Head to head
Yamaha Pacifica PAC112J 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 (HSS against HP90). Below, every specification we hold for both instruments is lined up, with the 19 rows that actually differ marked out.
Pacifica PAC112J
Black
The beginner guitar teachers actually recommend, and an alder body at Squier money
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.
- Yamaha Pacifica PAC112J8.5
- 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
| Pacifica PAC112J | Pacifica PAC611HFM | |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Yamaha | Yamaha |
| Model | Pacifica PAC112J | Pacifica PAC611HFM |
| Finish | Black | Translucent Black |
| Instrument | Electric guitar | Electric guitar |
| Fretline score | 8.5 / 10 | 9.0 / 10 |
| Value for money | 10 / 10 | 9 / 10 |
| Amazon rating | 5.0 / 5 (1) | 4.2 / 5 (36) |
| Price | Under $300 | $500 - $1,000 |
| Type | Electric guitar | Electric guitar |
| Body | Pacifica double cutaway | Pacifica double cutaway |
| Body wood | Alder | Alder |
| Top | — | Flamed maple (laminated) |
| Neck joint | Bolt-on | Bolt-on |
| Neck wood | Maple | Maple with tinted finish |
| Neck profile | 20.9 mm at 1st fret, 22.9 mm at 12th | — |
| Scale length | 25.5" (648 mm) | 25.5" (648 mm) |
| Fingerboard | Rosewood or walnut, depending on production run | Rosewood |
| Radius | 13.75" (350 mm) | 13.34" (339 mm) |
| Frets | 22 | 22 |
| Fret size | Medium | Medium |
| Nut | Urea | Graph Tech TUSQ |
| Nut width | 41 mm at the zero fret | — |
| Bridge | Vintage-style tremolo with block saddles | Hardtail with Graph Tech String Saver saddles |
| Tuners | Die-cast | Grover locking |
| Neck pickup | Single-coil, alnico V | Seymour Duncan SP90-1 |
| Bridge pickup | Humbucker, ceramic | Seymour Duncan Custom 5 TB-14 |
| Configuration | HSS | HP90 |
| Electronics | Passive | Passive |
| Controls | Master volume, master tone | Volume with push/pull coil split, tone |
| Switching | Five-position lever | 3-position pickup selector |
| Orientation | Right-handed | Right-handed |
| Skill level | Beginner, Intermediate | Intermediate, Advanced, Professional |
| Styles | Rock, Blues, Pop, Funk, Indie, Metal | 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 PAC112JHighest editorial value-for-money score of the instruments compared.
Most versatile
Yamaha Pacifica PAC112JHighest editorial versatility score, backed by pickup layout and switching.
Most comfortable
Yamaha Pacifica PAC112JHighest editorial comfort score: neck profile, radius and body ergonomics.
Best for beginners
Yamaha Pacifica PAC112JStrongest 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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