Ask Uncle Larry – VCB

Ask Larry something, in the VCB box below, with very little chance of a reply….just kiddin’ class!

962 thoughts on “Ask Uncle Larry – VCB

  1. Hi Tom,

    hope this finds you and your boys well.

    Do you have any experiences with Gibson L6-S Custom guitars? If so, any tipps what one should pay attention to?

    Best regards and thanks in advance, keep on skoolin´in a (still kind of) free world
    Sebastian

  2. Hi Tom,

    Found your video’s, and site through Otis Gibbs interview some months back. Been enjoying the heck out of all things “Uncle Larry”.

    When worlds collide: In one episode you were reading from VCB and there was a comment from one Bill Kirchen stating that you nailed his Hot Rod Lincoln riff. I flipped! I’m a big Bill Kirchen fan, and even know him a wee bit, so that was really cool. Bill is, IMO, The Nicest Guy In The Business. I get the impression that you may well share that title with him.

    Love your playing, and wait with bated breath for each new episode.
    Thanks for all you do!!

  3. Hey Tom,

    Fairly new to the channel, but I’ve watched so many episodes now I feel like a born again homeschooler. Man, thank you for doing this. While it’s odd to be on either end of parasocial connection, I hope you’re feeling some reciprocity and are energized by the community you’ve cultivated — it’s certainly a value to us all!

    As someone who chose a career path outside of music, I’m curious to hear if you ever struggle with burnout while having your passion as your profession? Does the business of playing affect your relationship with music, and is it difficult to stay motivated and balanced?

    I’m LA based but will be catching you guys out in NYC for the In Stereo release – can’t wait to hear y’all tear it up!

    All the best,
    Jordan

  4. Hey Tom –

    What exercises are recommended for fingerstyle? …understand that thumb and finger independence is key?

    Best,

    Marcus

  5. I’ve been watching you for a few months now on YouTube, both on your channel and on several other channels. I enjoy your playing and your personality. I wish I had discovered you years before.

    I had an idea I would love to see you test on your channel. Apologies if you’ve already done it and I just missed it.

    From all the videos I’ve watched, you are a dedicated vintage tube amp player. I think it would be really interesting to see you do a blind shootout between real vintage tube apps and the most popular or recent amp simulators/modelers (I’ll just say “modeler” from this point even though I know there’s a difference between simulators, modelers, and impulse responses). A bonus would be if an amp you own and love could be captured and used in the shootout beside other stock modeled amps.

    I have a personal interest in this, because I have played modeler pedals for the last several years. Every time I watch you and the other great guitarists who only use real tube amps, it makes me consider switching over to a real amp myself. It would be great to know straight from a source such as yourself how close the modelers can get to the experience of a real vintage tube amp.

    You probably don’t need views at this point, but I think a video like that would generate a lot of them.

    P.S. Thanks for your Rig Rundown on the Premier Guitar YouTube channel. It’s a masterclass on shaping and using electric guitar tones.

  6. Hi Tom,

    I’m from CT and I’ll be in Nashville from 10/18 – 10/21. Are you playing live anywhere those days/evenings? I’d love to catch a show. Hope to hear from you.

  7. Hey Buco; I do have a 1983 jcm 800 50 watt 2204 head vertical inputs. The mofo can sing .For anyone that doubts they exist. I love your video’s. You have answered many questions i’ve had all these years about the bus.Thanks again Bro.

  8. Hi Tom,

    Greetings from Downunder.

    Your thoughts, please, on the soundtrack to Peter Fonda’s,
    ‘The Hired Hand’. Bruce Langhorne
    Alias ‘Mr Tambourine Man’ was its
    creator.

    Cheers,
    Sam

  9. Hi Tom, I need your help. What do you recommend as a more affordable ( poor man version) alternative to a pre-1964 Gibson ES-335?
    Would you suggest a 1965-1969 ES-335?

    Many thx

    • i would get an 81 dot reissue before i would get a 69….i personally can’t stand the skinny 1 1/2″ nut width on the post 1965 60’s models

  10. Oh yeah, I forgot. Check out Soul Sweet Song by Tedeschi Trucks. Derek’s solo on that tune makes me feel like he’s giving me 20+ years of a partnership and musical friendship that has transcended genres. And he gives it to me freely so that I can appreciate how he feels. He’s all the way there and I can hear it. Albert, Freddie, BB, Miles, etc. See you later brother!

  11. Tom, really enjoy all things Session Man. Seeing all the cool musical relationships you have is awesome. Bryan is a hoss. Man, I’ve got so many cool cards for you to see. 50’s football, etc. Keep up the good vibes brother!

    • thanks bro…

      i’ve got every complete set of football cards by topps from 1956-1980
      every complete set by philadelphia gum from 1964-67
      every complete set by fleer from 1961-1963
      and the complete bowman sets from 1954-1956 (don’t have the early 50’s bowman football)
      thats basically every football card made by anybody between 1954 and 1980 in beautiful condition

      it’s an illness man

  12. Hello, I want to ask why you think guitarists use (and just maybe abuse) reverb so much? I used to use reverb all the time, but it freaked me out when I discovered I couldn’t play without it. It blurs the start and end of notes, which can cover sloppy playing and makes you sound like you’re in a different space to everyone else in the band. I’d like to know your opinion. Sometimes it really bugs me, especially when other instruments require so much practice to get note articulation sounding good, i.e. trumpet.

  13. Hey Tom, what can I do to strengthen my mind’s eye/ear/hand connection to play what I hear in my head without any effort?

  14. Hey uncle Larry ! Hope all is well. Had a quick question. I have played acoustic for a long time and just started playing electric a lot more, a lot of the stuff I am pay on electric sounds out of tune and shitty? Is it my guitar? Or am I really fretting too hard? I have an MIA SRVs signature model. Thanks so much love the vids!

  15. Hi Larry, I noticed an issue with your newsletter signup form. There are two fields, but I can’t see what they’re for. I could make an educated guess, but ideally, the form fields should be labelled so we know what it’s asking for. Cheers, G

  16. Been watching you since Volume 2 of the Corona Lessons. Has it been 4 years????

    Missed the opportunity to see you play with Ann Wilson at the Basement East in Nashvegas back in 2022 (DAMMIT!!!!) because we had been exposed to COVID and felt it was the most ethical thing to do and stay away.

    So I finally, finally, FINALLY got to drive up from Chattanooga to see and hear you live at 3rd & Lindsley on the second night. Had a table right at the stage edge and I was transported to another place by you and Guthrie. So much to say. Short and to the point: Thank you. Just THANK you. You keep me inspired.

  17. Just got back to Australia. Only 26hrs to get home. I was at both shows and they were killer. Thank you to you and Guthrie for coming out after to show to say hello and having pictures taken. A trip of a lifetime I’ll never forget. Now, back to reality ❤️

  18. What’s your take on Casinos/ES-330s? (By the way, I was fortunate enough to witness the second show at 3rd and Lindsley last week… y’all absolutely crushed <3)

  19. Hey Larry,
    Love your channel and your incredible playing. You’ve said many times that you don’t keep guitars too long, so when you’re ready to part with that Jeff Senn Strat, please let me know!! Been trying to see one of your shows with Guthrie, but they sell out quick. Got to see Jedd here in Atlanta with Rodney Crowell and man what a treat! You, Jedd and Guthrie are my favorite players for sure. Keep up the good work!
    Ron Lands
    Dallas, Ga

  20. Hey Larry,
    Just got back to Australia after seeing the shows at 3rd and Lindsley. Congrats to you and Guthrie on the Album and the shows. Absolutely killer. We drank them out of Yuengling on the second night, so good

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