Head to head

Jackson X Series Dinky DK3XR HSS vs Yamaha Pacifica PAC112J

The short answer is that they sit in different price brackets ($300 - $500 against Under $300), and the bridges work in fundamentally different ways. Below, every specification we hold for both instruments is lined up, with the 24 rows that actually differ marked out.

Jackson

X Series Dinky DK3XR HSS

Cobalt Blue

The same double-locking Dinky, in the finish you can take to a function gig

8.3/105.0 (3)

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Yamaha

Pacifica PAC112J

Black

The beginner guitar teachers actually recommend, and an alder body at Squier money

8.5/105.0 (1)

See it on Amazon Read the full analysis

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Score profile

Six editorial axes, overlaid. Where one shape sits outside the other, that is where the instrument gains ground.

Jackson X Series Dinky DK3XR HSS8.3
Yamaha Pacifica PAC112J8.5

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

Jackson X Series Dinky DK3XR HSS compared with Yamaha Pacifica PAC112J
	X Series Dinky DK3XR HSS	Pacifica PAC112J
Brand	Jackson	Yamaha
Model	X Series Dinky DK3XR HSS	Pacifica PAC112J
Finish	Cobalt Blue	Black
Instrument	Electric guitar	Electric guitar
Fretline score	8.3 / 10	8.5 / 10
Value for money	9 / 10	10 / 10
Amazon rating	5.0 / 5 (3)	5.0 / 5 (1)
Price	$300 - $500	Under $300
Type	Electric guitar	Electric guitar
Body	Dinky solidbody with sculpted shredder heel	Pacifica double cutaway
Body wood	Poplar	Alder
Neck joint	Bolt-on, scarf joint with graphite reinforcement	Bolt-on
Neck wood	Maple	Maple
Neck profile	—	20.9 mm at 1st fret, 22.9 mm at 12th
Scale length	25.5" (648 mm)	25.5" (648 mm)
Fingerboard	Laurel	Rosewood or walnut, depending on production run
Radius	12"-16" compound (304.8-406.4 mm)	13.75" (350 mm)
Frets	24	22
Fret size	Jumbo	Medium
Nut	Floyd Rose Special locking	Urea
Nut width	1.6875" (42.86 mm)	41 mm at the zero fret
Bridge	Floyd Rose licensed Jackson double-locking tremolo	Vintage-style tremolo with block saddles
Tuners	Jackson sealed die-cast	Die-cast
Neck pickup	Jackson single-coil	Single-coil, alnico V
Bridge pickup	Jackson high-output humbucking	Humbucker, ceramic
Configuration	HSS	HSS
Electronics	Passive	Passive
Controls	Volume, tone	Master volume, master tone
Switching	5-position blade	Five-position lever
Orientation	Right-handed	Right-handed
Skill level	Intermediate, Advanced	Beginner, Intermediate
Styles	Metal, Rock, Prog, Punk	Rock, Blues, Pop, Funk, Indie, Metal
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.