Tom Bukovac is an American session musician and producer who has played on more than 500 albums1. He is one of Nashville's elite session players and hosts the Homeskoolin' YouTube series, which MusicRadar described as feeling like "the most fun guitar school around"2.
Session credits
His album credits span rock, pop and country artists, among many others1:
- Steven Tyler, Stevie Nicks, Bob Seger, John Oates and Joan Osborne
- Vince Gill, Sheryl Crow, Don Henley, Keith Urban and Willie Nelson
- Carrie Underwood, Rascal Flatts, Faith Hill, Reba McEntire and Blake Shelton
- Dave Stewart, Joss Stone, Hank Williams Jr., Martina McBride and Kenny Loggins
- LeAnn Rimes, Florida Georgia Line and Lionel Richie
His overdrive blind test
In April 2023 Bukovac blind tested a set of coveted overdrive pedals on Homeskoolin'2. The pedals and where they landed for him:
| Pedal | His verdict in the blind test |
|---|---|
| Gold Klon Centaur | One of his less favored results2 |
| Ibanez Tube Screamer | One of his less favored results2 |
| Analog Man King Of Tone | Among the pedals tested2 |
| Nobels ODR-1 | Among the pedals tested2 |
| Chandler Mostortion | Among the pedals tested2 |
| Strymon Sunset | He questioned its perceived compression and gain stacking2 |
The Klon Centaur drew a specific complaint from him:
"I can also hear the clean coming through the dirty, which drives me up the wall"
On the Strymon Sunset, a two-channel overdrive pedal4, he questioned the perceived compression and the potential problems that kind of sonic spectrum can cause with gain stacking2. He kept the whole test constructive, saying:
"If we had the right song and the right part, all these pedals would be cool. So this isn't a bash pedals day - we're keeping it positive."
The ODR-1 family on his board
Bukovac endorses the Nobels ODR-1, ODR-mini and ODR-1 30th Anniversary1. Nobels quotes him on the pedals:
"I am extremely proud to be a long time card carrying member of the Nobels family, the finest overdrive pedals ever made"
His rigs and other gear
Bukovac's studio and live rigs are built by XAct Tone Solutions, which lists him among its artists53. XTS also built him a modified EQ pedal, an equalizer centered entirely on the guitar's midrange frequencies6. He has used the Strymon Brigadier delay pedal, which Gearnews cites as the basis for the original Strymon Brig7.
The Strymon Sunset in his blind test is the same two-channel overdrive pedal announced in 2017, not a one-off studio unit4.
On the Strymon Sunset itself, reviewers elsewhere were positive: Guitar World's Alex Lynham called it "a brilliant dual drive pedal with a great range"8, and Gearnews found its expression and channel-switching flexibility made it "a potentially great drive pedal"9.
Questions
What overdrive does Tom Bukovac use?
He endorses the Nobels ODR-1 family, including the ODR-mini and the ODR-1 30th Anniversary, and says he is proud to be a long time member of the Nobels family, calling them the finest overdrive pedals ever made. The ODR-1 was also one of the pedals in his 2023 blind overdrive test.
Does Tom Bukovac use a Klon?
A gold Klon Centaur was among the pedals he blind tested in 2023, but it was one of his less favored results. He said he could hear the clean signal coming through the dirt on it, which drove him up the wall.
What did Tom Bukovac say about the Klon Centaur?
Blind testing a gold Klon Centaur in 2023, he said: "I can also hear the clean coming through the dirty, which drives me up the wall." The Klon was among his less favored results in the test.
What did Tom Bukovac think of the Strymon Sunset?
In his blind test he questioned the Sunset's perceived compression and the problems that kind of sonic spectrum can cause with gain stacking. He kept the test positive overall, saying that with the right song and the right part, all the tested pedals would be cool.
Which artists has Tom Bukovac played sessions for?
His credits run to more than 500 albums, including projects by Steven Tyler, Stevie Nicks, Bob Seger, Vince Gill, Sheryl Crow, Don Henley, Keith Urban, Willie Nelson, Carrie Underwood, Rascal Flatts, Faith Hill, Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Lionel Richie and many others.
Sources (9)
- Referenzen, Nobels
- Top Nashville session guitarist blind tests the most coveted overdrive pedals ever… and you might be surprised by what happens, MusicRadar, 2023-04-03
- Rig Building |, XAct Tone Solutions
- Strymon Announce Sunset Dual Overdrive, Guitar.com, 2017-03-10
- Artists |, Xacttone
- XTS Midrange Graphic Modded GE-7, xacttone.com
- Strymon Brig Delay: dBucket Delay pedal, gearnews.com, 2023-07-18
- Crazy Tube Circuits Triptychon review, Guitar World, 2026-08-25
- Strymon Sunset Dual Overdrive, gearnews.com, 2017-03-10