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Yamaha Pacifica
 A quality guitar for only a few bucks. (Clive Warner reviews the latest budget Yamaha and finds it a surprisingly tasty option). Yamaha have to be the unsung hero's of guitar manufacture. Latecomers to the market, they have built up a steady reputation and their guitars have found favour with novices as well as icons such as U2's the Edge. This month we are looking at the all new 012 - the budget model of 112 - (justifiably voted 'best in its class' - in numerous guitar magazines). Better still one lucky reader is going to have this very item drop through their letterbox in the coming month or so! The Yamaha 112 has been around a while now and some favour it over comparably priced instruments by the likes of Squier and Epiphone so why change what is an already successful formula? Price is one reason. The 112 is a reasonable £179.00 but with quality guitars being available for a little over £100.00 even Yamaha need to sit up and take notice. The best price I could find for the 012 was a little under £100.00 so I got on the phone and ordered one. Although it was available in a number of colours, I chose a standard black guitar with two single coils and a humbucker at the bridge mounted on a white scratchplate (my favourite pick-up configuration), and a rosewood fretboard. When it arrived and was unboxed I was delighted at the finish and build quality. I have heard complaints that guitars in this price range suffer problems of quality control so sceptics might claim I'd just been lucky! As you'd expect it's a lightweight guitar (which is a relief to a 'Les Paul' owner) so maybe economies have been made in the choice or density of wood for the body - but that is well hidden beneath the flawless paint job - and in my view makes for a brighter sounding instrument. Strapped on (strap not included) and plugged in (lead not included either) this guitar has a comfy feel and the action was good proving the guitar had been competently 'set up' and even tuned before leaving the factory. Always a good sign! In my youth (many moons ago) there were few entry-level instruments available and those that were to be found were often so bad that many budding guitarist's dreams were thwarted - not by their lack of talent but by their lack of a decent instrument. I still wake up shivering at night when I remember my old Columbus SG. So my impressions of the 012 were instantly favourable and continued to rise when amplified. This guitar isn't going to boom at the low end like a Les Paul, nor sing at the top end like a Telecaster, but it pretty much held its own on everything in between! I'd suggest it would find a home in any collection. Unlike with more expensive instruments, at this price you can leave it lying around and pick it up whenever the muse takes you. So what if it picks up the odd ding or bruise? Look on the bright side, many people like the distressed look this is a booming segment of the guitar market. Just how do Yamaha do it? And if the 012 is this good at this price, then just how good is the 112? Maybe this will be the subject of a future item.... |
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