Members Knight Templar Posted October 22, 2020 Members Share Posted October 22, 2020 I have found myself a real sleeper 10 days ago. Yamaha Pacifica 821DX from 2000.Back in 2015 I visited a store near I used to work before and saw this beauty, but could not afford to have one more guitar. 5 years later I passed that store and found out she still sits in the shelf, with the decal on the headstock half peeled off. The music store looks like about to bankrupt and decided to rescue the Yammy. After playing her for a week, My conclusion is that this is a very fine instrument. Not your typical shreddy superstrat, due to the DiMarzio Air Classics and Blue Velvet. The low output of the humbuckers allows greater clarity and dynamics, adding warmth and some snarl in the process. By snarl I mean the kind that you find in vintage Pauls, just like my Yamaha Studio Lord. Then you have the single coil to add plenty of Fender flavors.That means this guitar can cope from SRV blues to Satch/Vai shred to Govan/Holdsworth fusion easily.Usually you would not find a SuperStrat that handles all these without spending big bucks.I consider this Pacifica and many of Yamaha's older RGX from the 90's as Suhrs for working man.The difference is that those RGX have hotter humbuckers, with more compressed tones. No more talk, here she is. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members xStonr Posted October 22, 2020 Members Share Posted October 22, 2020 Very nice. Yamahas are very underrated guitars. Enjoy. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brindleleaf Posted October 22, 2020 Members Share Posted October 22, 2020 (edited) Wow..sweet looking guitar! Gratz! It's even better that you saved her! Edited October 22, 2020 by Brindleleaf 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted October 24, 2020 Members Share Posted October 24, 2020 Congratulations and Happy New Guitar Day. You can always call it a "rescue" like some of us do with our dogs. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jtr654 Posted October 27, 2020 Members Share Posted October 27, 2020 Yes VERY under rated guitars I pick up a SE1203 for$265 with shipping. They are great deal on the used market. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted October 28, 2020 Moderators Share Posted October 28, 2020 HNGD!! Many years ago, when I was still teaching guitar, I used to steer my students to Pacificas if they wanted a Stratocaster...at half the price [or less] with all the functionality. Recently heard from one of my former students, and he still has his...30+ years later. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brindleleaf Posted October 29, 2020 Members Share Posted October 29, 2020 (edited) Yep...I came across an old 412 Pacifica a few months ago, I was planning on selling it....but it looks like it's going to be a keeper. I DO wonder about the nut...I've only got slinky 9s on it and the A and low E string aren't even properly in the slot (see photos), which makes the strings feel like they are floating around... I'll be getting some files from stewmac I guess. I mentioned in the NGD thread I made that it's the first ever strat I've played..and to be honest, it doesn't sound especially stratty when I play it. Not sure why...does anyone know anything about the PUs in these things? I keeps seeing Electronics : Yamaha. (Hmmm). Edited October 29, 2020 by Brindleleaf 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brindleleaf Posted October 30, 2020 Members Share Posted October 30, 2020 I just realized that 'strings floating around' sounds really bad...but it's not...makes me play LIGHTLY...which is interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mrbrown49 Posted October 30, 2020 Members Share Posted October 30, 2020 4 hours ago, Brindleleaf said: I just realized that 'strings floating around' sounds really bad...but it's not...makes me play LIGHTLY...which is interesting. They strings only need to sit in the slot about half way. They look ok from the pic. Don't want to go too low or you'll have more problems. Check the nut action. Hold the strings down just in front of the second fret. The strings should just clear the first fret. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brindleleaf Posted October 31, 2020 Members Share Posted October 31, 2020 23 hours ago, mrbrown49 said: They strings only need to sit in the slot about half way. They look ok from the pic. Don't want to go too low or you'll have more problems. Check the nut action. Hold the strings down just in front of the second fret. The strings should just clear the first fret. Okay good..yep the nut action seems fine according to what you said. I wonder if the kind of 'floaty' feeling might be because this Pacifica is the first guitar I've ever played that has a tremolo....does that 'give' a bit during bends and vibratos? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Aceman893 Posted November 1, 2020 Members Share Posted November 1, 2020 Awesome. Man - one of my very few guitar regrets is getting rid of a Pacifica 721. HSS config, Spertzel locking tuners, Wilkinson VS100. Best neck I ever played. I dropped a PAF Pro in the bridge. Congrats man! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Knight Templar Posted November 2, 2020 Author Members Share Posted November 2, 2020 (edited) On 10/28/2020 at 10:10 PM, daddymack said: HNGD!! Many years ago, when I was still teaching guitar, I used to steer my students to Pacificas if they wanted a Stratocaster...at half the price [or less] with all the functionality. Recently heard from one of my former students, and he still has his...30+ years later. Thanks! Yeah I know how it feels when you have a Yamaha Pacifica, or their older RGX......apart from the functionality, it's the great feel on the neck. These a keepers!!!! On 10/30/2020 at 5:55 PM, Brindleleaf said: I just realized that 'strings floating around' sounds really bad...but it's not...makes me play LIGHTLY...which is interesting. Hi I saw your NGD of your Pac412. That looks stunning! You definitely should have it fixed. On 11/1/2020 at 10:53 PM, Aceman893 said: Awesome. Man - one of my very few guitar regrets is getting rid of a Pacifica 721. HSS config, Spertzel locking tuners, Wilkinson VS100. Best neck I ever played. I dropped a PAF Pro in the bridge. Congrats man! I feel ya. I used to have a RGXTT, a Ty Tabor model with the Duncan HSS setup and the combination of Spertzel & Wilkinson VS100. Sold it in 2011 and still regrets. Edited November 2, 2020 by Knight Templar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brindleleaf Posted November 2, 2020 Members Share Posted November 2, 2020 There's something about guitars without pick-guards...really like that look. Yours looks great to me. I'd always heard good things about Pacificas....this one is really growing on me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Aceman893 Posted November 4, 2020 Members Share Posted November 4, 2020 Dammmit!!!!! Now I'm surfing Reverb and Ebay for high end Yamahas!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brindleleaf Posted November 4, 2020 Members Share Posted November 4, 2020 (edited) 8 hours ago, Aceman893 said: Dammmit!!!!! Now I'm surfing Reverb and Ebay for high end Yamahas!!!! Thing is, I only paid 85 euros for it...and could easily get double that if I sold it... but I find myself picking it up more than any other right now. Got to enjoy that enthusiasm whatever the 'price' of the guitar. Edited November 4, 2020 by Brindleleaf 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members u6crash Posted November 7, 2020 Members Share Posted November 7, 2020 Very cool. I don't have a Yamaha yet, but there are so many that catch my eye. I'd probably buy a vintage RNR or Studio Lord before I picked up a Strat or Les Paul. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members CallmeMia Posted October 15, 2021 Members Share Posted October 15, 2021 Heyy!! Are willing to sell this guitar? It has very valuable emotional memories to me and I've been looking for it forever!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tim Kuhn Posted November 9, 2021 Members Share Posted November 9, 2021 Love the finish on that thing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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