Pacifica Guitars By Yamaha

For guitars of the straight waisted variety (or reverse offset).
Post Reply
User avatar
Jimmie V
PAT PEND
PAT PEND
Posts: 11
Joined: Fri Aug 27, 2021 10:32 am

Pacifica Guitars By Yamaha

Post by Jimmie V » Tue Oct 05, 2021 2:13 pm

Any Yamaha Pacifica owners out there. I am thinking of getting either a PAC112V or the more pricy PAC612V. Does the extra money justify getting the 612 over the 112. Most reviews that I have seen are positive for both. Opinions welcome & appreciated.

User avatar
SignoftheDragon
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 2314
Joined: Thu Feb 18, 2010 11:06 am
Location: Utah, USA
Contact:

Re: Pacifica Guitars By Yamaha

Post by SignoftheDragon » Tue Oct 05, 2021 3:22 pm

I've played a few pacificas over the years- mostly to try out the 12-string models, which never impressed me beyond the level of the CIJ Fender 12-string Strat.

As far as I can tell, they seem to be decently put together and appointed guitars- but nothing to stand out of the pack of Strat-compatibles out there, apart from maybe the quality-to-price ratio being favorable.

That's about all I can offer- worth 2 cents? You decide. Good luck!

User avatar
vistavision
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 602
Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2012 6:37 pm
Location: PacNW

Re: Pacifica Guitars By Yamaha

Post by vistavision » Tue Oct 05, 2021 4:06 pm

I've found Yamaha's current-era electrics tend to be the better built guitars of whatever price range you're looking at. I purchased a Revstar RS420 earlier this year and it beats any double humbucker set-neck guitar in the $500 range. Pacificas are no different. My local shop has several PAC611's in and there isn't anything really anything else like them at that price. The PAC612 you're looking at with the HSS config has Seymour Duncans stock and a Wilkinson trem at $679. Fender's plain-Jane MIM Player Strat HSS is $829. And Yamaha's finishing work is crazy good. My Revstar frets and nut were bang on. As for the lower priced PAC112 it'll be better than equivalent $300 Squiers et al. There are some good new Affinity models I've played but consistency tends to be an issue. The only guitar I think that could match it would be the new Ibanez AZES series which has a HSS model at $350. I don't think those are shipping yet.
I'm sure some Fender dealer in '64 looked at the new Duo-Sonic II and thought, "That's not a Duo-Sonic. That's a Mustang".

User avatar
countertext
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 4142
Joined: Wed Sep 28, 2011 6:25 pm
Location: Tacoma

Re: Pacifica Guitars By Yamaha

Post by countertext » Tue Oct 05, 2021 9:08 pm

All the Yamahas over $500 are pretty damn nice for the price. I dismissed Pacificas as childish-looking when they were introduced, but damn, that was a long time ago! They’re still around, and the style has grown on me, and more pertinently it’s an established look now. For some folks, they’ve always been there.

I wouldn’t buy the 112, though. It’s a budget guitar, and it will feel like it.

User avatar
HarlowTheFish
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 806
Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2020 7:09 pm

Re: Pacifica Guitars By Yamaha

Post by HarlowTheFish » Wed Oct 06, 2021 4:06 am

They don't super stand out to me (mostly the neck shape is pretty middle-of-the-road and there's not a ton of character) but especially with a pickup swap -- even the ones with nice pickups don't have what I'd go for -- they're very well-made and have pretty solid hardware.

User avatar
sessylU
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 533
Joined: Sat Oct 03, 2015 9:33 am

Re: Pacifica Guitars By Yamaha

Post by sessylU » Wed Oct 06, 2021 5:51 am

Any Yamaha strats I've played have been really solid. I'd recommend them, although I don't think I'd consider buying one. I'm pretty certain that's just some weird snobbery on my part though.
vistavision wrote:
Tue Oct 05, 2021 4:06 pm
The only guitar I think that could match it would be the new Ibanez AZES series which has a HSS model at $350. I don't think those are shipping yet.
Haven't seen this yet. Those switching options look brilliant.
a total idiot jackass

User avatar
bah humbuck
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 75
Joined: Mon Nov 12, 2018 6:38 am
Location: seattle-ish

Re: Pacifica Guitars By Yamaha

Post by bah humbuck » Wed Oct 06, 2021 10:52 am

I had a Pacifica EG112C for a while (there's a thread here somewhere of me bemoaning my idiocy when I snapped the neck) and despite being the lowest of the low in that line, I remember the neck being extremely comfortable.

Post Reply