Head to head
Fender Standard Telecaster vs Yamaha Pacifica PAC611HFM
The short answer is that the pickup layouts differ (SS against HP90). Below, every specification we hold for both instruments is lined up, with the 25 rows that actually differ marked out.
Standard Telecaster
Butterscotch Blonde, maple fingerboard
A Telecaster with the Fender logo and, unusually at this level, six saddles
Pacifica PAC611HFM
Translucent Black
Seymour Duncans, Grover locking tuners and Graph Tech hardware, on an alder Pacifica
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Score profile
Six editorial axes, overlaid. Where one shape sits outside the other, that is where the instrument gains ground.
- Fender Standard Telecaster7.8
- Yamaha Pacifica PAC611HFM9.0
Scores are Fretline editorial ratings on a 1-10 scale. They are our own assessment and are not supplied or endorsed by Amazon or by any manufacturer.
Specification by specification
| Standard Telecaster | Pacifica PAC611HFM | |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Fender | Yamaha |
| Model | Standard Telecaster | Pacifica PAC611HFM |
| Finish | Butterscotch Blonde, maple fingerboard | Translucent Black |
| Instrument | Electric guitar | Electric guitar |
| Fretline score | 7.8 / 10 | 9.0 / 10 |
| Value for money | 8 / 10 | 9 / 10 |
| Amazon rating | 4.5 / 5 (46) | 4.2 / 5 (36) |
| Price | $500 - $1,000 | $500 - $1,000 |
| Type | Electric guitar | Electric guitar |
| Body | Telecaster solidbody | Pacifica double cutaway |
| Body wood | Poplar | Alder |
| Top | — | Flamed maple (laminated) |
| Neck joint | Bolt-on, four-bolt neck plate | Bolt-on |
| Neck wood | Maple | Maple with tinted finish |
| Neck profile | Modern "C" | — |
| Scale length | 25.5" (648 mm) | 25.5" (648 mm) |
| Fingerboard | Maple | Rosewood |
| Radius | 9.5" (241 mm) | 13.34" (339 mm) |
| Frets | 21 | 22 |
| Fret size | Medium jumbo | Medium |
| Nut | Micarta | Graph Tech TUSQ |
| Nut width | 1.6875" (42.86 mm) | — |
| Bridge | String-through-body Telecaster bridge with six satin chrome block steel saddles | Hardtail with Graph Tech String Saver saddles |
| Tuners | Fender Standard cast/sealed with hex buttons | Grover locking |
| Neck pickup | Standard single-coil Tele, chrome cover | Seymour Duncan SP90-1 |
| Bridge pickup | Standard single-coil Tele | Seymour Duncan Custom 5 TB-14 |
| Configuration | SS | HP90 |
| Electronics | Passive, ceramic magnets | Passive |
| Controls | Master volume, master tone | Volume with push/pull coil split, tone |
| Switching | Three-position blade | 3-position pickup selector |
| Orientation | Right-handed | Right-handed |
| Skill level | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Intermediate, Advanced, Professional |
| Styles | Country, Rock, Blues, Indie, Pop, Funk | Rock, Blues, Indie, Funk, Pop, Punk |
| In the box | — | — |
A marked row is one where the two differ. A highlighted cell is the stronger figure where one can be judged objectively. Empty cells are specifications the manufacturer does not publish — never estimates.
Which one should you buy?
Computed from the specifications and our editorial scores for these two instruments only. It is not a general ranking.
Best value
Yamaha Pacifica PAC611HFMHighest editorial value-for-money score of the instruments compared.
Most versatile
Yamaha Pacifica PAC611HFMHighest editorial versatility score, backed by pickup layout and switching.
Most comfortable
Fender Standard TelecasterHighest editorial comfort score: neck profile, radius and body ergonomics.
Best for beginners
Fender Standard TelecasterStrongest overall score among the instruments we rate as beginner-friendly.
Best for the studio
Yamaha Pacifica PAC611HFMBuild and tone scores combined, with credit for tuning-stability hardware that matters when tracking.
Scores are Fretline editorial ratings on a 1-10 scale. They are our own assessment and are not supplied or endorsed by Amazon or by any manufacturer.
Want a third opinion?
The comparator takes as many instruments as you like, not just two, and recomputes the whole table and every conclusion as you add them.
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