst gig of life (Underdog) / Unprepared nervousness, shakiness
09:06 - No more experiemental gigs (phones)
10:37 - Rare cut
11:06 - Stage neurosis
11:33 - Great book - Fender the Sound Heard Around the World (book)
12:15 - Update / Grammy nomination for Album Engineering
13:00 - Smokestack (Paul Moak studio)
13:57 - '53 Blackguard Fender Telecaster / Compensated saddles / Lost saddles
15:45 - Lesson: Cool lick (Key A: V back to the I) / Playing and singing
19:42 - Lesson: Cool chords
20:50 - In studio drumming


Notes
Uncle Larry catches us up on his last week of internet delinquency

Let’s say a few prayers for the folks down in Florida ok friends?

July 21st, 2024

Homeskoolin’ Bench Bonus “The Burning Hole”

Chapters
00:00 - Restringing a Firebird with story time
10:40 - Tour of the music room and gear


Notes
Uncle Larry talks about the burning hole inside of us all while restringing a late 63 firebird V

July 1st, 2024

Homeskoolin’ Volume 323, Tom Bukovac, “Mrs. Duckwiler? Please Hold My Calls”

Chapters
00:00 - Raw Blues
02:32 - Hello, friends! / Squeaky chair / Leisrure Time Lager
03:37 - Thank you for donations / Churning out material
04:33 - Missing Episode 244
05:09 - Raw Dogging Flights (no entertainment on plane)
06:42 - Gibson Les Paul Special TV Yellow (07:26 - story) / Brian Willis (Quarterflash)
08:29 - Gwen Stephani record and good P90 sound
10:13 - Recording tone Heaven with Goldtop (Starstruck Studios)
11:12 - Top 5 guitars / Cannot pick them out
13:50 - Great rhythm guitar track? / Ry Cooder (based entire rhythm guitar upon him)
16:00 - Lesson: Rhythm / Not putting your guitar volume on 10 / Germanium fuzz


Notes
Uncle Larry gets jiggy with an old 225 Parsons Street Firebird plugged into a forgotten old Epiphone tube amp with some particularly trashy reverb

Thank you guys for the continued support of my pitiful little homegrown channel....i hope you guys TRULY understand how much i appreciate the donations and the kind comments. it inspires me to continue on.

study this people...study it so much that it seeps into your soul and your playing.
https://youtu.be/9V9jtHjno9w?si=tal3n...

people just played differently back in this era...musicians were speaking a much deeper more soulful language....and it was happening EVERYWHERE

the tulsa sound with the leon russell crew... the muscle shoals band...the memphis studio crew... the nashville sound...it was all so rhythmic and so musical

pay REALLY CLOSE attention to this pocket that these guys have cooking here.

so relaxed., so funky....the chug, the churn, the wobble of this rhythm section is just fucking unbelievable.
no it's certainly not "perfect", or even "precise".... but it's human as fuck...and it gets that booty shakin' more than a computer ever could.
just one of many great examples of the mature/wise beyond their years musical interplay that was commonplace back in these days...no big deal, it was just the way people played.

oh, and imagine this friends....these guys were all in their 20's when they did this shit

and TOTALLY unrelated, but equally as awesome....
you guys have all seen this before...but it's time to watch it again....pure comedic genius
https://youtu.be/QIKsvWgoYss?si=o0LpP...

June 22nd, 2024

Homeskoolin’ Bonus “Southern Fried PAF’s”

Chapters
00:00 - Hank Williams Jr. - A Country Boy Can Survive
01:00 - Led Zeppelin - No Quarter
01:17 - Eagles - Hotel California
01:45 - Hello, friends! / White T-shirts
02:21 - Idea for teaching guitar / Critique
05:23 - ES-335 fire story with PAF's
07:01 - Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival
08:13 - Playing along with video
08:53 - Lynyrd Skynyrd - Sweet Home Alabama / Huey Lewis & The News - Do You Believe in Love / Chris Hays
11:41 - Lesson: Name that song


Notes
Uncle Larry rolls up on some Indian food tinged country music and comes up with a crazy new groundbreaking idea for YouTube.

If you like the idea of having your golf swing analyzed by a pro golfer and all of his students, then this episode is for you

(editor's note) i have had several emails from people that somehow got the impression that i am offering free evaluations of people's playing....
just to be clear, i am offering these evaluations for the same 500.00 fee i charge for my in person guitar lessons.
sorry if i was somehow misleading in this video....

June 17th, 2024

Homeskoolin’ Volume 317, Tom Bukovac, “English Birds”

Chapters
00:00 - 70's imagery
01:20 - Van Halen tuning / Hi friends!
01:43 - The Butter trick
02:10 - Rock Williams band story
03:07 - Lesson: The Butter trick (get that fu fu) / Knife pick attack with upstroke
05:10 - Early morning chess / Uncle Larry Garage Sale Tele went fast
05:57 - '52 Goldtop
06:25 - 3rd & Lindsley Bukovac & Guthrie special guests gig
07:05 - Wrist pain, arm pain, carpal tunnel / Arthritis / Hand stretches
10:27 - "Got a pool guy yet, Larry?" / Need for a pool guy
11:08 - What does it cost to make a record in Nashville?  / Break down of costs
14:10 - Milwaukee completely furnished studio for cheap
14:56 - Funniest comment? Namath DJ your party
17:20 - Some gal that interviews people
18:00 - Tube amps and Eric "Ebo" Borash


Notes
Uncle Larry dives into some deep VCB waters and serves up the recipe for butter tone, whilst continuing the tour through the various colors of XTS t shirts

June 2nd, 2024

Homeskoolin’ …”An Open Letter To Little Johnny In Nowheresville Nebraska”

Chapters
00:00 - Strumming the Online Chess song
00:44 - Sunday chilling / Gear questions / Imitation pedalboards appreciated
02:07 - Pedalboard build journey for years
03:29 - Learn how to touch the guitar
04:06 - Each piece of gear on pedalboard was a discovery
05:12 - Side ebay business selling gear / Remembering the gear that works
06:47 - Boss SD-2, Tube Screamers, Rotosphere, Volume pedals, Boss GE-7 (EQ), Line 6 M9 / Making pedalboards
09:00 - 5 different pedalboards and use them all
10:03 - Key components on pedalboard (incremental gain, eq, trail, volume)
10:55 - Pedalboard #1 (mid-size case for demos when don't have cartage)
12:03 - Pedalboard #2 (2nd largest for touring)
13:30 - Pedalboard case
13:44 - Pedalboard #3 (bare essentials)
14:13 - Pedalboard #4 (video making board)


Notes
Uncle Larry goes waaaaay off brand with this pedalboard “excursion”

March 9th, 2024

Homeskoolin’ Bonus “Saturday Guitar Repair Pt 2”

Chapters
00:00 - Picking sessions to play on / Good musicians (Dan Auerbach)
02:00 - Stringing mess / Good days vs. bad days
02:50 - Main thing is the singer / Little goals
05:14 - High E wrap
05:48 - Robert Keeley (Angry Orange, Blues Disorder, Super Rodent)
07:05 - Earthquaker call for help
07:36 - Saddles
08:00 - "Wang Bar" adjustment / In tune
11:04 - When someone doesn't tune
13:00 - Irsay update


Notes
well friends, if you made it this far you are definitely a real Homeskooler....

the instrumental record i made with dearest Guthrie Trapp is scheduled for release on May 1st...very exciting.

and....since we have a lot of new viewers coming along recently...
let me tell ya' how shit works around here...
first off, i NEVER ask anyone to subscribe or "smash that like button"....

if you do indeed learn some useful stuff from this channel and feel like it is indeed helping you as a player, all i ask is that you just throw a little something in the tip jar...especially since it's tax season ferchrissakes


You can make PayPal donations to this address:
tombukovac@gmail.com
You can make Venmo donations to this address:
@Tom-Bukovac-1


a person could potentially purchase a myriad of Homeskoolin' related merch..including several different extremely comfortable and nice feeling T-shirts and some beautifully constructed coffee mugs for those afflicted with thin lips...i pride myself on having the comfiest t shirts on earth...no scratchy bad fitting horseshit here people.. check it out at
https://dvg-inc.shoplightspeed.com/merch/tom-bukovac/

AND....believe it or not....i have a new website people....an actual proper website.
https://thesessionman.com

You can see all kinds of weird old photos there, you can also purchase a download of the live concert i did last December if you like.

A lot of these very same new viewers don't seem to know that Uncle Larry made a couple records that they could potentially listen to... one is an instrumental solo record called "Plexi Soul" that is available here:
https://tombukovac.bandcamp.com/album/plexi-soul

another is an instrumental collaboration with his dear friend Dean Deleo (originally from the Stone Temple Pilots organization) that is available here:
https://tripthewitch.bandcamp.com/album/trip-the-witch

February 2nd, 2024

Homeskoolin’ Volume 272, Tom Bukovac, “Hit It Maestro”

Chapters
00:00 - Statesboro Blues into Bad Company into Led Zeppelin - No Quarter into playing
03:03 - Classic Rock tone Maestro Accordian Amp / Ebo cosmetic magician
04:43 - Back to playing that Rock sound / Thanks
05:50 - Party fun and Black Jack
06:30 - The Cliffs
08:45 - Playing to remember
09:13 - Rebelling against the YouTube Police / Genius of Allman Brothers Band
10:30 - Lesson: Ghostly move from bend to next note
11:58 - Allman Brothers greatest guitar shit
13:10 - Lesson: Half-step slides


Notes
Uncle Larry explores the creepy ghostly qualities of the much overlooked half step slide.

By the way that matchless is sold...

The model of the amp i am playing in this video is Maestro GA-45T with four gold 8" Jensen speakers in it, listed in the original catalog as a "Maestro Standard"...circa 1960....apparently harp players love these amps....harp, accordion...reeds...get it?

Bub always knows about the cool shit.

January 8th, 2024

Homeskoolin' Volume 268, Tom Bukovac, "Panties Applied For"

Chapters
00:00 - Homemade Evel Knievel stunt
00:45 - Plucking that Goldtop
03:27 - Episode 268 and Homeskoolin' Inc. / Hardest thing about playing guitar (bending content)
05:00 - Cookin' with Larry thanks / Taking things too literally / Nick Gordo shame
06:20 - Heavy double-stop tangent into Marilyn Manson
06:56 - Cleveland into the playoffs
07:23 - Working with Steely Dan's Michael Omartian (Omar)
08:19 - Comparison of PAFs
09:27 - Burst PAF (Bridge)
10:42 - Goldtop PAF (Bridge)
11:45 - ES-335 PAF (Bridge)
12:54 - Burst PAF (Bridge)
13:20 - Goldtop PAF (Bridge)
13:48 - Goldtop PAF (neck)
14:54 - Burst PAF (neck)
15:47 - ES-335 PAF (neck)
16:33 - Goldtop PAF (neck)
18:11 - Burst PAF (Bridge)
18:47 - ES-335 PAF (Bridge)


Notes
Uncle Larry lines up a couple PAF equipped suspects in a tone identification interrogation...

a 57 Les Paul Standard, a 58 Les Paul Standard and a 63 es-335

We all know that it's impossible to REALLY hear anything in this iPhone mic'ed scenario, but let's just act like we can hear, and play along for fun.

Which one ya like best?

May 30th, 2023

Homeskoolin' Volume 222, Tom Bukovac, "Leather Pants In June"

Chapters
00:00 - Spacey McCartney playing
02:25 - Hello, class! / Scank Amp
03:12 - '69 Les Paul Custom
04:58 - Audio cut out / Merch
05:40 - VCB (Viewer Comment Bin) / Rush
07:00 - String Gauge
07:30 - Lightest and heaviest guitar owned?
08:30 - Flying V
09:59 - Thoughtful for negative folk
11:00 - 1,200 records played on
12:00 - Guthrie record and new name
13:00 - Playing guitar to overcome disadvantage / Just you and the guitar
15:30 - Whammy bar / Danny Gatton
17:00 - Loud playing (Angus Young, Daryl Hall & John Oates)
18:41 - Being in the mix
20:10 - Lesson: Paul McCartney - Ram On (Cmaj7, C6, B, E/B)


Notes
Uncle Larry reflects back on a busy day of endless string changing and intonation adjustments. Thanks for watching friends.