January 9th, 2026
Homeskoolin’ Volume 558, Tom Bukovac, “Fear Of Changing Strings”
Chapters00:00 - Acoustic Magic
03:45 - Uncle Larry checking in / Talladega Nights
04:35 - Martin acoustic and never changing the strings
12:36 - New D'Addario string, creasing the bridge / Launching some Gibsons?
Notes
Asking for a friend here , you know that feeling when you love a guitar SO MUCH just the way it is, that you are terrified to change the completely knackered worn out old strings , because you’re deathly afraid it’s gonna totally kill the whole vibe of the guitar?
I have never changed the strings on this magical little 38 OOO-18 the whole time I have had it for that very reason …but tonight friends??
Tonight that all changed
The old strings just wouldn’t tune up anymore, so I had no choice .
In retrospect I’m glad I did …the new strings reminded me of why I fell in love with this guitar in the first place …sure they are a tiny bit bright right now, but after a couple weeks of passing it around to people on sessions that will all be sorted out
January 9th, 2026
Homeskoolin’ Volume 557, Tom Bukovac, “The Singing River”
Chapters00:00 - Multi-bending beauty
01:10 - Hello, friends! / Natchez Trace (Indian road) / NFL gift
03:51 - Trip to Muscle Shoals / Beautiful voice - Thomas "Tommy" Edwards
05:30 - Lynyrd Skynyrd / Artimus Pyle timing / "Time for a book?" Bohemian Grove
08:20 - "Raconteur"
10:15 - John Oates guitar / Hearing / Old Mom Bukovac
15:18 - Hearing aids
16:55 - Thomas "Tommy" Edwards snippet
Notes
Uncle Larry recounts his recent experience in the ancient magnetism of the “Singing River” and a place that the Native Americans thought had a magical power…Muscle Shoals Alabama
I don’t travel much these days …I’ve been everywhere ten times over in this life and i NEVER condone the horrors of traveling to anyone else because i personally LOATHE traveling with every fiber of my being…but if you’ve never been there friends, you need to go.
There is just something about that place that is truly remarkable....neither i or anyone else i know can put it into words.
and TOTALLY unrelated....Kiwi is working on my 65 impala that i have owned for over 20 years
January 8th, 2026
Homeskoolin’ Bonus , “The Third Floor”
Chapters00:00 - Gibson ES-335
02:44 - Gibson Banner Head
06:35 - Back to the ES-335
Notes
One of my favorite places on this planet is the legendary third floor of Gruhn Guitars in Nashville TN…the repair department.
I filmed this little video Monday before I left for Muscle Shoals, and I thought you guts might dig it .
There’s about 8 repair guys up there that work full time keeping the Gruhn inventory moving along.
This team of guys are truly world class titans of guitar repair…Greg Voros, Tony Nagy, Phil Jones, Tom Stadler, Joel, Peter, David, Julio Pinho and Nathan Golliher and a couple others I don’t know as well….but you have seen most of these guys in my previous videos.
The collective brain trust, the repair gear and the general level of high end instruments you will see up there on that magical third floor is nothing short of amazing.
Much like making it to the NFL, the guys that work up there all know how good you gotta be to even get that job in the first place …and you can tell they all respect the job and each other’s skills
….
Interesting side note, young Nathan Golliher can also imitate all of the other repair guys perfectly ..and he also does George, and me …he’s like the Rich Little of the bunch.
Im this video , Julio Pinho shows us the amazing work he has been doing on my 59 factory mono es-355…and Nathan Golliher shows us the “trifecta” he just completed on my 44 banner head j-45
I never fail to appreciate the resources we have in this amazing city of Nashville…still in my opinion the best city in America …and I’ve been here for 34 years.
Where else on earth are THIS many talented musical minds all collected together?
January 8th, 2026
New CLIFFS single out today friends!!!
Chapters00:00 - Update
Notes
https://music.apple.com/us/album/holl...
January 6th, 2026
Homeskoolin’ Bonus “Yeah…I’ve Always Heard He’s Quite Difficult To Work With…”
Chapters00:00 - In the studio
Notes
Uncle Larry in the heat of battle on tracking session in the Shoals.
TAGS
January 5th, 2026
Homeskoolin’ Volume 556, Tom Bukovac & John Oates “One On One”
Chapters00:00 - John Oates story of selling guitar
01:35 - Interview with John
03:44 - "First moment you knew were a rockstar?"
06:00 - "Oates and Hall?" / USA for Africa signatures
08:19 - Waylon Jennings, "Fuck this shit!"
08:35 - Ray Charles speaks
09:57 - A.I.?
12:35 - Dan Auerbach
14:20 - "Smash or Trash"
16:54 - Badass pedalboard influence
18:30 - John Oates update / 3rd & Lindsley
20:46 - Deep Hall & Oates cut? "Had I Known You Better Then"
21:54 - What's the song you would erase?
22:18 - Setting up a guitar
Notes
A brief interview with one of the coolest dudes I have ever known in this wild and crazy business of music….the legendary John Oates.
As you can clearly see here, just a lovely laid back fella, with a great sense of humor and a shitload of talent.
What’s not to love?
Hope you kids enjoy watching this as much as I enjoyed chatting it up with him
Check his website for tour details friends
January 4th, 2026
Homeskoolin’ Volume 555, Tom Bukovac, “Romeo & Julietta”
Chapters00:00 - Mental purge / Duesenberg Julietta
10:00 - Yes
20:44 - Tuning the "Tuners of Death"
Notes
Uncle Larry restrings a very cool and rather obscure model from the Duesenberg line up…the Julietta…in the same intoxicating candy apple red finish that the Tony Stark helmet came in.
this friends...the fucking BEST Yes documentary piece ever...holy shit
• Yes Fragile Documentary - The Story of Fra...
and this....there's NO WAY that anyone could ever sound this good live and "un-fixed" is there??....are they REALLY singing these harmonies live?
and whoever mixed the audio on this should have won a Nobel Peace Prize.
• Yes - Yours Is No Disgrace (1971)
if you love these rants...please tell your friend the tip jar...he listens
paypal is tombukovac@gmail.com
venmo is @Tom-Bukovac-1
TAGS
January 3rd, 2026
Homeskoolin’ Bonus Jam “Very Modern Drummer”
Chapters00:00 - Jamming with the boy
Notes
Just a little clip of me and my dear boy sweet Leo making up a jam earlier today.
He just turned 10 a couple weeks ago… it’s so crazy to see how far he has come since he learned his first drum beat last December…
the progress has just been so incredible to witness.
such a natural…hell they both are….they both have “the ear”
I am noticing how he is starting to really get the super loose wrist thing together, his hands are getting way faster …super fun stuff friends
January 3rd, 2026
Sign in Homeskoolin’ Bonus “Good Clean Saturday Fun”
Chapters00:00 - Pontiac GTO and new carburetor
03:00 - Boys vacation / Playing acoustic bass
06:24 - Camco drums / Fender amp / Leslie Keyboards / Fishman
Notes
Uncle Larry is happy to have his dear boys back home and having a great time on this lovely Saturday whilst waiting for the games to begin!
January 2nd, 2026
Homeskoolin’ Bonus “A Flavor Capsule Paradise”
Chapters00:00 - Beer fridge and battery caddie
Notes
A very heartfelt thanks to the dear lads at Easy Eye studios for sending over this lovely beer cooler today that stands about 7 ft tall and weighs 300 pounds…basically about the size of an average NFL offensive tackle ..
Their kind holiday gesture really got me in the feels …I truly appreciate it friends
Here’s to another great year…comin right up!
