Yamaha Pacifica 512!

[Metaled1020]

Got this from the bay yesterday. Can`t wait to get it as i`ve always been impressed with their guitars even their lower end stuff. I always hear great things about their older models being even better like this one from the early 90`s i`m guessing so i`m pretty psyched to get it!!! I`m hoping to have it on friday but realistically probably wont be till monday!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170168448951&ssPageName=ADME:B:ONA:US:1123

[Sunbane]

I dig the tiny pickguard on those. It's cool.

[Metaled1020]

I dig the tiny pickguard on those. It's cool.

I said the same thing!
I like how the vol/tone knobs are seperate!

[chrisolson]

I was a big Pacifica fan (still am...). The 512 will school ANY MIM Fender. Keep watching and see if you can pick up a 700 or 900 series in the price range you got your 500. They're out there.

I had a 1230, 1221, 921, 912, 821, 812, 721, 521, and a few others. All were GREAT guitars. I'd love to get one of the 1421 neck-thrus some day - a white one went on eBay for about $600 not to long ago, and I cried when I saw it had sold. It had been on a few times in the past but never sold. I would have bought it for what it went for - NO question...

[Metaled1020]

I was a big Pacifica fan (still am...). The 512 will school ANY MIM Fender. Keep watching and see if you can pick up a 700 or 900 series in the price range you got your 500. They're out there.

I had a 1230, 1221, 921, 912, 821, 812, 721, 521, and a few others. All were GREAT guitars. I'd love to get one of the 1421 neck-thrus some day - a white one went on eBay for about $600 not to long ago, and I cried when I saw it had sold. It had been on a few times in the past but never sold. I would have bought it for what it went for - NO question...

WOW!!!! Now you`re what i call a Yamaha fan!!!
I also would like to check out the Tele styled Pacificas someday!!!

[chrisolson]

That's the 1230. It was okay (and pink) - it had the 3 x P-100 style hums in it. I wasn't really thrilled with those however. I like the Diamrzios that were in the 1221 and the 900's. I think they were PAF Pro's. If you can get the models that have the neck with the "Z" inlays, now THAT is a nice neck. Flat & W-I-D-E. Warmoth made them. Hard to believe these were all Yamaha's that were "Made in Taiwan" - kinda odd. My 1221 was the best - it was the yellow one with the maple neck & black inlays that Bill Leverty from Firehouse played early on. I sold it pretty cheap. That's the only bag I have on these - you can buy them cheap (sometimes), but the re-sale is pretty tough too.

[lerxstcat]

I haven't owned any Pacificas but have played them in stores. Even the 112s were pretty nice compared to their competition.

I have owned RGX 211s (2), 312, 420S, 1212S and 1220S models. The last 2 are neck-throughs and they are very Soloist-like except in a 24.7" scale. Played great, all of them. Also I've owned RGZ 211, 312, 321, and 612R, which are 25.5" scale and also played just great. I think Yamaha made and makes great guitars for their price points, better value than the Ibanezes and Fenders they were competing with. They're dirt-cheap used compared to other used guitars too, great when buying but sucks when you have to sell and know you're not gonna get much for a nice guitar.

Which is why you keep them if you possibly can.

[Metaled1020]

I haven't owned any Pacificas but have played them in stores. Even the 112s were pretty nice compared to their competition.

I have owned RGX 211s (2), 312, 420S, 1212S and 1220S models. The last 2 are neck-throughs and they are very Soloist-like except in a 24.7" scale. Played great, all of them. Also I've owned RGZ 211, 312, 321, and 612R, which are 25.5" scale and also played just great. I think Yamaha made and makes great guitars for their price points, better value than the Ibanezes and Fenders they were competing with. They're dirt-cheap used compared to other used guitars too, great when buying but sucks when you have to sell and know you're not gonna get much for a nice guitar.

Which is why you keep them if you possibly can.

Well said!

[Inazone]

I always skimmed over the Yamahas at shops, but that Floyd copy always made me nervous, so I never bought one. Are they reasonably sturdy? I'd hate to buy an otherwise cool guitar and have trem issues with an oddball that nobody carries parts for.

[chrisolson]

I always skimmed over the Yamahas at shops, but that Floyd copy always made me nervous, so I never bought one. Are they reasonably sturdy? I'd hate to buy an otherwise cool guitar and have trem issues with an oddball that nobody carries parts for.

On the 900 or higher, yes they are nice, but you are right about parts availability - there is none. If you can't find a used one, you'll have to replace it or find a good machinist. That's always been the gripe. With that said, I never had a problem with any of mine, and some of the guitars looked to have been WORKED!!

On the 800 and under, they are pretty much the same as what you'd find on a mid-range Ibanez (not the Edge), and are okay but not great. At least not for moderate/heavy trem use.

[lerxstcat]

I always skimmed over the Yamahas at shops, but that Floyd copy always made me nervous, so I never bought one. Are they reasonably sturdy? I'd hate to buy an otherwise cool guitar and have trem issues with an oddball that nobody carries parts for.

They did a lot of different Floyd knockoffs, so I can't speak for them all. But my 1220 came with missing trem parts, and I couldn't get parts from Yamaha.

But I had a Schaller Floyd in my parts box and it dropped right in! Now the recess route is slightly too small so it doesn't pull up all the way, but I left it be. Now my 1220 has the Floyd that you can see the pivot posts on. There's another version of the 1220 that has a trem where that's all covered and I think that may have a different kind of mechanism.

But if you can actually see the pivot posts, a Schaller Floyd will fit the guitar, if you expand the recess route, or can liv e with only a minor 3rd of pullup on your G string.

I eventually got a couple of parts trems for the Yamaha trem, which was missing one saddle assembly, but the Schaller is still on the guitar for now.

[chrisolson]

Here's a great 921 - I had the same guitar. The body is ash and thinner than a strat - about a 2/3 thickness body. These play and sound like a dream.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Yamaha-Pacifica-921-electric-guitar_W0QQitemZ110193246182QQihZ001QQcategoryZ33049QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[Metaled1020]

Hey chrisolson...........

Do you know what years they made the 512`s and what was the price brand new for one before they were discontinued?

[chrisolson]

Not positive on that. They were an early to mid-90's guitar. I've never looked at what they were new, but I'd guess probably around the $499-599 area. I used to have a Blue Book of guitars around. If I can find it, I'll look it up, but I have NO idea where I put it. It kinda went out the window when eBay really started picking up steam. If you know any good shops, I'm sure they'd be able to look it up for you.