The SG 2000 of the 80/90’s was very well respected and used by many “Pro’s” as a genuine alternative to a Les Paul! Don’t know why, but for some reason they seemed to discontinue it! It’s on my bucket list and I still hope to own one, one day!
Absolutely and not just there electric guitars some of there acoustics are very good, I had one as a child in the 70's that was a brilliant guitar made in japan, I wish I still had it.
@@baeshev Couldn't be more wrong. Been playing, gigging and teaching for 50+ years. Yamaha is best best bang for the buck, of the many brands I've tried. Read the other comments. And this is clearly not an ad, as he was critical of a few things.
@@philcig I never tried any Yamaha product that is not in the perfect balance (or more) money/quality... Guitars, Hi-Fi, Motors... anything... Yamaha is a VERY GOOD/Excellent company
@@baeshev Have to agree with the other two. Yamaha guitars are amazing. I have a Pacifica 112 (upgraded by now) and a 611 plus a Revstar 320 (also upgraded). They all felt amazing out of the box but of course for gigging I upgraded the 112 and 320, but for a beginner or as a mod platform probably some of the best guitars you can buy and if you go higher up to 611 for example, you get gig ready guitars that any pro could easily use out of the box. If you actually had a bad first Yamaha (which can happen with any guitar, especially if you had a 112 for example), then you could have just given it back and try out another one. You simply can't say all Yamaha guitars are bad if you only tried one. And how did you see it was bad wood? (better question: What is bad wood?)
Yamaha guitars are the only guitars I buy without even testing. Can't go wrong. I've 3x more expensive guitars and my Yamahas don't feel 3X cheaper at all. So underrated! Please, review a Revstar. You'll be amazed too.
Even i better stick with Pacifica standard rather than Ibanez Gio/Squier series. Its just something that 1 package. Got like strats feels body, neck PU sounds, and ibanez funky sounds
@@michalinkowski2521used prices on Pacificas are just 🤩 been wanting to put a shred instrument on my radar, and it’s either gonna be one of these Pacificas or a Michael Kelly super Strat. Both instruments played like butter when I tried them and produced clear signals with responsive volume & tone pots.
Damn nice guitar. I work for Yamaha and I get a huge employee discount on gear. So it’s all I use. But the price means nothing if it doesn’t sound and play great, and there’s no issues there. Great stuff
Hah! I STILL have a Bandit 65 that sounds just as good today as it did 35 years ago!😁 Of course, I don't have anything like this Yamaha to run through it, but my Silvertone SIK-1/CBL is almost as good.😉
I know a lot of you guys have been requesting a higher-end Pacifica or Revstar demo on the channel so enjoy! VIDEO SECTIONS: 1. This Guitar has killer specs! - 1:18 2. What does it sound like? - 3:39 3. One Minute Solo! - 5:55 4. What is the build quality like? - 7:25 5. What is it like to play? - 10:06 6. So...Is it worth buying? - 11:15 Guitar link: imp.i114863.net/a1OM2o Enjoy!
Dude. I crap you not I JUST got mine in the mail today and was contemplating sending you an email to see if you'd like to review it. Looks like you beat me to it!
Pacifica's look like a consistently good affordable Strat alternative. But, I'm really looking forward to you doing a review and Demo of a Revstar. It seems to have a particularly useful voice/tone, and set of features. Thanks
@@DarrellBraunGuitar thanks mate, I am learning young lust by pink Floyd as we speak. I'm not much of a guitar player (yet) but I absolutely love this thing!
I’ve had my Pacifica for two weeks now and love it. I picked up the natural wood tone because it has the satin neck. Darrell was spot on in the review.
Holy crap man. I’ve had a Pacifica in the HSS configuration for 10 years now and this is seriously making me thinking about slapping them pick ups in it
Hell, man. Those specs at that price, why the hell isn't Yamaha making a damn MINT off this model? This is seriously FANTASTIC for the price range. I think I need to buy one myself.
A lot of bricks and mortar stores don't carry them, or maybe just the low end ones, preferring to load up on the more prestigious and popular brands, so while you can find them online, it's sometimes hard to find a good selection in a store where you can compare them to the competition. That makes a huge difference. I was completely shocked to find an inexpensive Pacifica having better sounding pickups than several far more expensive Fenders. Not as nice a finish, etc, of course, but at that time all I was interested in was how they sounded, as I was comparing amps.
Yamaha makes great stuff. I have been playing an old SE150 (from the 80's) for about 7 years now. After purchasing the first one I had to get another. Each under 100 bucks. They're indestructable, always in tune and no need to change the stock pickup. One pickup, one volume knob, that's all you get ... that's all I need. My other guitars have been sitting untouched for these 7 years.
@@edub1170 i like it. Although im kinda still not used to the super flat fretboard. Like 14.75 radius . I like to play lots of power chords. Its a little too flat for me. Still a great guitar dont regret it. But i wont get such a flat fretboard next time.
I just bought this exact same guitar, color and everything, a couple months ago as my first electric, so it's really cool to see you do a video on it. It looks every bit as beautiful in person!
I've been playing my Pacifica since 1996. It's in great shape, has a great set up , and I never tire of the gloss black body with a white pick guard. It looks cool. I simply love this guitar and use it to play out in my band.
I have two Pacificas and they've been great. I'm sure most folks already know this, but you can take some 0000 steel wool or a 2000-2500 grit scotch pad to that gloss finish and it gets nice and satiny slick if you want a faster neck. A higher quality switch, pots and jack are good future upgrade ideas, but the guitar gives a good bang for the buck.
Not surprising that Yamaha would make such a high quality guitar in this price range. Yamaha did make the SG2000 the most beautiful guitar in the 70s Carlos Santana certainly loved it.
Nice demo, Darrell. It's a gorgeous guitar, and I'm a Seymour Duncan fan, so the sound is gorgeous, too. "Comfort cuts" are something I look for, and these look good. All the hardware seems better than necessary - a big plus.
Darrel, It's always inspiring to see youtube gurus like yourself, who will happily feature lower cost guitars, despite owning a collection of guitars each costing ££££ or CAN $$$$$. As a left hander, Yamaha only make the Pacifica 112JL in their Pacifica range. Enter the Yamaha Pacifica Guitar Modification Group and models like this excellent Pacifica 612 can demonstrate what is possible to custom shop the hell out of a 112. I got my first guitar, a Pacifica 112L, in 1993 for £219 because industry insiders told me they thought Yamaha were selling the Pacifica 112 as a 'Loss Leader' because it should cost £300 to £350 for its spec and build quality. So I bought one before Yamaha realised they had put the wrong price label on it. Fast forward almost 3 decades and the 112J is still around the £199 price point. There's a saying that if you can live without the Fender or Gibson logo on your guitar headstock, then your guitar is a Yamaha! Thanks again for an excellent video that is educational, entertaining and honest.
Had one of these come through my shop a couple of months ago for a setup. I was completely blown away by it. I couldn't believe how good it was for a sub $1000 guitar.
Came for the review, stayed for the music! I have an older Yamaha RGX312, and I keep telling everyone that Yamaha is super underrated. They make quality guitars at great prices. Love the channel!
Yamaha not only makes some of the sickest guitars, but some of the best car exhausts on the planet as well, listen to the LFA! The thing is a damn demon from heaven!
They're great at everything they do. The DX-7 catches a bunch of grief now, but its a 40 year old synthesizer, and when my stepdad got one brand new it was cutting edge. Yamaha just has a lot of pride in what they do and it shows.
Way back (c. 1972) I bought a 2nd hand Yamaha acoustic -- I think it was a copy of a Gibson, maybe Hummingbird with the flowers on the scratchplate. I loved that guitar, and it launched me on my professional career. The action was fantastic for an acoustic, and the sound was sweet, though not loud. Good memories.
I have a Yamaha Pacifica that I've had for nearly 20 years. Did a lot of mods on it over that time but I still come back to it because of how it feels. And it was an entry level one.
I LOVE Yamaha - everything they make is good. I have several Pac 112J and 112V electrics, a couple FGX 800 acoustics, and an RBX 5 bass. All their gear is giggable, affordable and punches way over its weight class!
One of the best 1 minute solos I have Mr Braun play in his youtube videos. Neat, clean, and crisp playing, along with well timed awesome techniques, and beautiful mastery in the application of arpeggios and perfect use of scales, this dude's playing is impeccable!
@Darrell Braun Guitar, I would encourage you to suggest to Yamaha that they make another deal with Warmoth to do compound radius, slim profile necks on their current high end Pacificas. Similar to what they did for the same series in the late 80's/early 90's. Those Pacifica guitars were some of the best ever made and are still highly desirable to this day. Great review on a real hidden gem of a guitar. 👍
I just bought the 611, P90/humbucker version with the hardtail. It's the same feeling like this guitar when you play it, in terms of tone quality and playability. You're one of the best guitar vloggers, Darrell, you always pay attention to details and review each guitar and its quality with enthusiasm. And you're good and a legit player as well, and that's what makes you different and separates from other mediocre bloggers here. Keep up the great work, Sir...Thank you for what you do. And keep up the great work...😊
I bought the version of this with just the clear wood grain and no colour, about 2 months ago, as my first guitar ever. It's gorgeous and amazing and mine and I love it.
after a month research about my first electric guitar in this price, i decided to go with this luckily i am indonesian and here they sold at price 6700K IDR or 431,26 USD, don't know why its cheaper here 200$ less but i looked into some other sites outside indonesia and they're selling this at 650$ and more some ever 799$ (current date now i'm seeing the price is in late 2023, maybe change over time) the guitars i was considering were : ibanez jem jr >2020 series ibanez RG350DXZ >2018 series epihone les paul
Yamaha is a HUGE "name" in the music industry and they are well known and respected. look at drums, keyboards, mixers, monitors, home gear, you see the name everywhere.Guitar guys are just so backward sometimes with their devotion to the Fender/Gibson duopoly!
@@bob420ert true. Pretty sure they started that after WWII left demand for the motorcycles that inspired Harley’s and such. However, they obviously diversified their range of cycles a bit more than Harley did. Definitely one of my favorite corporations since they bring so much quality for the consumer/musician.
I 100% agree I've been playing on a Yamaha rbx765a active 5-string for the last 18 years and just recently switched to a Yamaha trbx 605 FM. You couldn't give me a different brand bass guitar Warwick, Schechter, Fendurr. Maybe a Fedora but I'd be afraid to play it. The playability and sound of their mid-range stuff is overlooked and underrated to an extent that's disgusting.
I bought one for my son a couple years ago, and it's sooooo good. The fretboard is amazing. Tuning is spot on. It came with Duncan pickups. I was blown away.
I've been telling it over and over for the past fifteen years: 1) yamaha guitars are good value for the money spent; 2) high-end yamahas (electric and acoustic) would definetely deserve a wider recognition
Before buying my first electric guitar, last February, I did some market research before pulling the trigger. In the end it was a Yamaha Pacifica 311 for 299€ which includes: - Grover Locking Tuners - Graph Tech Black TUSQ XL nut - String trees - P90 and Humbucker pickups - Humbucker coil split - Alder body with maple neck and rosewood fingerboard Couldn't be happier for so many great features at an amazing price, even more considering it is a brand with such reputation as Yamaha.
I've had a Yamaha SJ550HR T deluxe style (Spinnex coil splitting humbuckers) since 1983. I absolutely love that guitar! I wish they would bring back and update those!
I picked one just like this one on a special buy last year. Both of my American strats sit in their cases most of the time. I was very surprised by my Pacifica 612 since I picked it up for only $500. I will probably never get rid of my fenders but I tend to gravitate to the Yamaha and my G&L a lot more. That from a 25 year strat user. Both the G&L and the Yamaha were bought online on a whim. I took steel wool to the back of the neck on the pacifica to improve the feel no big deal for a $500 guitar. I did polish the frets a bit and gave it a proper set up now the pacifica is one of my favorites. I also like the trem way better than the strat. With it against the body no problem with alternate tunings and it feels much more solid.
I have transformed my Pacifica 112V into a new version very similar to this one (I put DiMarzio pickups, locking tuners, changed the bridge, put graph tech sting trees, and done many other improvements) and it sounds awesome now; the neck is one of the best I ever played.
Hey man, i have pacifica 212 vfm, i don't really have some reference for the locking tuners, do you have any recomendation or brand for locking tuners? I found so many locking tuners online but they require bolt to attach them into the headstock, and i dont want to drill my headstock.
@@bryanlemeilleurtexas, do you guys know if it is possible to upgrade a Pacifica 112j (Grover Locking / Wilkinson VS50 / Seymour Duncan SSL-1, SSL02 RwRp, TB-14 ) ?
I bought me one of these due to Darrell’s reviews. I could not be happier with this guitar. I actually used it in place of the Tele I’ve been using for the past 50 years. Love it
I saw Dio and his guitarist Craig Goldy I believe. I was not familiar with him and he was awesome guitarist. I couldn't figure out the guitar he was using. It was a high end Yamaha. His sound was awesome. It really made me rethink Yamaha.
Thanks for an excellent review, Darrell. I collect old secondhand Yamaha classical guitars, and also have a late model F310 acoustic. I have had 2 other Yamaha guitars stolen in the past. I still want a Pacifica. A Pacifica can stand next to a Fender Strat of similar grade on equal footing at any time, and beat the Strat price by $100+ . (but I still would love a Strat! :-D) Yamaha anything is QUALITY. It doesn't really matter whether it's Made in Japan NipponGakki, or if its made in Taiwan, or Indonesia, the specs and quality control are absolutely consistent in every guitar leaving the factory. Whether its their pianos, keyboards, drums, acoustic or classical guitars, or their electric guitars, you always get an EXCELLENT product for the price. Greetings from South Africa,.
I bought this guitar entirely on your recommendation and couldn't be happier. You were dead on on every aspect of your evaluation. I have more guitar than ability but having a beautiful guitar lends to practice.
Darrell, certainly a beautiful looking "sleek" guitar in your video..... ........i have a Pacifica here , such a lovely instrument. 112 When NEW, this Pacifica here got it's frets "stoned" and then some Kent Armstrong pick ups in and a coil Split switch......so literally after only a couple of weeks after being from the store, with those mods, the guitar played like a dream (....it's feeling was like an instrument you have known and played a long long while "years even"........feeling like that after only a couple of weeks. best wishes Darrell vin
Ive considered these in the past, the humbucker in bridge and p90 at the neck model especially. Put this right there with the G&L tributes, Sire S7s and Schecter Nick Johnston as off brand s styles on my radar. The Schecter is still slightly ahead but its also the most expensive of the grouping. Thanks for looking at this Darrell.
You sure love your Pacificas! Honestly some pretty phenomenal guitars for the money, and I actually think I prefer the slight alterations to the body shape and horns, from an original Strat!
Guitar newb here. Got a Pacifica 612 as my first electric (I'm 65 and have not picked up a guitar in forty years.) Got the last demo model from Sweetwater for a pretty good discount (20% off). Love it so far but still early days.
Thanks for this. I have a Pacifica 212 that I got in '97. Honestly it plays and sounds better than similar expensive guitars. It's my favorite of all of mine. I am going to probably get a 612 soon as soon as I can find one on sale. They are on sale no where right now and I do not want a used one. I'm really glad you demonstrated volume pot swells because I was really curious as I do those sometimes. Love how it sounded in this demo, so thanks for showing that.
Yamaha is a HUGE "name" in the music industry and they are well known and respected. look at drums, keyboards, mixers, monitors, home gear, you see the name everywhere.Guitar guys are just so backward sometimes with their devotion to the Fender/Gibson duopoly!
@@joetspaulding Guitar snobs is more like it, haha. I've had a mid 80's USA Jackson RR V that played terrible at the time, yet my 02 Korean Wolfgang is probably the best guitar I've ever owned. I don't pay for the name, or feel embarrassed playing a Squire Strat. I own 3, set up the way I want and are great. Cheaper guitars have come a LONG way from the 80s. These younger players are lucky, you definitely get more for your buck now. Which is great!
Beautiful guitar. As already stated by others Yamaha’s are underrated as mid range guitars. Found an old 112, oiled the fretboard and put on fresh strings and it’s a beauty to play.
Gday, I bought 2, a 612 iiMFX fired red & a 611 VFM Tbs. Played them thru a marshall MG100HFX. More than happy with them, your reviews are accurate. Thanks. Basic set ups good, intonation on the 611 needed adjustment on most strings, the 612 on no.3 string , only. String heights, pup setting, nut take off, fret quality, finish etc no drama. No blemishes in any area I can assess. Cheers
Can we know why Yamaha stopped producing the high end guitars passed the 600 series ? I have a 812W from 2003 and that's much better than this, sperhel back wheel locking tuners, fretwork has better satin finish, contoured heel joint, Wilkinson gotoh vibrato, Duncan Seymour's HSS. I would definitely buy another one from them as the fender American pro 2 series doesn't even compare.
I agree with Darrell. I bought a translucent black version of the Yamaha 612vii to replace the 80s Fender American Standard strat I sold 6 years ago. I looked at new Fender Player strat and several others in the $800 to 900 range. I normally buy Fenders and I thought Yamaha an inferior guitar. This instrument is the perfect blend of tone, design and technology. This guitar is not only a tone monster but is beautiful thing. With the setup I got from Sweetwater it came right out of the box and into my grubby hands and hasn’t left. I play lead in a folk rock/pop band and this guitar plays easy, sounds great, fit and finish is as good as a $1500 guitar, stays in tune and is an all around pleasure. I own a custom Fender Tele and a PRS strat and this is the one for me.
That is a lot of guitar for the money, I have an older Pacifica which I consider to be as good as anything I have played in my 43 years of playing guitar, Yamaha are so underrated, great vid as always.
Great review Derrell and playing. You saved me money I bought the Pacifica with P90 and humbucker w/out the trem. I have two guitars with mucked up trems. A '96 American Std Strat I fitted recently with a Hipshot trem and an Ibanez Ibanez RG920QM (Floyd Rose type trem). I've been looking for another hardtail to add to my collection and was going to spend more. The Pacifica may be my goto guitar and be a great stablemate to my American Std SG with P90s (no neck cracks ;-) Can't wait for it to arrive! Bought a nice case too better than the one I got for my SG. I dumped my Gibson snobbery years ago and the Ibanez was proof to me that American made is not the best. I've never bought a Gibson that didn't need a setup or some other fix!
I've had my original 612v (not V2) for many years, I really do love it. It didn't have Seymour's in neck and middle, so I added a cool rails in the neck and vintage rails in the middle. Nice combination of tones. Really pleasing to play, it just feels nice - which so many guitars don't!
I luv my pacifica old violin burst 120 yamaha fg180 was my entry to this company props to yamaha got me playing proficiently way back in the late 60's 🎸🎸👍👍
Great guitars! I put SD Little '59s in neck and middle, and a SD Hyperswitch in it... OMG ... Absolutely love it. Plays so good, and feels really good in your hands!!!
What a great guitar! More demo suggestions: - Eastwood SD 40 and/or DiPinto Galaxie 4. These guitars have FOUR single-coil pickups, each one with its own on/off switch! The Eastwood SD 40 is a reissue of the Kawai SD 40 - Epiphone 1966 Century reissue. A hollowbody electric guitar with no cutaway that James Bay is known for playing - Brian May Red Special. Need I say more?
The upper bout needs to be a little bit less carved out, like a Fender. There is something about that upper cutaway that I wrong. But he made it sound great. Parts sounded super great, like you could not sound much better.
Yamaha: "Here you are, the best motorcycle money can buy is now yours, congratulations! Can we help with something else?" X: " Yeah, I was actually looking for a guitar, do you have any suggestion where can I go to?" Yamaha: "You are not going to believe this..."
@@jensnilsson1507 I got a white 311 in october, didn't put it down since. A workhorse that withstands hours upon hours of practice, then holds its own while recording compared to other more expensive axes. I sincerely recommend everyone a Yamaha guitar.
Such beautiful instrument. I am waiting for mine right now. I know it from my guitar teacher who played tones of guitars like Fender Players, Gibsons, Mayone, Ibanez'es and so on and this is one of a few model that impresses him.
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Yamaha is a very underrated guitar maker.
The SG 2000 of the 80/90’s was very well respected and used by many “Pro’s” as a genuine alternative to a Les Paul!
Don’t know why, but for some reason they seemed to discontinue it!
It’s on my bucket list and I still hope to own one, one day!
Absolutely and not just there electric guitars some of there acoustics are very good, I had one as a child in the 70's that was a brilliant guitar made in japan, I wish I still had it.
@@ces69 The Yamaha SG's DNA is still alive and well on the Revstar. They did reissue the SGs a few years ago, Yamaha SG1802
Tried out one of their entry-level classical guitars and it had a surprisingly “premium” feel to it.
@@kaplow9591 Really? What exactly kind of LP made in China?
A store clerk I met at a local shop said it best,
“if it had a Fender logo on the headstock, we wouldn’t be able to keep them on the hangers”
These Yamahas are so underrated it's ridiculous.
Santana moved from Gibson to the Yamaha SG2000 in the 1970s. Then used the PRS.
The SG2000 is a very underrated electric guitar
@@baeshev Couldn't be more wrong. Been playing, gigging and teaching for 50+ years. Yamaha is best best bang for the buck, of the many brands I've tried. Read the other comments. And this is clearly not an ad, as he was critical of a few things.
@@philcig I never tried any Yamaha product that is not in the perfect balance (or more) money/quality... Guitars, Hi-Fi, Motors... anything... Yamaha is a VERY GOOD/Excellent company
@@baeshev Have to agree with the other two. Yamaha guitars are amazing. I have a Pacifica 112 (upgraded by now) and a 611 plus a Revstar 320 (also upgraded). They all felt amazing out of the box but of course for gigging I upgraded the 112 and 320, but for a beginner or as a mod platform probably some of the best guitars you can buy and if you go higher up to 611 for example, you get gig ready guitars that any pro could easily use out of the box.
If you actually had a bad first Yamaha (which can happen with any guitar, especially if you had a 112 for example), then you could have just given it back and try out another one. You simply can't say all Yamaha guitars are bad if you only tried one. And how did you see it was bad wood? (better question: What is bad wood?)
I totally agree, Yamaha is so totally under rated. I love the Pacifica's and also the Revstar
Yamaha guitars are the only guitars I buy without even testing. Can't go wrong. I've 3x more expensive guitars and my Yamahas don't feel 3X cheaper at all. So underrated!
Please, review a Revstar. You'll be amazed too.
The Yamaha Pacificas are truly underrated!
Yuss
This one or the P90/H version could well be your "one workhorse" axe
Even i better stick with Pacifica standard rather than Ibanez Gio/Squier series.
Its just something that 1 package. Got like strats feels body, neck PU sounds, and ibanez funky sounds
I agree 👍
On the other hand it is good because you can buy a super instrument in a half of a price of famous brands like Gibsons or Fenders.
@@michalinkowski2521used prices on Pacificas are just 🤩 been wanting to put a shred instrument on my radar, and it’s either gonna be one of these Pacificas or a Michael Kelly super Strat. Both instruments played like butter when I tried them and produced clear signals with responsive volume & tone pots.
That clean Position 4 is euphoric. Sheesh, what a beast
Pacifica’s are so good for the money and my go-to when referring to new players
Damn nice guitar. I work for Yamaha and I get a huge employee discount on gear. So it’s all I use. But the price means nothing if it doesn’t sound and play great, and there’s no issues there. Great stuff
Bruh swing me that discount
@@a-nus
Why would he do that ?
Who are you
@@ralex3697 someone that owns a dtx multi 12 and wants another one for cheap
I'll buy a THR5 from you for $20 more than you pay. C'mon, man. That's an easy $20 😁
Do tell how much discount does an employee get say like if you buy the RSP20CR.
Yamaha Pacifica and Peavey Bandit was THE rig for us mortals back in the '90s!!!!
Or a Marshall Val estate, Fender RocPro or Kustom DFX combo!
@@msh6865 My all time favorite was the Fender Cyber Twin.
Hah! I STILL have a Bandit 65 that sounds just as good today as it did 35 years ago!😁 Of course, I don't have anything like this Yamaha to run through it, but my Silvertone SIK-1/CBL is almost as good.😉
That was exactly my first rig!
I still have my 93 Peavey "Crafted in the USA" Predator, but it ain't stock anymore...
I know a lot of you guys have been requesting a higher-end Pacifica or Revstar demo on the channel so enjoy!
VIDEO SECTIONS:
1. This Guitar has killer specs! - 1:18
2. What does it sound like? - 3:39
3. One Minute Solo! - 5:55
4. What is the build quality like? - 7:25
5. What is it like to play? - 10:06
6. So...Is it worth buying? - 11:15
Guitar link: imp.i114863.net/a1OM2o
Enjoy!
Dude. I crap you not I JUST got mine in the mail today and was contemplating sending you an email to see if you'd like to review it. Looks like you beat me to it!
Congratulations on the new guitar!!
Pacifica's look like a consistently good affordable Strat alternative. But, I'm really looking forward to you doing a review and Demo of a Revstar. It seems to have a particularly useful voice/tone, and set of features. Thanks
@@ryanmorin6430 Enjoy it, I got a 612 in march and it's awesome.
@@DarrellBraunGuitar thanks mate, I am learning young lust by pink Floyd as we speak. I'm not much of a guitar player (yet) but I absolutely love this thing!
I’ve had my Pacifica for two weeks now and love it. I picked up the natural wood tone because it has the satin neck. Darrell was spot on in the review.
FINALLY!!! I’ve been waiting for this video for a long LONG time. I wanna see more Yamahas!
Holy crap man. I’ve had a Pacifica in the HSS configuration for 10 years now and this is seriously making me thinking about slapping them pick ups in it
Darrell is so good at guitar, such a nice style, so many techniques
He is a SMOOTH player. Very melodic, too.
dimebag?
Hell, man. Those specs at that price, why the hell isn't Yamaha making a damn MINT off this model? This is seriously FANTASTIC for the price range. I think I need to buy one myself.
Pacificas sell fast. I had a stock alert set at Sweetwater, bought one, and it was out of stock later that day.
A lot of bricks and mortar stores don't carry them, or maybe just the low end ones, preferring to load up on the more prestigious and popular brands, so while you can find them online, it's sometimes hard to find a good selection in a store where you can compare them to the competition. That makes a huge difference. I was completely shocked to find an inexpensive Pacifica having better sounding pickups than several far more expensive Fenders. Not as nice a finish, etc, of course, but at that time all I was interested in was how they sounded, as I was comparing amps.
Yamaha makes great stuff. I have been playing an old SE150 (from the 80's) for about 7 years now. After purchasing the first one I had to get another. Each under 100 bucks. They're indestructable, always in tune and no need to change the stock pickup. One pickup, one volume knob, that's all you get ... that's all I need. My other guitars have been sitting untouched for these 7 years.
I honestly like the more pronounced curves the Yamaha has over the strat. I like the unusual pickguard too.
More like the Skyhawk, it looks rad af
I do also like the more pronounced curves on the Pacifica, but I hate the pickgard so much, it's holding me back from getting one.
@@おいしいパスター i just bought this guitar in blue. The pick guard grows on you
@@robbieunger850 how do you like it? I love the orange burst thinking of getting one. Love all the upgrades
@@edub1170 i like it. Although im kinda still not used to the super flat fretboard. Like 14.75 radius . I like to play lots of power chords. Its a little too flat for me. Still a great guitar dont regret it. But i wont get such a flat fretboard next time.
I have the 611HFM. It was my first “nice” guitar and I will never part with it. Coil splittable humbucker in the bridge and P90 neck. Tone machine
I just bought this exact same guitar, color and everything, a couple months ago as my first electric, so it's really cool to see you do a video on it. It looks every bit as beautiful in person!
I bought this exact same one also 👍 this year , in May 🎸😎
I've been playing my Pacifica since 1996. It's in great shape, has a great set up , and I never tire of the gloss black body with a white pick guard. It looks cool. I simply love this guitar and use it to play out in my band.
FINALLY!! I've been waiting for you to review the 612!! I really really want the new color "Teal Green Metallic" one! That one looks so gorgeous!
I have two Pacificas and they've been great. I'm sure most folks already know this, but you can take some 0000 steel wool or a 2000-2500 grit scotch pad to that gloss finish and it gets nice and satiny slick if you want a faster neck. A higher quality switch, pots and jack are good future upgrade ideas, but the guitar gives a good bang for the buck.
Not surprising that Yamaha would make such a high quality guitar in this price range. Yamaha did make the SG2000 the most beautiful guitar in the 70s Carlos Santana certainly loved it.
So did Paul Reed Smith
I have a high end Revstar. It's astonishing. If I get an "S" type, Yamaha will be my first port of call.
Nice demo, Darrell. It's a gorgeous guitar, and I'm a Seymour Duncan fan, so the sound is gorgeous, too. "Comfort cuts" are something I look for, and these look good. All the hardware seems better than necessary - a big plus.
Darrel, It's always inspiring to see youtube gurus like yourself, who will happily feature lower cost guitars, despite owning a collection of guitars each costing ££££ or CAN $$$$$. As a left hander, Yamaha only make the Pacifica 112JL in their Pacifica range. Enter the Yamaha Pacifica Guitar Modification Group and models like this excellent Pacifica 612 can demonstrate what is possible to custom shop the hell out of a 112. I got my first guitar, a Pacifica 112L, in 1993 for £219 because industry insiders told me they thought Yamaha were selling the Pacifica 112 as a 'Loss Leader' because it should cost £300 to £350 for its spec and build quality. So I bought one before Yamaha realised they had put the wrong price label on it. Fast forward almost 3 decades and the 112J is still around the £199 price point. There's a saying that if you can live without the Fender or Gibson logo on your guitar headstock, then your guitar is a Yamaha! Thanks again for an excellent video that is educational, entertaining and honest.
Had one of these come through my shop a couple of months ago for a setup. I was completely blown away by it. I couldn't believe how good it was for a sub $1000 guitar.
That red with the black SD pups and the rosewood fingerboard as well as all the high end features makes this Yamaha a serious guitar.
A LOT of people had this as their first "real" guitars and still love them to this day.
Came for the review, stayed for the music!
I have an older Yamaha RGX312, and I keep telling everyone that Yamaha is super underrated. They make quality guitars at great prices. Love the channel!
Yamaha not only makes some of the sickest guitars, but some of the best car exhausts on the planet as well, listen to the LFA! The thing is a damn demon from heaven!
While the roots are the same, today Yamaha motors and instruments are separate companies.
They're great at everything they do. The DX-7 catches a bunch of grief now, but its a 40 year old synthesizer, and when my stepdad got one brand new it was cutting edge. Yamaha just has a lot of pride in what they do and it shows.
@Brett S they used to make amazing tennis racquets too back in the 90’s
Way back (c. 1972) I bought a 2nd hand Yamaha acoustic -- I think it was a copy of a Gibson, maybe Hummingbird with the flowers on the scratchplate. I loved that guitar, and it launched me on my professional career. The action was fantastic for an acoustic, and the sound was sweet, though not loud. Good memories.
Yamaha makes acoustic to next level by making a v8
My guy loves his Tele's so much, he had to take a quick second to calm his admiration for the Pacifica when he said Fender.
The top and back are to die for. Such value.
I have a Yamaha Pacifica that I've had for nearly 20 years. Did a lot of mods on it over that time but I still come back to it because of how it feels. And it was an entry level one.
That guitar looks and sounds STUNNING. My goodness
I LOVE Yamaha - everything they make is good. I have several Pac 112J and 112V electrics, a couple FGX 800 acoustics, and an RBX 5 bass. All their gear is giggable, affordable and punches way over its weight class!
One of the best 1 minute solos I have Mr Braun play in his youtube videos. Neat, clean, and crisp playing, along with well timed awesome techniques, and beautiful mastery in the application of arpeggios and perfect use of scales, this dude's playing is impeccable!
I bought a basic pacifica at a pawnshop for $70. Changed out the pots and pickups and tuners, and now it’s one of my favorite guitars.
@Darrell Braun Guitar, I would encourage you to suggest to Yamaha that they make another deal with Warmoth to do compound radius, slim profile necks on their current high end Pacificas. Similar to what they did for the same series in the late 80's/early 90's. Those Pacifica guitars were some of the best ever made and are still highly desirable to this day.
Great review on a real hidden gem of a guitar. 👍
I just bought the 611, P90/humbucker version with the hardtail. It's the same feeling like this guitar when you play it, in terms of tone quality and playability.
You're one of the best guitar vloggers, Darrell, you always pay attention to details and review each guitar and its quality with enthusiasm. And you're good and a legit player as well, and that's what makes you different and separates from other mediocre bloggers here. Keep up the great work, Sir...Thank you for what you do. And keep up the great work...😊
I bought the version of this with just the clear wood grain and no colour, about 2 months ago, as my first guitar ever. It's gorgeous and amazing and mine and I love it.
Oh and it's satin unlike the one in the video, so the neck feels beautiful!
Love your exuberance 😂👍 have fun playing
You really stepped up you’re playing here my friend it’s been fun to watch you grow as a player good stuff
Yamaha guitars have always been such great value for your money...beautiful flame finish wow, looks like a fender select strat
after a month research about my first electric guitar in this price, i decided to go with this
luckily i am indonesian and here they sold at price 6700K IDR or 431,26 USD,
don't know why its cheaper here 200$ less but i looked into some other sites outside indonesia and they're selling this at 650$ and more some ever 799$ (current date now i'm seeing the price is in late 2023, maybe change over time)
the guitars i was considering were :
ibanez jem jr >2020 series
ibanez RG350DXZ >2018 series
epihone les paul
Yamaha is a HUGE "name" in the music industry and they are well known and respected. look at drums, keyboards, mixers, monitors, home gear, you see the name everywhere.Guitar guys are just so backward sometimes with their devotion to the Fender/Gibson duopoly!
They also make motor bikes and such
@@bob420ert true. Pretty sure they started that after WWII left demand for the motorcycles that inspired Harley’s and such. However, they obviously diversified their range of cycles a bit more than Harley did. Definitely one of my favorite corporations since they bring so much quality for the consumer/musician.
I 100% agree I've been playing on a Yamaha rbx765a active 5-string for the last 18 years and just recently switched to a Yamaha trbx 605 FM. You couldn't give me a different brand bass guitar Warwick, Schechter, Fendurr. Maybe a Fedora but I'd be afraid to play it. The playability and sound of their mid-range stuff is overlooked and underrated to an extent that's disgusting.
@@bob420ert medical equipment, jet skis, boat engines etc. But I think their pianos and brass instruments are most known.
Or even WORSE, the most overrated Guitar Maker of all time - PRS !!!
I bought one for my son a couple years ago, and it's sooooo good. The fretboard is amazing. Tuning is spot on. It came with Duncan pickups. I was blown away.
I've been telling it over and over for the past fifteen years: 1) yamaha guitars are good value for the money spent; 2) high-end yamahas (electric and acoustic) would definetely deserve a wider recognition
Before buying my first electric guitar, last February, I did some market research before pulling the trigger. In the end it was a Yamaha Pacifica 311 for 299€ which includes:
- Grover Locking Tuners
- Graph Tech Black TUSQ XL nut
- String trees
- P90 and Humbucker pickups
- Humbucker coil split
- Alder body with maple neck and rosewood fingerboard
Couldn't be happier for so many great features at an amazing price, even more considering it is a brand with such reputation as Yamaha.
I have the 611 as my first guitar that I purchased barely used for $300. It's a serious instrument, and it looks damn good too.
where are you getting it used for 300? amazing price. Do you think you need a warranty on it
@@davidli3742 I bought it on craigslist from a musician. No I don't need warranty, I doubt anything will fail on it. I did change the strings once.
I've had a Yamaha SJ550HR T deluxe style (Spinnex coil splitting humbuckers) since 1983.
I absolutely love that guitar!
I wish they would bring back and update those!
It’s very nice. I really like the covered humbucker at the bridge.
I picked one just like this one on a special buy last year. Both of my American strats sit in their cases most of the time. I was very surprised by my Pacifica 612 since I picked it up for only $500. I will probably never get rid of my fenders but I tend to gravitate to the Yamaha and my G&L a lot more. That from a 25 year strat user. Both the G&L and the Yamaha were bought online on a whim. I took steel wool to the back of the neck on the pacifica to improve the feel no big deal for a $500 guitar. I did polish the frets a bit and gave it a proper set up now the pacifica is one of my favorites. I also like the trem way better than the strat. With it against the body no problem with alternate tunings and it feels much more solid.
I have transformed my Pacifica 112V into a new version very similar to this one (I put DiMarzio pickups, locking tuners, changed the bridge, put graph tech sting trees, and done many other improvements) and it sounds awesome now; the neck is one of the best I ever played.
Nice work!
Hey man, i have pacifica 212 vfm, i don't really have some reference for the locking tuners, do you have any recomendation or brand for locking tuners? I found so many locking tuners online but they require bolt to attach them into the headstock, and i dont want to drill my headstock.
@@ochd1502 I used Harley Benton locking tuners, that fit perfectly for Pacifica. They are cheap but good.
@@ochd1502I have staggered height Sperzel. Amazing.
@@bryanlemeilleurtexas, do you guys know if it is possible to upgrade a Pacifica 112j (Grover Locking / Wilkinson VS50 / Seymour Duncan SSL-1, SSL02 RwRp, TB-14 ) ?
I bought me one of these due to Darrell’s reviews. I could not be happier with this guitar. I actually used it in place of the Tele I’ve been using for the past 50 years. Love it
Great 1 minute solo! I could listen for hours...
Okayyy
I’ve got 2 Yammies, an FS-800 acoustic, and an RBX-260 fretless Bass. Love ‘em both, they’re definitely bang for the buck Champions!
That solo was so good.
My wife surprised me on Valentine’s Day with a Yamaha Pacifica 412, I was in tears, love it, modded it, it is my go to.
Anyone notice how beautiful is this rosewood fretboard?
I have two Yamaha basses and the color of the fretboard wood is noticeably nicer than the other basses and guitars I have
The Pacifica has always been an overlooked electric. Actually a really nice looking guitar.
I saw Dio and his guitarist Craig Goldy I believe. I was not familiar with him and he was awesome guitarist. I couldn't figure out the guitar he was using. It was a high end Yamaha. His sound was awesome. It really made me rethink Yamaha.
Pretty sure mastodon used Yamaha sg back in the day
Neal Schon from Journey and Phil X were using Yamahas also.
Love that color!
Problem is Darrell can make any guitar sound good
Thanks for an excellent review, Darrell. I collect old secondhand Yamaha classical guitars, and also have a late model F310 acoustic. I have had 2 other Yamaha guitars stolen in the past. I still want a Pacifica. A Pacifica can stand next to a Fender Strat of similar grade on equal footing at any time, and beat the Strat price by $100+ . (but I still would love a Strat! :-D)
Yamaha anything is QUALITY. It doesn't really matter whether it's Made in Japan NipponGakki, or if its made in Taiwan, or Indonesia, the specs and quality control are absolutely consistent in every guitar leaving the factory. Whether its their pianos, keyboards, drums, acoustic or classical guitars, or their electric guitars, you always get an EXCELLENT product for the price.
Greetings from South Africa,.
Very nice solo, Darrell.
Thanks Rick!
Love to see Darrell busting out the chops!
I bought this guitar entirely on your recommendation and couldn't be happier. You were dead on on every aspect of your evaluation. I have more guitar than ability but having a beautiful guitar lends to practice.
Waiting on an identical one to arrive!
Lol we are geeks! Majorassburger here!
Darrell, certainly a beautiful looking "sleek" guitar in your video.....
........i have a Pacifica here , such a lovely instrument. 112
When NEW, this Pacifica here got it's frets "stoned" and then some Kent Armstrong pick ups in and a coil
Split switch......so literally after only a couple of weeks after being from the store, with those mods, the guitar played like a dream
(....it's feeling was like an instrument you have known and played a long long while "years even"........feeling like that after only a couple of weeks.
best wishes Darrell
vin
Ive considered these in the past, the humbucker in bridge and p90 at the neck model especially. Put this right there with the G&L tributes, Sire S7s and Schecter Nick Johnston as off brand s styles on my radar. The Schecter is still slightly ahead but its also the most expensive of the grouping. Thanks for looking at this Darrell.
I have the Nick Johnson one it's nice
I own two Yamaha products and attest to their supreme quality coupled with affordable pricing. This company deserves much credit!
You sure love your Pacificas! Honestly some pretty phenomenal guitars for the money, and I actually think I prefer the slight alterations to the body shape and horns, from an original Strat!
Guitar newb here. Got a Pacifica 612 as my first electric (I'm 65 and have not picked up a guitar in forty years.) Got the last demo model from Sweetwater for a pretty good discount (20% off). Love it so far but still early days.
Am I the only one who could really go for a more than one minute solo?
Thanks for this. I have a Pacifica 212 that I got in '97. Honestly it plays and sounds better than similar expensive guitars. It's my favorite of all of mine. I am going to probably get a 612 soon as soon as I can find one on sale. They are on sale no where right now and I do not want a used one. I'm really glad you demonstrated volume pot swells because I was really curious as I do those sometimes. Love how it sounded in this demo, so thanks for showing that.
First time commenting! This seems as though it is an exceptional bargain!
Thanks for the comment!
Always loved those Pacificas. For the price they are, really well built, sounds fantastic and just more delicate than a Strat. Brilliant design.
Like I've been saying, "Quality has no origin". The name means Nothing anymore. Beautiful guitar 👍
Yamaha is a HUGE "name" in the music industry and they are well known and respected. look at drums, keyboards, mixers, monitors, home gear, you see the name everywhere.Guitar guys are just so backward sometimes with their devotion to the Fender/Gibson duopoly!
@@joetspaulding Guitar snobs is more like it, haha. I've had a mid 80's USA Jackson RR V that played terrible at the time, yet my 02 Korean Wolfgang is probably the best guitar I've ever owned. I don't pay for the name, or feel embarrassed playing a Squire Strat. I own 3, set up the way I want and are great. Cheaper guitars have come a LONG way from the 80s. These younger players are lucky, you definitely get more for your buck now. Which is great!
Beautiful guitar. As already stated by others Yamaha’s are underrated as mid range guitars. Found an old 112, oiled the fretboard and put on fresh strings and it’s a beauty to play.
$775 these days on Thomann, $750 at Sweetwater. Guitars really got expensive.
Gday, I bought 2, a 612 iiMFX fired red & a 611 VFM Tbs. Played them thru a marshall MG100HFX.
More than happy with them, your reviews are accurate. Thanks. Basic set ups good, intonation on the 611 needed adjustment on most strings, the 612 on no.3 string , only. String heights, pup setting, nut take off, fret quality, finish etc no drama. No blemishes in any area I can assess. Cheers
Can we know why Yamaha stopped producing the high end guitars passed the 600 series ?
I have a 812W from 2003 and that's much better than this, sperhel back wheel locking tuners, fretwork has better satin finish, contoured heel joint, Wilkinson gotoh vibrato, Duncan Seymour's HSS. I would definitely buy another one from them as the fender American pro 2 series doesn't even compare.
They probably just didn't sell enough
@@watersnortmoment3734 yep or they weren't making enough margin on them :)
They are not making this Pacifica 612 anymore?
I mean if they stop selling then its cause they didn't sell enough.
Goes with everything in life.
HOLY POOP! That intro tune! You were vining hard, and I'm HERE FOR IT. Killer intro.
Rock on bro
I agree with Darrell. I bought a translucent black version of the Yamaha 612vii to replace the 80s Fender American Standard strat I sold 6 years ago. I looked at new Fender Player strat and several others in the $800 to 900 range. I normally buy Fenders and I thought Yamaha an inferior guitar. This instrument is the perfect blend of tone, design and technology. This guitar is not only a tone monster but is beautiful thing. With the setup I got from Sweetwater it came right out of the box and into my grubby hands and hasn’t left. I play lead in a folk rock/pop band and this guitar plays easy, sounds great, fit and finish is as good as a $1500 guitar, stays in tune and is an all around pleasure. I own a custom Fender Tele and a PRS strat and this is the one for me.
Bocchi chan bought one
Bocchi has a 611vfm but they’re pretty similar. I just bought myself a 612 because of the show lmao.
@@paulogarcia1766 if i had money I would buy one
@@veol You can get the 012 or 112, those are the entry level models and are really good for the price!
Based bocchi fans*
Bocchi gang
Absolutely beautiful guitar! I love that flame maple with that kind of cream color pick guard. It's a pretty sweet set up.
Who cares the small alpha pots? In this guitar they are surely good quality. This is an American/Canadian bug that bigger is better? Lol
That is a lot of guitar for the money, I have an older Pacifica which I consider to be as good as anything I have played in my 43 years of playing guitar, Yamaha are so underrated, great vid as always.
They've been making great guitars for 35+ years. It shouldn't be surprising cause everything Yamaha makes is good, and they make everything.
What a beautiful guitar. I've had the cheap Yamaha Pacifica and they were ok. This thing is awesome, looks great sounds even better
Great review Derrell and playing. You saved me money I bought the Pacifica with P90 and humbucker w/out the trem. I have two guitars with mucked up trems. A '96 American Std Strat I fitted recently with a Hipshot trem and an Ibanez Ibanez RG920QM (Floyd Rose type trem). I've been looking for another hardtail to add to my collection and was going to spend more. The Pacifica may be my goto guitar and be a great stablemate to my American Std SG with P90s (no neck cracks ;-) Can't wait for it to arrive! Bought a nice case too better than the one I got for my SG. I dumped my Gibson snobbery years ago and the Ibanez was proof to me that American made is not the best. I've never bought a Gibson that didn't need a setup or some other fix!
Always have loved the Yamahas. I remember playing them in the mid 90's and taking the catalog home and drooling.
I've had my original 612v (not V2) for many years, I really do love it. It didn't have Seymour's in neck and middle, so I added a cool rails in the neck and vintage rails in the middle. Nice combination of tones. Really pleasing to play, it just feels nice - which so many guitars don't!
I luv my pacifica old violin burst 120 yamaha fg180 was my entry to this company props to yamaha got me playing proficiently way back in the late 60's 🎸🎸👍👍
Great guitars! I put SD Little '59s in neck and middle, and a SD Hyperswitch in it... OMG ... Absolutely love it. Plays so good, and feels really good in your hands!!!
What a great guitar! More demo suggestions:
- Eastwood SD 40 and/or DiPinto Galaxie 4. These guitars have FOUR single-coil pickups, each one with its own on/off switch! The Eastwood SD 40 is a reissue of the Kawai SD 40
- Epiphone 1966 Century reissue. A hollowbody electric guitar with no cutaway that James Bay is known for playing
- Brian May Red Special. Need I say more?
The upper bout needs to be a little bit less carved out, like a Fender. There is something about that upper cutaway that I wrong. But he made it sound great. Parts sounded super great, like you could not sound much better.
Yamaha: "Here you are, the best motorcycle money can buy is now yours, congratulations! Can we help with something else?"
X: " Yeah, I was actually looking for a guitar, do you have any suggestion where can I go to?"
Yamaha: "You are not going to believe this..."
I have the 311h in black. I plan on changing the bridge pickup to either a custom or a custom 5 eventually, but the guitar is great!
I have one of those in red and changed the bridge pickup to a SD custom. Sounds amazing! The 311s have amazing specs for the price point.
@@jensnilsson1507 I got a white 311 in october, didn't put it down since. A workhorse that withstands hours upon hours of practice, then holds its own while recording compared to other more expensive axes. I sincerely recommend everyone a Yamaha guitar.
@@januszmynarczyk7108 I wholeheartedly agree!
Such beautiful instrument. I am waiting for mine right now. I know it from my guitar teacher who played tones of guitars like Fender Players, Gibsons, Mayone, Ibanez'es and so on and this is one of a few model that impresses him.