Yamaha Pacifica
| Pacifica | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Manufacturer | Yamaha |
| Period | Present |
| Construction | |
| Body type | Single or double-cutaway solid |
| Neck joint | bolt-on or set |
| Woods | |
| Body | Alder |
| Neck | Maple |
| Fretboard | Rosewood or Maple |
| Hardware | |
| Bridge | Vintage vibrato,Floyd Rose type vibrato,Wilkinson vibrato, or hard tail Tele |
| Pickup(s) | 1 humbucking and 2 single-coil pickups or 1 humbucking and 1 Hot Rails |
| Colors available | |
| black, lake blue, metallic red, natural, old violin sunburst, and translucent green | |
Yamaha Pacifica is the name of a series of electric guitars manufactured by Yamaha. The line was designed in Yamaha's California custom-shop by Rich Lasner, working with guitar builder Leo Knapp. Initially intended by Lasner and Knap as a test project, Yamaha Japan chose to produce the instruments. Many variants were produced throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, including Fender Stratocaster and Telecaster-like models, twelve string models, carved-top, set-neck versions, and superstrat type models. The low priced Pacifica 112, is widely considered one of the better value-for-money electric guitars for beginners currently in production.
Only three or four models were still in production in August 2009, including the entry-level PAC012, and the high-end PAC1511MS Mike Stern signature model.
Overview
Pacificas all have a distinctive headstock shape, and one of two basic body shapes: a Stratocaster inspired double cutaway shape, or a Telecaster-like single cutaway. Apart from these similarities, the models vary tremendously in materials, hardware, and electronics.
The high-end PAC1511MS, for example, has a solid Swamp Ash body, with a Seymour Duncan humbucker neck pickup, and a Seymour Duncan single-coil "hot-rails" pickup in the bridge position, and a non-vibrato bridge with strings passing through the body. In contrast, the entry level PAC012 has one Yamaha humbucker and two single coil pickups, an Agathis body, and a stratocaster-style vibrato bridge.
The early PAC1412 and PAC1421 models had set necks and carved tops with Floyd Rose locking vibrato bridges. These guitars were ultimately too costly to produce and hence too expensive for Yamaha's market. The small numbers of these guitars produced are eagerly sought-after by some collectors.
Other variations include the twelve-string PAC303 12, and the reversed headstock PAC721R.
Influential endorsers of the Pacifica guitars include Michael Lee Firkins and Mike Stern, who received his aforementioned signature guitar in 1997.
