What's The Best $200 Guitar? - Yamaha Pacifica vs Squier Affinity!

What's the best budget electric guitar? Today I take a comprehensive look at two of the most popular instruments!
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VIDEO SECTIONS:
1. Detailed Wakthrough
2. Pickups, Pots, and Electronics - 4:20
3. Trem systems - 7:22 | Trem Test - 12:29
4. Tone Comparison - 9:11
5. One minute Solos - 14:35
6. Final Thoughts - 16:18
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[@Aneuo]

Me not knowing the difference and just waiting for him to say which is better

[@mazor13]

I was about to comment this lmao!

[@vigoursides7627]

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@gregaltenhofel7326]

I’ve been playing over 50 years. The way I choose a guitar and the way I encourage new players is the same. If electric and you have an amp, use yours and any pedals you use if you don’t the same advice applies. First close your eyes. If the guitar feels great in your hand. Like you’re about to marry her and you love the way she dances with you. Then still with eyes closed. How does she sound. Does she sing to your soul like the angel you’ve been looking for all your life? When both of these happen. Sound and feel, your search is over. You can go ahead and play one out of your budget to compare with what you can afford. But remember a $200 guitar is not going to be like a 5, 7, 10, 15 or $ 50,000.00 guitar. And if it does well buy one in each color.

[@Aneuo]

Greg Altenhofel thanks!

[@alexfletcher8465]

i prefer the yamaha sound and full thickness

[@catking7901]

The other one sounds like red and the other sounds blue

[@richardrichard5409]

True, I've a new white Squier Bullet Strat Hard Tail and it sounds like a nest of angry hornets, blue ones don't.

[@ProjectRizaRiza]

very true, i agree

[@fatfetus6468]

Man of words

[@redempt1669]

Such a poet

[@jujijime]

Together they sound like purple.

[@grene1955]

I'm a Fender guy, but I honestly thought the Pacifica sounded slightly richer and warmer...

[@toonix1015]

Yeah, like the yamaha sounded redder, but the squier sounded bluer haha

[@kevinflores3436]

I'm a Duesenberg guy and i think the same haha

[@Shaun.Stephens]

I agree on both counts.

[@fender1000100]

@FabienPath The Squier Classic Vibe can sound as good as a Mexican Fender. Theyre damn good guitars. And for the money untouchable. And with the money you save. You can buy a DECENT AMP. Which is half the sound anyway.

[@rickleblanc8900]

@@fender1000100 yep, the Classic Vibes are great guitars for the money. The Vintage Modified series models are pretty good also. Affinity series, nope. Imo the Pacifica is much better, a friend of mine has 2 Pacs and he swears by them. I've played them and i agree

[@SaintsPurgatory]

The Pacifica was like being wrapped in a cozy and warm blanket. The Squier was like being splashed with cold soup. I don't like cold soup.

[@darthlynx5792]

Accurate

[@purplezone6693]

Underrated comment😂

[@davidburton3447]

lol good one. i don't like cold soup either.

[@gino3286]

there are always effects ... or tube amps For instance many rate very highly sustain ... when you can have an electronic sustain that lasts years .... I am more concern with noise ... noise is noise not music For this reason i prefer active pick-ups.

[@ransi_07]

Lol😂😂 good one!

[@MisterBrain]

I'm jealous of young guitar players nowadays-budget models were mostly junk when I was a teenager.

[@alexamderhamiltom5238]

yes we're blessed, my uncle even say : TF 100$ sound like that, in my days it sounded like a fish... ah, bias fx.

[@ronvonryan]

I still have nightmares about my 'Lucky Seven', that was hard work!!!

[@A.I-GAMING]

My Pacifca from 1993 looks and sounds identical to the one shown here.

[@mustangv-rt7bl]

y guitar teacher says that younger players are lucky cause we have technology to teach us guitar tunes and we also get good cheap guitars recently he bought a squier bullet mustang and he love the guitar i own a squier affinity strat (sadly not the one with a humbucker ) and its a great guitar

[@ettnollbajen9945]

Yeah,Same here started playing early eighties , beginners stuff(postorder) were horrible,a piece of wood with super high string action and impossible to tune!

[@domoniquebrooks816]

Pacifica for me. The higher end Pacificas are some of the most underrated guitars in the industry. Yamaha makes some truly great guitars:

[@niel80]

Yes, I saw Paul Banks at recording of the new Interpol Album and he recorded most of the songs with an old pacifica...

[@malcolmhardwick4258]

Old Japanese pacificas ☺

[@0richbike]

Yeah. Got a 102s teleulike. Duncan and tonerider pup upgrade, 5 way switch and better stainless block saddles. Great piece of kit.

[@kennybluet5527]

Yeah had a Revstar 620 but got rid of it.Kinda regret it.

[@greekfreak1980]

The 612 and 611 models,which Yamaha for some idiotic reason only offers as ltd. editions,are absolute pro-level instruments,who put models of other companies that cost twice the money to shame. They come stock with S.Duncans (the 611 has a soapbar pickup in the neck), Wilkinson trems,GOTOH locking tuners,Graphtech nuts,very nice flame maple veneer tops. We got a 2016 612 model(with the H-S-S Duncans ) for my niece as graduation gift,fantastic guitar. And the 112 models are perfect modding platforms,upgrade the pickups,bridge and you have a banging guitar. Hell, I turned my old 90's Pacifica into a Frankenstein Superstrat,2 years ago.

[@MustafaBaabad]

From my humble ears, I found Pacifica looks and sounds better.

[@iftekharulalam7921]

you are correct . also seems to me same

[@1337wafflezz]

I think the Squier looks better but the Pacifica clearly has it beat on sound and trem system

[@WarrenPostma]

@@1337wafflezz The squier trem is total trash.

[@colbybarton3205]

how did your ears find that they looked better, lol

[@jeromej1234]

Colby Barton his earsight is pretty good i guess

[@acesteele8559]

Funny, I thought the Pacifica sounded WAY better.

[@birdyashiro1226]

＋1

[@alexdiaz23.]

It is a matter of taste my bro haha, I prefer Squier 🤘🙌

[@fender1000100]

The Pacifica is a decent guitar. Honestly the snobbery when it comes to guitars is astounding. Most people wouldnt even know the difference between a squire strat and Jimi Hendrix's strat in the mix. But YOUR BANK ACCOUNT WOULD.

[@Shaun.Stephens]

Ditto.

[@rickleblanc8900]

The Pacifica used to be underrated by many. That's not the case anymore, they're amazing for the price, sound great, playability is better than some MIM Strats I've encountered. I'd even go as far as saying they're great for intermediate to seasoned players, not just for beginners

[@thehound2161]

Nice decision to use the monoprice amp. I could fart into an expensive amp and have cotton candy come out of it along with wonderful tones, but we can get the raw tones with an affordable amp.

[@clintwilson6380]

I would love to hear somebody fart a guitar solo fo

[@Thirsty_Fox]

It's a good point, but it's also why so many people think cheap guitars don't sound very good -- they're generally paired with low-end amps.

[@DougHinVA]

Hound is coarse, but correct

[@drdoener535]

Not really, in my opinion you should show the best of each guitar, so you can see, that we all pay to much for our guitars instead of invest in great amps.

[@shadowx2750]

What did you just say

[@phicun74]

Everytime you make a video I feel like picking up my guitar. Thanks man

[@saumdaryoushfar9750]

Very true. His videos always make me want to practice more

[@joko11052]

Omg same man!

[@walkerpendleton760]

Same here :)

[@walkerpendleton760]

Very fair in comparisons

[@williamvanjura5695]

Kind of surprised by your final thoughts. Throughout the entire demo and especially through the solos, I found the Pacifica to be better both in tone and clarity.

[@blackisblack22]

X2

[@burginboys9719]

@@blackisblack22 x3

[@joshuascholar3220]

I don't know anything about guitars, but there was an unpleasant sound to the Yamaha that made me cringe over and over. I don't know how to describe it, but it was consistant!

[@admiralkrankandhismightyba158]

No surprise. The association with Fender is a powerful mind control device favoring the squealer

[@unni8673]

The best thing is noticed about the pacifica is that it's tone sits right in between the strat and the tele. The warmth on the tone is so perfect and versatile which may become very useful for beginners. But if u are a fan of the "fender tone" u should definitely go with the squier.

[@CaballeroHispano]

True

[@laurahulland]

I bought the Pacifica based on this review; all the other KZbinrs had great things to say about it too. It came about 2 hours ago and I’m so excited to get started! Thanks so much Darrell

[@prgenki7138]

Enjoy your Pacifica (and the weekend as well 😸😸😸)

[@herhangibirisi8419]

What are your opinions after a year

[@donniedial3014]

Come back. We need answers

[@buck3401]

We need answers, Laura!

[@pianorover]

Laura, we need answers!

[@sashakazmar6142]

I think Pacifica sounds better, warmer somehow

[@johnstivers5213]

Idk man I dunnooooo

[@urbo92]

I was just coming to type the exact same sentence.

[@juhaloukaja5078]

This. It sounded "fuller", the Squire sounded thin in comparison. Ultimately, I guess it's a matter of preference but I'd pick the Pacifica over the Squire.

[@Harryk7988]

If the Pacifica has just a little more top end I think it’d be better, but to me it sounds like there’s been an we shelf at like 4k

[@Renegade666]

the Pacifica has 250k pots not 500k as he said.

[@luisforeal8676]

I've had my Pacifica for 17 years now. My dad bought it for me for somewhere around $80 at K-mart. It's held up pretty well except for the selector switch that needs replacing... The guitar looks like a hybrid between an Ibanez and a Strat which I think is pretty cool.

[@farelinokelf]

what pacifica series do you have?

[@McFly-guitars-n-stuff]

When two guitars are only $200, it's whichever one has the straightest neck and the best fret job.

[@fender1000100]

Well said. The neck and fretting is the most important.

[@beratsamil]

so which one is it?

[@Rene-tu3fc]

​@@beratsamil this kind of things vary a lot, so you gotta see the specific guitar in person. there is content on youtube on how to check this stuff. you can learn that or take someone who knows about this to the store with you.

[@LoadPast]

Yep. That's why the only way to know if you'll like a guitar is to play that guitar, reviews can only tell you so much.

[@fagyu7502]

Based on experience yamahas tend to be better at cheap prices but if you go for something like a 60's squire those have a tendency to be amazing maybe it's that less people try them in stores and they're in better condition or idk

[@MountainBikeMusings]

The Squier sounds more Strat and "bell like" and the Yamaha sounds more "scooped and warm."

[@TimFatchen]

My feel too. I now have one of each for that reason (also cos I could afford it!!!!)

[@justjaco696]

Tim Fatchen p

[@richardrichard5409]

Yup, spot on.

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

VIDEO SECTIONS: 1. Detailed Wakthrough 2. Pickups, Pots, and Electronics - 4:20 3. Trem systems - 7:22 | Trem Test - 12:29 4. Riff Comparison - 9:11 5. One minute Solos - 14:35 6. Final Thoughts - 16:18 Guitar Links: Squier Affinity: imp.i114863.net/Pxrnz Yamaha Pacifica: imp.i114863.net/Doban Enjoy!

[@Phoenix_cataclysm_in_2040]

Don't forget to pin this comment to keep it on top, as KZbin modern app arrangement shows your very own comments always on top, even though in reality they are pushed down from other people's perspective as new comments are being added. If you click on "newest comments first" you'll see how far down your time stamp comment actually is. Basically lost.

[@johnbrady1211]

There is something about the pickups in the Affinity. I have swapped these types of pickups with the ceramic magnets side by side along the pole pieces. And guys in the forums I participate in generally ask what I am going to do with them. I'm not good enough to hear it, but they are requested by enough to think there is something special about them. I personally don't like Affinitys because of the narrow 40mm nut. I love Indonesian Bullet Strats with their fast, thin necks and 42mm nut. I have never played a Pacifica. Can anyone share information on these guitars on the width of the nut and thickness of the neck. I like the fact that they have a flatter radius. 12" , 14" ?

[@wisnunomink7202]

Just wondering, what about upgrading the electronic and pick up

[@rudiyantohalim736]

Great idea on using a budget amp for the tone test. It's more suitable for this budget guitar and for people who's looking for budget friendly gear. Always great content sir, been ur loyal subscriber and always watch every content u create 👍👍😅

[@fivefingerfullprice3403]

They both sound great, especially at the price point.

[@brentbuckley798]

As a guitar teacher who teaches a lot of beginners I have a bunch of experience with both of these guitars. The Fender sounds more like a Fender , the Yamaha is much better made. They are both decent beginner guitars . I used a 600 series Pacifica as my main live guitar for years. Thanks for posting

[@peterwilson8039]

What this comparison clearly shows is that these are both very good guitars and everything that a beginner would want. I have the 112J, and I do really like the volume/tone knob setup. (I can never remember how the fender strat knobs work). I bought my 112J second hand for $100 in Canadian money (about $70 US) and I'm very pleased with it. My future plan is to get a 112V for the sake of the Alnico pickups. That will be my forever guitar, although at my age, forever is a dubious quantity.

[@LDR_Guitar]

Hay guitarras 112v por $130 de segunda mano , solo es cuestión de buscarlas.

[@GeorginoEstevez]

Old but gold 🤘🏻🎸

[@masterskywalker8877]

W price

[@2bikemikesguitartopics145]

To my ear the squire was brighter/biteyer and PCIFICA was more softer/mellower tone. Depends on what ya like.

[@simanski1239]

true i have the same feeling

[@hawkeye2816]

I was using speakers that probably aren't the best for this but the Pacifica's humbucker seemed a little chewier, so maybe it's a little higher output.

[@acecarolino101]

I thought otherwise i think the pacifica sounds edgy and higher output... nevertheless the squier sounds better

[@jeffbeck6501]

like I said, the Strat wins. Treble always wins in my parts.

[@Mr.56Goldtop]

@@acecarolino101 A little more strat-y.

[@guntherabrahamowicz4659]

The Pacifica sounded fuller and the pickups were put together better. You pay more for branding with Fender products. Pacificas starting at this line are tremendous value.

[@squierjoshyt]

The single coils are not constructed better than the Squier. The Yamaha humbucker was muddy with overdrive.

[@juliewarren6229]

@@owenandrewmusic should I get this guitar as a starter

[@brettneuberger6466]

As always, another great comparison. Your playing is so precise and smooth. Amazing!

[@DanzEnglish]

The efforts put to make this video is crazy. Thank you Sir.

[@ryo1taka5]

Clean tone Squier. Drive tone Pacifica.

[@90AlmostFamous]

gonza it's true with sss and hss setup which makes this video more of a pickup comparison than guitar comparison lol

[@renattocortez6850]

What was forgotten is that the shorter scale is sharper than the longer scale, so the difference between one fret and the other, if the yamaha has the same number of frets, it could sound as clean as the left.

[@Shaun.Stephens]

@@renattocortez6850 They both have a 25.5" scale so the only difference would be if/when Darrel had played the 22nd fret on the Yamaha and I didn't see him do that. Up to the 22nd fret they both have identical fret spacing. The Yamaha has a slightly longer neck, extending into the body 1 fret more.

[@thatdrewrivers]

Had my Pacifica for around 20 years, and even though these days I own Les Pauls and Fender Elites, I still probably play my Pacifica the most out of all of them. The neck and fretboard has always been solid, the trem is incredibly stable (Maybe I've been lucky, maybe I just set it up right) The pickups were fine, maybe they were made better back then?! But for what then was a £180 guitar, it's done me proud. Great, underrated, guitars!

[@mojomusica]

Me too! I bought mine when they very first came out, I went to try and buy an effects pedal and my friend gave me a newly delivered Pacifica to try the pedals out and I ended up buying the guitar and no pedal! I was so impressed with it, the only thing I did was install a Seymour Duncan JB humbucker and used it for continuous gigging for about 8 years, before semi-retiring it when I got an American Standard Strat and transferred the JB to it and restored the original pick-up in the Pacifica. I think they were made in a different factory at the beginning of the production, and I agree the older ones are superior, mine is still on the original frets, only the nut is new. A very overlooked guitar, absolutely not just a "beginners" guitar, mine got used on the road for enough years to bring a cheap beginners guitar to it's knees and it never let me down. As you say, I have high-end pro guitars as well, and the Pacifica is still in my rack and is still giving sterling service after over 20 years! Pacifica FTW! Thanks to Darrell for bringing them to the attention of his audience.

[@mojomusica]

PS My main guitar before the Pacifica was an Ibanez Blazer, another under-rated Japanese classic. Mine was heavily customised over the years, including sculpting the body with Strat-alike curves, and a vintage "Super 70" humbucker. It will always be special to me, even if it will never be a collectors guitar. It was another unexpected buy, I just happened to be in the shop when they were delivered and the staff had never seen one before, unboxed and unwrapped one and I bought it there and then! I am banned from guitar shops now. All praise the Internet! My last three guitars were all bought online, that will teach my wife to stop me going to shops.

[@IamBrianDickson]

Me too. I bought my natural wood finish 112 when they first came out. I play mine regularly and I still love the tone which is gorgeous, for such a low cost guitar.

[@squierjoshyt]

So what you guys are saying is you wasted thousands of dollars on high end guitars you don't play?

[@mojomusica]

@@squierjoshyt > Errr, no. You are allowed more than one guitar, and having a selection to choose from can be inspiring and push your creativity. I don't play the same on my Strat as I do on my Ibanez or my Les Paul Jnr or my Pacifica. No money spent on a guitar is "wasted"! My wife may not totally agree with that statement, but she has had over 40 years to get used to my G.A.S. (Guitar Acquisition Syndrome!)

[@antonioliwag5595]

I like how there’s litterally 6 tele’s hanging on the back while reviewing the strat style guitars.

[@sirspongadoodle]

well they are the exact same thing but the telecaster is less comfortable..

[@hal01skz29]

I'd go with Pacifica. Yamaha is known for its strict quality control in manufacturing all its models.

[@wanderleiforato4695]

Gostei da squier por causa do timbre fender

[@christineayres7199]

Or just to be different do what i did Affinity Telecaster but im someone who hates trems on guitar i really dont like the sound

[@matt6288joyce]

I love how detailed this comparison is- brilliant content!!!

[@arn999]

My first guitar was a Pacifica, in the 90s. It’s a very solid guitar for beginners. Sounds pretty good, it’s comfortable and the HSS configuration is very versatile, so great when you’re searching for what you prefer.

[@WildBilly91]

Thanks for the detailed comparison on these two "best sellers for beginners". 15 years ago, when I was a teenager starting my first rock band with friends, we had a lot of teenagers around us wondering which route to go, Squier or Yamaha. Your results are pretty much what I've always thought all these years lol. We already had older guitarists telling us that these guitars were great value for the price, and that in their younger years, 200$/€ would get you a shovel with strings. Looks is personal taste, and I've always had a soft spot for the classic style of the Squiers, but I've always considered that the Pacifica's playability was far superior. When I was 15, everyone was going for the Squiers as we were all fans of bands like Blink-182, and one day, this shy kid pops up and ask my band and I if we were willing to act a support band for him to play AC/DC 's Thunderstruck at our highschool's talent show. We said yes, he showed up to practice with us, and he offered us to test his Pacifica. It was, of course, not as great as our guitarist Fender Strat MIM, but even him was fairly surprised with the playability of that neck. That and the thinner cuts make for a fast playability. No need to say that that kid blew everyone minds with the first notes of Thunderstruck at that talent show. I was very happy that this shy guy, was seen as a rockstar that day and that has to do with the fact that he could play that on a the Pacifica, it'd have been much more of a struggle on an Affinity neck. But, like you, I've always though the electronics were the weak point. IMO, if you update the Pacifica with decent electronics/pickups, it will take you further than the Affinity. Upgrade to the standard series, and I think it'd be another story though.

[@wadya]

Well explained, Darrell. I always love your videos. And hey, great playing too! Coincidentally I am from Indonesia too, where the guitars came from. So good to see those guitars made their way to your hands!

[@MikeLee-lg5vq]

I almost lost it when you were playing and reached for the Squire's whammy bar then, whoop... better not.

[@zincChameleon]

Good point. At the risk of offending whammy-bar dive-bombers, I've gotten great results from hard-tailing my Squire Strat, and then tapping half of a brass pipe ring into the space between the tremolo block and the body. The increase in midrange fullness and brightness still amazes me. I've got more expensive guitars, but my Squier Strat is my go-to guitar for slide. The Squier Strat practically talks on the unwound G-string. Overall price? $120 Cdn, or $90 U.S. (with the brass piece).

[@MikeLee-lg5vq]

@@zincChameleon Yes, or do like Hendrix and dive-bomb the crap out of it at the end of a song, and retune between each song!

[@zincChameleon]

@@MikeLee-lg5vq Mostly I'm a Tele player; I just want a Strat (or two) for pickup positions 2 and 4. ; )

[@brucelk19]

Zinc Chameleon ya my only reason for not doing this is because i think an actual hard tail would still be better than a blocked Trem. So might as well enjoy it. A little pencil graphite in the nut. N saddles n removing the string tree on the d and g strings massively imporves the Trem. I just can’t stand 3 knobs n I can stand no bridge tone adjustment like it’s the one I want to turn the tone down the most on.. but haven’t really messed with guitar electronics before so don’t want to make my guitar worse by fooling with it.. also I need a new pick guard n my affinity has 8 hole has which you can’t find replacements anywhere accept one preloaded white on on eBay from China for $99 . And mines already cream I don’t want white. Has anyone found an8 hole hss pickgaurd that for an affinity? PS squier looks way better than Yamaha headstock and body wise. Personally of course I Can’t stand pointy guitars there’s beautiful Ibanez colors but the body’s make me want to puke n the head sticks fugly. But some of the SAs look cool

[@zincChameleon]

@@brucelk19 At this time, hardtail Strats are only available through the Fender Custom Shop for big bucks; my approach allows a person to get the same results without damaging hardware, that's why I spelled it 'hardtail' in single quotes.

[@Xpyburnt_ndz]

Actually thought the Pacifica had a slightly better tone but you're right, they're both great guitars!

[@infring1]

thank you for doing this, instead of just playing the guitars and not giving any opinions, like most youtube videos do.

[@patent777]

I just discovered this guy (Darrell Braun) while researching some guitars - he's great !! - love his pace and demeanor 👍❤️

[@grilledspaghetti]

I've never picked up a Pacifica that I've thought was a bad guitar. Consistency.

[@KyLesCaster]

Out of the box, they were set up better.

[@julesvox]

These guitars have a soft spot for me, they go way back when I was a teen. A friend of mine had a Pacifica and later on I bought a Squier strat with single coils. Cool comparison, as usual.

[@LewNewmark56]

Darrell thanks so much for this video comparison. I recently purchased the Pacifica, and I have quite the journey to get to where you are as far as a guitar player, and I want to thank you for the inspiration.

[@wunderhelm]

Thank you very much for this! Great comparison/breakdown! I’ve been looking at these two models for my youngest boy’s first electric guitar. You’ve given me lots to think about. 👍🏻🙂

[@KARELIA28]

Exactly the review I was looking for. Thanks and keep it up.

[@YTisverycool2007]

Always appreciate your insight and sharing!!! You sounded AWESOME even with these budget guitars!!!!!!!!!

[@gameon2000]

This is the test, I was looking for. Thank you so much.

[@DanielGennaro]

Based off the sound, I like the Squier a lil more- everyone saying the Pacifica sounds warmer just sounds a little more muted to me and doesn't cut through as much as the Squier..so hopefully I can find another HSS squier out there for cheap

[@TransistorBased]

Yeah, the Yamaha sounds dead in comparison.

[@SaulGoodman-Associates]

Highly agree with you on this one

[@thewomanwithnohead]

I bought the exact same red Pacifica 112 J back in 2006 as my first one ... A billion guitars later, she's still laying on my wall, heavily modded but still ready to get rocked !

[@Thirsty_Fox]

Got mine as first guitar circa 2000. Put a new face plate on it (white plastic yellowed) but still feels like home every time I pick it up.

[@Theweeze100]

The Woman With No Head I have a very similar story, my Pacifica is heavily modded and I still love to play it. The only sad part of the story is that I wanted a strat sound so bad I traded an old SG for it. A real Gibson SG from the 70s. Well we all learn our lessons don’t we?

[@walkerpendleton760]

I have squier it is okay but I rather change the pickup

[@ashu7pathak]

If you have a billion guitars, why don't you send over a couple or just one to me? I'll pay the shipping.

[@maxmustardman298]

My first and still my only guitar. Modded as well, but the only electric guitar I will ever need. Unless Yamaha starts to bring back the 1221 superstrats ;)

[@rampantcoyote3136]

On my Pacifica 112V, you can coil-split the humbucker by pulling on the tone knob, turning it into a single-coil pickup. Not sure if that's possible in the 112J version, but that's another really nice feature of the Pacifica to get the tone you want.

[@_wayneman_]

My first guitar was a 1998 build in Japan Yamaha PAC112X. Last year I decided to pick it up just to see how it compares to my newer guitars. I was amazed to see that the neck has not bend or twisted in any way after more than 20 years with strings on it. I put on some new strings and did a rough setup just to further notice that it also played VERY well. So, with my knowledge of guitars that I accumulated over the years, I decided to go completely overboard with my Pacifica and did the following: - Fret leveling, crowning, polishing - new bone nut - new tuners - new pickups - new bridge - copper shielding inside - new pots + switch + knobs - proper setup This guitar now sounds and plays like an expensive custom guitar and I completely fell in love with her. Kinda ironic that this beauty was my first ever instrument

[@edkawalec3360]

Nice to see a comparison, thanks! I have owned a somewhat deluxe Pacifica for about 10 years or so, have only done a good fret redress, and it is really nice, I have thought of upgrading the pickups but they are not bad at all, great guitar overall, I think I paid about $275.- for it, no regrets, it fulfills my 'Strat' needs, pretty much. If money was no object, I would probably get a Fender Elite Strat or maybe a Suhr Strat model (talking about 2 grand for these bad boys, though). Now, some of the other Yamaha models are also really nice, I am a big Yamaha fan and own a number of them, consistent quality is what I find.

[@youokaycase]

Been rocking my 112 Pacifica for ten years now. First electric and still works like a charm, though the output jack is a little loosey.

[@jimr3633]

I have the Pacifica 112V. My first guitar for my 50th birthday. I couldn't be happier. Plays great and stays in tune crazy well. I don't use the trem though. I wanted a US Strat since I was in high school, but wanted something cheap enough that my kids might play it and I wouldn't worry if they drop it now and then. Plays so well I am in no rush to get that US strat. That smooth bridge humbucker is really nice

[@silverbrada9735]

Nice, HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!! I bought it two weeks ago. IT'S PRO GUITAR!!!

[@johnc3403]

I have an early Pacifica, circa 2001. The first time I held it, it's neck just fell into my grip ..not too shallow, not too deep, ..almost felt like it was made for me.. 20 years on and I can afford a Strat if I wanted, but the Pacifica is such a great feeling and a great playing guitar that I dare not replace it. At the end of the day, the Pacifica is a Strat copy, but as an instrument in it's own right it is absolutely wonderful. I have Fender pure vintage '59's in it now and it sounds awesome. ..Fender sound and Yamaha playability...

[@aj45045]

I am a pacifica fan but also I've owned more than 30 guitars and played probably more than 300 guitars, cheap, expensive, pre '80, name it... Also I do guitar repairs and setups so know what a good guitar is. Pacifica 112 is a better guitar. From it's first release 'till today, Pacifica 112 offered a good quality 3-piece alder body when squier had agathis and poplar bodies. Every pacifica that I have owned or tried out (really a lot) was a decent made guitar with good finish, that could be set up very nice. The same cannot be said for squiers in general (expept CV - very good guitars). Even in this video yamaha stayed better in tune even though probably it can be set up so it really stays in tune... Electronics on all this cheap guitars are crap so if you want a good sound out of it, it needs changing. I recommend Pacifica 112 to everyone who can't afford an expensive guitar, because it's a great base for upgrading. My thoughts on what would the priorities for upgrade be: 1. Pickups (Alnico) 2. Nut (Bone/Tusq) 3. Pots (Full size) 4. String Tree/Retainer (Roller) 5. Cooper Shielding (It's not expensive) 6. Tremolo/Bridge (Wilkinson WV6SB is great) 7. Strap Lock s (Security-wise) 8. Machine Heads (Grover 305C6 because of 18:1 ratio) 9. Jack (If it breaks) 10. Switch (If it breaks)

[@noisyboy5529]

Thanks, your comment is really helpful!! 👏 👏

[@kimamey]

Would the Pacifica be easier to upgrade the pickups due to it having a thicker body? The other option would be the 112V with the Alnico-V pickups. I don't know if the switches are different though. More expensive of course but then so is changing hardware. Is the hard angle on the front uncomfortable on the right arm (assuming right handed)? I don't play although I'm considering starting so I find videos likes this and your comments interesting.

[@DougHinVA]

@@kimamey the best deal is a used Pacifica.... the older the better!

[@mrcowlick7537]

@@kimamey i've had the 112V since 2016, the knobs are diecast + you get coil split on the humbucker. it's a really versatile instrument

[@Shuffit]

I’ve got a PAC112j and the two single coils actually sound amazing for clean. The humbucker sounds awful, but I imagine it would sound fine with the right wiring setup. Maybe drop it down to warm it up, and install a treble bleed.

[@thein-tele-gent5654]

Great upload! Both surprisingly good instruments at their price points. I have played both, and love both. The Yamaha sounded a bit muted to my ears, but it is fascinating how nice some guitars sound through one amplifier, and lackluster through another. I love my teles, but they sound uninspired through Roland amps (clean). Plug in a different guitar with lower output pickups and the same amp sounds fantastic. Thanks for another awesome show'n'tell, Darrell!

[@carlb.3082]

My first guitar was a Yamaha Pacifica 16 years ago and would never let her go. I've had Ibanez prestige, Mexican Fender strat, tele, and jaguar, a beautiful Music man Ernieball Silhouette special, they all have come and go but I would never get rid of my Yamaha Pacifica. I've played it on professional gigs with no alterations and sounds great.

[@BrooklynSailorBoy]

As I as I was watching your video my Stratocaster arrived. I have yet to open the box but so glad that you liked the Stratocaster better in terms of sound. I am brand new at this and very much appreciated your thorough, organized video. Thank you

[@Doowopsid]

Wow, great video! Very nice job comparing every aspect of these two guitars and it was just what I was looking for. I also appreciate your giving your opinions of your likes and dislikes of each. I have the Affinity but am also looking to get a Pacifica and your video was very helpful. Thank you

[@TheDetherageDialect]

Yamaha packs a lot of value into these affordably priced and well-crafted electric guitars because they know we are not buying it for the name on the head stock. Guitar center near me doesn't even keep them on the shelves. I, for one, have no shame flaunting the Yamaha name. I was going to buy the Pac012...but then thought to get the Pac112J for the Alder body...but before I pulled the trigger, I found a "blemished" Pac112V available in red from the Guitar Center site for only $240. I couldn't resist! The only "blemish" was a few faint swirl scratches on the back, seemingly from someone playing it and it brushing against their clothes fabric. I am blown away by the quality of this guitar at this price point, from the fret board to the hardware, this thing is a gem. And the coil tap makes it play like 2 strats in 1! I feel like I ripped someone off! Yesterday, I sat down in Guitar Center and played the Epiphone SG-Pro ($429) and I just laughed, because the guitar felt very cheap and poorly constructed in comparison to the 112V.

[@CK-ei5bm]

I like the more fuller and better sound quality of the Pacifica Guitar!!! It just sounds so much better in my humble opinion! Just Thinking out loud!!!

[@everettsmith6788]

I like that you used the same chords to Paradise City for the whammy tuning test.

[@IamMarko101]

Great comparison video. Subbed. Can’t go wrong with Pacifica.

[@chadwickhurlburt6529]

I played a Yamaha Pacifica for the first time 15 years ago in a mom-n-pop music store in Indiana. It was my first experience with the Yamaha strat-knockoff. I was initially very impressed with the Yamaha Pacifica. The frets were flawless, the neck was flawless, the guitars played perfectly. Even better than most of the "real" strats I've played at that time. The guitars I played had a lot of attention to details done on them. The frets were all polished and rounded, the action was perfect. I would have bought one if I had been closer to "payday". Maybe these details were done at this shop, maybe not. I don't know. But I was very impressed with the quality those guitars had. I cannot imagine any Squire having the quality of the Yamaha Pacifica's I played that day. In fact, I expected Yamaha guitars to become a "Big Deal" after my first impression. That didn't happen. Maybe the Pacifica's of 15-20 years ago are not the same as they are today? That might be the truth, which means vintage early Pacifica guitars should be treasures now. They were treasures when I played them almost two decades ago. Better than anything Fender had available at that time.

[@SebastianPrates]

Yo tengo una pacífica hace más de 20 años. Es fantástica.

[@RC32Smiths01]

As someone with a low budget (rip lol), this is a really strong comparison and review of both! Definitely helpful for someone who wants a useful guitar with spending not much! Great video my man!

[@ronniejdio9411]

Just shop reverb or craigslist and spend $200 on a nice used guitar

[@mattlombardi54]

You could always get a Harley Benton.

[@ronniejdio9411]

@@mattlombardi54 wolf guitars make the best cheapest guitars too . Bit I'd recommend anyone spending this little 9n a guitar to download the craigslist app or play the Ebay lottery and get a nicer guitar.thats scratched up. For just a bit more and an hr drive I got a nice Mexican strat " reliced " as the kids call it and slapped a stevie and a lace pick up in ot

[@ramirezcomposer]

Excellent job!!! I still prefer the Pacifica. Searching for a cheap but functional guitar. This review helped me a lot. Thanks!!!

[@gabrielbrunet1245]

I really love the way the telecaster background look!

[@robert__]

i've had a squier affinity as my only electric guitar for almost 10 years now, it's served me really well. it's really easy to play and when it's 'broken in' you get very used to it and it sounds good. people have asked me on my recordings if i use a jaguar and other guitars like that. i can't really make a comparison i just want to say the squier is good

[@molkamezri8089]

The solo played at the end with the pacifica is so so good

[@jdplaysguitar5488]

do you know what it is called? its beautiful

[@stephanielongden597]

At the end of 2021 I'm just reawakening my interest in guitars - I liked the Pacifica + I love your reviews and upgrade tutorials = very happy subscriber.

[@rohanbruce1]

Thanks for all your reviews dude. Love your work, and your solos are cool too. Cheers! 👍😉

[@mark90286]

I had the opportunity to play with 112V , it is unique model despite the fact that it cost 200$. I consider that this guitar can be compared with expensive fenders . It is very comfortable , very nice construction, it impressed me.

[@thomasehrhardt2765]

I have the Pacifica 112J in black... I love the versatility in tones and ease of play. I have 1000$ Signature model fenders I pick up my Pacifica more times than the others. It's easy on the hands fun to play a substantial guitar in weight and feel. I've played for 20+ years my hands aren't what they used to be. The Pacifica doesn't feel rough on my hands and keeps me playing! I recommend it to younger students, beginners & it's a good cover band giggable instrument. I Japanese Band Scandal guitarist Haruna Ono started with a Pacifica 112J in 2009 she even used it on the first 3 #1 singles and in the music videos. I love mine! 😁

[@cliffBMRC]

Outstanding takedown deep dive. Thank you.

[@mitchwild8238]

I've owned six Pacificas. Also six Strats. For the money, I'd always recommend a Pacifica and upgrade the pups later. Bare Knuckle pups transformed a 112V I had into a real tone machine ideal for most styles, especially smokey blues.

[@DBSG1976]

Gold standard Darrell! What a great way to introduce entry level guitars, by breaking them down to their guts and comparing tones! If only they came in Daphne Blue...

[@amyhmc5496]

Or sonic blue...😘

[@Luthiart]

@@amyhmc5496 The 112V comes in Sonic Blue.

[@Luthiart]

How about Lake Placid Blue? I think that's the one I'd go for if I got a 112J.

[@DBSG1976]

@@Luthiart All my guitars are either Daphne Blue or Surf Green, so I stick to those two colors. Though I think Lake Placid Blue is the best metallic finish for guitars...

[@sohamsengupta6470]

Yep you are totally addicted to Daphne blue...

[@mgibby63mg]

I agree with your assessment. I do think the squier has the more "fendery " tone but the Pacifica sounded great too. I don't think you'd go wrong either way.

[@rocky7232]

Glad you did this breakdown.

[@psour33]

I'm still using a quite old Squier Strat Standard model and I'm still very happy with this instrument.

[@RevGary]

Yamaha Pacifica best imo. What replacement pickups & trem system do you recommend for it Daryll? Great video bro thanks.

[@billyj5080]

Great vid brother... always a pleasure to listen to you.... personally I think the winner was the amp.. great tones cheap price.. BillyJ south of Pittsburgh...have a nice day...

[@Hiro.the.God.]

I really love the look of the Yamaha. I think adding the plug-in to the side makes the face look so clean.

[@paulvanwal4875]

A very good Review , Darell Braun ! Thanks .

[@ryeguy3098]

Loved the review, I think I’ll go Pacifica, get comfortable with it and eventually a guy can always do component upgrades. But playability and the way it feels isn’t really changeable.

[@jimleffler7976]

I love my Affinity HSS, still figuring it out, haha

[@trinerd]

I have a 112 V, upgraded the bridge and neck pickups to DiMarzio Super Distortion and Air Norton S. Daddario string upgrade. Also filed and lubricated the nut a bit and sanded some of the fret edges. It is an absolute beast of a guitar for the price.

[@rathernotdisclose8064]

HELLA thorough. Great video. Upvotes for u.

[@by__bianka]

I have the Pacifica and have no issues so far. It's beautuful and plays well. I once didn't use it for 2 months and barely had to tune it.

[@itscrono7073]

I like the squire more on clean tones, but the Pacifica really shines with a little overdrive! Also, this is one of the best guitar comparison videos I've ever seen, the demo section was very entertaining.

[@LittleGenevieve]

That black/gold tele in the back is fuxking awesome

[@roidigitalggroup1721]

Love your videos awesome job thank you!

[@johncarpenter6219]

Wow...the Pacifica sounds awesome...without headphones from my phone I could tell a huge difference between the two.

[@fly3po1]

I think the Yamaha has a much warmer overall tone....

[@rohanb9874]

Learned much. Certainly well presented, informative and unbiased. I too felt the affinity sounded better.

[@ridha3248]

this was so good .. thanks man !

[@InsomniacMatt]

My first guitar was an ESP LTD Viper 50. I still have it. It's pretty beat up

[@anthonyhanson2849]

I really liked the Pacifica better. I’ve always really like those guitars. Good to see a video giving them some love. Nice comparison.

[@RockWeller]

Great explanation Darrell!

[@fredwilson8276]

Hadnt noticed this guy was so good! I have a pacifica and my freind has the affinity strat(hss). we have this sort of conversation often.

[@Don_Kinho]

I actually bought a Yamaha Pacifica 112J the past week, this was because I am waiting for my new Warman pickups (some pickups you should try, they will not disappoint you ;) ) of my main guitar... And I couldn't be more happy, despite it is a $200 guitar, it's so much better than what I spected, it's comfortable and fells great! It will be my second guitar for a long time 😁

[@johnrichjr.415]

I liked the Pacifica better. Loved that you tested with a basic amp and 1 mic. So many guys on YT testing cheaper guitars, Harley Bentons , Slicks, whatever...but they're playing through a top of the line effect rack or high end amp. You kept it real and this was a great review.

[@williammcdonald3147]

Love finding new music channels I get to binge all their videos lol

[@ahmedaliqureshi8105]

I love your telecasters and your smile man.