Yamaha PAC112J Electric Guitar Red Metallic

I bought this a couple years ago, forgot about it, and picked it up again this year. I'm really enjoying it. It feels great, in every way imaginable. Smooth neck, frets are all perfect, good sound from the pickups, and it stays in tune after the strings settle. I would like to upgrade someday, but I almost feel like there wouldn't be a need.

I used to own one of these when I was in high school. I had a more expensive guitar, but I got a Yamaha Pacifica in blue (this exact model) to take to gigs I played. I had it covered in spray paint, stickers, and electrical tape, and even though I treated it as a beater guitar, it played well. A lot of fun memories. Well, when I saw that Yamaha still made these guitars, and in the same blue color, I decided to order one. I have several electrics (including one Gibson), but there was just something about the way this guitar played that made picking one up almost two decades later feel a lot like coming home. I had it shipped to a Guitar Center location near Buffalo, and I have to admit-I was really impressed with the setup right out of the box. The craftsmanship is excellent. Yamaha obviously has strict quality control, because it was set up near perfectly right out of the box. String height was great, as well as intonation. The nut needed to be slotted properly, but that's minor. Don't let the low price tag fool you. The stock pickups sound great both clean and with some dirt. Nice highs, warm mids, and clear lows from the bridge humbucker. Decent clarity to the two single coils. I shielded mine as soon as I got it home, so I get almost no hum from the single coils at all. Even you don't love some of the stock hardware-pots, pickups, bridge, block, nut, and so forth-parts are really easy to source and swap for these guitars. Weighted nicely (not too light), and the satin neck plays very well. The fret work was well done-no rough edges! I love the finish. Simple and classy. Overall, this guitar is pretty awesome for the money. Highly recommended, no matter your skill level. I keep mine tuned down to Eb and use it to play old pop punk and rock tunes from the 90s-Green Day, Nirvana, NOFX, The Offspring, Blink-182, that kind of stuff. But really, it could work well for just about any style.

I was looking for a specific look like Tom Morello's Arm The Homeless guitar and I originally bought a Fender squire bulllet guitar but I was disappointed that it ran out of the lake blue color. I was fortunate to have a nice sales associate find the right color and I was pleasantly surprised that the guitar had a great sound and feel to it. The two things I look for in a guitar is comfort ( is it light and sleek) Sound. Have to say I love jamming to Rage Against The Machine, Street Sweeper Social Club and Prophets of Rage songs in Standard tuning. The sound is great and delivers.

I'm pretty much a hack and play mostly for myself. I'm also a Fender products guy and just can't seem to get a Gibson family guitar to fit me well. This Yamaha comes highly rated and well regarded for the price. I thought I would give it a shot. Feels much like my Fender Strat Blacktop so I like the way the Yamaha plays. The neck is great and the pickups are clear and sharp. I really like this guitar.

Love it. Feels and sounds better than any other sub-$200 guitar I tried (epiphones and squires mostly)

I am a professional level player and teacher. I have owned and played nearly every popular guitar you can think of. This is the "Honda" or "Toyota" of guitars. I often use it for gigs. Totally solid, reliable, versatile guitar. This is NOT a beginner guitar - its specs are the same as American Fender Strats and others that are very very expensive. There are a lot of terrific bargain guitars these days but for a strat this is the one to beat. I greatly prefer it to the Fender Standard Stratocasters that are made in Mexico. Get the black one - be like Clapton and The Edge. Pickups do NOT need to be changed. Tone is in the hands, strings, amp and the way you EQ your amp - get a tube amp like the Bugera V22 or a Peavey Classic plug this in and go. Get a teacher. Enjoy!!! I have been playing the Pacifica 112's for almost 20 years now and they live next to my Gibson and Tokai Les Paul, SG and Flying V guitars.