Why is there not tons of love for the Pacifica?

richardhomer

I have a theory about 'mojo' (whatever that is!) and 'character'.

The guitars I love the most (of my own) are my Martin D28, my vintage '335 and my PRS McCarty.

So why these?

Well my all time favourite acoustic player is John Martyn - so I bought the same guitar that he played - and I bought it over 20 years ago. So I've played it a lot - it's now very much 'my' D28, rather than a tribute to John Martyn's.

The vintage '335 is the same year and colour as Eric Clapton's - my 'all time' guitar hero from childhood. It's also from my year of birth. And I've owned it for a long time - so it's been played a lot. So now it's 'my' '335, rather than simply a tribute to EC's.

My McCarty has no 'hero' associations - but I've played it a lot. It has become more 'special' to me the more I've used it - it is very much 'my' PRS, rather than one hanging in a shop.

The first two had artist associations to help them earn their places at my personal 'top table' - the PRS didn't. But those three guitars are special because I've made a lot of music on them - they have been a means of self-expression.

A guitar which has neither an artist association or has seen extensive use by its owner, is just another consumer item; it isn't something you love - at least not at first.

thecolourbox

I bought a cheap pacifica 012 (the mega low rubbish version) and it has absolutely nothing to commend it whatsoever except the shade of blue. Electronics are temperamental, the neck feels like a plank of wood, the jack plug is wobbly and the bridge is wonky

ICBM

richardhomer said:

A guitar which has neither an artist association or has seen extensive use by its owner, is just another consumer item; it isn't something you love - at least not at first.

Not for me . I loved my Rickenbacker 381 from the first chord I played on it and I knew it was a guitar for life at that point. I wouldn't let the owner leave my house with it... luckily it was for sale .

I don't know any famous players who played a 381 except John Kay and I only know one song of his, so it has no artist association for me.

It's just my guitar... it's a shame it took me over twenty years to find it, but that's life.

My Martin 12-string was easier to find - I've had that since 1989 and I've never even wanted any other 12-string acoustic since.

KKJale

Sadly, Pacificas have a terminal image problem and they have always fallen into two categories. 

Older cheap ones: decent enough, but you'd probably swap it for a well sorted Squier. 

Expensive ones: cruise ship. 

Jez6345789

Not beaten to shit mantra. My cousin has one of the old all wood finish budget Pacifica entry level a 112. Yes the pickups were exchanged for Seymour Duncan's he has gigged it for probably 20 years now it's battered a dented and a natural relic. When he plays it and he is a hard core blues and pub rock player who's playing catches people's ear. The beat up Pacifica always gets comments and people asking is that a fender during the break. The logo has long since worn off along with a lot of the finish. He is a hard working and gifted player and the Pacifica sounds and looks every bit the old blues dog it is. People at jam nights look down their noses with their SRV reissues whatever until he starts playing. Soul less and lacking mojo is rapidly becoming a cliche around here. As they said on the fender factory tour I did they said take as many pictures as you like there is no secret sauce or mojo machines round here just wood and paint and solid skills to put them together.

Sarge

There's a couple of buskers here in Newcastle with the natural finish (dunno the model) and it's a fine looking instrument, sounds pretty good too.
I'd say there's plenty of love for them, just too much snobbery.

GuitarMonkey

The guitarist in Mali band in exile Songhoy Blues made a very respectable noise with his natural finish Pacifica on Later... a couple of weeks ago.

cbilly22

Dunno' if it's a respectable noise but I like it

http://vid1161.photobucket.com/albums/q508/Canterbilly/MOV_1297.mp4

monquixote

GuitarMonkey;634746" said:

The guitarist in Mali band in exile Songhoy Blues made a very respectable noise with his natural finish Pacifica on Later... a couple of weeks ago.

Yep, put it in the hands of an interesting player and it sounds like it has character.

ThePrettyDamned

Big bonus - used, no one wants them. You can get a mid-top spec one for less than a used USA fender, and it'll happily stand side by side.

I agree re non interchangeable necks, though. That would make them very appealing indeed.

daveyh

Stevie Salas. Pacifica.

Richardj

I've just aquired an 812W in a deal and it is really rather good. Came as standard with Seymour Duncans, locking Sperzels and a Gotoh/Wilkinson bridge. With the quality parts it feels and sounds great, certainly doesn't have less 'character' than any production Strat I have owned including US built models.

ab2014

Regarding character. Give Eddie van halen or slash a 335 and I'm betting you'll hear a 10-20% difference in tone. Talking about characterless no one has managed to mention the king of characterless "Ibanez". Character is obviously inherent in the classic designs because of the vastly different construction styles. Yamaha's problem is the way it promotes guitars (than motorcycles) and that it has no real roster of artists to associate its guitars. I've been using Yamaha's for a decade or so now as well as self builds and Gibsons. They also made some fantastic custom shop models working with warmoth for the necks. As for the nut people with smaller hands might find it more comfortable but to be honest I see no big difference betwen 1 5/8 and 1 11/16. The neck profile makes a bigger difference.

GuitarMonkey

Mike Stern is the only Yamaha Pacifica endorsee I can think of.

Of course loads of famous people played Yamaha SGs back in the day.

Philly_Q

GuitarMonkey said:

Mike Stern is the only Yamaha Pacifica endorsee I can think of.

I can think of a couple of others from the pre-grunge era, Michael Lee Firkins and Bill Leverty of Firehouse.  Not exactly household names, I grant you.

daveyh

Firehouse were certainly well known in the USA once upon a time.

Philly_Q said:

GuitarMonkey said:

Mike Stern is the only Yamaha Pacifica endorsee I can think of.

I can think of a couple of others from the pre-grunge era, Michael Lee Firkins and Bill Leverty of Firehouse.  Not exactly household names, I grant you.

littlethoughts

I can't think of a pacific reason why people don't like them...

imalone

Philly_Q said:

GuitarMonkey said:

Mike Stern is the only Yamaha Pacifica endorsee I can think of.

I can think of a couple of others from the pre-grunge era, Michael Lee Firkins and Bill Leverty of Firehouse.  Not exactly household names, I grant you.

Phil X is another Yamaha player (not a Pacifica though). Matt Bellamy used one in the early days of Muse (around the time of their first album).

ChrisMusic

Jack Thammarat is not exactly a household name here, but he is pretty handy with his usual Pacifica, plenty of tone too  

Duration 4:18

Iamnobody

GuitarMonkey;634746" said:

The guitarist in Mali band in exile Songhoy Blues made a very respectable noise with his natural finish Pacifica on Later... a couple of weeks ago.

Yep the little lick at 3:15 is nice...