1960s Gibson Firebird Shootout with Tom Bukovac + Justin Meyers

Friends + Firebirds! Tom + I jamming on my 1964 Gibson Firebird V and comparing his Firebird to mine. His has 250k pots, mine has 500k pots which 500k are stock.. but much brighter. I really liked his Firebird setup with the 250k pots, tames the high end. However, the stock 500k pots we found and heard a better tone in the middle pickup position. Man oh man does he make it sing!! WOW! The guitar had been sitting under a bed since 1970.. it needed a little love..
Tom got this thing rockin and educated me on firebirds as it’s a new guitar adventure for me since I’m more used to Les Pauls + SGs.
I thought this would be a nice video for you guys to enjoy and learn something new about firebirds. Be sure to check out Tom’s KZbin channel if you haven’t already which I’m sure you have haha! Love + peace.
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[@maxmeyer]

Uncle Larry has amazing touch no doubt but it's the constant musicality that flows out that amazes me. Never just a technical showboater playing overused cliched licks it's the MUSIC he creates on the fly that impresses most

[@stratcat9432]

I could not agree more! A true inspiration for many of us fellow players.

[@justinmeyersguitarist]

For sure! Thanks for watching!

[@Stereostupid]

You nailed it perfectly!he's always playing these perfect melodies that sound like you've heard them before and it's always astonishing....he picks perfect melodies from the ether or something...!it's the years of practice and dedication, waking up and running to that geetar first thang

[@rjrguitar]

Rather than switch from a 500k pot to a 250k pot, I just like to keep the original 500k pot where it is, and wire one side of a 470k resistor to the input of the pot (where the pickup hot-wire goes), and the other side of the 470k resistor to the ground (solder that side of the resistor to the pot housing itself). This results in the pickup "seeing" approximately a 250k load (as the 500k pot and the 470k resistor are wired in parallel). With the older guitars, I use a NOS carbon-composition resistor (dark brown - Allen Bradley, Ohmite) instead of a carbon-film resistor (light tan), as carbon-comp is what is inside the wiper-tracks of the old pots, and does make a tonal difference. Back in the day, I used to use old PAFs (when they were cheap) in conjunction with the newer carbon-film pots that were readily available, wherein the result never sounded quite "right"...at least a part of that old PAF magic had everything to do with the old original carbon-comp pots that the guitar manufacturers were using back then.

[@gratefulpipeandcigar3239]

Really cool video, feels like behind the scenes at Tom’s house. When he launched into free ride, that was the shit right there.

[@dr.buzzvonjellar8862]

Last two videos are being replayed across the galaxy in heavy rotation. Aliens all like, “Uncle Larry effing rocks…”

[@alienspaceparty6469]

Can confirm. 🤘👽

[@getwhatyougive]

[That light is so bright above Little Tommy's head, I hope that string locker fella gets to enjoy the shine.]

[@rdmkeytohwy]

Tom can make any guitar sound good but when he gets his hands on a stellar guitar it is game over. He plays with so much soul…..like Buddy Guy says, “I’m gonna play so funky you can smell it.” That is exactly what Tom does.

[@justinmeyersguitarist]

So true! Thanks for watching buddy

[@brianwood7237]

'So yeah, I just went over to Uncle Larry's... he got my firebird pickups set just right'...I watched this after cleaning carpets all at my day job 😂 Keep up the good work my son 👍

[@justinmeyersguitarist]

Thank you so much! Tom is the best!!

[@picksalot1]

Thanks for sharing the sounds of these wonderful guitars. Tom sure knows how to make them sing.

[@justinmeyersguitarist]

Absolutely! He sure does!!

[@stratmagic6893]

And your bird can sing WOW

[@justinmeyersguitarist]

Thank you so much!

[@ianmartens5286]

Sounds so good

[@CargoShorts7]

At long last, it's finally happened! The melding of minds between you and Buk!

[@acousticmountains7948]

Really love this camera angle of your picking hand, Larry! You absolutely rule!

[@matt6l6]

Very cool, Justin!

[@justinmeyersguitarist]

Thank you so much

[@Sammywhat]

Great share, Justin! Thank you!!

[@justinmeyersguitarist]

No problem. Thank you for watching!!

[@ryanjohnson985]

Thanks for sharing, Justin! Unbelievable sounds after just a few tweaks! 🎸🤟💌

[@justinmeyersguitarist]

No problem! Thanks for watching!!

[@NormRSSM]

Awesome !

[@ItsFinished]

I just would want to be your neighbor so I could be privileged to hear those late night jams first hand!

[@justinmeyersguitarist]

Haha yeah buddy!! Pretty epic!

[@jfilet]

good stuff

[@stratcat9432]

Fantastic video! I'll Have to alert all Classmates to this one!

[@justinmeyersguitarist]

Thank you!

[@Frettedchaos]

You went to the right guy, Justin. Two of my favorite dudes on KZbin ❤

[@justinmeyersguitarist]

Thank you so much buddy!

[@jamesgrobertson8024]

Awesome 🤘🤘🤘🤘

[@justinmeyersguitarist]

Thank you!

[@telekaster19991]

Unc is a legend! Firebirds sound great.

[@justinmeyersguitarist]

Yes he is! Thank you so much!

[@blueshadow3812]

Firebirds are awesome looking and sounding guitars man. No better way to do this then with Uncle Larry himself. Really awesome and enjoy the great bird🤘🤘

[@justinmeyersguitarist]

Thank you! I completely agree.

[@SimpleManGuitars1973]

Man there are some Cream bootlegs where Clapton was playing just a single pickup Firebird and oh man it's absolutely unreal how great it sounded.

[@blairmichaelhogan4502]

Helluva crossover episode!

[@justinmeyersguitarist]

Thank you so much

[@abelincoln95]

Uncle Larry!!! He never disappoints!!!

[@h.sinclair]

the master at work 🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@justinmeyersguitarist]

Yeah buddy!

[@eightbars1]

back in the m70's, I played a Firebird through an amp called the SG system, or SG sound system. Something like that. It had 2x12's and a killer phase shifter built in. Cool amp, but the Firebird is probably the guitar I consider to be the best ever made.

[@jbogle17]

A real behind the scenes of “homeskoolin” haha. Awesome video, fellas!

[@justinmeyersguitarist]

Thank you!

[@murrayguitarpickups9545]

Firebirds are amazing

[@justinmeyersguitarist]

Yes they are! Thank you so much!

[@jamesmaxwell5415]

Thanks for the video! Uncle Larry is The Best!

[@justinmeyersguitarist]

No problem buddy! We had a blast. Yes he is!!

[@alexlightningboyedwards5350]

What an amazing sound! A really versatile instrument. Who knew? I Didn't, but I am a moron.

[@freaksofnashville]

Treble's a stimulant 😂

[@FC-cz6zd]

TB could walk into a pawn shop, find the nastiest used electric, plug it into the nastiest solid state amp, and play with as much heart as he would in a session. Born to play the instrument. Great video, thanks for sharing! My apologies, your playing is top notch as well😀

[@jimwillcox9431]

Wow, Free Ride into Down on Main Street

[@Apeshoot13]

Now you're Firebird Buddies just like "Thunder Buddies". Reference to the film, Ted.

[@jerrybattista6952]

Wow, that lick at 11:10!

[@marktelfer8900]

Mmm drinking Tom's beer Justin 😅

[@ride8575]

Yeungling!

[@justinmeyersguitarist]

Awesome Beer

[@andyvelletri1350]

Treble is a stimulant !

[@6bender]

I caught that. I have to agree.

[@smellytele9629]

I actually liked both equally. I think I'd leave the stock pots, couldn't you just roll the tone back a titch? Or you could simply buy another stellar Bird and have one of each 😉 Can't go wrong either way, congrats on a killer guitar!! Thank you for sharing this.

[@JLVespie]

We need ‘Treble is a Stimulant’ t-shirts 🔥

[@justinmeyersguitarist]

Haha!

[@joshuakoyukuk6381]

The Starship trooper himself

[@justinmeyersguitarist]

Yeah buddy!

[@goswo]

Yessir 😀😀😀

[@justinmeyersguitarist]

Thank you!

[@robertfoster1339]

After selling all three of my Firebirds to finance starting my life overseas.. I may need to purchase another one? I fell in love with them in 1972 after seeing one in the music store window on pacific coast highway. 63 Firebird one. I’m pretty old now so back in 1972 it was less than $400 I think I may be okay trading a TV special for one but I don’t know if I could bring myself to it…. Great Video!!!

[@justinmeyersguitarist]

You need a Firebird! Thanks for watching!

[@guitarz]

My kitchen needs a Marshall and a 4x12 as well. #lifegoals

[@shreddievanhalen1]

Dude. Uncle Larry’s mind is just an endless stream of musical ideas. It’s second nature he hears it in his head and immediately plays it. It literally makes no sense

[@stevenbryan7586]

Ha, I knew there was a refrigerator cam! How awesome is that PA head?

[@justinmeyersguitarist]

It’s fantastic!

[@tfrost33elkhunter]

Killer

[@jmwise80]

Algorithm worked. Thank you for posting this. You work with/around Uncle Larry?

[@mwrable]

I prefer the 500K pots. Especially if you are using pedals. To my ears the 250K sound like there is a pillow over the speaker. Of course, maybe in the room it sounded different. 🤔

[@chuckbouscaren3898]

Very nice compare/contrast the two guitars and the 250k vs 500k pots. I do prefer the 250k's tonally overall from this shootout. Wouldn't rolling of the tone knobs a couple of notches get rid of that sharp treble though?

[@justinmeyersguitarist]

Yes definitely helps! Thank you so much for watching

[@TonyMartinez]

Cool vid man. Enjoyin it a lot. Is he playing thru the jtm studio here ?

[@TonyMartinez]

Ahg 50W PA just arrived there lol

[@justinmeyersguitarist]

67 marshall super pa plexi with a couple pedals

[@toploadtele]

"Treble is a stimulant"... Buk has forgotten more about guitars than many so-called experts think they know...

[@deeptorpedo]

yeah... I caught that too...

[@brevink01]

Man, sounds great!! Plugged straight in Plexi ?

[@justinmeyersguitarist]

Thanks! I’m trying to remember we may have had a Nobels on too.

[@laynethomas5202]

Did I see Gale Sayers and Mickey cards?

[@muskymike1885]

Uncle Larry can you stir me on the right direction on the firebird bridge that intonates , my stock 1964 type III with wamy bar tail piece just wont intonate thanks

[@cgavin1]

Sup Justin. I got John Paul II coming over later, we're gonna make buffalo wings!

[@justinmeyersguitarist]

Lol nice!

[@Dave-rk2nl]

what? Nashville has all these guitars....just all over the place???? its not fair

[@ajsrhodes]

What pickup height did you end up with? Could you give the measurements please?

[@jmwise80]

How y’all like this light? Bitchin M -n- Fers.😹 I really do like that light. I’m not an interior decor kinda guy but that light speaks to me.

[@houndjr40]

250k pots in my future firebird. ✓✓✓

[@michaelgibbons4192]

Two questions… where do all the Nashville associated guitar players get their skinny jeans? Do they help with guitar playing? Thank you

[@gfunkk]

Came for Tommy, stayed for the sweet tone of the phoenix. How ya liking it?

[@justinmeyersguitarist]

its amazing one of my favorite guitars for sure

[@chucklee347]

To my ears the 250k sounds more quote vintage.but having good hands like this helps a ton also. Im not sure who what why where. But the guy with beard and glasses he was is are will be has been something at sometime. You dont learn to play like that with all i heard fkn around the bedroom 😮

[@Strum-Ohio]

What amp is he using?

[@justinmeyersguitarist]

We were playin through his 67 Marshall Super PA Plexi

[@Nicko30able]

that was a marshall PA?

[@justinmeyersguitarist]

Yeah 67 super pa with a couple pedals too

[@davedeville6540]

In my headphones the brighter guitar sounded way better…

[@justinmeyersguitarist]

To each their own! Thanks for watching

[@tobe2056]

But don't they usually have a slider switch? Some pple mod them to have the 3 way. Was this stock?

[@501chorusecho]

reverse birds never have slider switches...only non reverse

[@tobe2056]

@@501chorusecho Omg. 100% right. Man I am so used to seeing you on the NR I never even noticed, having watched this whole video, that those were reverse 'birds lol. Doh!

[@revelry1969]

I tend to like more treble. I think these are just different blond vs brunette

[@501chorusecho]

not everybody

[@revelry1969]

Touché

[@michaelhoffman176]

Challenge: Play something that isn't musical.