December 2

Yamaha Pacifica Series PAC112V Review

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Yamaha Pacifica Series PAC112V Review

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Table Of Contents

Intro  •  My Review  •  Pros  •  Cons  •  Features  •  Conclusion

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Introduction

Ruling the music market for almost 2 decades now, the Yamaha Pacifica Series has been the Holy Grail for many enthusiastic beginners. Out of the entire lot of 8 electric guitars from Yamaha, the Yamaha Pacifica Series PAC112V Electric Guitar is an absolute bestseller, owing to its impressive construction, seamless playability and beginner-friendly features. Priced competitively to suit even the most stringent budgets, this 25.5” guitar resembles a Stratocaster in many of its features. Yet, what makes it stand apart is its classic contoured body made of high quality alder wood for a deep, full-bodied sound.

The biggest selling premise of this Yamaha electric guitar is the trio of pickup options- two of them single coils located on the neck and middle respectively, and the third one being a classic Alnico Humbucker which aids in producing deep, well-rounded notes as well as minimizing microphonic hum. Using the 5 Position Switch with coil tap, you can easily work your way around the pickup selection. With the aid of the hard-tail bridge, the guitar strings once set and locked, remain in tune for long time periods. If you find it time-consuming to work on individual strings, you can even use the tremolo arm to tune all in one go. The high quality metallic hardware and smooth-finished knobs, coupled with limited lifetime warranty from Yamaha, heighten the allure of this purchase!

Yamaha Pacifica Series PAC112V Electric Guitar; Natural
  • Solid Alder Body
  • Maple Bolt-On Neck
  • Rosewood Fingerboard

Review and Experience

Some people are of the opinion that Yamaha is not particularly known for its musical instruments. But this is in fact a misconception, as this Japan-based global conglomerate has been successfully selling guitars since 1942! Now when we narrow down on electric guitars, the Pacifica Series has definitely been the most popular, tracing a growth curve of 17 years in the ‘budget guitars’ market. While the Yamaha Pacifica PAC012 was the most basic model in this series, with its signature Agathis Body and Covered Tuners, the Yamaha Pacifica Series PAC112V Electric Guitar is a more advanced version of it, showcasing a beautiful flamed/quilted maple and alder body, addition of Block Saddles to the Bridge and Diecast Tuners.

A very common question that crops up to any reviewer of this Yamaha Pacifica Electric Guitar is its comparison, with the equally popular Stratocasters from Fender. Rest assured, let me tell you that I’m not biased towards either and so I shall try and give you a very balanced comparison of these equally best-selling beginner guitars. Firstly, the Stratocaster is way older than the Pacifica in the realm of commercial manufacturing. Therefore, the fact that there are several remarkable similarities between the Pacifica and the Stratocaster, is for the simple reason that Yamaha has officially modeled this series on the lines of the Stratocaster. Both have triple pickup options with a 5-way pickup toggle switch, both have tremolo bridges that allow individual string tuning as well as collective tuning and locking, and most importantly both have a scale length of 25.5”.

But there are several key differences which create a big difference in sound, of which the main one is that all 3 pickups in the Stratocaster are single-coil ones; whereas this Yamaha Pacifica Electric Guitar has 2 single pickups, and one Humbucker pickup. In this realm, the Yamaha PAC112V boasts of better versatility, emanating both steely tones of the Stratocaster and warm, well-rounded tones of the Les Paul. Apart from this technical detailing, the body design is somewhat different as well. While the contours are more pronounced in case of the Stratocaster, the horns are more pronounced in the Pacifica. Personally, I feel that this is more suited and aesthetically appealing to youngsters, replete with the flamed pattern, satin finish and all! Also, the amp jack of this model is located on the side of the guitar, instead up front, which enhances the visual appeal.

In terms of sound quality, you have the best of both worlds with the single coil and humbucker pickups. So be it a deep rock sound or a crisper country tone, you can activate the toggle switch to select your preference for the session. Another factor that enhances the playability of this electric guitar from Yamaha, is its smaller fret radius, which makes it easier for pre-teens and even children to grasp the fingerboard in their palms more firmly. On the flipside, this model weighs slightly over 11 pounds, which means that it is slightly heavier than your average beginner’s guitar.

Finally moving over to the construction of the Yamaha Pacifica Series PAC112V Electric Guitar, this has been factory-made in Indonesia and thereon imported. But trust me, that in no way makes this model any way inferior to its similarly-priced competitors manufactured in the US. For once, you have a low-budget beginner’s guitar from a viable multi-faceted brand that has set benchmarks in the electronics industry, and the Pacifica Series of Electric Guitars definitely follow suit in terms of reliability!

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Pros

  • Variety of Pickup Configurations to enhance your learning and creativity as a musician
  • Value for Money ‘Starter Guitar’; Limited Lifetime Warranty from Yamaha makes this an even better bargain
  • Plenty of variation in terms of color choices- Old Violin Sunburst, Black, Translucent Black, Tobacco Sunburst, Caramel Brown, Metallic Red, Vintage White, Yellow Natural Stain, Sonic Blue, Candy Apple Red, Root Beer, Solid Black, Light Amber Burst, Translucent Purple, Caramel Sunburst, Dark Red Burst, Silver, Lake Blue and Metallic Blue. Literally spoils you for choice!
  • Good feel, fun to play and low string tension to grasp the initial concepts well
  • Solid Electronics and technical acumen of Yamaha as a brand, add on to the reliability of this electric guitar
  • High on versatility and ideal for unending range of music genres for jamming, practicing and even for small gigs and recording

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Cons

  • No accessories like amplifier, cable or case/stand included with the purchase
  • Only for those who pursue music as a hobby; not for professionals and advanced players
  • If you do spend more and opt for the amp bundle or value pack, the amp reviews are pretty negative
  • Although the Tremolo Bridge being fixed reduced tuning hassles, manipulating the entire bridge using the tremolo arm is a risky proposition for inexperienced beginners

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Features

  • Solid Alder Body with Bolt-On Maple Neck along with top-notch Rosewood Fretboard having a radius of 13.75”
  • Bridge System is Vintage Style Tremolo, coupled with Block Saddles for simpler tuning and sustenance
  • Triple Pickup System comprised of 2 Single Coil Pickups on the Neck and Middle, along with 1 Alnico V Humbucker Pickup in the Bridge
  • 5-Way Toggle Switch for Pickup Selection along with single knob for volume and tone each
  • 3-Ply Pickguard, 22 Frets, Dome-Style Metallic Knobs and scale length of 25.5” which makes it at par with Stratocasters
  • Weighs close to 11 pounds, with estimated dimensional measurements of 17 x 48 x 4 inches

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Conclusion

Having scaled the popularity charts despite the presence of other hardcore musical niche competitors like Fender and Gibson, the Yamaha Pacifica Series is definitely praiseworthy. From scoring high on playability, maintenance and dashing looks, to displaying versatility to cater to varied musical preferences, the Yamaha Pacifica Series PAC112V Electric Guitar undoubtedly offers one of the best stepping stones for amateurs to kick-start their musical journey in style!

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About the Author

Glen Campbell

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