Yamaha PAC611HFM Review

So, Yamaha. The brand that ranks among the leaders in manufacturing guitars (and not only) is taking it to the next level with its Pacifica lineup, featuring excellent build quality, magical design, and affordable prices. In this Yamaha PAC611HFM review, I will tell you about one that is sure to grab your attention. The mid-priced segment makes it affordable for those who dream of playing a worthwhile instrument. I can’t wait, can you?

Body

The PAC611HFM comes in five colors: Root Beer, Translucent Black, Translucent Purple, Light Amber Burst, and Black with Gloss Polyurethane Finish. The guitar is in a reminiscent, but still not original Stratocaster shape and wears the unchanged 4-Ply Tortoiseshell pickguard. The body is made of Alder, giving it a slight but recognizable tone. Alder sounds smoother and brighter than other woods.

The chic Flamed Maple Laminated top features a Hardtail Bridge with Graph Tech String Saver Saddle and controls. The bridge is highly adjustable and provides excellent stability. And the control knobs are simple and understated, which is great for a bright overall experience. It’s easy: Master Volume and Master Tone. But the Tone has a Push-Pull Coil Split feature, so you can translate playing to one coil. There is also a 3-Position Pickup Selector for tuning the pickups.

Pickup system

As for electronics, it has a rather unusual combination of old-school and modern. The sound, as a result, is excellent but unusual. It’s relatively heavy and distorted. So if that style doesn’t suit you, the Yamaha PAC611HFM probably won’t suit you too.

So, the Seymour Duncan TB-14 found its place on the bridge. And the single-coil Seymour Duncan SP90-1 with a very clear tone was placed on the neck. With the help of the 3-position switch, the guitar gets a powerful timbre. It’s clean and vintage, with a pronounced midrange. You don’t get that sound with a regular Humbucker, don’t expect it. The PAC611HFM is a special style.

Neck, fingerboard, headstock

The PAC611HFM Maple neck is very hard, durable, and very resonant. This is why Maple wood is used more often than any other. The Gloss Polyurethane coating makes it unusually smooth and comfortable to play. The 13-3/4″ radius is also comfortable but not the thinnest. The Rosewood overlay has 22 Medium frets. All parts are perfectly executed without any nicks or chips and also have excellent tonal abilities.

The hardware won’t let you down here, either. The Nut is made of Graph Tech TUSQ, a synthetic material. What sets it apart is that it’s very slippery; the strings just float on it. So you’re spared the trouble of replacing it for a long time. Grover Locking Tuners are good too. They hold tuning steadily and are easy to change strings with.

Sound quality

The Yamaha PAC611HFM sound, as I said earlier, is tough. It’s expressive, powerful, bright, and full. That doesn’t mean you can’t play other genres on this guitar. Of course, you can! It is a Yamaha, after all. But still, I think it’s more rock than, for example, blues. But in the end, it all depends on your understanding of a particular genre. As for its quality – it’s definitely worth every dollar. It’s a long-lasting instrument of a high level.