'78 Sunburst - Tobacco Road

[Dana_V]

Okay, one more (to go along with my Shishkov post from the other day).

My '78 Sunburst was in need of some out-of-the-case time, so I used it for a few songs last Saturday night. Here it is on John D. Loudermilk's "Tobacco Road."

I've acquired several more Hamers over the years, but this Sunburst was my first. Bought used in 1982 from Lake Charles Music in Lake Charles, Louisiana. I paid - and I'm NOT making this up - $350.00 for it.

Signal chain:
1978 Hamer Sunburst 8 0383 (DiMarzio pickups - neck: original; bridge: PAF 36th Anniversary)
Line 6 G90 Wireless System
1999 Fulltone Full-Drive 2 (used for solos)
2015 Mesa Mark V (Orange Channel)
Line out from the Mesa goes through a 2008 Behringer VD400 Analog Delay (short delay, single repeat, wet-only output) to a
1953 Magnatone Melodier 110

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjKOSpX8HYk

"Tobacco Road" was originally written and recorded by John D. Loudermilk in 1959/1960, but has been covered many, many times since then. The Nashville Teens had a hit with it in 1964; David Lee Roth covered it in 1986. When Johnny Winter played Woodstock in 1969, his brother Edgar joined him for a few songs, including the set-closer, "Tobacco Road." And although it appeared on Edgar Winter's first album (Entrance, 1970), it's the live version from the Edgar Winter's White Trash 1972 live album Roadwork that our version is based on. (Our version is about seven minutes long; Edgar's live version is seventeen minutes long. 😆 )

 

[Bennyboy-UK]

Yeah this is fucking great stuff!

[Bennyboy-UK]

Those Dimarzio 36th anniversary in an SB sounds to my ears EXACTLY the same as the stock 70s PAF.

 

 

[Dana_V]

13 minutes ago, Bennyboy-UK said:

Yeah this is fucking great stuff!

Thanks!

5 minutes ago, Bennyboy-UK said:

Those Dimarzio 36th anniversary in an SB sounds to my ears EXACTLY the same as the stock 70s PAF.

 

 

Me too - any differences are very, very small.

[velorush]

That tone! Fantastic sounding and that is the exact burst a Sunburst should have.

Do you play all of these in a night? 

[Dana_V]

13 minutes ago, velorush said:

That tone! Fantastic sounding and that is the exact burst a Sunburst should have.

Do you play all of these in a night? 

Thank you!

 

Yes! My self-imposed rule is, "If I bring it, I have to play it." (I play in other bands where I only bring two - one main and one backup.)

 

2009 Fender American Vintage 1952 Telecaster Reissue - This thing is a beast. I've got 11s on it and it works really well for those nasty Hound Dog Taylor tones.
1999 Fender American Roadhouse Stratocaster - Because you've gotta have a Srat in a blues band.
2000 Danelectro DC-12 (Open-G) - Used for several open-G/slide songs, including "When the Levee Breaks."
2009 Eastwood Delta-6 (Open-A) - Used for my song "And So I Play" (about me dealing with my own grief) and Son House's "Death Letter."
1968 Del Rey E-110 - The pickup on this one is really microphonic, so I do a thing in one song where I do a "drum solo" by beating on the body with my hands.  
2013 Texas Box Guitars LPG-5 (Open-G) - The top is 1986 Texas Sesquicentennial license plate from my '86 Mustang (which I no longer have).
2015 Texas Box Guitars LPG-6 (Open-D) - The top is a 1963 Texas license plate as a tribute to my late wife, who was born in 1963 and passed away in 2014.

 

2017 Shishkov Ultimate - When I want unlimited access to ALL the frets. Plus it's just so freakin' cool.
2020 Shishkov DC Custom - Super versatile; I can use it for pretty much anything in standard tuning. 
1981 Hamer Special - This one's never missed a gig since I got it new in 1984. The most perfect guitar neck ever made.
2005 Hamer Special Korina Jr - This thing just sounds mean. Perfect for Muddy Waters songs.
2005 Hamer Korina Artist P-90 - Really nice chimey sound for some things, including "Jesus Just Left Chicago."
1978 Hamer Sunburst - When I want THAT sound.  

 

1989 Hamer Chaparral Elite w/Sustainiac - On this night I used it for "I Put a Spell on You" for super-long sustained notes in the solo.
1996 Hamer Diablo - During Tab Benoit's "Night Train," I do a bit where I walk around in the audience and it's fun to do some silly noises with the Floyd.

1955 Supro Student DeLuxe Lap Steel (Open-G) - Used for "Bad to the Bone' and "Let's Work Together." For something from 1955, the pickup is super-hot.

 

[Kerry Marchman]

On 7/16/2026 at 1:07 PM, Dana_V said:

Okay, one more (to go along with my Shishkov post from the other day).

My '78 Sunburst was in need of some out-of-the-case time, so I used it for a few songs last Saturday night. Here it is on John D. Loudermilk's "Tobacco Road."

I've acquired several more Hamers over the years, but this Sunburst was my first. Bought used in 1982 from Lake Charles Music in Lake Charles, Louisiana. I paid - and I'm NOT making this up - $350.00 for it.

Signal chain:
1978 Hamer Sunburst 8 0383 (DiMarzio pickups - neck: original; bridge: PAF 36th Anniversary)
Line 6 G90 Wireless System
1999 Fulltone Full-Drive 2 (used for solos)
2015 Mesa Mark V (Orange Channel)
Line out from the Mesa goes through a 2008 Behringer VD400 Analog Delay (short delay, single repeat, wet-only output) to a
1953 Magnatone Melodier 110

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjKOSpX8HYk

"Tobacco Road" was originally written and recorded by John D. Loudermilk in 1959/1960, but has been covered many, many times since then. The Nashville Teens had a hit with it in 1964; David Lee Roth covered it in 1986. When Johnny Winter played Woodstock in 1969, his brother Edgar joined him for a few songs, including the set-closer, "Tobacco Road." And although it appeared on Edgar Winter's first album (Entrance, 1970), it's the live version from the Edgar Winter's White Trash 1972 live album Roadwork that our version is based on. (Our version is about seven minutes long; Edgar's live version is seventeen minutes long. 😆 )

 

Great stuff, Dana! Not only the playing, but killer vocals too! Rock On!

[Dana_V]

20 hours ago, Kerry Marchman said:

Great stuff, Dana! Not only the playing, but killer vocals too! Rock On!

Thanks!

[Saul Goodman]

On 7/16/2026 at 1:07 PM, Dana_V said:

Okay, one more (to go along with my Shishkov post from the other day).

My '78 Sunburst was in need of some out-of-the-case time, so I used it for a few songs last Saturday night. Here it is on John D. Loudermilk's "Tobacco Road."

I've acquired several more Hamers over the years, but this Sunburst was my first. Bought used in 1982 from Lake Charles Music in Lake Charles, Louisiana. I paid - and I'm NOT making this up - $350.00 for it.

Signal chain:
1978 Hamer Sunburst 8 0383 (DiMarzio pickups - neck: original; bridge: PAF 36th Anniversary)
Line 6 G90 Wireless System
1999 Fulltone Full-Drive 2 (used for solos)
2015 Mesa Mark V (Orange Channel)
Line out from the Mesa goes through a 2008 Behringer VD400 Analog Delay (short delay, single repeat, wet-only output) to a
1953 Magnatone Melodier 110

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjKOSpX8HYk

"Tobacco Road" was originally written and recorded by John D. Loudermilk in 1959/1960, but has been covered many, many times since then. The Nashville Teens had a hit with it in 1964; David Lee Roth covered it in 1986. When Johnny Winter played Woodstock in 1969, his brother Edgar joined him for a few songs, including the set-closer, "Tobacco Road." And although it appeared on Edgar Winter's first album (Entrance, 1970), it's the live version from the Edgar Winter's White Trash 1972 live album Roadwork that our version is based on. (Our version is about seven minutes long; Edgar's live version is seventeen minutes long. 😆 )

 

Which one are you?