Great video as usual Darrell. I own the Player Strat HSS Ltd edition in "Blueburst." You're right. No coil split ability. The Player Tele HH does have a push/pull for coil splitting so I don't know why they didn't do it with the Strat. Love it though, and it might be shallow, but if I'm going to own an S or T type, I want it to say "Fender" on it and I don't mind spending a little extra money to own a small piece of that heritage and pedigree. That said, if someone doesn't care about that sort of thing, save a few bucks and get the Yamaha. Cheers!
Another factor is the Fret radius (and I think width if I remember correctly). I had a 212V. Great guitar. Stayed in tune. Not as sexy as a Fender or Squier. Flatter radius (13 vs 9?). As a budget hack guitarist, I like Squiers, but also appreciate the value of the Yamahas. Hard to find bargains on the 611 or Revstars.
I have to say yes to the Yamaha. I think far too many players are kind of blinded by Fender and Gibson being the so-called best guitars. Yamaha has for years made incredible guitars. I like Fender but in all honesty, I feel like you pay now more for the name in all price ranges compared to years ago.
Some years ago ,I was in a support band , 3 songs in I snapped the E string , the guitarist from the highlighted band , gave me his Pacifica so I could continue playing , the only difference between my strat and the Pacifica was the Yamaha was a brighter sound - I never noticed any playability issues , in fact I bought one after .
You can really get a Stratocaster-guitar for a very much cheaper price, but in better quality and Playability!!!!! I play a CAR-red ESP 400-Series Strat ( production for Europe with pre CBS-head) with 42 annual-rings, bookmatched maple-neck on a serial guitar (!!!!!!!!), the hubs of the frets on the edge of the freetboard are sealed with filling compound, and already the dry sound in aspection of sustain, attack, knack, twang, glasy-wiry-spectre are better and much louder than on every Fender USA-Custom-Shop-Stratocaster till these days (fact!!!) !!! So, this guitar defeats every Custom-Shop-Strat!!!! And for going out i play two different BLADE Texas-Strats-models, who are in quality and sound very close to the ESP, but with flat neck-body-joint, so the playability is much better, to! I´ve forgotten, on my ESP and on the BLADEs the chord opens harmoniously, on most of the Fenders i´ve tested ( different stock-production-guitars an many Custom-Shop-Strats), NOT!!!! So, if the chord don´t open harmoniously ( like on most Fenders) what would i want to do with such a guitar????? Only playing solos?????? For playing rhytm i need the chords-opening-harmoniously, if this is not there, you can throw it into trash!!!!!!!!!!
A basic Pacifica is less than 300$ and is a very good guitar. Incredible sound, confortable neck and you can play all styles of music. I'm a teacher and I recommand it to my pupils. My collegues do as well!
I was between a Yamaha Pacifica 112v (the colors) and Fender Player Strat (made in Mexico). They both have quite a good range of colors (was mostly looking at blue or red with maple necks). I ended up buying a Cort G290 FAT BBB. I do not regret my purchase. I am quite happy with it actually; because, I can also get some heavy sounds from both the bridge and neck pickups as well. I always thought of upgrading the pickups later on as I have installed Seymour Duncan 16b and 1n on my first beginner Ievel Ibanez guitar (it really changed the tone btw). However, I did not need it with the Cort g290 fat as its pickups (VTH-77 set) have a character of their own. They felt like Seymour Duncan Hyperion pickups; different sound-wise from SD but very unique sounding.
Whats crazy is you aren't getting a fender strat for any less than 1000 NEW so how are they compared especially if Pacific's start around 300. Is it a certain model or something that's more comparable
Well said, John, I really thought the same thing, and the cherry burst finish just does it for me. Add a humbucker in the bridge position, and there would be more Fender fun. 👍👍👍
Have you ever checked out the Fender mod shop? It’s a surprisingly deep way to build a sub 2k custom style fender model. I built one with roasted neck, personalized color, pickup choice and layout, bridge, tuners and case for under 2k. I was super impressed.
@@allendean9807 I did my own. I bought a MIM, put on a rail tail, a slimline SD Humbucker in the bridge that’s split, a micro switch to put neck in all combos, locking tuners and coming today is a new Fender neck with black headstock, and built my own custom shop super Strat. The best part of Fender - totally customizable. The only original left is the body lol.
@@johntedesco6304 that’s so cool! I’m going to pull the trigger on this mod shop strat in the coming weeks. I really enjoyed the site and customization. And, since i always deck my strat terms, having a hard tail stock is very exciting!
My opinion: Yamaha is a players guitar, Fender is a collectors guitar I love both a lot but if I were gigging every single day I'd probably choose the Yamaha for versatility as well as it being an overall awesome guitar. Id keep the fender as my studio buddy!
Fender on the headstock has A LOT more draw which is why they sell way more than Yamaha. I'd say the Fender looks way cooler, but I'm sure the Yamaha is the superior guitar.
My first guitar Was the yamaha erg121c which I bought used with amp for 90 Euros. Correct me if I am wrong, but I don't think there is a cheaper yamaha guitar. It's a great guitar ! It holds tune F-ing great, the neck feels great too. I got an ibanez JEMJR-WH for about 500 Euro and the yamaha puts it to shame. I bought a made in Japan boxer strat, and its awesome. It sounds way better than the yamaha but I think that's because of the pickups. Get the yamaha, put on some nice pickups and that's all you're gonna need. I will never sell my cheapo erg121c, because 1 it's so good, and 2 I can experiment with alternative tunings without having to adjust trem. And 3, if it gets dings and dongs I don't give a sh.t ... I can always recommend yamaha guitars
If you can accept that you are paying $200 for the decal, then cool. I've had a Yamaha 604w for over 20 years. I stays in tune and sounds great. My only wish would be a slightly chunkier neck.
I gig with a 611 and a 612. The Custom 5 in the bridge is mid-scooped. The slug coil used in single coil mode is great but as a humbucker the mids are lacking. I called Duncan and told them what I liked and disliked. They suggested the 59 Custom Hybrid. That pickup is perfect. It uses the same Custom slug coil for single coil mode and it has a 59 coil for the mids.
@@DavidRFIT Exactly ! It's only ButtHead Metal heads that like scooped mid crap....it just makes everything sound like garbage and everything disappears in the mix.
@@claydowdy9596 the 611 and 612 are very close in price. The difference is the 612 has more pickups. The 611 is a humbucker and a P90 in the neck. The 612 is a humbucker and two Strat single coils.
I had a Pacifica in the 90's. Great guitar. I now own a Pacifica 112v HSS split humbucker, came with alnico pickups and satin neck. Only $320. Half the cost of fender with the alnicos. Great guitar.
PAC311H G&B bridge PU *tone* is truly fab, but its output is underwhelming. Beautiful guitar in all other respects, but lacklustre for rock as it comes OOTB. I own & play a 311H too alongside my 612VII,112V Pacificas (& others).
@@theblytonian3906 I agree that the bridge pickup wasn’t made for the heavy stuff, I’m planning on replacing it with a Duncan Custom 5. Everything else I plan on keeping the same for now
@@freakfletch0 That's what I did. It's such a shame, as the original's tone is tops. In retrospect, I'd fit a different replacement PUP from the TB-14 as I did, but I did so before I bought my TB-14 fitted 612V. Great guitar. I like it as much if not more than my 612. The G&B P90 kicks arse.
@@freakfletch0 The 311H is a hidden gem. So underated, overshadowed in the attention it deserves in being sandwiched between the 112V/212V & 611H/612V price segments.
I chose the Yamaha when I was searching for an electric guitar. Features for the money, versatility and Yamaha quality. I've owned other Yamaha guitars and saxophones and was comfortable knowing what I would get with their instruments.
I am a huge fan of both! In my latest music video I used a an Yngwie American Strat AND a Pacifica equipped with a P90. They complimented each other very well as far as I could hear. Even though the Pacifica is far less $$$, it absolutely measures up!
I have inherited a Yamaha Pacifica 112 from my BFF who passed away 2 years ago. He had played it so much it needed new frets. My other friend who is a luthier did a refret on it so I could continue playing it in his memory, without changing out the original neck. Let me tell you what a dream it is to play now! It always stayed in tune well even with original hardware. Next I may do some electronics changes, but the rest I'll leave stock. One word of caution, no matter what you do it wont sound quite like a Fender. Close, but not close enough for my ears. The good thing is that's not a deal breaker for me. Great video! Happy New Year Darrell! 🤘😎
Definitely the Yamaha The big and "authentic" names still haven't learned the lessons that these other names like Yamaha/Schecter/others are definitely making more available with superior options. Brand loyalty is a real thing but it doesn't make a mediocre instrument sound or play better.
"big and "authentic" names still haven't learned the lessons " - I thought the same until I checked the sales ranks. People still want those "authetic" outdated and inconvenient things, and are willing to pay extra for them. I have both - pacifica and Fender Player, as well as number of other guitars. I would cahnge several things on Fender (and I actually did - locking tuners, other saddles that don't have sticking out screws, TUSQ nut), but it seems that Fender has good sense of the market and produce instruments according to average potential customers expectations. It seems that most people are bying Fenders exactly because of classic look and feel. Fender sold more guitars in last year than any other year in Fender's history. So, who we are to explain them how to make and sell guitars...
I compared the frets and the neck of my pacifica 112 with my telly american standard, a PRS custom and a fender custom shop strat and none of them had such good finishes. The PRS one was close but not so perfect that Pacifica. The two Fenders was below. When you pass your hand along the neck you can feel the frets under your fingers, thing that you dont feel on the pacifica. I know it's incredibile! I even made a blind test with my telly american standard and the pacifica. My friends thaught that the most beautiful sounds was coming from the Telecaster while it was coming from the pacifica.
I would argue that yamaha are an authentic brand. I'm pretty sure they have been around a lot longer than Fender and making a much broader range of instruments - their pianos for example are extremely high quality. I'm not knocking Fender, I own both a player series strat and tele and they are both great, I just think with this particular guitar Yamaha haven't helped themselves by using the pacifica name, which is widely associated with their lower price point guitars.
@@davidbarlow431 good point! But still, history of guitar music is always associated with Fender and Gibson at the first place, as countless guitar legends played them. Yamaha is associated with Mike Stern... But any other big name?
Darrell, some time ago I was watching one of your reviews of a $4,000.00 guitar and commented that you should do videos on more affordable guitars. I'd just like to say thank you for the the reviews of the more affordable guitars like this one. I still enjoy geeking out on the custom shop and insane import video's you do. You're #1 on RUclips in my books.
The fender sounded a bit more Strat-like (of course), but the Yammi/ Duncan sounded totally excellent expressing it’s own tone. The pots are a non issue since they weren’t actually quality tested… small pots are often as good as or better quality than standard sized.
Agreed, I feel like the only big difference most of the time is the sweep of the knob itself (larger having a slower or smoother taper). Other than the range and how the knob reacts though, if they work they work so no real complaints. 🤷🏽♂️
I have a Squire, and I thought I would treat myself and buy a Player Series. I took it home, tried it, and honestly I like the Squire better. For over 500 bucks more, I just couldn't see it. I took it back to the store.
So I'm not saying the modern fenders aren't worth it. I'm not saying that at all, you're comparing a squire to a fender and you're saying that you can't justify the Fender's price so you're keeping the squire. I feel the same exact way about a Mexican fender versus an American fender. Again I'm not saying an American fender isn't better, but for that price tag I simply just cannot justify it. I sometimes feel little to no differences in the models.
Its funny. But its true. I know fan players that blindly defend Fender being worth and all...but I feel that Squire makes a better guitar. Kind of like how Epiphone makes a better guitar versus Gibson.
Fender on the headstock also means better resale value, all things considered. How much is that worth? Depends on the player. (I own neither a Fender nor a Yamaha, fwiw.)
I live in Japan. Haven't played Guitar since I moved year over 20 years ago. Figured I wanted to pick it back up. This video got me to pick the 612 as the guitar to buy to get back into it. I was able to get one here, New from Amazon,, delivered to the door and including gig bag for $475 USD!!!! I think the Amazon algorithm saw me viewing it enough it dropped price to induce a buy because it was listed at around 550 USD. Anyhow, this is an amazing piece of Kit and a guitar that makes me want to play! Perfect for getting back into things! Thanks for the guidance! Ohh and I have been here long enough I can hear your Canadian accent even though we never say "A Boot"!
I have a Yamaha pasifica 120h which is double humbucker with single coil push pull pot. It’s amazing and it’s about 400$ range. I’m not thinking to change anytime soon
I love the Yamaha Pacifica. Disappointed I didn't win the high end mod one. But, I'm OK: I have seven of them. The real point that you should have emphasized - and you should do so with all your reviews - is how the guitar feels: how the body feels to hold and especially how the neck feels to play. How comfortable is it. If these things don't feel good to you then it doesn't matter if the guitar is worth thousands of dollars, its not the right one for you. The Pacifica has it's own unique feel especially the neck profile; quite different than any Fender product. And that is why I love the Pacifica. It just feels so much more comfortable in my hands. I don't care what it costs or what features it has. In short: if the wood feels good everything else can be changed.
Nice work Darrell. I like that you are one of the rare youtuber who appreciates yamaha guitars and gave them a lot of exposure. I owned both brands, and started my first electric guitar on the 112. in my opinion, Yamaha guitars are really underappreciated. they deserve more brand recognition. Good job. 👍
I love a vibrato/tremolo, but the guitar has to come with locking tuners, a quality nut and roller saddles. These are necessities and I think it's unacceptable that Fender still sells guitars without them. A guitar that won't hold a tune is beneath consideration.
I mean I have a Mexican made strat with no locking tuners and it holds tuning better than my Gibson Flying V. Although I must admit the trem system low key sucks
Locking tuners aren't really a be-all end-all thing. Regular tuners will do just fine as well if they're made of good stuff. I found that winding as little string around the post as possible helped with keeping finicky tuners from going out.
@@matturner6890 I agree that they can work. I just don't think Fender should be selling guitars with poor bridges and tuners. They have created a cottage industry of people manufacturing bridges and tuners to replace their poor hardware. I had a hardtail Strat with safety post tuners and it held a tune very well. My current Strat has an oem vibrato bridge and that is just a poor design. The ball bearing and spring meant to hold the arm in place are frustratingly inadequate, and everyone has known this for decades. I upgraded to a Callaham block and arm and it stays wherever I put it.
Another very enjoyable piece. Thanks Darryl. This may be a dumb observation but a big point for the Fender is it sounds like a Fender. It has those iconic Strat tones. And if that is important to the player, you really have to pony up for the Fender. But I like the subtly more warm Duncan single coils. And when you add the bridge humbucker, those tones are music to my ears. I would pick the Pacifica even if they were the same price.
I was going to say something along these lines. The Fender sounded more 'fendery'; I think a little more detailed is the word I'm looking for. I think If I was looking to make some money playing these guitars, I'd probably pay the premium on the Fender...
@kindface definitely the fender sound, all these other brands are chasing that fender quacky clear tone, they all try to imitate but nobody can ever duplicate. You'll only get that from fender and squire in the CV and or custom shop series ...
The Yamaha sounded more musical to me. I don't really know how to describe the sound other than that. Since I'm not chasing "that Fender sound" the Yamaha would definitely be my choice.
Hey Darrell, I notice you did a lot of Yamaha Pacifica-related videos. I wonder if you heard of the Yamaha Revstar series? Would love to hear your take on that new line of Yamaha guitars that a lot of people seem to be very excited about...
One thing to consider about fender guitars is the aftermarket parts.. since they’re more ubiquitous, most manufacturers will just consider these models for their designs. That doesn’t mean that Yamaha or others can’t use the aftermarket parts, it’s just a little more research work before you buy them. That being said a squier Classic vibe will fit most of the standard fender parts.
Agree! I recently restored an old Pacifica, and had a lot of trouble getting the right parts. Wonderful guitars, but not too many spare parts on the market.
Depending on what you're doing, there's loads of parts for Yamahas. If you're looking to restore one to original spec, then it might get tricky. But if you want to upgrade or replace parts, they're everywhere.
@@CristiNeagu Yeah, the bodies tend to be very similar within body styles, so I don't understand the comment re parts. Maybe if you are doing a google search with yamaha parts, but not if you are just buying parts that fit. If you can swap parts on a $75 Glarry to make a superstrat like he did in previous video, then you can do the same thing to swap out parts on a Yamaha.
@@ws8080 True. And it does depend on the age of the guitar too. Pacificas these days come with a Wilkinson bridge, Graphtech-like tuners (not sure if they're actually Graphtech, but the Ratios are drop in replacements), and a Graphtech nut. That's most of the hardware. Electronics should be pretty much off the shelf (Except the Revstar's boost transformer, but that is never going to break). I don't know if the neck joint on a Pacifica fits a Fender neck. I think the spacing of the screws is correct, but the necks Yamaha use are probably narrower than anything Fender does, but you can get one narrow enough from Warmoth. So yeah, they're pretty easy to upgrade as long as you don't want to use original parts.
Based on your video I purchased a Pacifica 612 and could not be more pleased. This is a great guitar. I used it live the other day and gave the Tele I’ve used for the past 50+ years a night off. Nice to play and stays in tune.
@@Scott__C of course more guitars can do it, but I've got 6 different models of Fender that do it even when they lack a 2 or a 4, which I've never found a 3 pickup guitar that isn't a Fender, that will deliver that tone.
They're ridiculously underrated, imo. I often direct people on the fence about Pacifica guitars to check out Asterism videos, particularly the recent prog-heavy stuff. Hal-Ca really shows what these guitars can do.
Years ago I was in guitar center. Trying out an amp and some mom came up and told me her kid was taking up guitar. She asked about the guitar he picked out. It was some insane looking 200 dollar Dean. I took her over and showed her the pacificas. I told her that he might not to be on stage with one but I think the pacfica is probably the best student guitar there is. They sound great and stay in tune. Built pretty well too.
Good point about the old school neck joint featured on both guitars. My Strat is the 50th Anniversary Model, obviously from 2004. It has a rounded and ergonomic neck joint, very comfortable and practical when reaching for notes located higher than the 15th fret. Why Fender is insisting on sticking with the old style of neck joints is a mystery. It´s certainly not beneficial from a player´s perspective, but perhaps a brand as established as Fender can get stuck into fear of doing changes or upgrades to some of their most requested and legendary models? After all, Fender players can often be notoriously set in their ways.
Well , I wasn't really in the market for another guitar , but thanks Darrell , now I have to get a Yamaha Pacifica for my collection . Nice guitar man.
I have a Squier Deluxe Strat with 3 Hotrails. I upgraded the electronics with CTS pots, an Oak Grigsby switch, a treble bleed and blender mod. I added a Bell Brass sustain block to the trem. I also replaced the neck with a Fender Roasted maple with Kluson locking tuners. Amazing Guitar! With all of the upgrades, still under $600.00.
I have no idea why I always gravitate towards Fender… I am a relative newbie, but I have been around enough to know a little about other brands. For example, my Yamaha A3M acoustic is my favorite to play even over my 2 Taylor acoustics. I have an American Tele and MIM Strat, but never considered the Pacifica until after your two comparison videos. Very informative and entertaining. Thanks for the content!
Good video but I'm actually a bit surprised you didn't mention the fretboard radius difference between the two. The Yamahas are 13.75" (fairly flat) and the Fenders are 9.5" (Pretty rounded)... it makes a pretty huge difference in low action shredding ability and bending. I actually am glad my parents got me a yamaha eg112 as a kid because the flatter fretboard honestly ended up making me a better player in the long run if I reflect back on my progress / years of learning.
It's subjective, myself and several others I know would definitely prefer the standard rounded Fender style as its easier to play in my opinion and easier bend notes..
I wish this video had come out back in November when I was shopping for a mid-range guitar. What I ended up with was a Fender Player Mustang, and I do really love it and got a good deal on it brand new from Reverb to put it more within the Pacifica range, but I think if I had done more research I would have probably chosen the Pacifica. Having so many tonal options is a really great thing, and the colors + matching headstock is an amazing touch.
I have to say I recently got an used "as new" Buttercream Player Strat and it blew my mind. Never been a fan of MIMs, in fact I only owned MIA Fenders... but I really have to say the Player series is a big step up in comparison to old MIM Standards. That guitar is the best playing Strat I have ever owned or tried, and I owned/tried quite a few MIAs and even custom handbuilts by famous luthiers... Didn't expect that.
I was a Telecaster player for many years with the occasional Epiphone Les Paul or Strat sprinkled in for good measure. I moved to Japan and tried a Yamaha 112 and was impressed with it. I can say I have never played a Yamaha, acoustic, or electric I haven't liked, from the top of the line to the entry-level stuff. Some were better than others and over the years I have owned a number of Yamaha guitars. I currently own a 2021 Yamaha 611 with a coil tap humbucker in the bridge and P90 in the neck. It is a rock and blues machine. I chose it over the 612 because I am a sucker for P90s but it just gives me an excuse to go get the 612 next. I am sad to say it gets more playtime than my 2006 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop which was my dream guitar. But the Yamaha, even though it is made in Indonesia, is flawless. In my opinion, they definitely kill the Fender Mexican guitars as I have bought and traded several over the past year, including the Vintera Stratocaster. The Yamaha is definitely worth checking out.
What a terrific RUclips channel! I’m an aspiring new guitarist (at an older age) and can’t believe how much I’ve learned about guitars and gear watching DBG. There are others out there but this one is the best. Honest reviews with no sponsorship bias is refreshing. As I’ve been trying to decide on what my guitar purchase will be, I was thinking Fender Player vs Yamaha Pacifica 612 (although I still wish I won the Ibanez giveaway, : ) ), and boom, DBG does the comparison. How great is that? A little trouble finding the 612 locally due to shortages (one store has a 611) but the Fenders are plentiful. Also looking at a couple of other DBG review guitars (PRS, Schecter, etc) and having fun with it, knowing the lingo and what to look for. Darrell, if you ever find yourself in Maine, dinner’s on me.
@@familiarpurrson8744 real? The s-500 is Leo Fender's evolution of the strat. He designed absolutely everything on that guitar, on what he saw were improvements to be made to the original Strat. An S-500 isn't a strat, it's a super strat
Over 20 years ago I tried a Pacifica 112 in a music store in Cardiff. Straight out of the box, it was in tune and worked very well and was better overall in finished quality than many other guitars I'd tried. My USA '57 reissue was probably the poorest Strat I've owned and an 80s Tokai the best.
Thanks for this comparison Darrell - this is giving us beginners the needed help to navigate. One remark: the jack position is different and might be an additional criteria. I had my personal check on both and finally decided to invest a few dollars more and to go for a Shijie STE that you reviewed on your channel
Thank you for playing the same bit when you did the sound comparison. That's always been kinda important to me. I can't compare speakers listening to different songs. All must be even and equal.
Always like the price point comparisons on guitars you do ! Maybe you've done it but what about a shoot off between lower priced guitars and how much in mods it would take to make it 'next level '? For example, if you added locking tuners and a graph tech nut to the strat but added better electronics and cleaned up fret end and polished- would either shoot past the other? You've done alot of great videos so if this has been done- sorry!. I just thought to mod them to get closer, which guitar would you need to spend more on(in mods)
Really if you do upgrades even a $50 guitar will be as good as any Really. It's like useing a car body. You can make the car be a corvette zr1 underneath but it be a Malibu base model on the outside. The frame is mostly looks and weight. As long as it's put together and finished well.
QC is much more consistent with neck/body fit on the yamaha in my experience, overall quality is more for the money. The pickups are really the clincher there, one could find the Fender pups used for under 100, one buy them new outright and have the sound with they want, which is what many people do anyway even with new Fenders. I got my daughter a used pac 212vqm, neck alignment and heal pocket were superior to my MIA and MIM strat, the number of strats which I have loosened the screws, pulled on the neck and then tightened to correct the string alignment is way too many, a luthier friend who is also a certified Fender warranty person does this quite often, he says it's just poor workmanship. Anyway, they're both good guitars, all options to consider.
You pay a bit more for the name but the Fender is still a good guitar. Very easy to upgrade if you choose to. Plus a much easier sell second hand and will retain more of its value. The Yamaha is still a quality instrument it must be said.
After watching your great video my conclusion is Fender's selling point today is its unique signature tone. It's every musician's fate to have that Fender tone stuck in the head, so if you want that tone, you have to pay the extra and get the original Fender. Now, Yamaha tones are awesome, beautiful and very well balanced too. Only different. Yamaha is not just the cost-benefit choice, it's a great choice as well. The chance of an Yamaha owner getting disappointed with their instrument is almost zero. Having said that, I recently bought my first guitar. It's a Yamaha EG 112 Made in China, their cheapest offer, but still, no cheap sound. It delivers beautiful and balanced sweet guitar tones too. And I feel like I started with an already great and professional instrument. Yamaha instruments kick many asses for sure despite being so underrated.
I've a owned a bunch of Yamaha Pacifica guitars and never had a bad one. But I can't say the same for Fender Stratocasters having owned several of them as well. The Fender name influences most people because of their history and huge player base, but their product quality is less than ideal. The same thing can be said for many Gibson guitars.
My two cents... I own the Player and have tried the Yamaha (also, a friend of mine has the Pacifica). Both are great guitars, you won't go wrong. However, they are less similar than they may seem at first sight. The tones are very different. The only Strat is the Fender. The Yamaha sounds more modern and has higher output (noticeable on the demo). Depending on what you're after, this can be a deal-breaker. I agree about the drawbacks of the Player. However, I love it for what it is. If you want a modern guitar and very versatile, the Pacifica may be better. If you want a Strat (even an HSS version), go for the Fender. Tonally, I think the Fender is better. The neck is oh so playable and makes you want to play it for hours on end. Btw, tuning stability is fantastic, even without locking tuners.
I thought I was going to find a comment talking about the silkiness of the Fender tone. It is obvious to me that the Fender has that Classic sound that I always long for in a single coil guitar. I'd pay the extra for the Fender. Clean, transparent and crystal clear tone. Also, the intonation on the Pacifica was off. Thanks so much for the review.
As a recent beginner, I opted for the Yamaha Pacifica PAC112V - HSS with spilt coil humbucker. I've been very happy with it and it sounds great. Having said that, I have little experience with most higher priced guitars and models. I did recently purchase a Michael Kelly Patriot Bold Instinct which is a LP style guitar with dual (separate) split coils for each humbucker. It sounds amazing.
A 612 has been my gigging guitar for about 13 years now so I'm biased, but it really is an incredible guitar which I couldn't imagine not having. I'd say it depends on whether you're going for a vintage sound (Fender) or an all-rounder (Yamaha). The real conversation is in the high-end range; I'd love to see what Yamaha would do with a $1k-$1,500 factory offering of the Pacifica to compete with the American Fenders but they unfortunately don't make it.
I have several Yamaha Pacifica's and the sound is incredible. I polished the frets myself and it's no big deal. The electronics may apear cheaper but the sound quality is way better. I've had some scratchy pots and a little deoxIT cleans/clears it right up. Highly recomend - They are major tone machines!
I've gigged a strat for 25 years and the middle pickup by itself is one of my favorite sounds, and I use it all the time. Great for rhythm or lead, and works well with gainier sounds where you don't want the treble of the bridge pickup. But few other strat players give the middle pickup any love. I guess Nile Rogers uses it a lot, so there's that.
I think it's cause it's too easy to knock the pickup selector switch with your hand while playing live. I'd need a second strat with the switch duct-taped in place if I wanted to use the middle pup.
I'm not a big fan of strats at all.....i hate the quack tones and i think the bridge pick up is pretty horrible but like you , i find the middle pu very versatile, i also like the neck pick up, even more so on a tele ! I have three telecasters where i have strat neck units replacing the normal lipstick unit which i find lack any real character .
The Yamaha in no way looks better, especially the headstock lettering and logo looks cheesey, but I have to say the tuners and vibrato bare give it an edge. I have an American Strat and wanted a little more Imphal so I put a Shaw-bucket at the bride but hated it, I replaced all the pick ups with Fender vintage noiseless and I am much happier with the sound even though all are single coil. These are the pick ups Clapton has used for years and I like them better than humbuckers. On a Les Paul I like the humbuckers but on the Strat to me they sound somewhat tinny or trebley. Not for me, especially if you play a lot of blues.
@@robertjohnson3855 Are you kidding me? Fenders look like they are living in the 60's with rediculous over-sized headstocks and boring body shapes. Talk about cheesey. I have to laugh at all the lemmings who play those over-priced, under-performers just because of the "name". But buy what makes you happy
@@bostonbesteats364 no way man, It's the guitar company's that try to replicate the strat design with a modern twist depending on what decade thay were built whose design go out of date and looks silly just ten years down the road. The classic design wins every time! as you say each too thier own though.
Early '90's entry level Pacifica's are incredible. Today's entry level Pacifica's don't even compare. I miss my old Pacifica. One of my fave guitars of all time.😢😞
I don't know, maybe I am just lucky, but I took some cheap pacifica as a joke for one project, but it appeared to be about as good as any other guitar in my collection.
I have a grear pacifica 112 from 2019. Grear entry lvl guitar. I even made a blind test with my fender telecaster american standard. All my friends thaught that the most beautiful sound was from the Telecaster while it was coming from the pacifica
Thank you for this video and your honest reviews. I bought a Player Series Strat 5 days ago. These two guitars were the final contenders for me based on watching a lot of your videos. :). In the end, I went to the store, played both of them for 30 mins, and went with Fender simply because the neck on one particular Fender felt much better (and I wanted the buttercream colour which is just gorgeous).
Darrell, I have had several Yamaha guitars,brand new and from eBay,quality instruments. The Yamaha guitars I have owned are built well and played well.Don’t have the resale value of Fender.You’re the man,man.
It is a sad player indeed who has to lean on prestige. What it really comes down to is that Fender sounded a tad cleaner, with less overtones, and the Duncan pickups on the Yamaha gave more crunch. That''s going to be a taste thing.
Nice review. I bought my Yamaha about 4 years ago because it was a quality hotrod at a great price and I prefer the less rounded body shape over the fender. I use it mostly with crazy cheap Behringer pedals and a Yamaha THR10 amp. Bang for buck, I couldn't be happier. I'm not playing gigs or anything so it's a perfect home or mobile set up for me.
My old band hosted a weekly Blues-Jam. We'd get lots of really good players. But, if they needed to use one of our guitars, we had a Fender SRV and my old Yamaha EG 112C available. Everybody wanted to play my Yamaha, I think it hurt my lead players feelings a few times.
I have that same Fender Stratocaster, but I purchased it back when it was called a Fender Plus Top Standard Stratocaster. Mine came with a White pick guard and yes it has a six screw tremolo, but I haven’t had any issues with it or tuning issues, it also came with that same finish and was called an “Aged Cherry Burst”. Love that Strat!!
I just love your channel. There's a few guitar review channels out there, but yours is the best by far. I thank u for doing this man, it helps me out a lot. Plus it's entertaining. 🤘
Man I had a Yamaha Pacifica years ago and that thing played awesome....NEVER went out of tune! Best cheap guitar I ever bought....I have prs & Gibson & fender guitars now & I actually thought about buying a Pacifica just for the hell of it😂😂
It's about time Darrell....been waiting for the higher end Yamaha comparison! I would like to know why you are hung up on big pots versus small pots....scientifically speaking?
I love my Player. The alnico pickups sound so good. Always plays great. Always fiddling for settings with my other guitars, the Fender just plays anywhere, and when is dialed in, whoa! But it's the neck. Never had a neck so right, at any price. Got the Fender locking tuners and moved the standard tuners to a Squire Bullet. Don't mind drilling new holes in a $200 guitar for a great upgrade. Good video Darrell
When both guitars were played in single coil mode, I liked the sound of the Fender more. I'm a fan of humbuckers, so I would probably like to get a humbucker in the bridge position on the Fender. I also love the cherry burst finish on the Fender. The dollar spread between the guitars isn't enough to make me go for the Yamaha. If I were to pick between the two guitars, I'd probably go with the Fender. Thanks for a really nice comparison, I really did find this video to be interesting. 👍👍👍
Man!.. I just can't seem to get my hands on a Fender or a Gibson. I commented on another of your videos that Fender turned me down on the credit for an American strat after much dickering back and forth and I didn't net a Fender. Now, I can afford it but didn't want to lay it out all at once. I ended up buying a Mitchell HD400 sunburst with Graphtech, HSS and a split with locking tuners and WOW! What a guitar! Just a dream at a Christmas sale of 249 USD. Same with Gibson. I didn't want to shell out 15+ so I bought and Oscar Schmidt Goldtop and threw some Seymours at it and some tuners and I think I came out clearly on top. So for now...still rocking in a budget world.
Gracias por tu video. La Yamaha es como un automóvil que ya viene "tuneado" ( mejorado ) de serie. Clavijeros Grover, Cejuela Tech, Pastillas Seymor Duncan, puente Wilkinson... etc. La Fender es muy buena guitarra, muy prestigiosa, pero cuesta casi el doble que la Yamaha. Al menos aquí, en España... el precio de la Yamaha roza los 775 euros y esa Fender roza los 1.300 euros, es decir casi el doble. A mí me gustan mucho las Fender, pero esa diferencia de precio es para mí, insalvable.
Instead of cranking the trem arm by the tip, you can spin it in with your finger easily once the threads have caught. Once it hits the spring, it's under tension and you can easily put it wherever you want, where it will stay in place. It's older trems without a spring that strip out the threads and can never bottom out anywhere. The spring-supported screw-in arm is my favorite design, I've never found another that will both allow for easy movement AND stay securely in place once you position it. I have an Ibanez Team J-Craft RG with a pop-in arm with silicone bushing and a replacement bushing in the case. both wore out in the first month of ownership, after relatively infrequent use. The flare-nuts on Floyd Rose bridges are designed to tighten down and stay.
Nice video. I have a 1990 521 (HSH), and a 2016 Am Special. After putting in roller bridges and TUSQ nut and string guides, the Strat is almost on par with the Yamaha for tuning stability. I put a FreeWay 10 position switch in the Strat so it can get the humbucker-esque tones. I think both of these are great guitars. You're right about the Yamaha switches and pots, those need to be changed out one of these days. I bought the Strat used in mint condition for $650 a couple of years back, and I don't have a cost basis for the Yamaha because it was part of a trade. The Yamaha neck is wider and thinner than the Strat, which might be nice for some hands.
Depends on whether you buy guitars with a view to selling them orto play them... Why would you ever sell the pacifica? If you think youll end up selling it, don't buy it in the first place, save your money and buy a guitar you'll keep
@@AllTheRain I've always seen it this way..I think the argument about "re-sale" is a flimsy one. And the way you put it,..you know, the right way,..It completely quells or refutes the argument of "re-sale".
Small pots are no longer a bad thing. The deal is how long do they last? From my entirely emperical observation I change out as many large pots as small ones for myself and friends. It comes down to quailty of construction and materials used. There isn't much difference in the carbon on either size. I did once come across a guitar with wirewound pots. Oh boy was that fun, the owner wanted the same back in, but was complaining about the notchiness. It took a while to explain that new ones would not change anything, in the end I put in normal pots, can't remeber what size.
All day, Yamaha, before even watching the video! I already know! The Pacifica is such great spec checklister...for a funny way of putting it! A rule of thumb I've learnt is : For S & T style guitars, pretty much Fender offers the least value for money, spec-wise, than any brand on the market - with few exceptions. Back in the day, it was the opposite : 95% of other brands doing S & T style guitars were cheaper copies. Now, everything else is an improvement on Fenders offerings. Necessarily so, because without being better than a Fender, they've got no reason for being. It used to be *cheaper* , not better. Now it's *better* , not cheaper.
@@jaymzOG I'd say fenders high end guitars have a "classic fender tone" that no one has quite replicated. Those Strat bridges are so bright and that iconic second and first position feels unbeatable. On top of that the tele tone on the high end instruments of the neck is incredible. I don't think anything gets that "fender tone". Other guitars sound dope, don't get me wrong. Just not like fenders.
@@PhaythGaming I absolutely agree. You buy Fenders for the tone, not because you added up it's features and deemed it better value than the competition - because it just isn't.
The fender player is around 100€ less expensive than the Yamaha in Germany. I picked the Fender, because it’s way more comfortable in my hands. Personal taste and playability are often overlocked by people, who order guitars over the internet based on the spec sheets. I bought grover locking tuners for around 50€ and called it a day. I’m very pleased with my choice
They're both great guitars with lots of cool features. And they each have their pros and cons, for sure. Definitely go play them both, see how they sound and feel in your hands.. Then buy a telecaster. ;) Great review, Darrell!
20 yrs ago I did same comparison Fender Strat v Yamaha Pac812. I also bought Yamaha 1/4 quilted maple top (not veneer) Sperzel locking keys over Fender. Yamaha also sounded better
![Seungmin "그렇게, 천천히, 우리(As we are)" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kAzmhLHePqU/mqdefault.jpg)
Two rivals at it again! Fender and Yamaha! Enjoy :)
Great video as usual Darrell. I own the Player Strat HSS Ltd edition in "Blueburst." You're right. No coil split ability. The Player Tele HH does have a push/pull for coil splitting so I don't know why they didn't do it with the Strat. Love it though, and it might be shallow, but if I'm going to own an S or T type, I want it to say "Fender" on it and I don't mind spending a little extra money to own a small piece of that heritage and pedigree. That said, if someone doesn't care about that sort of thing, save a few bucks and get the Yamaha. Cheers!
Another factor is the Fret radius (and I think width if I remember correctly). I had a 212V. Great guitar. Stayed in tune. Not as sexy as a Fender or Squier. Flatter radius (13 vs 9?). As a budget hack guitarist, I like Squiers, but also appreciate the value of the Yamahas. Hard to find bargains on the 611 or Revstars.
Darrell what's the gray black guitar behind your right shoulder at the beginning
Hey Darrell great video have you done a telecaster shootout before?
I was about to comment to do this vid on your Pacifica video earlier lmao
I have to say yes to the Yamaha.
I think far too many players are kind of blinded by Fender and Gibson being the so-called best guitars.
Yamaha has for years made incredible guitars.
I like Fender but in all honesty, I feel like you pay now more for the name in all price ranges compared to years ago.
Some years ago ,I was in a support band , 3 songs in I snapped the E string , the guitarist from the highlighted band , gave me his Pacifica so I could continue playing , the only difference between my strat and the Pacifica was the Yamaha was a brighter sound - I never noticed any playability issues , in fact I bought one after .
You are definitely paying for the name. A modern G&L plays better than a modern fender but of course the fender cost more. Opinion of course.
I don't have a lot of experience with Yamaha electrics but their acoustic guitars are excellent.
I totally agree! I own 2 Yamaha guitars and they're both fantastic. One of them is 40ish years old too.
You can really get a Stratocaster-guitar for a very much cheaper price, but in better quality and Playability!!!!! I play a CAR-red ESP 400-Series Strat ( production for Europe with pre CBS-head) with 42 annual-rings, bookmatched maple-neck on a serial guitar (!!!!!!!!), the hubs of the frets on the edge of the freetboard are sealed with filling compound, and already the dry sound in aspection of sustain, attack, knack, twang, glasy-wiry-spectre are better and much louder than on every Fender USA-Custom-Shop-Stratocaster till these days (fact!!!) !!! So, this guitar defeats every Custom-Shop-Strat!!!! And for going out i play two different BLADE Texas-Strats-models, who are in quality and sound very close to the ESP, but with flat neck-body-joint, so the playability is much better, to! I´ve forgotten, on my ESP and on the BLADEs the chord opens harmoniously, on most of the Fenders i´ve tested ( different stock-production-guitars an many Custom-Shop-Strats), NOT!!!! So, if the chord don´t open harmoniously ( like on most Fenders) what would i want to do with such a guitar????? Only playing solos?????? For playing rhytm i need the chords-opening-harmoniously, if this is not there, you can throw it into trash!!!!!!!!!!
A basic Pacifica is less than 300$ and is a very good guitar. Incredible sound, confortable neck and you can play all styles of music. I'm a teacher and I recommand it to my pupils. My collegues do as well!
I was between a Yamaha Pacifica 112v (the colors) and Fender Player Strat (made in Mexico). They both have quite a good range of colors (was mostly looking at blue or red with maple necks).
I ended up buying a Cort G290 FAT BBB. I do not regret my purchase. I am quite happy with it actually; because, I can also get some heavy sounds from both the bridge and neck pickups as well.
I always thought of upgrading the pickups later on as I have installed Seymour Duncan 16b and 1n on my first beginner Ievel Ibanez guitar (it really changed the tone btw). However, I did not need it with the Cort g290 fat as its pickups (VTH-77 set) have a character of their own. They felt like Seymour Duncan Hyperion pickups; different sound-wise from SD but very unique sounding.
Is that when you recommend it with force or threat? Lol
Whats crazy is you aren't getting a fender strat for any less than 1000 NEW so how are they compared especially if Pacific's start around 300. Is it a certain model or something that's more comparable
Agree with Yamaha on top overall but the Fender in Positions 2 & 4 was just incredible. That’s Fender tone.
Well said, John, I really thought the same thing, and the cherry burst finish just does it for me. Add a humbucker in the bridge position, and there would be more Fender fun. 👍👍👍
Have you ever checked out the Fender mod shop? It’s a surprisingly deep way to build a sub 2k custom style fender model. I built one with roasted neck, personalized color, pickup choice and layout, bridge, tuners and case for under 2k. I was super impressed.
@@allendean9807 I did my own. I bought a MIM, put on a rail tail, a slimline SD Humbucker in the bridge that’s split, a micro switch to put neck in all combos, locking tuners and coming today is a new Fender neck with black headstock, and built my own custom shop super Strat. The best part of Fender - totally customizable. The only original left is the body lol.
@@johntedesco6304 that’s so cool! I’m going to pull the trigger on this mod shop strat in the coming weeks.
I really enjoyed the site and customization. And, since i always deck my strat terms, having a hard tail stock is very exciting!
Can eq make the yamaha sound like a fender?
My opinion: Yamaha is a players guitar, Fender is a collectors guitar
I love both a lot but if I were gigging every single day I'd probably choose the Yamaha for versatility as well as it being an overall awesome guitar. Id keep the fender as my studio buddy!
Fender on the headstock has A LOT more draw which is why they sell way more than Yamaha. I'd say the Fender looks way cooler, but I'm sure the Yamaha is the superior guitar.
My first guitar Was the yamaha erg121c which I bought used with amp for 90 Euros. Correct me if I am wrong, but I don't think there is a cheaper yamaha guitar. It's a great guitar ! It holds tune F-ing great, the neck feels great too.
I got an ibanez JEMJR-WH for about 500 Euro and the yamaha puts it to shame. I bought a made in Japan boxer strat, and its awesome. It sounds way better than the yamaha but I think that's because of the pickups. Get the yamaha, put on some nice pickups and that's all you're gonna need. I will never sell my cheapo erg121c, because 1 it's so good, and 2 I can experiment with alternative tunings without having to adjust trem. And 3, if it gets dings and dongs I don't give a sh.t ...
I can always recommend yamaha guitars
@@fpvollgasgermany7919 I
Agree
If you can accept that you are paying $200 for the decal, then cool. I've had a Yamaha 604w for over 20 years. I stays in tune and sounds great. My only wish would be a slightly chunkier neck.
Superior in some ways, but not in others.
I gig with a 611 and a 612. The Custom 5 in the bridge is mid-scooped. The slug coil used in single coil mode is great but as a humbucker the mids are lacking. I called Duncan and told them what I liked and disliked. They suggested the 59 Custom Hybrid. That pickup is perfect. It uses the same Custom slug coil for single coil mode and it has a 59 coil for the mids.
scooped mids are a plague. nice switch you made!
@@DavidRFIT Exactly ! It's only ButtHead Metal heads that like scooped mid crap....it just makes everything sound like garbage and everything disappears in the mix.
I'm a newbie. I've been trying to find the difference between the 611 and 612.
Please.. what makes up the price difference?
@@claydowdy9596 the 611 and 612 are very close in price. The difference is the 612 has more pickups. The 611 is a humbucker and a P90 in the neck. The 612 is a humbucker and two Strat single coils.
@@TheBigGuppy Thank you!!
I had a Pacifica in the 90's. Great guitar. I now own a Pacifica 112v HSS split humbucker, came with alnico pickups and satin neck. Only $320. Half the cost of fender with the alnicos. Great guitar.
I has one from the 90s, in natural finish. Pretty good also.
@@vivito- that sounds like my old one, I wondered where it went.
I’m a Pacifica man. I have a 311h in black and it does the job well, very nice package for being only $399.
PAC311H G&B bridge PU *tone* is truly fab, but its output is underwhelming. Beautiful guitar in all other respects, but lacklustre for rock as it comes OOTB. I own & play a 311H too alongside my 612VII,112V Pacificas (& others).
@@theblytonian3906 I agree that the bridge pickup wasn’t made for the heavy stuff, I’m planning on replacing it with a Duncan Custom 5. Everything else I plan on keeping the same for now
@@freakfletch0 That's what I did. It's such a shame, as the original's tone is tops. In retrospect, I'd fit a different replacement PUP from the TB-14 as I did, but I did so before I bought my TB-14 fitted 612V. Great guitar. I like it as much if not more than my 612. The G&B P90 kicks arse.
@@theblytonian3906 I agree that the P90 sounds great
@@freakfletch0 The 311H is a hidden gem. So underated, overshadowed in the attention it deserves in being sandwiched between the 112V/212V & 611H/612V price segments.
I chose the Yamaha when I was searching for an electric guitar. Features for the money, versatility and Yamaha quality. I've owned other Yamaha guitars and saxophones and was comfortable knowing what I would get with their instruments.
I just bought the Yamaha Pacifica.
It was $200 cheaper here than the Fender Player Series.
And for me, a more versatile guitar.
😊😊
You did right - I bought the yamaha 10 years ago and have never regretted it....
Can you split the bridge pickup when the 5-way switch is in position 2? Because if you can, I think you've got all the Strat tones except position 4.
How much its cost bro?
@@mal2ksc as a Yamaha Pacifica owner, yes it does
should've been much more than $200 difference. where are you from?
Pacifica all day long. Beautiful instrument. This might be my next purchase. Looks like a workhorse to me!
I am a huge fan of both! In my latest music video I used a an Yngwie American Strat AND a Pacifica equipped with a P90. They complimented each other very well as far as I could hear. Even though the Pacifica is far less $$$, it absolutely measures up!
I have inherited a Yamaha Pacifica 112 from my BFF who passed away 2 years ago. He had played it so much it needed new frets. My other friend who is a luthier did a refret on it so I could continue playing it in his memory, without changing out the original neck. Let me tell you what a dream it is to play now! It always stayed in tune well even with original hardware. Next I may do some electronics changes, but the rest I'll leave stock. One word of caution, no matter what you do it wont sound quite like a Fender. Close, but not close enough for my ears. The good thing is that's not a deal breaker for me. Great video! Happy New Year Darrell! 🤘😎
Definitely the Yamaha
The big and "authentic" names still haven't learned the lessons that these other names like Yamaha/Schecter/others are definitely making more available with superior options. Brand loyalty is a real thing but it doesn't make a mediocre instrument sound or play better.
Absolutely, I tried a player and ended up with a Schecter Nick Johnson SSS. What a great guitar, especially the roasted neck.
"big and "authentic" names still haven't learned the lessons " - I thought the same until I checked the sales ranks. People still want those "authetic" outdated and inconvenient things, and are willing to pay extra for them. I have both - pacifica and Fender Player, as well as number of other guitars. I would cahnge several things on Fender (and I actually did - locking tuners, other saddles that don't have sticking out screws, TUSQ nut), but it seems that Fender has good sense of the market and produce instruments according to average potential customers expectations. It seems that most people are bying Fenders exactly because of classic look and feel. Fender sold more guitars in last year than any other year in Fender's history. So, who we are to explain them how to make and sell guitars...
I compared the frets and the neck of my pacifica 112 with my telly american standard, a PRS custom and a fender custom shop strat and none of them had such good finishes. The PRS one was close but not so perfect that Pacifica. The two Fenders was below. When you pass your hand along the neck you can feel the frets under your fingers, thing that you dont feel on the pacifica. I know it's incredibile!
I even made a blind test with my telly american standard and the pacifica. My friends thaught that the most beautiful sounds was coming from the Telecaster while it was coming from the pacifica.
I would argue that yamaha are an authentic brand. I'm pretty sure they have been around a lot longer than Fender and making a much broader range of instruments - their pianos for example are extremely high quality. I'm not knocking Fender, I own both a player series strat and tele and they are both great, I just think with this particular guitar Yamaha haven't helped themselves by using the pacifica name, which is widely associated with their lower price point guitars.
@@davidbarlow431 good point! But still, history of guitar music is always associated with Fender and Gibson at the first place, as countless guitar legends played them. Yamaha is associated with Mike Stern... But any other big name?
Darrell, some time ago I was watching one of your reviews of a $4,000.00 guitar and commented that you should do videos on more affordable guitars. I'd just like to say thank you for the the reviews of the more affordable guitars like this one. I still enjoy geeking out on the custom shop and insane import video's you do. You're #1 on RUclips in my books.
Totally agree !!
The Pacifica wins overwhelmingly in my opinion. I didn’t even think they were that good. That tone is beautiful!!!
Thanks for another great video Darrell...I bought my daughter the Fender HSS a year and a half ago for her first guitar and she couldn't be happier.
I love how friendly he talks always
Makes me feel better
He's a Canadian, dude. That's like their basic politeness lol.
The fender sounded a bit more Strat-like (of course), but the Yammi/ Duncan sounded totally excellent expressing it’s own tone. The pots are a non issue since they weren’t actually quality tested… small pots are often as good as or better quality than standard sized.
Agreed, I feel like the only big difference most of the time is the sweep of the knob itself (larger having a slower or smoother taper). Other than the range and how the knob reacts though, if they work they work so no real complaints. 🤷🏽♂️
Both instruments sound pretty good.
My vote goes to the Yamaha! They make a great product for this price class.
The Fender in HSS splits the coil in position 2. It's a humbucker in position 1 and a single coil in position 2 combined with the middle pickup.
As is any HSS.
It's only possible to auto split in position 2 if the humbucker has 4 or more wires. Most certainly not ALWAYS the case.
@@mikehurley5052 not always. Sometime an hss or hsh guitar will have position 2 be humbucker and middle single coil, and position 4 the same
The pacificas also do this
Thanks Darrell. I wish you could do something every day, you are so good and personable at this.
The strat will always be around but that yamaha has amazing value; the three pickups by themselves totals $220.
totally agreed with what you told about the joint and the high frets access... It is incredible there are modern guitars having that classic joint...
I have a Squire, and I thought I would treat myself and buy a Player Series. I took it home, tried it, and honestly I like the Squire better. For over 500 bucks more, I just couldn't see it. I took it back to the store.
I love my two Squiers. Solid build, great sound, and very well priced.
So I'm not saying the modern fenders aren't worth it. I'm not saying that at all, you're comparing a squire to a fender and you're saying that you can't justify the Fender's price so you're keeping the squire. I feel the same exact way about a Mexican fender versus an American fender. Again I'm not saying an American fender isn't better, but for that price tag I simply just cannot justify it. I sometimes feel little to no differences in the models.
I can see that. Squire really gives the mid range fenders a run for their money…
I’ve given up all hope on Fender. G&L 4 lyf
@@mykaljoseph I picked me up an older S500 and a Legacy. I wish I tried G&L sooner
Its funny. But its true.
I know fan players that blindly defend Fender being worth and all...but I feel that Squire makes a better guitar. Kind of like how Epiphone makes a better guitar versus Gibson.
Pacificas are right up there with anything you'd care to play. Like Hagstrom, they represent amazing value for money.
Fender on the headstock also means better resale value, all things considered. How much is that worth? Depends on the player. (I own neither a Fender nor a Yamaha, fwiw.)
Better resale value can be good or bad depending on if you are buying or selling.
Yamaha necks feels cheap .Even higher models feels like 100 bucks guitar.there is so many nice and cheap strat like guitars on market.
@@palagos just sounds like you don't like thinner neck guitars. Thinner doesn't mean cheap. I also prefer fender necks for the most part though.
Totally depends if you ever plan to sell it - I can't imagine selling a guitar I loved enough to buy
yamaha’s neck is really comfortable
I live in Japan. Haven't played Guitar since I moved year over 20 years ago. Figured I wanted to pick it back up. This video got me to pick the 612 as the guitar to buy to get back into it. I was able to get one here, New from Amazon,, delivered to the door and including gig bag for $475 USD!!!! I think the Amazon algorithm saw me viewing it enough it dropped price to induce a buy because it was listed at around 550 USD. Anyhow, this is an amazing piece of Kit and a guitar that makes me want to play! Perfect for getting back into things! Thanks for the guidance! Ohh and I have been here long enough I can hear your Canadian accent even though we never say "A Boot"!
Pacificas are massively underrated
Correct
I agree.
Yamaha is a big big brand of guitars, basses and pianos
@@turbilon3881 bikes and motor boats)
My favourite motorbike was Yamaha XS 650 back in the day.
I have a Yamaha pasifica 120h which is double humbucker with single coil push pull pot. It’s amazing and it’s about 400$ range. I’m not thinking to change anytime soon
I love the Yamaha Pacifica. Disappointed I didn't win the high end mod one. But, I'm OK: I have seven of them. The real point that you should have emphasized - and you should do so with all your reviews - is how the guitar feels: how the body feels to hold and especially how the neck feels to play. How comfortable is it. If these things don't feel good to you then it doesn't matter if the guitar is worth thousands of dollars, its not the right one for you. The Pacifica has it's own unique feel especially the neck profile; quite different than any Fender product. And that is why I love the Pacifica. It just feels so much more comfortable in my hands. I don't care what it costs or what features it has. In short: if the wood feels good everything else can be changed.
Nice work Darrell. I like that you are one of the rare youtuber who appreciates yamaha guitars and gave them a lot of exposure. I owned both brands, and started my first electric guitar on the 112. in my opinion, Yamaha guitars are really underappreciated. they deserve more brand recognition. Good job. 👍
The new editing is amazing!
I love a vibrato/tremolo, but the guitar has to come with locking tuners, a quality nut and roller saddles. These are necessities and I think it's unacceptable that Fender still sells guitars without them. A guitar that won't hold a tune is beneath consideration.
I was just curious of which card guitar is later?
Lighter lol
I mean I have a Mexican made strat with no locking tuners and it holds tuning better than my Gibson Flying V. Although I must admit the trem system low key sucks
Locking tuners aren't really a be-all end-all thing. Regular tuners will do just fine as well if they're made of good stuff. I found that winding as little string around the post as possible helped with keeping finicky tuners from going out.
@@matturner6890 I agree that they can work. I just don't think Fender should be selling guitars with poor bridges and tuners. They have created a cottage industry of people manufacturing bridges and tuners to replace their poor hardware.
I had a hardtail Strat with safety post tuners and it held a tune very well. My current Strat has an oem vibrato bridge and that is just a poor design. The ball bearing and spring meant to hold the arm in place are frustratingly inadequate, and everyone has known this for decades. I upgraded to a Callaham block and arm and it stays wherever I put it.
Another very enjoyable piece. Thanks Darryl. This may be a dumb observation but a big point for the Fender is it sounds like a Fender. It has those iconic Strat tones. And if that is important to the player, you really have to pony up for the Fender. But I like the subtly more warm Duncan single coils. And when you add the bridge humbucker, those tones are music to my ears. I would pick the Pacifica even if they were the same price.
I was going to say something along these lines. The Fender sounded more 'fendery'; I think a little more detailed is the word I'm looking for. I think If I was looking to make some money playing these guitars, I'd probably pay the premium on the Fender...
Totally agree. I don't know if it's the Fender sound (I'm not there yet) but it just sounded better to me.
i agree
@kindface definitely the fender sound, all these other brands are chasing that fender quacky clear tone, they all try to imitate but nobody can ever duplicate. You'll only get that from fender and squire in the CV and or custom shop series ...
The Yamaha sounded more musical to me. I don't really know how to describe the sound other than that. Since I'm not chasing "that Fender sound" the Yamaha would definitely be my choice.
Hey Darrell, I notice you did a lot of Yamaha Pacifica-related videos. I wonder if you heard of the Yamaha Revstar series? Would love to hear your take on that new line of Yamaha guitars that a lot of people seem to be very excited about...
Revstars are awesome!...forget Gibson LP's...a Revstar has the tone plus a pull switch that gives you more options and a better neck
@@thornwivans I already ordered one a few weeks ago, can't wait for it to arrive ;)
I really want one of the green Revstars with the tailpiece and P90s.
I have one.. revstar 320
Chris Buck does alright with one ;)
One thing to consider about fender guitars is the aftermarket parts.. since they’re more ubiquitous, most manufacturers will just consider these models for their designs. That doesn’t mean that Yamaha or others can’t use the aftermarket parts, it’s just a little more research work before you buy them.
That being said a squier Classic vibe will fit most of the standard fender parts.
Agree! I recently restored an old Pacifica, and had a lot of trouble getting the right parts. Wonderful guitars, but not too many spare parts on the market.
Depending on what you're doing, there's loads of parts for Yamahas. If you're looking to restore one to original spec, then it might get tricky. But if you want to upgrade or replace parts, they're everywhere.
@@CristiNeagu Yeah, the bodies tend to be very similar within body styles, so I don't understand the comment re parts. Maybe if you are doing a google search with yamaha parts, but not if you are just buying parts that fit. If you can swap parts on a $75 Glarry to make a superstrat like he did in previous video, then you can do the same thing to swap out parts on a Yamaha.
@@ws8080 True. And it does depend on the age of the guitar too. Pacificas these days come with a Wilkinson bridge, Graphtech-like tuners (not sure if they're actually Graphtech, but the Ratios are drop in replacements), and a Graphtech nut. That's most of the hardware. Electronics should be pretty much off the shelf (Except the Revstar's boost transformer, but that is never going to break). I don't know if the neck joint on a Pacifica fits a Fender neck. I think the spacing of the screws is correct, but the necks Yamaha use are probably narrower than anything Fender does, but you can get one narrow enough from Warmoth. So yeah, they're pretty easy to upgrade as long as you don't want to use original parts.
Based on your video I purchased a Pacifica 612 and could not be more pleased. This is a great guitar. I used it live the other day and gave the Tele I’ve used for the past 50+ years a night off. Nice to play and stays in tune.
Fender for me! It's got that warm tone, especially on the neck. Plus, you can't beat that 2 and 4 spank!
So underrated Yamaha just as good if not better than fender
Many guitars can get that tone. I have a few and none are Fenders.
@@Scott__C of course more guitars can do it, but I've got 6 different models of Fender that do it even when they lack a 2 or a 4, which I've never found a 3 pickup guitar that isn't a Fender, that will deliver that tone.
I love Pacificas - entry level to higher end they're all fantastic. My guitar of choice.
They're ridiculously underrated, imo. I often direct people on the fence about Pacifica guitars to check out Asterism videos, particularly the recent prog-heavy stuff. Hal-Ca really shows what these guitars can do.
Years ago I was in guitar center. Trying out an amp and some mom came up and told me her kid was taking up guitar. She asked about the guitar he picked out. It was some insane looking 200 dollar Dean. I took her over and showed her the pacificas. I told her that he might not to be on stage with one but I think the pacfica is probably the best student guitar there is. They sound great and stay in tune. Built pretty well too.
Good point about the old school neck joint featured on both guitars. My Strat is the 50th Anniversary Model, obviously from 2004. It has a rounded and ergonomic neck joint, very comfortable and practical when reaching for notes located higher than the 15th fret. Why Fender is insisting on sticking with the old style of neck joints is a mystery. It´s certainly not beneficial from a player´s perspective, but perhaps a brand as established as Fender can get stuck into fear of doing changes or upgrades to some of their most requested and legendary models? After all, Fender players can often be notoriously set in their ways.
Well , I wasn't really in the market for another guitar , but thanks Darrell , now I have to get a Yamaha Pacifica for my collection . Nice guitar man.
I have a Squier Deluxe Strat with 3 Hotrails. I upgraded the electronics with CTS pots, an Oak Grigsby switch, a treble bleed and blender mod. I added a Bell Brass sustain block to the trem. I also replaced the neck with a Fender Roasted maple with Kluson locking tuners. Amazing Guitar! With all of the upgrades, still under $600.00.
this fender looks a lot better to my eyes! it just looks gorgeous
I watch every comparison Darrell does as though I'm in the market for either... This channel is so good! Great video, sir.
I have no idea why I always gravitate towards Fender… I am a relative newbie, but I have been around enough to know a little about other brands. For example, my Yamaha A3M acoustic is my favorite to play even over my 2 Taylor acoustics. I have an American Tele and MIM Strat, but never considered the Pacifica until after your two comparison videos. Very informative and entertaining. Thanks for the content!
Good video but I'm actually a bit surprised you didn't mention the fretboard radius difference between the two. The Yamahas are 13.75" (fairly flat) and the Fenders are 9.5" (Pretty rounded)... it makes a pretty huge difference in low action shredding ability and bending.
I actually am glad my parents got me a yamaha eg112 as a kid because the flatter fretboard honestly ended up making me a better player in the long run if I reflect back on my progress / years of learning.
Plus, there is no reasonable downside to have a flatter fingerboard
It's subjective, myself and several others I know would definitely prefer the standard rounded Fender style as its easier to play in my opinion and easier bend notes..
I wish this video had come out back in November when I was shopping for a mid-range guitar. What I ended up with was a Fender Player Mustang, and I do really love it and got a good deal on it brand new from Reverb to put it more within the Pacifica range, but I think if I had done more research I would have probably chosen the Pacifica. Having so many tonal options is a really great thing, and the colors + matching headstock is an amazing touch.
Just an excuse to buy a Yammy now too lol
Honestly you could resell your fender pretty easily and pickup the Yamaha lol. 2nd hand market is hot
I have to say I recently got an used "as new" Buttercream Player Strat and it blew my mind. Never been a fan of MIMs, in fact I only owned MIA Fenders... but I really have to say the Player series is a big step up in comparison to old MIM Standards. That guitar is the best playing Strat I have ever owned or tried, and I owned/tried quite a few MIAs and even custom handbuilts by famous luthiers... Didn't expect that.
MIMs have been excellent quality for a while now.
I was a Telecaster player for many years with the occasional Epiphone Les Paul or Strat sprinkled in for good measure. I moved to Japan and tried a Yamaha 112 and was impressed with it. I can say I have never played a Yamaha, acoustic, or electric I haven't liked, from the top of the line to the entry-level stuff. Some were better than others and over the years I have owned a number of Yamaha guitars. I currently own a 2021 Yamaha 611 with a coil tap humbucker in the bridge and P90 in the neck. It is a rock and blues machine. I chose it over the 612 because I am a sucker for P90s but it just gives me an excuse to go get the 612 next. I am sad to say it gets more playtime than my 2006 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop which was my dream guitar. But the Yamaha, even though it is made in Indonesia, is flawless. In my opinion, they definitely kill the Fender Mexican guitars as I have bought and traded several over the past year, including the Vintera Stratocaster. The Yamaha is definitely worth checking out.
The 600series are sexy as hell. One of the best guitars out there. Good catch.
What a terrific RUclips channel! I’m an aspiring new guitarist (at an older age) and can’t believe how much I’ve learned about guitars and gear watching DBG. There are others out there but this one is the best. Honest reviews with no sponsorship bias is refreshing. As I’ve been trying to decide on what my guitar purchase will be, I was thinking Fender Player vs Yamaha Pacifica 612 (although I still wish I won the Ibanez giveaway, : ) ), and boom, DBG does the comparison. How great is that? A little trouble finding the 612 locally due to shortages (one store has a 611) but the Fenders are plentiful. Also looking at a couple of other DBG review guitars (PRS, Schecter, etc) and having fun with it, knowing the lingo and what to look for. Darrell, if you ever find yourself in Maine, dinner’s on me.
Would like to see this as a 3-way with the G&L Tribute S-500.
I've had MIM/Standard, Amer Std, and a Deluxe Strat....and my S-500 held it's own with the MFD pups....at under $600.
I as well. I have an S-500, and it is a fantastic guitar, but I do wonder if I am missing something not owning a ‘real’ S type.
@@familiarpurrson8744 real? The s-500 is Leo Fender's evolution of the strat. He designed absolutely everything on that guitar, on what he saw were improvements to be made to the original Strat. An S-500 isn't a strat, it's a super strat
love g and l pickups
@@thisistimwoods I can vouch for that , have the S -500 for 9 years and just love it , you can cover just about any music
Over 20 years ago I tried a Pacifica 112 in a music store in Cardiff. Straight out of the box, it was in tune and worked very well and was better overall in finished quality than many other guitars I'd tried.
My USA '57 reissue was probably the poorest Strat I've owned and an 80s Tokai the best.
The Yamaha and upgrade the electronics and it will be still cheaper, is name really important. Maybe it is for some but I rather have value.
Thanks for this comparison Darrell - this is giving us beginners the needed help to navigate.
One remark: the jack position is different and might be an additional criteria.
I had my personal check on both and finally decided to invest a few dollars more and to go for a Shijie STE that you reviewed on your channel
I bought a player telecaster, new, on sale for $499. I saw the strat for the same price. This was about 2 months ago.
Woah good deal
Screaming deal
Then got another $50 taken off for a paint defect near the pocket. Never selling it 😂
They are 800.00 now 😱😭
Thank you for playing the same bit when you did the sound comparison. That's always been kinda important to me.
I can't compare speakers listening to different songs. All must be even and equal.
Always like the price point comparisons on guitars you do ! Maybe you've done it but what about a shoot off between lower priced guitars and how much in mods it would take to make it 'next level '? For example, if you added locking tuners and a graph tech nut to the strat but added better electronics and cleaned up fret end and polished- would either shoot past the other? You've done alot of great videos so if this has been done- sorry!. I just thought to mod them to get closer, which guitar would you need to spend more on(in mods)
Really if you do upgrades even a $50 guitar will be as good as any Really. It's like useing a car body. You can make the car be a corvette zr1 underneath but it be a Malibu base model on the outside. The frame is mostly looks and weight. As long as it's put together and finished well.
Too circumstantial. For example a jazz rig is no good without a humbucker on the neck
QC is much more consistent with neck/body fit on the yamaha in my experience, overall quality is more for the money. The pickups are really the clincher there, one could find the Fender pups used for under 100, one buy them new outright and have the sound with they want, which is what many people do anyway even with new Fenders. I got my daughter a used pac 212vqm, neck alignment and heal pocket were superior to my MIA and MIM strat, the number of strats which I have loosened the screws, pulled on the neck and then tightened to correct the string alignment is way too many, a luthier friend who is also a certified Fender warranty person does this quite often, he says it's just poor workmanship. Anyway, they're both good guitars, all options to consider.
You pay a bit more for the name but the Fender is still a good guitar. Very easy to upgrade if you choose to. Plus a much easier sell second hand and will retain more of its value. The Yamaha is still a quality instrument it must be said.
After watching your great video my conclusion is Fender's selling point today is its unique signature tone. It's every musician's fate to have that Fender tone stuck in the head, so if you want that tone, you have to pay the extra and get the original Fender.
Now, Yamaha tones are awesome, beautiful and very well balanced too. Only different. Yamaha is not just the cost-benefit choice, it's a great choice as well. The chance of an Yamaha owner getting disappointed with their instrument is almost zero.
Having said that, I recently bought my first guitar. It's a Yamaha EG 112 Made in China, their cheapest offer, but still, no cheap sound. It delivers beautiful and balanced sweet guitar tones too. And I feel like I started with an already great and professional instrument. Yamaha instruments kick many asses for sure despite being so underrated.
I've a owned a bunch of Yamaha Pacifica guitars and never had a bad one. But I can't say the same for Fender Stratocasters having owned several of them as well. The Fender name influences most people because of their history and huge player base, but their product quality is less than ideal. The same thing can be said for many Gibson guitars.
My two cents... I own the Player and have tried the Yamaha (also, a friend of mine has the Pacifica). Both are great guitars, you won't go wrong. However, they are less similar than they may seem at first sight. The tones are very different. The only Strat is the Fender. The Yamaha sounds more modern and has higher output (noticeable on the demo). Depending on what you're after, this can be a deal-breaker. I agree about the drawbacks of the Player. However, I love it for what it is.
If you want a modern guitar and very versatile, the Pacifica may be better. If you want a Strat (even an HSS version), go for the Fender. Tonally, I think the Fender is better. The neck is oh so playable and makes you want to play it for hours on end. Btw, tuning stability is fantastic, even without locking tuners.
I thought I was going to find a comment talking about the silkiness of the Fender tone. It is obvious to me that the Fender has that Classic sound that I always long for in a single coil guitar. I'd pay the extra for the Fender. Clean, transparent and crystal clear tone. Also, the intonation on the Pacifica was off. Thanks so much for the review.
As a recent beginner, I opted for the Yamaha Pacifica PAC112V - HSS with spilt coil humbucker. I've been very happy with it and it sounds great. Having said that, I have little experience with most higher priced guitars and models. I did recently purchase a Michael Kelly Patriot Bold Instinct which is a LP style guitar with dual (separate) split coils for each humbucker. It sounds amazing.
A 612 has been my gigging guitar for about 13 years now so I'm biased, but it really is an incredible guitar which I couldn't imagine not having. I'd say it depends on whether you're going for a vintage sound (Fender) or an all-rounder (Yamaha).
The real conversation is in the high-end range; I'd love to see what Yamaha would do with a $1k-$1,500 factory offering of the Pacifica to compete with the American Fenders but they unfortunately don't make it.
I have one. USA2 Yamaha. Check it out. You don't buy a Yamaha for trade in value but when you play one you usually keep it like my 302s.
I have several Yamaha Pacifica's and the sound is incredible. I polished the frets myself and it's no big deal. The electronics may apear cheaper but the sound quality is way better. I've had some scratchy pots and a little deoxIT cleans/clears it right up. Highly recomend - They are major tone machines!
I've gigged a strat for 25 years and the middle pickup by itself is one of my favorite sounds, and I use it all the time. Great for rhythm or lead, and works well with gainier sounds where you don't want the treble of the bridge pickup. But few other strat players give the middle pickup any love. I guess Nile Rogers uses it a lot, so there's that.
I thought I was the only one that thinks that.
I think it's cause it's too easy to knock the pickup selector switch with your hand while playing live. I'd need a second strat with the switch duct-taped in place if I wanted to use the middle pup.
I'm not a big fan of strats at all.....i hate the quack tones and i think the bridge pick up is pretty horrible but like you , i find the middle pu very versatile, i also like the neck pick up, even more so on a tele ! I have three telecasters where i have strat neck units replacing the normal lipstick unit which i find lack any real character .
Wow! I wasn't expecting that! I like both, and own both Yamaha and Fender guitars! I will have to look into the Pacifica. Thanks!
Yamaha looks better and sounds better. BTW Darrell, you can also get the 612 with a satin neck.
The Yamaha in no way looks better, especially the headstock lettering and logo looks cheesey, but I have to say the tuners and vibrato bare give it an edge. I have an American Strat and wanted a little more Imphal so I put a Shaw-bucket at the bride but hated it, I replaced all the pick ups with Fender vintage noiseless and I am much happier with the sound even though all are single coil. These are the pick ups Clapton has used for years and I like them better than humbuckers. On a Les Paul I like the humbuckers but on the Strat to me they sound somewhat tinny or trebley. Not for me, especially if you play a lot of blues.
@@robertjohnson3855 Are you kidding me? Fenders look like they are living in the 60's with rediculous over-sized headstocks and boring body shapes. Talk about cheesey. I have to laugh at all the lemmings who play those over-priced, under-performers just because of the "name". But buy what makes you happy
@@bostonbesteats364 no way man, It's the guitar company's that try to replicate the strat design with a modern twist depending on what decade thay were built whose design go out of date and looks silly just ten years down the road. The classic design wins every time! as you say each too thier own though.
@@elwolf8536 "companies" dude
@@bostonbesteats364 me and my dyslexia 🙈
Early '90's entry level Pacifica's are incredible. Today's entry level Pacifica's don't even compare. I miss my old Pacifica. One of my fave guitars of all time.😢😞
I don't know, maybe I am just lucky, but I took some cheap pacifica as a joke for one project, but it appeared to be about as good as any other guitar in my collection.
@@SergeiVlassov Nyeece...😁👍
I have a grear pacifica 112 from 2019. Grear entry lvl guitar. I even made a blind test with my fender telecaster american standard. All my friends thaught that the most beautiful sound was from the Telecaster while it was coming from the pacifica
@@gargotier6124 That's awesome! Maybe I just got a lemon that was made in a different factory 🤷♂️.
@@johnwisehart9344 yes, probably. I know that I can buy a Yamaha instrument with my eyes closed.
Thank you for this video and your honest reviews. I bought a Player Series Strat 5 days ago. These two guitars were the final contenders for me based on watching a lot of your videos. :).
In the end, I went to the store, played both of them for 30 mins, and went with Fender simply because the neck on one particular Fender felt much better (and I wanted the buttercream colour which is just gorgeous).
Darrell, I have had several Yamaha guitars,brand new and from eBay,quality instruments.
The Yamaha guitars I have owned are built well and played well.Don’t have the resale value of Fender.You’re the man,man.
It is a sad player indeed who has to lean on prestige. What it really comes down to is that Fender sounded a tad cleaner, with less overtones, and the Duncan pickups on the Yamaha gave more crunch. That''s going to be a taste thing.
Nice review.
I bought my Yamaha about 4 years ago because it was a quality hotrod at a great price and I prefer the less rounded body shape over the fender. I use it mostly with crazy cheap Behringer pedals and a Yamaha THR10 amp. Bang for buck, I couldn't be happier. I'm not playing gigs or anything so it's a perfect home or mobile set up for me.
My old band hosted a weekly Blues-Jam. We'd get lots of really good players. But, if they needed to use one of our guitars, we had a Fender SRV and my old Yamaha EG 112C available. Everybody wanted to play my Yamaha, I think it hurt my lead players feelings a few times.
I have that same Fender Stratocaster, but I purchased it back when it was called a Fender Plus Top Standard Stratocaster. Mine came with a White pick guard and yes it has a six screw tremolo, but I haven’t had any issues with it or tuning issues, it also came with that same finish and was called an “Aged Cherry Burst”. Love that Strat!!
Pacificas are great and very underrated instruments but the Fender has THE tone. If you are after that sound that's where you'll find it.
I just love your channel. There's a few guitar review channels out there, but yours is the best by far. I thank u for doing this man, it helps me out a lot. Plus it's entertaining. 🤘
Man I had a Yamaha Pacifica years ago and that thing played awesome....NEVER went out of tune! Best cheap guitar I ever bought....I have prs & Gibson & fender guitars now & I actually thought about buying a Pacifica just for the hell of it😂😂
It's about time Darrell....been waiting for the higher end Yamaha comparison! I would like to know why you are hung up on big pots versus small pots....scientifically speaking?
Yamaha=quality. I don’t care if it’s motorcycles, guitars, or anything else.
Cool review! What about the Revstars? It would be cool to see a Revstar 502/620 review.
I love my Player. The alnico pickups sound so good. Always plays great. Always fiddling for settings with my other guitars, the Fender just plays anywhere, and when is dialed in, whoa! But it's the neck. Never had a neck so right, at any price. Got the Fender locking tuners and moved the standard tuners to a Squire Bullet. Don't mind drilling new holes in a $200 guitar for a great upgrade. Good video Darrell
I love Yamaha's I own a revstar and it's great, but if you want authentic Strat tone it's the Fender.
When both guitars were played in single coil mode, I liked the sound of the Fender more. I'm a fan of humbuckers, so I would probably like to get a humbucker in the bridge position on the Fender. I also love the cherry burst finish on the Fender. The dollar spread between the guitars isn't enough to make me go for the Yamaha. If I were to pick between the two guitars, I'd probably go with the Fender. Thanks for a really nice comparison, I really did find this video to be interesting. 👍👍👍
Man!.. I just can't seem to get my hands on a Fender or a Gibson. I commented on another of your videos that Fender turned me down on the credit for an American strat after much dickering back and forth and I didn't net a Fender. Now, I can afford it but didn't want to lay it out all at once. I ended up buying a Mitchell HD400 sunburst with Graphtech, HSS and a split with locking tuners and WOW! What a guitar! Just a dream at a Christmas sale of 249 USD. Same with Gibson. I didn't want to shell out 15+ so I bought and Oscar Schmidt Goldtop and threw some Seymours at it and some tuners and I think I came out clearly on top. So for now...still rocking in a budget world.
Something about that Fender tone is just amazing! It is worth the extra money for that tone in my humble opinion. You pay for what you get.
Harder to set intonation and mini pots? Seems like you had to search pretty hard to find a fault with the Yamaha.
Gracias por tu video.
La Yamaha es como un automóvil que ya viene "tuneado" ( mejorado ) de serie.
Clavijeros Grover, Cejuela Tech, Pastillas Seymor Duncan, puente Wilkinson... etc.
La Fender es muy buena guitarra, muy prestigiosa, pero cuesta casi el doble que la Yamaha.
Al menos aquí, en España... el precio de la Yamaha roza los 775 euros y esa Fender roza los 1.300 euros, es decir casi el doble.
A mí me gustan mucho las Fender, pero esa diferencia de precio es para mí, insalvable.
Es una Player series de las hechas en Mexico así que el precio ronda mas los 700
Instead of cranking the trem arm by the tip, you can spin it in with your finger easily once the threads have caught. Once it hits the spring, it's under tension and you can easily put it wherever you want, where it will stay in place. It's older trems without a spring that strip out the threads and can never bottom out anywhere. The spring-supported screw-in arm is my favorite design, I've never found another that will both allow for easy movement AND stay securely in place once you position it. I have an Ibanez Team J-Craft RG with a pop-in arm with silicone bushing and a replacement bushing in the case. both wore out in the first month of ownership, after relatively infrequent use. The flare-nuts on Floyd Rose bridges are designed to tighten down and stay.
Really liked the Yamaha but something about the Fender tone is better.I have a MIM Tele it is my favorite guitar.
Nice video.
I have a 1990 521 (HSH), and a 2016 Am Special. After putting in roller bridges and TUSQ nut and string guides, the Strat is almost on par with the Yamaha for tuning stability. I put a FreeWay 10 position switch in the Strat so it can get the humbucker-esque tones.
I think both of these are great guitars. You're right about the Yamaha switches and pots, those need to be changed out one of these days. I bought the Strat used in mint condition for $650 a couple of years back, and I don't have a cost basis for the Yamaha because it was part of a trade. The Yamaha neck is wider and thinner than the Strat, which might be nice for some hands.
Fender on the headstock will always have the re-sale value over the Pacifica.
Depends on whether you buy guitars with a view to selling them orto play them... Why would you ever sell the pacifica? If you think youll end up selling it, don't buy it in the first place, save your money and buy a guitar you'll keep
@@AllTheRain
I've always seen it this way..I think the argument about "re-sale" is a flimsy one.
And the way you put it,..you know, the right way,..It completely quells or refutes the argument of "re-sale".
Small pots are no longer a bad thing. The deal is how long do they last? From my entirely emperical observation I change out as many large pots as small ones for myself and friends. It comes down to quailty of construction and materials used. There isn't much difference in the carbon on either size. I did once come across a guitar with wirewound pots. Oh boy was that fun, the owner wanted the same back in, but was complaining about the notchiness. It took a while to explain that new ones would not change anything, in the end I put in normal pots, can't remeber what size.
Definitely a stretch for him to view them as he did. Agree.
All day, Yamaha, before even watching the video! I already know! The Pacifica is such great spec checklister...for a funny way of putting it!
A rule of thumb I've learnt is : For S & T style guitars, pretty much Fender offers the least value for money, spec-wise, than any brand on the market - with few exceptions.
Back in the day, it was the opposite : 95% of other brands doing S & T style guitars were cheaper copies.
Now, everything else is an improvement on Fenders offerings. Necessarily so, because without being better than a Fender, they've got no reason for being. It used to be *cheaper* , not better. Now it's *better* , not cheaper.
What would you say Fender actually does well?
@@jaymzOG I'd say fenders high end guitars have a "classic fender tone" that no one has quite replicated. Those Strat bridges are so bright and that iconic second and first position feels unbeatable. On top of that the tele tone on the high end instruments of the neck is incredible. I don't think anything gets that "fender tone". Other guitars sound dope, don't get me wrong. Just not like fenders.
@@PhaythGaming can't really argue with that
@@PhaythGaming I absolutely agree. You buy Fenders for the tone, not because you added up it's features and deemed it better value than the competition - because it just isn't.
@@jaymzOG Better resale value.
The fender player is around 100€ less expensive than the Yamaha in Germany.
I picked the Fender, because it’s way more comfortable in my hands.
Personal taste and playability are often overlocked by people, who order guitars over the internet based on the spec sheets.
I bought grover locking tuners for around 50€ and called it a day.
I’m very pleased with my choice
They're both great guitars with lots of cool features. And they each have their pros and cons, for sure. Definitely go play them both, see how they sound and feel in your hands.. Then buy a telecaster. ;)
Great review, Darrell!
This guy gets it.
20 yrs ago I did same comparison Fender Strat v Yamaha Pac812. I also bought Yamaha 1/4 quilted maple top (not veneer) Sperzel locking keys over Fender. Yamaha also sounded better