Head to head
Ibanez GIO GRX70QA vs Yamaha Pacifica PAC611HFM
The short answer is that they sit in different price brackets (Under $300 against $500 - $1,000), and the pickup layouts differ (HSH against HP90). Below, every specification we hold for both instruments is lined up, with the 21 rows that actually differ marked out.
GIO GRX70QA
Sunburst
The cheapest honest route into a fast neck and a humbucker at each end
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.
- Ibanez GIO GRX70QA7.2
- 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
| GIO GRX70QA | Pacifica PAC611HFM | |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Ibanez | Yamaha |
| Model | GIO GRX70QA | Pacifica PAC611HFM |
| Finish | Sunburst | Translucent Black |
| Instrument | Electric guitar | Electric guitar |
| Fretline score | 7.2 / 10 | 9.0 / 10 |
| Value for money | 9 / 10 | 9 / 10 |
| Amazon rating | 4.6 / 5 (2,568) | 4.2 / 5 (36) |
| Price | Under $300 | $500 - $1,000 |
| Type | Electric guitar | Electric guitar |
| Body | GRX solidbody, double cutaway | Pacifica double cutaway |
| Body wood | Poplar | Alder |
| Top | Quilted maple art grain | Flamed maple (laminated) |
| Neck joint | Bolt-on | Bolt-on |
| Neck wood | Maple | Maple with tinted finish |
| Neck profile | GRX (19.5 mm at 1st fret, 21.5 mm at 12th) | — |
| Scale length | 25.5" (648 mm) | 25.5" (648 mm) |
| Fingerboard | Jatoba | Rosewood |
| Radius | 12" (305 mm) | 13.34" (339 mm) |
| Frets | 22 | 22 |
| Fret size | Medium | Medium |
| Nut | — | Graph Tech TUSQ |
| Nut width | 1.65" (42 mm) | — |
| Bridge | Ibanez T106 tremolo | Hardtail with Graph Tech String Saver saddles |
| Tuners | — | Grover locking |
| Neck pickup | Infinity R (H) | Seymour Duncan SP90-1 |
| Bridge pickup | Infinity R (H) | Seymour Duncan Custom 5 TB-14 |
| Configuration | HSH | HP90 |
| Electronics | Passive, ceramic magnets | Passive |
| Controls | Volume, tone | Volume with push/pull coil split, tone |
| Switching | 5-way blade | 3-position pickup selector |
| Orientation | Right-handed | Right-handed |
| Skill level | Beginner, Intermediate | Intermediate, Advanced, Professional |
| Styles | Rock, Metal, Blues, Punk, Pop | 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.
Most versatile
Yamaha Pacifica PAC611HFMHighest editorial versatility score, backed by pickup layout and switching.
Most comfortable
Ibanez GIO GRX70QAHighest editorial comfort score: neck profile, radius and body ergonomics.
Best for beginners
Ibanez GIO GRX70QAStrongest 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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