Yamaha Pacifica PAC112V Electric Guitar

Meta Page Title: Yamaha Pacifica PAC112V Electric Guitar | Fair Deal Music
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Meta Description: Shop the Yamaha Pacifica PAC112V electric guitar with alder body, Alnico V HSS pickups, coil-split humbucker and vintage-style tremolo.
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Quick Product Summary

The Yamaha Pacifica PAC112V electric guitar takes the hugely popular Pacifica formula and adds several worthwhile upgrades for players who want an affordable guitar with enough tonal flexibility to keep up as their playing develops.

At its core is a comfortable alder body, bolt-on maple neck and 25.5-inch scale length, giving the PAC112V the familiar feel of a full-size modern electric guitar. Its HSS Alnico V pickup configuration combines two clear, responsive single coils with a more powerful bridge humbucker, providing an excellent spread of sounds for clean playing, blues, funk, indie, pop, rock and higher-gain styles.

The clever part is the push-pull coil split built into the master tone control. Pull the control up and the bridge humbucker can be split for a leaner single-coil-style response, giving you even more tonal options without adding complicated controls.

Add Yamaha's vintage-style tremolo with block saddles and the PAC112V becomes a particularly strong choice for beginners who want to buy well the first time, intermediate players looking for a dependable all-rounder, and experienced musicians who simply want a versatile Pacifica at an accessible price point.

At A Glance

Feature	Details
Brand	Yamaha
Series	Pacifica
Model	PAC112V
Body	Alder
Neck	Maple
Fingerboard	Rosewood
Scale Length	25.5" / 648mm
Frets	22 Medium
Pickup Configuration	HSS Alnico V
Switching	5-position selector plus coil split
Bridge	Vintage-style tremolo with block saddles
Main Appeal	Versatile HSS tones with coil-splitting
Best For	Beginners, developing players, gigging musicians and multi-style guitarists

What's Included?

• Yamaha Pacifica PAC112V electric guitar
• Screw-in tremolo arm
• ✘ No case included

Why Choose The Yamaha Pacifica PAC112V?

Alnico V Pickups

The PAC112V steps beyond the ceramic pickups used on the PAC112J and uses Alnico V magnets across its HSS pickup set.

That gives the guitar a strong balance of clarity, warmth and definition, whether you're using sparkling clean amp settings, bluesy overdrive or a more aggressive rock tone.

HSS Versatility

Two single-coil pickups cover the neck and middle positions, while a humbucker handles the bridge.

That combination makes the PAC112V especially useful if you don't yet want to commit to one particular guitar sound. You can move from cleaner single-coil textures to a fuller bridge tone for riffs and solos without changing instruments.

Push-Pull Coil Split

Pulling the master tone control splits the bridge humbucker.

It is a simple feature, but a very useful one. You can switch between the fuller output of the complete bridge humbucker and a leaner single-coil-style response, expanding the range of sounds available from the bridge position.

Alder Body

The PAC112V uses an alder body, a specification shared with many more expensive Pacifica models.

Its contoured double-cutaway shape keeps the guitar comfortable whether you're practising seated, rehearsing or playing on stage.

Vintage Tremolo With Block Saddles

Yamaha upgrades the PAC112V with a vintage-style tremolo featuring block saddles.

It gives you the ability to add subtle pitch movement, chord shimmer and expressive vibrato while retaining individual saddle adjustment for intonation and string height.

Yamaha Pacifica PAC112V vs Popular Alternatives

Yamaha PAC112V vs Yamaha PAC112J

The PAC112J is the simpler and more affordable option. It retains an alder body and HSS versatility but uses ceramic pickups, a conventional master tone control and Yamaha's standard vintage-style tremolo.

The PAC112V is the better choice if the budget allows because its Alnico V pickups, push-pull coil split and block-saddle tremolo provide meaningful upgrades rather than purely cosmetic differences.

Yamaha PAC112V vs Yamaha PAC212VFM / PAC212VQM

The PAC212VFM and PAC212VQM build directly on the PAC112V formula, retaining the HSS Alnico V electronics, coil splitting and block-saddle tremolo while adding visually striking flamed or quilted maple laminated tops.

Choose the PAC212 if the more premium appearance matters to you. If tone, playability and practical specification are the priority, the PAC112V gets you much of the same fundamental functionality in a more understated package.

Yamaha PAC112V vs Squier Affinity Stratocaster HSS

The Squier Affinity Stratocaster HSS follows the familiar Strat-style formula with ceramic pickups and a bridge humbucker.

The Yamaha stands apart through its Alnico V pickup set and push-pull bridge coil split, making the PAC112V particularly attractive to players who want additional tonal flexibility without moving significantly further up the price ladder.

Yamaha PAC112V vs Ibanez AZES40

The Ibanez AZES40 takes a different approach with a shorter 25-inch scale and its dyna-MIX switching system, giving it a broad selection of pickup combinations.

Choose the Ibanez if the slightly shorter scale and extensive switching appeal to you. Choose the Pacifica if you prefer a conventional 25.5-inch scale, straightforward five-way HSS layout and simple push-pull coil split.

Who Is The Yamaha PAC112V For?

The PAC112V is an excellent choice for a player who wants to buy beyond the absolute entry level without spending unnecessarily.

For a beginner, that means starting with an instrument containing features that remain useful long after the first chords have been learned. The full-size scale, HSS pickups, tremolo and coil split provide plenty of room to discover different sounds and styles.

For an intermediate player, it works well as an affordable upgrade from a basic starter guitar.

It is also a practical choice for:

• Beginners wanting a guitar they can grow into
• Intermediate players upgrading from a starter instrument
• Guitarists covering several genres
• Home recording musicians
• Students and lesson players
• Gigging musicians needing a versatile backup guitar
• Players who want both humbucker and single-coil-style bridge sounds
• Guitarists looking for Yamaha build quality at an accessible level

Suitable Genres And Playing Styles

The Yamaha PAC112V is particularly strong for rock, blues, indie, pop, funk, alternative, punk, contemporary worship and general covers work.

For cleaner playing, the neck and middle single coils provide clear, articulate sounds that work well for chords, funkier rhythm parts and blues.

Switch to the bridge humbucker and the guitar gains the extra weight needed for overdrive, distortion, rock riffs and lead playing.

The coil split then gives you another flavour from that same bridge pickup, making the PAC112V particularly useful when one guitar needs to cover several jobs during a rehearsal, recording session or performance.

What Does Coil Splitting Do On The Yamaha Pacifica PAC112V?

A conventional humbucker uses two coils working together. On the PAC112V, pulling up the master tone control splits the bridge humbucker, changing its response towards a leaner single-coil-style sound.

This gives you a useful choice. Keep the humbucker operating normally when you want more body and output for rock rhythm or lead tones, then split it when you want additional bite and clarity. It effectively gives the PAC112V another tonal dimension without making the guitar harder to operate.

Looking for advice on choosing the right electric guitar, practice amplifier, effects pedals or complete guitar setup? Our experienced team of musicians can help by phone, online or in-store.

Story & Context

The Yamaha Pacifica story began in 1990, with the first Pacifica developed through Yamaha Guitar Development in North Hollywood, California.

The original concept emerged from an environment where working guitarists needed instruments capable of handling different sessions and musical styles. Versatility therefore became a central part of the Pacifica identity rather than an afterthought.

Over time, the range expanded from higher-specification professional instruments into guitars aimed at a much broader range of players. The PAC112 family became especially important because it brought the fundamental Pacifica idea — comfortable playability, flexible electronics and practical construction — into a much more accessible part of the market.

The PAC112V develops that concept further with Alnico V pickups, coil splitting and an upgraded tremolo system, making it one of the most feature-rich choices within the accessible Pacifica 100 Series.

Technical Specifications

Specification	Details
Construction	Bolt-on
Scale Length	25.5" / 648mm
Body Material	Alder
Body Finish	Gloss polyurethane
Neck Material	Maple
Neck Finish	Satin polyurethane
Fingerboard	Rosewood
Fingerboard Radius	13-3/4" / 350mm
Frets	22 Medium
Nut Material	Urea
Nut Width	41mm
Width At 12th Fret	51.4mm
Neck Thickness At 1st Fret	20.9mm
Neck Thickness At 12th Fret	22.9mm
Neck Pickup	Single Coil / Alnico V
Middle Pickup	Single Coil / Alnico V
Bridge Pickup	Humbucker / Alnico V
Pickup Configuration	HSS
Controls	Master Volume, Master Tone with Push-Pull Coil Split
Pickup Selector	5-position lever
Bridge	Vintage-style tremolo with block saddles
Tremolo Arm	Screw-in
String Spacing	10.5mm
Tuning Machines	Die-cast
Pickguard	3-ply white
Standard String Gauge	.009–.042

Power Requirements

The Yamaha PAC112V uses passive pickups and requires no battery.

The pickups, five-way selector, volume control, tone control and coil-split function all operate without external power.

Connect the PAC112V to a guitar amplifier, effects processor, modeller or suitable audio interface using a standard 1/4-inch instrument cable.

Compatibility & Recommended Pairings

Modelling Practice Amplifier

A modelling amp is an ideal match for the PAC112V because the guitar's versatile pickup configuration lets you explore clean, crunch and higher-gain amplifier sounds effectively.

Overdrive And Distortion Pedals

The bridge humbucker works particularly well with overdrive and distortion, while the neck and middle pickups give you contrasting options for cleaner or lower-gain settings.

Multi-Effects Processor

A multi-effects processor makes a strong pairing for players who want to explore different sounds without building a large individual pedal collection.

Audio Interface

Connect the PAC112V to an audio interface with a suitable instrument input for home recording, amp simulation and music production.

Gig Bag Or Hard Case

If you'll be taking the guitar to lessons, rehearsals or gigs, a properly fitting electric guitar gig bag or hard case is a worthwhile addition.

Fair Deal Music Verdict 🎵

★★★★★ 5/5

The Yamaha Pacifica PAC112V hits a particularly useful point in the Pacifica range. It remains accessible enough to make sense as a first serious electric guitar, but the upgrades over more basic starter models are substantial enough to remain valuable as your playing develops.

The Alnico V HSS pickups and bridge coil split are the highlights. They give the PAC112V enough tonal range to handle a genuinely wide selection of styles while retaining a simple control layout that won't overwhelm a newer player.

Best suited for: Beginners buying beyond entry level, developing guitarists and versatile players who want one guitar for several styles.

Customers usually upgrade from: Basic starter electric guitars, entry-level guitar packages and models with more limited pickup configurations.

Most commonly paired with: A modelling guitar amplifier, quality instrument cable, padded gig bag, strap and tuner.

Our tip: Compare the bridge pickup with the coil split engaged and disengaged. It is one of the PAC112V's most useful features and helps demonstrate why this model is worth considering over a more basic HSS guitar.

Showroom feedback: The PAC112V is a particularly sensible choice for customers who aren't yet sure whether they'll ultimately lean towards blues, indie, pop or heavier rock. Its pickup configuration leaves those options open rather than steering the player towards one narrow sound.

Why Buy From Fair Deal Music?

When you buy from Fair Deal Music, you're choosing one of the UK's most established, independent family run music retailers since 1987.

Our Birmingham showroom gives you access to a knowledgeable musician-led team who understand guitars, amplifiers, pedals and complete setups. Whether you're choosing your first electric guitar, upgrading from a beginner instrument or building a more versatile rig, we're here to help you choose equipment that genuinely suits the way you want to play.

When you shop with Fair Deal Music, you can buy with confidence thanks to:

• Expert advice from knowledgeable musicians
• Carefully checked new, used, pre-owned and ex-display equipment
• Competitive prices on leading music brands
• Secure UK-wide delivery
• Friendly support before and after your purchase
• A trusted independent UK music retailer with decades of experience
• A large Birmingham showroom
• Experienced advice on guitars, amplifiers, effects and complete setups
• Part-exchange options available if you're looking to trade existing equipment towards your next purchase

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Yamaha Pacifica PAC112V a good beginner guitar?

Yes. In fact, it is particularly well suited to beginners who would rather invest in a guitar they can continue using as their technique improves. Its conventional full-size dimensions help establish transferable playing habits, while the HSS electronics provide plenty of sounds to explore.

What is the difference between the Yamaha PAC112V and PAC112J?

The PAC112V upgrades the PAC112J formula with Alnico V pickups, push-pull bridge humbucker coil splitting and a vintage-style tremolo with block saddles. The PAC112J remains a strong affordable choice, but the PAC112V offers greater tonal flexibility and a higher overall specification.

What does HSS mean?

HSS stands for humbucker, single coil, single coil. On the PAC112V, the bridge position uses a humbucker while the middle and neck positions use individual single-coil pickups.

Can the PAC112V bridge humbucker be coil split?

Yes. Pull the master tone control upwards to split the bridge humbucker. Push it back down to return to the full humbucker sound.

Is the Yamaha PAC112V good for rock?

Yes. The Alnico V bridge humbucker gives you the fuller output needed for overdriven rhythm and lead sounds, making the PAC112V well suited to classic rock, alternative, indie rock and similar styles.

Can the PAC112V also handle clean sounds?

Absolutely. The neck and middle Alnico V single-coil pickups give you much brighter, clearer options than the bridge humbucker, making the guitar useful for clean pop, funk, indie, blues and rhythm playing.

Does the PAC112V need a battery for the coil split?

No. The PAC112V uses passive electronics, and the push-pull coil split operates mechanically through the pickup wiring. No battery is required.

Is the PAC112V suitable for home recording?

Yes. Its variety of pickup sounds is particularly useful when recording multiple guitar parts because you can create contrasting tones without changing instruments. Connect it to a suitable audio interface, modeller or amplifier recording setup.