Yamaha Pacifica 302S

Mine was made in Taiwan - 3 way selector (lipstick alone, together, single coil alone), 1 vol and 1 tone knob. Maple neck with rosewood fretboard, a nice 22-fret tele copy, without the bulk and with solid tuners and a string-through-body bridge. Very solid setup. All the features you need, without a lot of confusing knobs and selectors.

This is a fabulous sounding guitar. I play a lot of mainstream music with it (think Coldplay + Nickelback), and am very pleased with the simplicity of the controls and the diversity of sounds available with them. The lipstick pickup offers a nice, warm softer sound, while the single coil is harsher and tonier. A great sounding guitar for the price.

I have played this thing for about 8 years and still love it. I've played gibsons, teles, and PRS guitars, and granted, the quality of those instruments is good, but for standard playing, great action and feel, this guitar is all I need. I've decided it's worth much more than the $500 CAD I paid for it in '95. The neck is just the right size for comfort - not fat like a gibson, and not too thin like an Ibanez - very comfortable and a great value.

Tyhe hardware has given me one problem in 10 years - and it was easily readjusted with a soldering gun. It's a solid guitar, and it has not let me down in numerous live shows. Very dependable.

Never needed any, but Yamaha is all over the place with all their locations worldwide. I wouldn't assume it'd be a problem.

Been playing on it for 10 years, been playing 13 yrs overall, never needed another electric. I have expensive acoustics, but if you want a solid guitar that sounds and feels great, get one of these. Buy a great amp and quality effects, and you won't have to ever worry about purchasing a $2500 guitar to go with them. I'd buy another in a heartbeat if need be. I vote 9.5.

22 fret bolt-on neck "string-thru body" tele copy. Nice feeling maple neck with rosewood fretboard. Body I believe is alder, not too heavey, with a strat like scoop out on the back. I think the 302's where the high end model as it features a gloss blue translucent finish on the body with creamy white bindings on the edges & a nice satin natural finish on the neck. The hardware is all gold. Two single coil PU's, two knobs for volume & tone, 3-way switch, and a white pearloid pick guard. Tuners are grovers.

I bought this because I needed a cheap guitar to mount a MIDI PU on. I thought it was an fairly OK tele copy, but I really wasn't into the single coil thing. The more I played it, the more it grew on me. The PU's were a bit noisy except in the combined position. I shielded the control cavity & the pickguard which helped a lot. The neck PU was very muddy so I tried taking the cover off it which made another improvement. I eventually replaced the the neck PU with a Seymour Ducan Vintage which gave it some balls! The last thing I did was try a set of flat-wound strings on it and damn did that change it for the good. Nice & punchy without getting too bright. The low output PU's sound great on my vintage Fender amps, lots of clarity. Don't sound too bad on the drive channel of my PV Classic 30, either!

Typical good fit & finish from Yamaha. I wish they would do some basic shielding considering the single coils & all. Strings were a bit buzzy at the upper frets which went away after the flat wounds went on.

Very solid feeling guitar that should last a while. The gold plating on the hardware is starting to wear a bit, but don't they all! Binding should protect against edge dings. I don't gig with it so it doesn't get beat up. Pot's a fairly cheap and will likely need replacement eventually.

No warranty, was bought as used.

Been playing since the 60's, started out electric, went all wooden and now I'm come back full circle to the electrics. This guitar has become one of my favorites since I've tweaked it a bit. When da boyz drop by to jam I've noticed it doesn't sit out too much! Yeah, it doesn't say Fender, but it sounds great to my ears. I has the most clarity of any of my electrics which is a worthy attribute. It's also nice & light which feels good on my poor ol' back!

I really don't know what year this guitar was manufactured. It is a telecaster copy with I think maple neck and rosewood fingerboard. I dont know what the body is made of. It is finished in sunburst with a pearly white pickguard and gold-coloured hardware. It has a three way pickup selector. The bridge pickup is black and the neck one is metal-covered with a gold finish. I am not sure if the bridge pickup has been changed at some point. Perhaps when I put some new strings on it I will open it up and see if I can find out who the manufacturer is. I am, however, more interested in playing guitars than I am in taking them apart. This is quite a handsome instrument but I might put a steel coloured pickguard on to make it catch the eye and the lights more. A guitar like this deserves to look as good as it plays and sounds.....

I have played only accoustic guitar for many years now. I had a fender strat plus..my brother borrowed it and lost it, I never played that guitar much. I bought this guitar at Cash Converters for #170(British). I was buying a Peavey Butcher amp and they gave me the 320S to play through it. As soon as I picked this instrument up I felt comfortable with it. I could play all the things I play on my accoustic and all other styles I tried. The strings were old and very heavy, which I like. The intonation is perfect. Solid as a rock. I tried playing chords in all different positions, open chords and chords way above the 12th fret and all sounded completely balanced and clear as a bell. You can hit the guitar hard and it does just what you want it to. Sounds wicked for reggae, funk, jazz, rock, country...you name it! The guitar sounds so good...especially with the bridge pickup on. I dont want to criticise this instrument in anyway because I love it so much it makes me want to come in my pants but here goes.. The neck pickup let's it down and darkens the tone too much so if anyone knows of a suitable replacement for a brighter tone please let me know.

There is no noise when playing down below the 5th fret. No buzz. As I said the intonation is perfect. I think that I will put heavy strings on it because the blackened set that were on it when I bought it have just lost their top E. Snap!!! Oh no!!! It plays beautifully.

Looks and feels solid as a rock.

Never called.

I bought a aria m series and when I found this little beauty I took the aria back to the shop and got a credit note. Compared to this guitar the aria was a gimmicky piece of scheisse, total urine. I have played guitar for 15+ years and this is how a guitar should feel. I played a fender tele mexico in the shop. What a horrendous insult to my fingertips and ear that piece of dirt was. This guitar plays like the fender bullet usa my father(R.I.P) bought me back in 1985 only better. I don't need another guitar now, I have what I need. Take my advice and don't judge a guitar by the brand name or price. If you find one of these try it...and if all seems well buy it. Intonation is so good..#170...didn't he do well!!!

Basic telecaster here...Gotta love the flamed body,and especially the gold hardware. Truley a FINE looking instrument, even more joy to play. 2 pickups, 3 way selector, vol, and tone knob.

Completely stock, this guitar gets an 8. Great tele twang and vintage sounds availiable, but i definatly plan on putting some Duncan Broadcasters in this to make it sing more so. The stock pickups are decent but a bit noisy for my tastes. Dont get me wrong, new pickups dont add a whole lot like some people think to a guitar. Make sure you like the guitars tone be4 you replace pickups, because pickups are just about 30% of the game, if not less. Mostly the body,the fingers, and the soul that makes the tone. Very bright on the bridge, muddy on the neck. odd difference when switching between them, but that is a good thing. it's nice to sound like a different guitar when you switch pickups. Another thing i really appreciate about this guitar is how melodic it is. Notes have a good sustain and singing voice. i'm really into the instrumental guitar scene as of right now, and i like single coils best. this guitar nails Richie Kotzen sounds...

Bought brand new, pleased with it all. No adjustments of any sort made yet.

Only had for a few months so far...

Not dealt w/ yet

The stock way, once again gets an 8. I'd say it will be a 9 or 10 when the Duncans go in. Yamaha makes great quality instruments, and the pacifica line is no exception to this rule. All fine crafted, and deserve to be heard.

2 Humbuckers, broken tone, 3-way selector, fixed bridge (no tremelo), and a volume knob. Whatever; I like Yngwie and other solo guitarists, which the guitar's neck and sound is good for, and metal, which the humbucker is good with...

I bought this thing about 5 1/2 years ago for $200, and I got many new guitars thinking that this thing sucked. I was wrong; i swear to GOD, beat-up like hell, the neck pickup busted, stock pickup at bridge, it sounds better than my Parker Nitefly. I don't know, maybe i've gone mad, but I love this thing. When I went to a dealer, and tried a newer model, it sucked; the frets buzzed, tuning problems, horrible pickups; I think mine is some "extraordinarily" proto-type guitar. I can't get over the fact that I like this guitar over my older brother's Jackson KE-2!!!!! I, the picky one, who has a ESP Eclipse, likes this thing a ton; don't ask!!! Since the neck humbucker sucked though, I snipped it's circuit, and now, I have the effect where u toggle the pickup selector over and over (which u can only do w/ 2 volume knob's).

I don't remember the flaws; i always before thought it sucked. The only thing is the tone knob didn't work, but I don't care...
It's a black finish, "super" telecaster; by now, I've added an 80's Van Halen-tape finish, which makes the beat-up thing look better.

Great reliability; the thing's been screwed, it was in horrid shape when I found it in my case in the closet again. But, now, I sort of treat it like crap, but it holds. I actually play some songs with it, with the stock pickups too!!!!!!!! Still, since my Eclipse is about a $1000 more, guess which i prefer to use.

NEVER asked em' for anything. The guitar has a lifetime warranty though... Their website is really cool!!!!!!!!!!! <http://www.yamahaguitars.com>

I would not buy it again; the guitar I have is great, but it is not like the other's I looked at at my local store... I have the ESP, Parker Nitefly, and Jackson KE-2 (brother's), which go through my Line 6 Ax2 amp. Remember, I got it for $200; for it's value, it kicks my other guitar's @$$'s!!!!!! If u want it, i'd check the fretboard if all the notes work, the lifetime warranty, and if the bridge humbucker has high output.

No Idea where it was made, 22-fret rosewood neck, looks like it has an extra fret than my old 112, it doesn't though (maybe that's just me). 2 single pickups three way switch, solid Alder body, with a deep blue tinted natural top, and off white edging. (looks better that fender tele's), tele bridge bought with hard case, gold plated hardware single volume and pickup controls, non locking machine heads (like the more expensive strat models have) but never goes out of tune anyway. doesn't have many features bu doesn't need them.

I've played alot of guitars, I've played a fair few pacifica 302's, but never have I played a guitar that sounds better than this, electrically, acoustically, perfect. no noise on the Fretboard or in the electrics, any sound you can dream of, It may only have 2 single pickups but who needs more? This guitar has a voice.

This guitar was so cheap, that ever since I bought it I have been trying to find a fault, but nothe action looked a bit high but when I played it it was fine, I experimented with strings and I think that 10's suit it more than the 9's I got it with, No noise anywhere in the guitar, no fault in the wood, looks great, nothing wrong, what more can I say?

I could put this guitar in the fires of hell, and it would come out unscratched.

N/A (never had a problem)

compared to any thimg else under #700 or so, this would win hands down, some people might like better pickups but I don't see the point, hmm, well, maybe a singlable humbucker at the bridge.

I'm not sure were it is made, probally Japan. It has a maple neck witha 22-fret rosewood fretboard, two single-coil pickups, controls for master volume and tone. A mother of pearl pickguard, and a amber sunburst for the body.

I play anything from Jazz too Celtic, so it suits it well. But I don't use it much when it comes to hard rock or indie(which I play too). I play throw a Dean Markley amp(40w) and I have a digitech rp-3 as effects. It does sound too bad with the effects but doesn't care too well with distortion and flanger. I wouldn't say I dislike it though or even like it. I rather have the real thing. a Telecater. It has a very cold sound and feel.

I'm not to sure about factory set-up. But I've never had any problems with it.

This guitar has very died or crash on me, so I can't complain. I can depand on it. I would take it on gigs as a backup though

The guy was very nice, and took the time to respond to are questions.

I've been playing for 5-6 years and I've just gotten into how guitars work and all. I've found out that I perfer a more tremolo like a guitar, like a stratocaster, which I do own. If it was lost or stolen I would hope that the person who took it likes it better and that he/she pays me for if in cash if not, I would buy something else, perhaps a jaguar. This guitar guitar has I well chorus pitch with a little reverb but doesn't deliever a warm sound on the other hand. I've thinking of buying a new electric guitar and amp. I have down to a Jaguar, Mustang, Jazzmaster, Toronado and Jagmaster(I'm a fender kind of man). I'm looking for a guitar with a diverse and unique sound. Like I said I like guitars that have a good tremolo sound so if you help me out, which guitar do you think best fits what I'm looking for. T

This is Yamaha's upgraded version of a telecaster clone. I bought it because it was on sale for $200 (vs. $379 at Musician's Friend). Alder body with bound top. 22 frets. 3-way switch. Volume and Tone controls. Two Yamaha single coil pickups. Gold hardware. Tele style bridge (w/ six saddles). Rosewood fretboard on maple neck. No bag included.

I play folk, blues, classic rock, alternative. Using it with a Fender Pro Jr (which I bought because of the fantastic reviews here on Harmony Central) and a PDS 1551 Distortion pedal. The pickups hum in either the neck or bridge positions but cancel out in the center. The bridge pickup and both pickups sound very tele-ish. Good tele twang, etc. However the neck pickup alone was very muddy. In fact, if you turn the tone control down at all, it got muddy real quick. I replaced the neck p/u with a Seymour Duncan Alnico Pro II and that improved the sound, but it was out of balance with the bridge pickup which now sounded microphonic. The next day I replaced the bridge p/u with a SD Vintage '54 and the sound is very much improved. Couldn't stop playing it for a couple of hours after putting it back together. Still doesn't cure my GAS -- I'm shopping for a G&L ASAT.

This guitar is very well made. Very solid, with quality hardware. The neck is very playable and the action was just about right. Tech at the store set the intonation correctly, but pickup height needed major adjustment. That improved the sound a bit. The top pieces are not perfectly bookmatched, but this is a beautiful guitar for $200.

This seems to be a very solid and durable guitar with high-quality hardware. The electronics were the only minus.

n/a

I've been playing guitar for over 35 years, but this was my first electric. I bought it as a compromise since I thought I wanted an American Standard Tele, but was put off by the high price. For $200 it was a no-brainer. I'm going to give it to my 15-year-old son so he can play something less noisy (he's a bagpiper) and buy a G&L ASAT because it seem to blow away the Fender comparables. There are very few finish options (all not too pretty) but I think it was a good value for the money--much better than Fender Mexican mades. Why they don't put better pickups in it is a mystery.

I believe that this 302s was made in 1995 by reading the Serial Number.It has 22 fret and one volume,one tone, and one three way selector switch.Alder wood and a Telecaster Copy with of course a Tele-style bridge.It has non locking tuners. It has all gold hardware and came with really bad ugly strings.

This guitar perfectly suits my rock needs. I use a Heath TA-16(don't ask)with a Dod Tec4 and a Vox Wa-Wa. It has a very twangy sound, sometimes to much if you ask me, but the three selector switches offer a wide variety of sound. I use Ernie Ball Regular Slinkys and they blew away the strings that I oringinally had on it. It now is as full as my friends Stratocaster. I am still not happy with the overpowering twangy sound it produces but after a few seconds of fooling around with the selector switches and the Tec4 it can produce very nice sounds.

The action was exactly perfect and the pickups were just a little close to the strings but that wasn't hard to fix. The transparent blue finish is absolutley stunnig. The binding is just a little uneven but other than that it is a very nice looking guitar.The pick-up selector is noisy when switching and the back was scratched a bit when i bought it.

This guitar seems quite well built I do definetly believe it will withstand all live playing. The gold tuners are very nicely built and they seem to be very solid. The finish seems to be yellowing a little but it doesn't seem to be too thin. The gold strap buttons don't appear to be comming off and are very tight. This guitar hasn't quit yet and I don't think that it will soon. I am already using this at gigs and i am very happy with it.

Never really talked to them but their web site is cool.

I've been playing for about 2 years and also own a harmony and a Epiphone Viola Bass. I wish that I could've been able to see what pick-ups were in it but that never really crossed by mind. I would definetly buy another one if I could get the money quick enough. I love the finish and the on some settings the sound. I don't like the very twangy sound but I do love the gold hardware. I will compare it with my friends Blueshawk and i think that it is built just as good, although it does not have as much sound variety. That is about all.