NGD: Yamaha Pacifica PAC303-12II

[dystrust]

In the Weird things I'm GAS'ing for thread I mentioned that the only thing I really want these days is an electric 12 string. I take a look on reverb and GC used every couple of weeks, but I hadn't really come across anything at a price I've been willing to pay until last Thursday. I found this for $200 at a Guitar Center outside of Dallas, and I figured I can always flip it and make an easy $100-150 if I don't like it.

Before I get any further, a couple of pics:

And a few specs:

• Alder body w/ Ash lamtop
• Maple neck w/ rosewood fingerboard
• 25 1/2" scale
• 22 frets
• 14" fingerboard radius
• 1 11/16" nut
• Gotoh-style fully intonatable bridge
• 5-way switch, master vol, master tone
• Yamaha A5 single coils: 6.1K bridge / 6.4K mid (rwrp) / 6.0K neck
• Swimming pool rout

The serial dates to July '99, and it appears to be completely stock aside from Dunlop strap locks. The electronics aren't great, but they aren't horrible either; I'll be replacing the switch, jack, and pots, and probably the pickups as well. Clean tones are quite Strat-like, but overdriven tones are a bit of a jumbled mess. I'm really not sure what I want to do as far as replacement pickups. I'm not much of a Strat guy, so do I go with Rails or other single-sized HBs? Or do I replace the guard and go HSS or H-H?

I'm also not 100% sure which strings I want to put on this. I want to avoid flatwounds, but do I go with 9-42, 9-46, or 10-46? I'm not sure what strings are on it now (maybe I'll measure?), but tension seems decent though it's definitely in need of a setup.

 

[Silence Kid]

Re: NGD: Yamaha Pacifica PAC303-12II

Guitar Center Used is the way to go; congrats. No clue what pickups work best in a twelve, but in general I'd be tempted to experiment with something like Quarter Pounds or maybe my pet-like of the moment, Lace Sensors.

 

[dystrust]

Re: NGD: Yamaha Pacifica PAC303-12II

Guitar Center Used is the way to go; congrats. No clue what pickups work best in a twelve, but in general I'd be tempted to experiment with something like Quarter Pounds or maybe my pet-like of the moment, Lace Sensors.

I've thought about a Red / Silver / Blue set; longcat has them in her Strat and they're pretty cool. I've also thought about the Hot / Vintage / Cool Rails set, but I'm afraid the bridge might be a little too fat. I'm not a huge fan of the QPs, so not really considering them. I've also thought about an A2 '59/Custom Hybrid with a RP Jazz in the neck wired as follows:

1. bridge series
2. inside coils parallel
3. both full (parallel)
4. outside coils parallel
5. neck series

With the reverse wind / reverse polarity neck pickup, it would be hum-canceling in all 5 positions.

 

[Silence Kid]

Re: NGD: Yamaha Pacifica PAC303-12II

As for Sensors- As mentioned they're just where my mind is focused right now which is 50% of the suggestion- But in particular I think they could add a compressed sound for cleans that might work well with a twelve, and the tightness to the lows you describe wanting.

 

[dystrust]

Re: NGD: Yamaha Pacifica PAC303-12II

I found a loaded guard including a Red / Silver / Blue set with white covers, CRL switch, CTS pots, & orange drop cap on Reverb for $100. I also ordered a 12-string set of D'addario 10s. Anyone know someone looking for a replacement guard for a Strat Plus? :lol:

While looking into pickups and strings, I came across a TBX mod that changes the 5-10 range into a true bass cut. I'll follow up once I get the electronics switched over, the strings changed, and a setup done.

 

[Silence Kid]

Re: NGD: Yamaha Pacifica PAC303-12II

I think I almost offered on that same pickguard, but instead I scored a set of Hot Golds.

I know I like the Red/Silver/Blue, but never tried the Hot Golds before, still waiting for them- so if these don't work out for either of us maybe we can swap

 

[dystrust]

Re: NGD: Yamaha Pacifica PAC303-12II

I think I almost offered on that same pickguard, but instead I scored a set of Hot Golds.

I know I like the Red/Silver/Blue, but never tried the Hot Golds before, still waiting for them- so if these don't work out for either of us maybe we can swap

I've never tried Hot Golds, but I can't stand the regular Golds. IMO they're like a really lackluster stacked pickup; quiet but harmonically dead. I'm pretty confident that the Red / Silver / Blue set will work as long as the bridge isn't too hot, but I'm not super worried. While looking into pickups and seeing lots of guys running Lipsticks and PAFs I ran into plenty of others running JBs, Super Distortions, Tone Zones, etc.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: NGD: Yamaha Pacifica PAC303-12II

While looking into pickups and strings, I came across a TBX mod that changes the 5-10 range into a true bass cut. I'll follow up once I get the electronics switched over, the strings changed, and a setup done.

That TBX mod is great, but if you run the cap values past me before you try them out I can help get you what you want in the bass cut. If you simply go for a cap that is 1/10th the size of your treble cap the bass cut effect will be really subtle in comparison to the treble cut. You may like it that way, but I went for a smaller cap myself.

 

[dystrust]

Re: NGD: Yamaha Pacifica PAC303-12II

That TBX mod is great, but if you run the cap values past me before you try them out I can help get you what you want in the bass cut. If you simply go for a cap that is 1/10th the size of your treble cap the bass cut effect will be really subtle in comparison to the treble cut. You may like it that way, but I went for a smaller cap myself.

Good call. I plugged the 1meg and .0022uf values into a high pass filter calculator, and it came up with a corner frequency of 72hz. Dropping the cap to .0015uf brings the frequency to 106hz, while .001uf results in 159hz. Since even decent caps aren't that expensive, maybe I'll buy all 3 and stick with whichever I like best.

 

[T-Bone-BBQ]

Re: NGD: Yamaha Pacifica PAC303-12II

Very cool. I've thought about getting one since I love Yamaha guitars, but I don't know if I'd play a 12 string electric. Still might get one some day. Lol!!!

 

[dystrust]

Re: NGD: Yamaha Pacifica PAC303-12II

I rewired it last night with the Lace Sensor Red / Silver / Blue set, 250K volume, and modded TBX. I wired the tone 50s style with a .022uf cap, and I used 1500pf for the bass cut since it was all I could find locally. In short, it's like a totally new guitar now and it sounds really great. The pickups balance really well from warm and full in the neck position, to glassy in the middle, and just hot enough in the bridge. I also really like the D'Addario 10-46 set. The only thing I'm not 100% on is the bass cut; it works, but it only works well when playing clean on the neck position. Everywhere else it's barely noticeable. The next time I have the guard off, I'm going to swap the 1500pf cap for 1000pf which will move the corner frequency from 106hz to 159hz. If that isn't extreme enough, maybe 800pf or even 680pf will work.

Does anyone know which values Reverend and/or Rickenbacker use?

 

[Chistopher]

Re: NGD: Yamaha Pacifica PAC303-12II

Reverend uses 1000pf.

 

[dystrust]

Re: NGD: Yamaha Pacifica PAC303-12II

The only thing I'm not 100% on is the bass cut; it works, but it only works well when playing clean on the neck position. Everywhere else it's barely noticeable. The next time I have the guard off, I'm going to swap the 1500pf cap for 1000pf which will move the corner frequency from 106hz to 159hz. If that isn't extreme enough, maybe 800pf or even 680pf will work.

Does anyone know which values Reverend and/or Rickenbacker use?

Reverend uses 1000pf.

Got it back from the tech today after a neck shim and a cap swap from 1500pf to 1000pf. The difference is like night and day; the playability is amazing and the tone is exactly where I wanted it. With the 1500pf cap the bass cut hardly did anything, while the 1000pf produces an immediately noticeable change as soon as you touch the knob. Even with the bridge pickup selected and bass cut at max, it's still a usable tone.