Head to head
Ibanez JEM7VP Steve Vai Signature Premium vs Yamaha Pacifica PAC611HFM
The short answer is that they sit in different price brackets (Over $2,000 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 22 rows that actually differ marked out.
JEM7VP Steve Vai Signature Premium
White
The Vai signature, minus the Japanese price and almost none of the specification
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 JEM7VP Steve Vai Signature Premium8.8
- 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
| JEM7VP Steve Vai Signature Premium | Pacifica PAC611HFM | |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Ibanez | Yamaha |
| Model | JEM7VP Steve Vai Signature Premium | Pacifica PAC611HFM |
| Finish | White | Translucent Black |
| Instrument | Electric guitar | Electric guitar |
| Fretline score | 8.8 / 10 | 9.0 / 10 |
| Value for money | 7 / 10 | 9 / 10 |
| Amazon rating | 4.5 / 5 (18) | 4.2 / 5 (36) |
| Price | Over $2,000 | $500 - $1,000 |
| Type | Electric guitar | Electric guitar |
| Body | JEM solidbody with Monkey Grip handle | Pacifica double cutaway |
| Body wood | Alder | Alder |
| Top | — | Flamed maple (laminated) |
| Neck joint | Bolt-on | Bolt-on |
| Neck wood | Wizard five-piece maple and walnut with KTS titanium reinforcement rods | Maple with tinted finish |
| Neck profile | Wizard, 18 mm at the 1st fret and 20 mm at the 12th | — |
| Scale length | 25.5" (648 mm) | 25.5" (648 mm) |
| Fingerboard | Ebony | Rosewood |
| Radius | 15.75" (400 mm) | 13.34" (339 mm) |
| Frets | 24 | 22 |
| Fret size | Jumbo, premium fret edge treatment | Medium |
| Nut | — | Graph Tech TUSQ |
| Nut width | 43 mm | — |
| Bridge | Edge tremolo with Lion's Claw cavity | Hardtail with Graph Tech String Saver saddles |
| Tuners | Gotoh machine heads | Grover locking |
| Neck pickup | DiMarzio Evolution humbucker | Seymour Duncan SP90-1 |
| Bridge pickup | DiMarzio Evolution humbucker | Seymour Duncan Custom 5 TB-14 |
| Configuration | HSH | HP90 |
| Electronics | Passive | Passive |
| Controls | Volume, tone | Volume with push/pull coil split, tone |
| Switching | Five-position blade | 3-position pickup selector |
| Orientation | Right-handed | Right-handed |
| Skill level | Advanced, Professional | Intermediate, Advanced, Professional |
| Styles | Metal, Rock, Prog, Funk, Jazz | Rock, Blues, Indie, Funk, Pop, Punk |
| In the box | Gig bag included | — |
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
Ibanez JEM7VP Steve Vai Signature PremiumHighest editorial versatility score, backed by pickup layout and switching.
Most comfortable
Ibanez JEM7VP Steve Vai Signature PremiumHighest editorial comfort score: neck profile, radius and body ergonomics.
Best for metal
Ibanez JEM7VP Steve Vai Signature PremiumStrongest overall score among the instruments suited to metal.
Best for the studio
Ibanez JEM7VP Steve Vai Signature PremiumBuild 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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