May 9th, 2025

Homeskoolin’ Volume 443, Tom Bukovac, “John Wilkes Barre”

Chapters
00:00 - Playing
02:50 - Wilkes Barre, PA / Early days in Rust Belt
04:20 - '48 Gibson Southern Jumbo
06:16 - Jedd Hughes / Vince Gill update
07:19 - '48 Gibson Southern Jumbo / Bad D string
08:55 - '85 Kramer Beretta with Floyd Rose "E" Series
11:33 - Setting up for the concert
11:55 - Wandre Roby guitar
14:38 - LiquiSlide


Notes
The first of many summer updates from the road…
that will inevitably depict a completely over the top blood soaked epic orgy of guitar purchases over the next couple months that can potentially be of some use to you fellow Homeskoolers…

May 2nd, 2025

Homeskoolin’ Volume 437, Tom Bukovac “Ten Gallon Hat”

Chapters
00:00 - Somber plucking around
06:53 - Just Larry from the Opry playing through the Ebo Spring Verb
08:17 - New looper pedal
10:43 - Jedd Hughes and the Grand Ole Opry
11:57 - Lesson: Show you a lick with the claw method


Notes
fresh from the Opry , Uncle Larry gives ya a little western swang with a touch of Kalamazoo...


trust me on this friends...if you REALLY ARE serious about your music, you absolutely MUST look into buying one of these absolutely magical devices...

you: "what is it Larry?"
me: "just the best sounding tube spring reverb in the history of mankind that's all"

https://www.ebocustoms.com/new-products/e-verb-studio-2

and lastly...

check this out friends....back when we were lean and hungry
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDKU-0_EqR4

April 25th, 2025

Homeskoolin’ Volume 429, Tom Bukovac, “No Singer Left Behind”

Chapters
00:00 - Acoustic playing
02:26 - Hi, friends! / Working
04:46 - Helping others make records
06:03 - Gibson J-200 / Recording mojo / Changed out bridge
08:05 - Nashville resources
09:11 - Donnie Iris - Ah Leah / Producer Mark Avsec
13:46 - Keith Whitley - Don't Close Your Eyes / Transcendentally out of tune / Garth Fundis
18:25 - Pro Tools
22:36 - Working on something truly unique / Freddy Mercury
24:55 - Pet Sematary (movie)
25:54 - Vince Gill / Jedd Hughes


Notes
Uncle Larry lays out the AGE OLD moral dilemma of that dark world where technology, creativity and music meet.

March 31st, 2025

Homeskoolin’ Volume 419, Tom Bukovac, “Human Steak”

Chapters
00:00 - Plucking away some tunes
04:08 - Jedd Hughes birthday
04:49 - Lesson: Vince Gill lick
05:32 - Lesson: Brett Papa and the I IV V (one four five)
07:10 - Tornado warning
07:42 - Rare video mix
09:50 - Dann Huff
12:01 - VCB (Viewer Comment Bin) / When a guitar player doesn't have it
12:41 - Music and sex and banging human steak
16:06 - Happiest you've ever been (20s vs 50s) / Cred
23:05 - '65 Fender Stratocaster Lake Placid Blue


Notes
Uncle Larry puts on some rubber boots and wades out into a sewer back up of messy VCB

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

December 22nd, 2024

Homeskoolin’ Volume 379, Tom Bukovac, “Thank You”

Chapters
00:00 - Electric Larry Land
04:54 - What's up friends! / Thank you attending show
08:49 - Gibson Les Paul
09:13 - Son Marshall at the show
10:15 - Numbnuts talking shit / Old Les Paul trash talking
12:15 - Football and thanks


Notes
The entire point of this video is to say THANK YOU to everyone who attended my little birthday show the other night…it was truly one of the best nights of life

The other point of this video is….who the fuck is this jackoff talkin shit about one of my friends?
This guy needs to stop…like now
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fOfsWvfTXI

December 19th, 2024

Homeskoolin’ Volume 378, Tom Bukovac, “Sad Guitar Boogie”

Chapters
00:00 - Strumming a familiar tune
02:44 - Lesson: Saddest chords of all time (I -> I/VII)
04:40 - Investigation into the I/VII
05:14 - Lesson: John Lennon - Mind Games
07:00 - Weird guitar the whole song / Oh, Hi, guys! / Bullshit vs. planned
07:41 - The Cliffs and Jedd Hughes and Tom Bukovac at The Basement / Jedd Hughes
09:58 - '64 Gibson J-50 / Sad guitar
10:49 - The Cliffs / Tom's 12yro son playing guitar on stage (respect privacy please)
12:41 - Thanks to D'Addario
13:14 - Two special Fuck Offs / Playing from memory vs. learning / Van Halen
17:17 - Friday night friends
18:44 - Tired of live streaming an event vs. being there live / What it was really like vs cell phone
20:32 - NFL?
21:04 - Movie with special friend / Twightlight Zone / Dan Aykroyd / Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR)


Notes
So glad I went down to the Basement last night and saw my dear friends…
See y’all Friday

December 18th, 2024

Hey Kid….Ya Like Rock And Roll??

Chapters
00:00 - A little Van Halen
00:44 - "Do you like Rock 'n' Roll?" / The Cliffs


Notes
Wednesday night Cliffs at the Basement

November 11th, 2024

Homeskoolin’ Volume 358, Tom Bukovac, “The Death Of America’s Team”

Chapters
00:00 - Taking that Gretsch higher
05:28 - Beatles - "The Sun King" (singing and playing)
07:24 - John Lennon bashes Rolling Stones and Mick Jagger
09:04 - Roland JC-120 (Jazz Chorus 120) / Blackface Twin Reverb
10:13 - VCB (Viewer Comment Bin)
10:47 - Pontiac GTO delivery
11:29 - Sam Bettens
12:21 - Lesson: Raised 5th on minor
13:20 - Child rearing comments
14:10 - "Stupid Boy"?
15:35 - Twisters movie / Recycled stuff
16:26 - Originality / David Essex - Rock On / Herbie Flowers / John Deacon
18:51 - "You don't talk about women"? / Private life and class
19:56 - Otis Gibbs, Guthrie, Jedd
20:31 - NFL
23:05 - "Most amateurs get wrong"
24:58 - "Is tone in the hands?" / Nothing to do with gear
25:55 - Making up a Will and writing the letter


Notes
Uncle Larry covers a wide swath of VCB in one swell foop on this Veteran's Day holiday….
Everything from gettin’ laid to the Abbey Road medley.

here is that Lennon interview i mentioned
• John Lennon vs Mick Jagger

If you are indeed getting something out of these real time journal entries , please visit the tip jar

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

November 8th, 2024

Homeskoolin’ Volume 356, Tom Bukovac, “Metric Modulation”

Chapters
00:00 - Slow lullaby into pickin' madness
02:51 - Rare phone fall & restart / Hello / Guthrie & Jedd
03:53 - Jedd Hughes gig / Working together and not against
05:42 - Son's Chopped Les Paul
06:16 - John Fogerty series / Creedence Clearwater Revival - Lodi
07:26 - Groove on "Born on the Bayou"
09:23 - Airline amp
11:21 - Livestream / Big Apple vs. reclining / Big thanks to people all over
13:13 - CC Deville & Poison vs. Bob Dylan
14:01 - Lesson: 7/8 groove
15:25 - Playing the drums
15:57 - GTO
16:27 - Footage: Amazing drumming and groove / Guthrie show
18:37 - Snake man - George Gruhn


Notes
“Metric modulation” friends…the new hip phrase to replace that old fashioned “ hemiola” word we all grew up saying….(look that one up if you are not familiar)

Anyhoo, thanks for tuning in and supporting my pitiful little channel friends...sorry i'm a little out of tune today....i used to care

If anyone feels compelled to donate a little love to your socially challenged old uncle you can do so at these links

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


Here’s the link for the upcoming New York livestream people

https://volume.com/t/kRhYIQ/

Guess who the snake man at the end of this video is?

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?

August 5th, 2024

Homeskoolin’ Bonus “The Hippie Strum”

Chapters
00:00 - Vince Gill gig up-close footage strumming away


Notes
Here’s an inside look at what is REALLY happening in the rhythm guitar engine room on these Vince gigs at the Ryman.

My dear mate Jedd Hughes and I are trying to make some comfy beds for the boss man to do his thing over all night long

These are also both good examples of the “hippie strum” on a jangly electric that I have basically worked my entire life to try to perfect…

so much harder than it sounds to make the hippie strum feel legit with the exact amount of jangle and just the right shimmer tone.

I’ll let you know when I get there.

July 31st, 2024

Homeskoolin’ Bonus, “Who’s On Burst?”

Chapters
00:00 - 3 of the finest guitars on planet Earth.
01:14 - Vince Gill's 1959 Les Paul - Neck pickup
02:10 - Option B - Neck pickup
03:07 - Option C (1958) - Neck pickup
03:57 - Vince Gill's 1959 Les Paul - Neck pickup 2
04:42 - Option B (1959) - Neck pickup 2 (Lightest one in weight)
05:29 - Option C (1958) - Neck pickup 2
06:06 - Option C (1958) - Bridge pickup / B-string D note
07:22 - Option B (1959) - Bridge pickup
08:22 - Vince Gill's 1959 Les Paul - Bridge pickup
09:10 - "This shit makes me nervous" - Jedd Hughes / Second time around - Bridge pickups
09:52 - Option ? - Bridge pickup
10:46 - Option ? - Bridge pickup
11:25 - Neck shapes? / Bridge pickup
12:23 - Vince Gill's 1959 Les Paul - Bridge pickup
13:13 - Conclusion


Notes
Killin time at rehearsal with some golden age Kalamazoo…talent by Jedd Hughes

Lets hear your thoughts on favorite neck pickup and favorite bridge pickup…cuz we sure as hell can’t say

July 30th, 2024

Homeskoolin’ Short, “Office Space”

Chapters
00:00 - Behind the scenes at Vince Gill gig


Notes
Uncle Larry’s cubicle

June 26th, 2024

Homeskoolin’ Quick PSA

Chapters
00:00 - 3rd & Lindsley gig with Jedd Hughes


Notes
Come on friends…let’s go see old Jedd

November 26th, 2023

Homeskoolin’ Bonus “The Return Of Old Pals Pt. 2”

Chapters
00:00 - Jedd Hughes part 2


Notes
Jedd Hughes stops by for a visit.
He is releasing the “lost album” that we did together back in 2007 when we were both young lads…I remember we put a lot of love and care into it.
I produced 9 tracks for him with record company money, but sadly the project got shelved.
We found the lost CD and now he is releasing it on bandcamp.

If you wanna check it out go here:
https://jeddhughes1.bandcamp.com/albu...


Recorded all analog
Featured some great musicians
Steve Ferrone
Danny Dugmore
Matt Rollings
Sarah Buxton
Greg Morrow
Gordie Sampson
David Santos

All recorded and mixed by Justin Niebank

November 26th, 2023

Homeskoolin’ Bonus “The Return Of Old Pals 2, Pt 1”

Chapters
00:00 - Jedd Hughes


Notes
Jedd Hughes stops by for a visit.
He is releasing the “lost album” that we did together back in 2007 when we were both young lads…I remember we put a lot of love and care into it.
I produced 9 tracks for him with record company money, but sadly the project got shelved.
We found the lost CD and now he is releasing it on bandcamp.

If you wanna check it out go here:
https://jeddhughes1.bandcamp.com/albu...


Recorded all analog
Featured some great musicians
Steve Ferrone
Danny Dugmore
Matt Rollings
Sarah Buxton
Greg Morrow
Gordie Sampson
David Santos

All recorded and mixed by Justin Niebank

September 18th, 2022

Homeskoolin’ Bonus “B Roll From Giants Show”

Chapters
00:00 - Footage of the rehearsal for "Giants"


Notes
Warning: this one here is ONLY for the real die hard Homeskoolers out there.

Damn near 30 minutes of rehearsal footage....i thought about chopping it up, but then decided to give it all to ya in one big long painful block, so you can feel the slog of a 10 hour rehearsal day just like we do haha.

disclaimer: i clearly realize that there are worse 10 hour work days.....

i'll tell ya' a job that would REALLY suck. top of my list of all-time nightmare jobs....to be the guy that cleans and maintains a busy airport restroom....there's something about "international shit" that's even more horrifying than "domestic shit".... the worst job i ever had in my younger days was doing carpet and flooring with my older brother doug...it was great to hang out with him all day, but the job itself SUCKED.

i also did asphalt with my other brother Mike....a VERY small company in Cleveland called "Perfection Paving"...the only dump truck the company could afford was from the 40's and it wouldn't go over 35 MPH on the highway....which was a problem when you are carrying a hot load of asphalt long distances.

anyhoo....back to today's video...b roll rehearsal footage from the recently aired CMT show called "Giants" honoring Vince Gill.

Starring
Uncle Larry
Jedd Hughes
Paulie Franklin
Chris Stapleton
Jimmie Lee Sloas
Becky Fluke

September 17th, 2022

Homeskoolin’ Bonus “Larry, Jedd and Paul, featuring Sting”

Chapters
00:00 - Footage from Country Music Television's "Giants"


Notes
Hahaaa….just kiddin…i know the real billing order…it should be “Jedd, Paul and Tom, featuring Sting”

Heres an alternate take from the one that actually was on the show.

Hope you enjoy…i had a lonely princeton reverb backstage behind a wall, mic’ed up, and what you are hearing is through the wedge.

When you got your guitar sounding like this through a wedge, you KNOW its gonna be right out front.

September 12th, 2022

Homeskoolin’ Volume 163, Tom Bukovac, “Charcuterie & Crudite Blues”

Chapters
00:00 - Raw pickin' and chuggin' intro
03:40 - Hello, class! / Being back home / Upcoming gigs and musicians
06:00 - Jim Irsay private plane and hotel
09:10 - Danny Nucci
10:00 - Buddy Guy encounter
12:08 - Harmony Silvertone Jupiter / h47 Stratotone guitar (1423)
15:00 - Lesson: Nastiest G Minor 6th chord (Bluesy Pentatonic)


Notes
A brief discussion on how once you fly private one time, you’re basically ruined for life. And….a look at how nasty a minor 6th can be.