Early 90's Yamaha HSH Pacifica... good guitar?

[B2D]

I saw an early 90's Yamaha Pacifica ina used music store the other day... I recognized it from an ad in an early 90's issue of GW magazine i have. Looked kinda cool... 24-fret neck, contoured heel, HSH pickups, angled headstock, double locking trem, etc...

Kinda similar to this but it was all black with a rosewood board.

Anyopne have any experience with these? It felt like an Ibanez but it seemed more solid overall to me.

 

[TheLizardKing]

Re: Early 90's Yamaha HSH Pacifica... good guitar?

I've got a Yamaha eg112c, it's of coarse a newer model, not the pacifica. I love mine, it's so solid, and very versatile, a great axe for the $100 I paid for it with the little 15w amp.

 

[B2D]

Re: Early 90's Yamaha HSH Pacifica... good guitar?

I've got a Yamaha eg112c, it's of coarse a newer model, not the pacifica. I love mine, it's so solid, and very versatile, a great axe for the $100 I paid for it with the little 15w amp.

But do you have any experience with the Pacifica? I know Yamaha has made some pretty decent guitars but I'd like some information on this one in particular...

 

[italic zero]

Re: Early 90's Yamaha HSH Pacifica... good guitar?

I've heard really good things about the Pacifica, but I've never tried it.

 

[TheLizardKing]

Re: Early 90's Yamaha HSH Pacifica... good guitar?

Yeah I played a Pacifica it seemed like a decent guitar, though I prefer my Yamaha, and it was cheaper! I would suggest playing it first, chances are you'll like it and score a deal like me.

 

[TheProphet]

Re: Early 90's Yamaha HSH Pacifica... good guitar?

Does it have an offset bolt pattern for the neck? Ie. - Two small individual plates with 2 screws per plate?

 

[B2D]

Re: Early 90's Yamaha HSH Pacifica... good guitar?

Does it have an offset bolt pattern for the neck? Ie. - Two small individual plates with 2 screws per plate?

As a matter of fact, it does! How'd you know?

 

[TheProphet]

Re: Early 90's Yamaha HSH Pacifica... good guitar?

Trade Secrets ...

Actually I've been a Yamaha fan/freak for about 8-9 years, I've seen the one you're talking about but in Lake Placid Blue. Can't seem to remember if it had a Schaller type, or FR Pro (LoPro style) Floyd on it tho.

Belonged to the brother of my old singer. Didn't play it unfortunatly, but the QC on Yamaha's is fairly consistent and most of them have a very similar feel and quality to them.

It felt like an Ibanez but it seemed more solid overall to me.

You'll find that on most Yamaha's I think. I have an RGX as my main guitar, and it has a similar feel/vibe to Ibanez's but with a more comfortable neck shape, the neck finish is 10x better to me, and the truth is they feel more solid (Then again I hate the Ibanez RG neck pocket design)

 

[B2D]

Re: Early 90's Yamaha HSH Pacifica... good guitar?

The one I saw was around 450 or so... I'll go back and give it a test drive when I've got the time. Seemed like a good guitar although I can't say I was ever a fan of the Wooden Ruler necks (Wide and thin) .

 

[Artie]

Re: Early 90's Yamaha HSH Pacifica... good guitar?

I'm in the same boat with some others . . . I have no experience with that specific guitar . . .

. . . however, I have a Yamaha acoustic thats great, some Yamaha audio/guitar gear thats excellent. I've sold and serviced Yamaha gear throughout my career. I've owned a Yamaha baby grand piano, a Yamaha 750 Virago, still own a Yamaha 650 Seca.

They're a good company, that makes good stuff. If they made a car, I'd buy it.

 

[diggamark]

Re: Early 90's Yamaha HSH Pacifica... good guitar?

I've got a pacifica 112 and similar priced ibanez... the yamaha deifinitely feels like it's finished better than the nez....

 

[JohnnyGuitarCA]

Re: Early 90's Yamaha HSH Pacifica... good guitar?

I just scored my first Pacifica this week on eBay. It's the 721. H-S-H w/Floyd.

AMAZING guitar! I wish I'd gotten into these years ago.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Early 90's Yamaha HSH Pacifica... good guitar?

I had a Pacifica 712 - it was awesome.

I've never played a bad Yamaha....

 

[JohnnyGuitarCA]

Re: Early 90's Yamaha HSH Pacifica... good guitar?

I've never played a bad Yamaha....

I'm pretty sure Yamaha doesn't know HOW to make a crappy guitar! LOL

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: Early 90's Yamaha HSH Pacifica... good guitar?

The Pacifica's are good guitars and are very comparable to the Ibanez guitars of the same time and price range. The design team that took Ibanez from obscurity to market dominance in the late 1980's, is the same design team that designed the Yamaha Pacifica's in the 90's. The Pacifica's are basically one step more refined in terms of ergonomics than Ibanez.

The downsides I have seen from them and Ibanez's is their finishes don't stand up well because of the soft wood body. The lightly finished maple necks have a tendency to stain and get grimey with age. The frets are can get grooved, however the frets are big enough to recrown. The pickguards discolor and become brittle with age. Replacement pickguards are hard to find. The pivot points for the tremolo wear out over time and the intonation screws rust, seize or they become stripped. Strap buttons and screws like to strip because of the soft wood.

I don't think they are much less rugged than other guitars as much as people love them to death and play them to death. So when you do see one used it usually shows signs of wear.

 

[TheLivingDead]

Re: Early 90's Yamaha HSH Pacifica... good guitar?

Short answer:

**** YEAH.

 

[stevie_bees]

Re: Early 90's Yamaha HSH Pacifica... good guitar?

I gigged 2 604w's when I was in Cyprus, and they were fabulous. It's been said already in this thread, but you don't encounter bad Yammies...

 

[Aceman]

Re: Early 90's Yamaha HSH Pacifica... good guitar?

I'll say this about that 712, and I don't know if it really counts. 712 seems like a pretty high end number. It was a pretty awesome guitar:

#1 Best feeling neck I have ever felt. Fast, smooth, comfortable. Perfect width and flatness

#2 Stayed in tune nearly as well as any Floyd. Locking Spertzels, Wilkinson, and great nut.

#3 Really good electronics. Pretty sure the mid/neck were stacked singles from DiMarzio.

Just a great player. Remember, I'm a Les Paul guy.

 

[LesStrat]

Re: Early 90's Yamaha HSH Pacifica... good guitar?

Like Ace, I've never played a bad Yamaha.

I'd still have my e/acoustic (APX 10T) if it hadn't died...after 16-17 years of frequent use. I loved that guitar. It probably could have been repaired, but there is no one around here who does neck work and the price likely would have been prohibitive.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Early 90's Yamaha HSH Pacifica... good guitar?

I have a 12string right beside me these days. Maybe 15 years old...

Plays great - it was the cheapest 12 they made.

I have a CGX-151 Classical/flamenco that is freaking awesome.

They are totally underated.