I had a dream one time where a man came to me on a flaming pie and said “you shall be Uncle Larry”, even though my Christian name is Thomas Joseph Bukovac
Hi Tom. My name is Pierpaolo and I follow you every night from Italy. I study electric guitar in an academy in Turin, Piedmont, Italy. In the afternoon I do my exercises for the first year electric guitar exam and in the evening I follow you to learn with my eyes. For me your program is a mine of advice and anecdotes. I really like when I see your studio recording sessions: now, when I practice, I try to put the same concentration as if I were recording a record like you. Thanks for introducing me to the Cars: I'm listening to the first record from 1978 and it's "intoxicating" pop, I've just listened to "Just What I Needed" 5 times in a row. I also discovered that Elliot Easton is a graduate of the Berklee School of Music in Boston: so he has a great technical preparation, but he has a lot of taste and does short but beautiful and incisive solos. Yours is the best and most original guitar program on RU-vid. Sorry for the long comment and keep it up! Pierpaolo.
In 1972 I sold my 10 speed bike to help buy an early 60s candy apple red Strat with gold hardware. Walked up to the guys door with the dough. Knock, knock - "I decided not to sell it". That was a long walk home. And long walks to Central Junior High the rest of the year.
I sold my 1952 J-50 refin for $120.00, gas money in order to get to my sister’s house in Gainesville, FL, in 1980. The guy at the music store said, “Do you know what this is?!!” I said, “No. Just that it’s a Gibson.” He showed me the faded pencil mark on the center back brace. “It’s a J-50!” I said, “I’ve gotta leave PA tomorrow. Is a J-50 a good guitar?” He begged me not to sell it. I should have listened. I was 19. JJZ…(°¿.°`)
That '63 is the one. Dang son. The next level tone through these headphones is unquestionably the finest Strat tone I've ever heard. Until I heard that middle position of the '62. Heck they were all beautiful - thank you SOOOO much for going through all of the pups on this one. Thank you, Tom!!
Hey Sammy, I agree. Although my immediate thought, my gut feeling, was - “New strings on the’63.” Wish I could find out. The ‘62, on it’s appearance, and the way Tom fawned over it, seems to have a healthy amount of Tom’s own Mojo coming out of it. Just had a thought - I’m really glad that Tom isn’t a dude that has the need to name his instruments! JJZ…(°¿.°`)
JD is just the nicest fella ever man. Over the years ive gotten to work with him, and hes unreal. Produced a few records for my band, played with him once, just an absolute jedi of improvisational guitar and a beautiful brilliant soul. Hes taught me a lot over the years, and the greatest lessons ive learned have had nothing to do with playing but being a good human.
So thrilled that you are part of this record! From Vince..What a cast!!!! The musicians contributing to Sweet Memories include: Tom Bukovac (electric guitar), Dennis Crouch (bass), Stuart Duncan (fiddle), Steve Gibson (electric guitar), John Jarvis (piano), Greg Morrow (drums), Wendy Moten (harmony vocals), the late Michael Rhodes (electric bass), Jerry Roe (drums), Derek Wells (electric guitar), and Andrea Zonn (harmony vocals).
Uncle Larry - Long time watcher, first time commenter, and fellow son of Cleveland. Really been a pleasure watching your videos over the last few years for many reasons, one of which is getting to see a Clevelander at the top of the world’s proverbial stage, tearing up a guitar harder than a Euclid Ave pothole on my rusty old beater. Would love to hear some of your stories from the legendary Cleveland venues, like The Agora. Peace and blessings to you and yours from all of your fans up here in NEO. Thanks for being you
Green Onions got this Memphis boy's ears perked up! Congrats on 20+ million views! I was so stoked to hear that. I wonder how the guys that bought all those fancy lights and cameras feel? HA! In a world full of flattering lighting, filters, and autotune, I'm glad to see skill, charisma, and honesty still connecting with so many people! It's refreshing, don't change a thing Tommy! Well, unless you want to...
Tom, I LOVE your idea for Plexi Soul 2 and home recording it with some badass analog board, maybe a couple old mojo-laden microphones, and other quirky but amazing pieces of audio recording tech that D'Auerbach probably has sitting around and willing to lend out. Let Marshall Bukovac lay down one undisclosed guitar overdub in there too as his first session man credential!
That 62 is magic, it has it all, and that middle pickup...as soon as you started playing I just started chuckling it's so good, the Senn is also killer, I just saw the video with Jeff and it's amazing that it has all bridge pups but doesn't sound muddy at all!! And the 63 think you said.. to me sound the most open, clear beautiful Hey bro, thanks for posting these types of things, it helps us mortals know what to listen for or how are strats...in this case stack up. Love you bro!!
Hey Tom, JD is the first person i ever heard mention your name in about 2015. Him and the trio were playing philly and I got into a conversation with him before the show and I asked him who his favorite player in town was and he said you. That’s about when the first time I looked you up and found your RU-vid channel. Then You started the corona lessons When my work was going through it’s Covid shut down and that helped me get through the downtime at home. So thank you. Duke Levine is awesome. I’ve dealt with his brother buzzy quite a few times at lark street music.
The neck pickup on the 63 Strat is something else. Thank you for your very entertaining videos, Tom! The guitar playing, your thoughts on music, guitar playing, gear, and everything else. It's all great.
❤ Skool! I was hoping to see you before I go for my surgical procedure this morn… gotta leave now. Your timing ❤❤❤❤. you helped me yesterday feel better after my curbing incident.
I have to say your T-Shirts are awesome. Super Soft and comfortable for a fat guy! Loving the Plexi Soul CD. Great for driving in the North GA mountains.
This channel makes me smile out loud. It's like going to the boat show or the RV show. It's great being there, even though everything there is stuff you can't afford. Watching Tom pull out the wildly diverse items from his guitar collection and then playing them at such a high level of skill feels exactly like seeing that 35 foot dual inboard cabin cruiser that I can't afford to buy and don't have the skills to handle on the water. Fun to be there, fun to look, but resigned to a 14 foot flat boat with an electric trolling motor.
Uncle Larry, two incredible pints you make here, that are not to be overlooked: Middle pickup on a Strat awesome. It’s my favorite for sure. Marshalls are super underrated for clean tone. My ‘73 Superbass has about the best clean tone ever.
Went to his exhibit at Laguna Beach museum in 2007. They had some of his original paintings. Pretty Awsome. His Jimi Hendrix poster (bg 105) is a classic. It features the flaming eye ball.
All the strats sounded great and unique. The 63' was my favorite if I had to choose. Great wisdom and entertainment as always. Thanks! Oh and looking forward to any music you put out.
This is great Tom! Really interesting. The Senn has a really beautiful round tone. The Mac Truck 62 pickups are so full, and the 63 has so much articulation without being harsh. Just amazing to hear them. Of course, none of that would come out under my hands, its the way you know how to handle a Strat that is making all the difference.
Hey Tom, I've been stuck on Strats as my go to for many years. I also, like to play other guitars such as Teles and Gibsons to exploit their traits as well. I appreciated your stories and appreciation for JD Simo. I love the direction that he is going. His music really speaks to me. I've seen him a few times and briefly met him. He is just the best guy. Anyway, thanks for todays offering. I learned a few new tricks as usual. You're one of kind man!
Thanks for these great lessons Tom. My 1st guitar El Degas Les Paul copy I traded in the 80's for a Lado Hawk with a FR whammy. Got my USA 68 re-issue Strat in '93. Still my favorite after all these years. Cheers from Canada !
At a push I'd say I loved a combination - the bridge of the Sen, the middle of the 63, and the neck of the 62. They all sound killer in your hands tho.
First electric was a 70"s Strat that I ended up selling when my wife and I had kids (needed the money). Always regretted it. So, finally bought another 3 years ago. Amazing guitars.
Uncle Larry, Absolutely record Plexi II 8 track analog and ourboard gear and play everything. Channel your inner child of recordings of your past. Thank you for a great channel since the garage days and always being you.
Thank you!! Love the grit and overtones of the ‘63. But if I could play as well as you, I would choose the ‘62. White one is awesome too! Hence, got to have all of them
Man, I liked the bridge pu on the 63 and the middle and neck on the 62. I did notice that there wasn’t as much difference in sound between the Strats as there was between the Gibsons. I love Homeskoolin’! It is often the high point of my day. God bless you Uncle Larry. Thanks for sharing a bit of your life with us.
All those Strats definitely serve their purpose. The tightening of the strings to get them broken in is a great idea, I didn’t start doing that until 2022.
I’m a big fan of moving the second tone knob to the bridge pickup…the “Eric Johnson” setup. Totally transformed the Strat for me. Hadn’t played it onstage for YEARS…been one of my main rides since I got off my dead ass and resoldered the ONE BLEEPING WIRE…
❤Mr Dugmore played on my dear dear friend Tom Kells album in 2021 just before Tom passed. I miss Tom. Big hole in my life without my friend . Love you Tom Bukavac for your commitment to honor music and musicians. We honor you
Beautiful top end shimmer to the cream colored strat, probably my favorite. That 63’s got a fatness to it that just pops right off your right hand fingers.
Loved the sunburst Strat sound! I recently picked up a ‘59 reissue custom shop from Guitar house of Tulsa! (Love that place). Sherwood green, rosewood frettboard, gold anodized pick guard…love it! Great show, gotta get one of your shirts from Drew’s place (guitar house) 👏
I was always partial to the Made in Japan 52 reissues from the mid 80's. I have two 1985's. Great quality and that V neck they put on them. Of course they needed an electronics upgrade but other than that....I would buy every neck from that Era I could find, they used to be available on flea bay but now you can't find them. I built a few nice parts casters with those necks. And an easy upgrade on the tone pot for the bridge pickup on a Strat, just one 3-4 inch jumper wire. All my Strats I've done it to. Love that Senn
I was 17 when I bought a brand new 1977 Stratocaster with HSC for $350 in June 1977. I saved for a year working as a Janitor in my church. It was white or (blonde they called it) with all black plastics. Bullet truss rod and Micro tilt neck. The Micro Tilt was a great thing to raise or lower the strings without using the truss rod. Great invention.
YES LARRY! I love the Stratocaster! I got this old Levinson Blade I’ve had since I was 19. Had about 6 strats since! Lots of cool instruments, but that Levinson Blade is just a weapon!
Hey Tom, of the strats, I gotta say, the Jeff made strat sounds the best, to my ears anyway. Great guitar! And, much love to Duke Levine! He’s the sole reason I got into country inspired guitar playing.
Most beautiful album cover ever: Its a Beautiful Day (1969). The track Bombay Calling uses the Vince Wallace riff made famous by Deep Purple in Child in Time. The music matches the album cover. Runner up, Eli and the Thirteenth Confession (1968) by Laura Nyro - the romantic cover gives no hint to its revolutionary songwriting - the album " blew everybody's mind " Todd Rundgren. Todd considered tape hiss as a production fail.
Tom, I just wanted to say thanks for getting an OG get interested in playing again. I stagnated for a long time and never really learned anything new, and I'm picking up some great tips from you on technique and other things. Really enjoyed the examples of the Magic Sam picking style, there's something I'd like to work on. I also just like to hear you talk about gear and just everything in general. Great channel, and thanks again from MI!
I always loved the album covers that had pics of the band and their gear and so forth. I'm 66 years old so in my day one of the album covers that I remember well is the Tommy James and the Shondels where they guy was sitting at a recording console I would stare at that for hours wondering what all those knobs were for. And of course the Yes albums, OssiBissi (sp?) and whatever else had the Roger Dean work on it. 4 Way Street also was a good one back then.
Another great class from our teacher, the strats are great. I like the bridge of the 63, and the neck and middle of the 62. Love the tone that comes out of a good strat. Thanks again for holding another insightful class.
Sorry Tom but i zoned out after you mentioned JD. My imagination went berserk with the thought of you guys hanging out. I don't think there is anything cooler on RU-vid than watching JD at Roberts just destroying everything in sight. That boy sure has completely dedicated his life to music....and it shows 1000% Absolutely love that guy😊
Hey, Tom. I liked all of them. As long as you're playing. Honestly, I can't be alone in noticing how content you seem with this thing you've created. You often mention the sweet comments and even show compassion for the knuckleheads. It just feels like all is well. Anything from the studios is amazing but these kitchen hangs are very cool. Well done, young man.
This channel is like having an awesome bud who has tons of cool stories and knows his shizz when it comes to the guitar. Those are all amazing sounding Strats, but that '63... yeah, that's the one.
Man i remember when i first moved to Nashville back around '09-'10, somehwere around in there, the first place i walked into was Roberts and they were just starting ghost riders in the sky. J.D. was playing an old black tele through a princeton with a curly q chord into a rat and i remember thinking to myself.....i wonder what this is going to sound like and mother of God....i had mever seen or heard anything like it. It was fucking mesmerizing. Went to Roberts every Wednesday after that until i finally ran out of money and food a couple years later. I still pull up some old videos on here back when he was still playing with Don. Loved his first solo album.
JD is a sweetheart. I met him when he still played at Robert's western world. I approached him and we started talking about fuzz pedals because he had a cool one with him. He asked me to build him something that nite, because I mentioned that I had just making them. He took me out to lunch a week later and payed for the pedal unchecked. I was like, I brought my soldering iron and more transistors and everything. Let's get this right for you. He said, I trust you. So we parted ways after lunch and he called me a few hours later talking about how much he loved it. It meant alot. He went on tour with Bonamassa about a year later. I think the world of him. A real class act. We haven't spoken in awhile but every time that we did, he mentioned the fuzz and how much he loved it. I told him several times, I could make it so much better now. But he would never let me change anything about it. Really great guy, and one of my favorite living guitar players!!
My first strat was a 1980 Cherry red see-thru finish...3 bolt Maple neck neck/bullet truss rod sucka...HEAVY AS HELL...within 2 years I was a Gibson guy for the next 10 years 😂
Your channel is hands down my favorite for thought provoking and inspiration. Speaking of Booker T probably not able to name all the notes/chords all over the place that he plays SO well naturally..........I have a confession to make: neither can I. Well, I can name a lot of em, but the more complicated chords & passages.........not a chance in hell. But I can damn sure play & perform them!!! Been doing it for decades. Even so, I'm a perfectionist. Does that make me a weirdo? So I can relate to a lot of old school cats like Booker T..............I'm no "wizard".......but every professional gig I've ever done with acoustic guitar, and I'm being totally honest: at least several people from the crowd would always approach me during my breaks to pay me some of the most precious compliments. And I'm not talking about "simple 3 chord shit" either. I tackle songs tricky tunes from Zeppelin to Clapton, to name only a couple. Did pretty well with electric guitar while gigging the classic rock cover tunes in full bands........but my strengths obviously lie with the acoustic guitar, in various alternate tunings to boot. For this reason, I always gig with 3 different acoustics. I hate re-tuning in front of audiences.
