Ask Larry something, in the VCB box below, with very little chance of a reply….just kiddin’ class!
971 thoughts on “Ask Uncle Larry – VCB”
Hey Tom, you have worked with a lot of producers. A few names seem to get mentioned more often than others about whom you state or imply that they are especially good. In your opinion, what are some key qualities or characteristics that make a producer great?
Tom, I’m 72 years old. I took up guitar earnestly when I retired at 65. Took lessons, attended workshops, started jamming with some guys. Formed a classic rock cover band and played my first public gig when I was almost 68 and have been gigging around the Nashville area ever since. We now have 10 original songs and can play about 150 covers (with the help of charts in my iPad). I’m the lead guitarist. What do you recommend I do to get better?
Good morning Tom. Since you have played with the best of the best, I wanted to find out what you look for in a potential drummer for a project? Thanks for all you do. I hope another Trip The Witch offering is in the works.
Maybe you’ve done this in the past, but I’d love to hear you discuss your early music education and more specifics about how you learned to play guitar, who taught you music theory, and how it all came together.
Hi Tom, I may have missed this on the Homeschooling Channel. On the album Plexi Soul you have the greatest tones. I know most of which is in your hands and the guitars you used. Can you tell us in a few words what amps were used predominantly? Was the Marshall Plexi used throughout on 1/2 and Deluxe Reverb (Tweed) Black face etc. Did the gain come from the No Balls. You should do a behind the scenes on the studio instruments for the album.
Hey Tom,
Many thanks for all the “free” lessons over the past few years! Absolute treasure trove of knowledge/experience/passion just layed out for all to gobble up! I have turned all of my music loving friends(non-guitar playing) onto your youtube channel. You have become the primary topic of conversation!!! Whenever they call me, or at poker night, or wherever I run into these people, all they ask me anymore is, “Did you see Uncle Larry play that strat?”, or “I have a whole new appreciation for the guitar…”, or ” Holy Shit, That dude is amazing, when is he going to go on tour?”
Sooooo my question is, When are you playing Live again in Nashville? A whole lot of Blokes from Michigan want to come see you live!
Thanks Uncle Larry!
Hey Tom. Can you offer any advice for buying a vintage guitar from an online source? My main question is this – should I assume that the intonation is going to be completely f-ed if the saddles are cranked all the way to the back in the pics the owner posts? I remember that you have bought at least a few guitars online (and even had to ask for a price adjustment because of an incorrect advertised weight) – so how do you evaluate them to know you will take a chance? Or is that only really done when you finally play it? Thanks!
i have never seen a single vintage fender that would not intonate….i occasionally have to move the bridges back a teench on old gibsons but that is very rare.
i would be more worried about necks being twisted or warped….that is hard to fix.
buy guitars from a reputable source….like Gruhn’s…then it takes all the worry out of it
Many, many years ago, you had a series of blog posts (on Tumblr? I forget…) under the ‘Session Man’ moniker. Any chance you have copies of those still lying around? Would be a lovely addition to the website, I would think…?
that used to be on Myspace….its probably still on there but i lost the email/password years ago.
lots of thoughts written in those blogs that went on to be big homeskoolin’ bits
Have you ever had one piece of gear that confounds everyone who sees you play thru it?
For example, mine is the stock Fender Pro Jr. Every blues jam, every church gig, every random jam session, I get a sideways look and then everyone is absolutely floored. It’s weird, because it doesn’t matter what else is in the room (perhaps aside from an AC30 or full fledged Plexi), a Pro Jr. at 60-70% volume and a tele or a guitar with P90s blows everything else away. It has the magical frequency that cuts, much like what your Nobel ODR1 does. To me, it feels like Mr. Mike Campbell in a box.
Queue obligatory complement here… You’re playing has seriously inspired my own. I’m a rather simple dude normally, but your complex phrasing just blows me away. It’s makes me want to be a different, better player.
Dude.. I’m psyched for your new website. I can’t wait to see more Uncle Larry guitar wizardry offerings in the future.
Gotta say Home Skoolin’ has really motivated me to get beyond pentatonic wanking and learn the freaking instrument. Taking lessons, putting in the hours. Thanks Tom. If you ever get to Denver, beers on me!
Hey Uncle Larry, maybe a touchy subject, knowing your relationship with Steve Gorman & all, but then again probably not, so I’ll throw it out there; Have you ever jammed around with any of the Black Crowes associated guitar players, besides Audley, & maybe Jackie Greene – (not sure if that happened in Trigger Hippie days) along the way?
Man, I’d love to be a fly on the wall for something like that.
I know when they were young snot nosed punks, the brothers kind of voiced their lack of respect for session players in a few guitar mags. They might have done some growing up after those first couple years though.
BTW – my brother & I met the guys from Stereophonics a long long time ago in NYC. They couldn’t say enough good things about Gorman
i play with audley and jackie greene, but none of the other cats.
if those guys really did make fun of session players that would be quite interesting, seeing as how they didn’t even play the solos on their early recordings haha
You are very inspiring. I am turning 62 and have been playing guitar since I was 10. I want to quit my day job and just write, play, and record music. Tell me that I am doing the right thing. Also. I have a bunch of tunes that could use words and a vocalist. Know anyone who can help? You’re the best Uncle Larry!!
Have to start off saying that you are one of the finest and most soulful guitar players that I have seen in a long time. In your opinion what would be a good overdrive pedal to use with a blackface deluxe reverb?
Hey Uncle Larry – great idea putting the site together! Thanks a lot for continuing the hang with us! I’ve learned ALOT from you over the last three years. Not a question but a suggestion- put a record out with your vocals…. Your vocals are cool and better than you think they are. (take back the pills – take back the cocaine, for example.) Anyhow – saw you in Houston with Ann- y’all sounded incredible and I’m now very glad I got to see Jeff Beck live that night! Thanks again, man!
Uncle Larry, when you are playing live on a tour do you feel like you play differently in different venues because of how the “room” sounds or feels? Do some venues such the inspiration out of you because of a combination of the system and the room?
Just curious to how the environment changes how you play.
I figured there might be something to it for the same reason you love Blackbird so much over other studios.
Thank you for all you share and give to us.
DreaC from NEO
every room/venue is different and of course you have to adjust.
i was taught since i was a boy to PLAY THE ROOM….which is why i refuse to wear in-ear monitors.
playing outdoors in extreme heat and humidity is my living nightmare. it’s the worst
Thank you. I have to use in ears and I keep one out at all times to at least get some of the room…
In extreme humidity and heat to you have go to guitars to use? I cannot imagine you take THE BURST out.
Mad respect, and appreciation. God Bless
Tom, so glad I found you during Covid. Your videos are great, and I really appreciate your approach to guitar, and the respect you have for the craft. Ive learned a lot from you. You have a lot of vintage guitars, and I was wondering you have a new guitars that you like.? Who’s making a good guitar in present day in your opinion.
I played the same tele for 18+ years. And in fall of 2021, I bought my daughter a PRS Silver Sky (the USA one). And I cant put it down. I spend more time telling my band friends, “look its a John Mayer guitar, but it’s great…”, have you had a similar experience from any new guitars..?
Thanks again for sharing,
Scott Crompton
THE WILDLIFE SPECIALS
Dearest Uncle,lol. I’ve been here from the beginning of the dreaded…and still here.
I was lucky enough to buy a 1968 Marshall Superbass, all original during lockdown.
Never thought I would have such an amplifier,
due to its rareity, here in the UK.
It is something to behold. It’s is 102 away from Mr Van Helen’s amp. Is your plexi any closer, I do realise they are all different..!
My 68 , has been out of circulation since 1989…
I will one day be on stage with this amp, I hope just to be in that zone of the greatest guitar players, Van halen, jimi all of them Koss Johnson ,Bukovac , ETC
Keep well Uncle, and to your family.
Fran
I hear a certain Mr Andy Wood has aquired a 1969 superlead of a Mr Eric Johnson.
Checked out the reveal, fair do’s that man can play, sounded killer. He could not stop smiling. I think he wet himself.
Homeskooler here, been going through old vinyl. Just want to get your thoughts on a track called “I can hear you calling “(3Dog) Thing hits ya
Keep killing it
Cheers
hey – great – you got a web site – about time dude – no – just kiddin’.
i have watched all your shows for the last year plus.( working on your backlog )
great songs man – just great songs – with fucking chords ha.
thanx for the guitar tips and history lessons about your collection.
please tells us more about the guitars Uncle Larry, please??
thanx from Delaware,
thanks bro. after all these years of busting my ass, i have put together a pretty nice little pile of some special guitars…. i’m not a “collector” or “hoarder”….if a piece of gear that i own is not being used regularly i sell it.
i am, however, OBSESSIVE about getting every guitar i own up to 100 percent optimum playability and performance…and i will stop at nothing to make every guitar i have play, sound and tune as good as it could ever possibly play, sound or tune.
my approach is to have way less guitars than most pro players, but to be absolutely militant (just ask any of my repair guys) about making sure the ones that i do have are literally tweaked TO DEATH and fine tuned like a Nascar.
Hey Tom, you have worked with a lot of producers. A few names seem to get mentioned more often than others about whom you state or imply that they are especially good. In your opinion, what are some key qualities or characteristics that make a producer great?
there’s one thing all great producers have in common….they all have TOTAL control over the session.
if a guy isn’t in total control, he is a hack producer
Tom, I’m 72 years old. I took up guitar earnestly when I retired at 65. Took lessons, attended workshops, started jamming with some guys. Formed a classic rock cover band and played my first public gig when I was almost 68 and have been gigging around the Nashville area ever since. We now have 10 original songs and can play about 150 covers (with the help of charts in my iPad). I’m the lead guitarist. What do you recommend I do to get better?
listen to every beatles record a hundred times each
Good morning Tom. Since you have played with the best of the best, I wanted to find out what you look for in a potential drummer for a project? Thanks for all you do. I hope another Trip The Witch offering is in the works.
feel, song sense, phrasing….and knowing how to immediately get great sounds
Hey Uncle Larry,
Maybe you’ve done this in the past, but I’d love to hear you discuss your early music education and more specifics about how you learned to play guitar, who taught you music theory, and how it all came together.
Thanks a ton for what you do.
i didn’t have much formal training, i picked all my knowledge of theory up from being inquisitive and badgering players who were better than me
Thank you!
Hi Tom, I may have missed this on the Homeschooling Channel. On the album Plexi Soul you have the greatest tones. I know most of which is in your hands and the guitars you used. Can you tell us in a few words what amps were used predominantly? Was the Marshall Plexi used throughout on 1/2 and Deluxe Reverb (Tweed) Black face etc. Did the gain come from the No Balls. You should do a behind the scenes on the studio instruments for the album.
Thanks for everything you man
i don’t really remember…but i think most of it was a tweed deluxe and my little gretsch combo.
Thanks for everything you do for us man!
you got it holmes
Hey Tom,
Many thanks for all the “free” lessons over the past few years! Absolute treasure trove of knowledge/experience/passion just layed out for all to gobble up! I have turned all of my music loving friends(non-guitar playing) onto your youtube channel. You have become the primary topic of conversation!!! Whenever they call me, or at poker night, or wherever I run into these people, all they ask me anymore is, “Did you see Uncle Larry play that strat?”, or “I have a whole new appreciation for the guitar…”, or ” Holy Shit, That dude is amazing, when is he going to go on tour?”
Sooooo my question is, When are you playing Live again in Nashville? A whole lot of Blokes from Michigan want to come see you live!
Thanks Uncle Larry!
Drew H
thanks man…no plans at the moment…maybe guthrie and i will throw together a little something for an album release party
Hey Tom. Can you offer any advice for buying a vintage guitar from an online source? My main question is this – should I assume that the intonation is going to be completely f-ed if the saddles are cranked all the way to the back in the pics the owner posts? I remember that you have bought at least a few guitars online (and even had to ask for a price adjustment because of an incorrect advertised weight) – so how do you evaluate them to know you will take a chance? Or is that only really done when you finally play it? Thanks!
i have never seen a single vintage fender that would not intonate….i occasionally have to move the bridges back a teench on old gibsons but that is very rare.
i would be more worried about necks being twisted or warped….that is hard to fix.
buy guitars from a reputable source….like Gruhn’s…then it takes all the worry out of it
Dear Tom,
Many, many years ago, you had a series of blog posts (on Tumblr? I forget…) under the ‘Session Man’ moniker. Any chance you have copies of those still lying around? Would be a lovely addition to the website, I would think…?
Cheers,
P.
that used to be on Myspace….its probably still on there but i lost the email/password years ago.
lots of thoughts written in those blogs that went on to be big homeskoolin’ bits
Have you ever had one piece of gear that confounds everyone who sees you play thru it?
For example, mine is the stock Fender Pro Jr. Every blues jam, every church gig, every random jam session, I get a sideways look and then everyone is absolutely floored. It’s weird, because it doesn’t matter what else is in the room (perhaps aside from an AC30 or full fledged Plexi), a Pro Jr. at 60-70% volume and a tele or a guitar with P90s blows everything else away. It has the magical frequency that cuts, much like what your Nobel ODR1 does. To me, it feels like Mr. Mike Campbell in a box.
Queue obligatory complement here… You’re playing has seriously inspired my own. I’m a rather simple dude normally, but your complex phrasing just blows me away. It’s makes me want to be a different, better player.
Enough rambling from me now…
no one ever likes me or my gear…
Dude.. I’m psyched for your new website. I can’t wait to see more Uncle Larry guitar wizardry offerings in the future.
Gotta say Home Skoolin’ has really motivated me to get beyond pentatonic wanking and learn the freaking instrument. Taking lessons, putting in the hours. Thanks Tom. If you ever get to Denver, beers on me!
Hey Uncle Larry, maybe a touchy subject, knowing your relationship with Steve Gorman & all, but then again probably not, so I’ll throw it out there; Have you ever jammed around with any of the Black Crowes associated guitar players, besides Audley, & maybe Jackie Greene – (not sure if that happened in Trigger Hippie days) along the way?
Man, I’d love to be a fly on the wall for something like that.
I know when they were young snot nosed punks, the brothers kind of voiced their lack of respect for session players in a few guitar mags. They might have done some growing up after those first couple years though.
BTW – my brother & I met the guys from Stereophonics a long long time ago in NYC. They couldn’t say enough good things about Gorman
i play with audley and jackie greene, but none of the other cats.
if those guys really did make fun of session players that would be quite interesting, seeing as how they didn’t even play the solos on their early recordings haha
You are very inspiring. I am turning 62 and have been playing guitar since I was 10. I want to quit my day job and just write, play, and record music. Tell me that I am doing the right thing. Also. I have a bunch of tunes that could use words and a vocalist. Know anyone who can help? You’re the best Uncle Larry!!
Good on you sir! In my humble opinion if you can afford to quit you’re absolutely doing the right thing :)!! Beat wishes.
just put an ad in the melody maker like all of our heroes did.
Congrats on the website man
Page inspired me to learn.
Uncle Larry inspired me to quit.
LOL!
A website! What next, robotuners?
Cheers for all the lessons and inspiration.
Ok, back to the homework.
Uncle Larry,
Have to start off saying that you are one of the finest and most soulful guitar players that I have seen in a long time. In your opinion what would be a good overdrive pedal to use with a blackface deluxe reverb?
an old no-balls ODR-1 always works
Hey Uncle Larry – great idea putting the site together! Thanks a lot for continuing the hang with us! I’ve learned ALOT from you over the last three years. Not a question but a suggestion- put a record out with your vocals…. Your vocals are cool and better than you think they are. (take back the pills – take back the cocaine, for example.) Anyhow – saw you in Houston with Ann- y’all sounded incredible and I’m now very glad I got to see Jeff Beck live that night! Thanks again, man!
You have truly been inspiring and a wonderful human for sharing your insights over these past few years. I look forward many more.
thank you my good man…cheers
Uncle Larry, when you are playing live on a tour do you feel like you play differently in different venues because of how the “room” sounds or feels? Do some venues such the inspiration out of you because of a combination of the system and the room?
Just curious to how the environment changes how you play.
I figured there might be something to it for the same reason you love Blackbird so much over other studios.
Thank you for all you share and give to us.
DreaC from NEO
every room/venue is different and of course you have to adjust.
i was taught since i was a boy to PLAY THE ROOM….which is why i refuse to wear in-ear monitors.
playing outdoors in extreme heat and humidity is my living nightmare. it’s the worst
Thank you. I have to use in ears and I keep one out at all times to at least get some of the room…
In extreme humidity and heat to you have go to guitars to use? I cannot imagine you take THE BURST out.
Mad respect, and appreciation. God Bless
Hey Tom, along those lines…since you prefer wedges to in-ears do you use any ear protection and if so, what?
Thanks for EVERYTHING!
You think Steve Hunter invented shred with this track? Sick solo! https://youtu.be/0KtgqCiiIhE
it’s cool…but it DESPERATELY needs some bad ass Hammond B3 organ on it….
i wonder if the keyboard guy got sick that day??
Tom, so glad I found you during Covid. Your videos are great, and I really appreciate your approach to guitar, and the respect you have for the craft. Ive learned a lot from you. You have a lot of vintage guitars, and I was wondering you have a new guitars that you like.? Who’s making a good guitar in present day in your opinion.
I played the same tele for 18+ years. And in fall of 2021, I bought my daughter a PRS Silver Sky (the USA one). And I cant put it down. I spend more time telling my band friends, “look its a John Mayer guitar, but it’s great…”, have you had a similar experience from any new guitars..?
Thanks again for sharing,
Scott Crompton
THE WILDLIFE SPECIALS
The best guitars you can buy today are made by Duesenberg….there is no question about it in my mind.
Dearest Uncle,lol. I’ve been here from the beginning of the dreaded…and still here.
I was lucky enough to buy a 1968 Marshall Superbass, all original during lockdown.
Never thought I would have such an amplifier,
due to its rareity, here in the UK.
It is something to behold. It’s is 102 away from Mr Van Helen’s amp. Is your plexi any closer, I do realise they are all different..!
My 68 , has been out of circulation since 1989…
I will one day be on stage with this amp, I hope just to be in that zone of the greatest guitar players, Van halen, jimi all of them Koss Johnson ,Bukovac , ETC
Keep well Uncle, and to your family.
Fran
a 68 super bass 100 watt is the finest guitar amplifier ever made, end of discussion.
I hear a certain Mr Andy Wood has aquired a 1969 superlead of a Mr Eric Johnson.
Checked out the reveal, fair do’s that man can play, sounded killer. He could not stop smiling. I think he wet himself.
Homeskooler here, been going through old vinyl. Just want to get your thoughts on a track called “I can hear you calling “(3Dog) Thing hits ya
Keep killing it
Cheers
just listened to its, never heard it before….it made me wanna get some blow
hey – great – you got a web site – about time dude – no – just kiddin’.
i have watched all your shows for the last year plus.( working on your backlog )
great songs man – just great songs – with fucking chords ha.
thanx for the guitar tips and history lessons about your collection.
please tells us more about the guitars Uncle Larry, please??
thanx from Delaware,
thanks bro. after all these years of busting my ass, i have put together a pretty nice little pile of some special guitars…. i’m not a “collector” or “hoarder”….if a piece of gear that i own is not being used regularly i sell it.
i am, however, OBSESSIVE about getting every guitar i own up to 100 percent optimum playability and performance…and i will stop at nothing to make every guitar i have play, sound and tune as good as it could ever possibly play, sound or tune.
my approach is to have way less guitars than most pro players, but to be absolutely militant (just ask any of my repair guys) about making sure the ones that i do have are literally tweaked TO DEATH and fine tuned like a Nascar.