What's Wrong with Yamaha Guitars - Does Rhett Have a Point?
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- Опубліковано 31 лип 2023
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If you can break the psychological grip that Fender & Gibson have & suppress the inner snob in you, there are some fantastic cheaper alternatives out there to choose from, Yamaha being one of them
I think we’re all guilty of this to some extent. I know there are plenty of acoustics that sound as good as a Martin, but by god, I want a Martin.
@@Full_Deflection Thank my left brained gift I'm not one of said afflicted. The moment I see some 18 year old kid who doesn't earn enough to pay for a Happy Meal at McDonalds out of their own pocket playing a Martin or Taylor on their YT channel, it provokes immediate disinterest and I despair for human kind and the idiocracy.
@@theblytonian3906 I get it, man. It’s the reason I WANT a Martin, but don’t own one. I’m a successful 40 year old and can afford it, but I simply can’t justify it.
@@Full_Deflection I could afford a Taylor or Martin if I wanted to go there. I don't. Completely unnecessary in 2023 for the discerning from a playability, tonality, aesthetic or quality perspective, and I can't rationalise ridiculous spending I can divert toward other acquisitions on superficiality buying the approval of others who are.
no inner snob, fender and gibson have more appealing styling in most folks eyes. no real need to over think, one should not need to talk oneself into a yamaha they really don't want.
This is an unkind comment but I don't think Rhett is capable of sincere critical analysis. He is often wrong about lots of things, and the routes he takes to come to his conclusions just make no sense. He just tries to articulate objectively why he feels something subjectively and doesn't seem to understand how to objectively dissect something. Like, he certainly isn't wrong that Yamaha aren't a huge name in the guitar world. But he is certainly wrong in his conclusion as to why.
I don't think that's unkind, it seems entirely accurate to me. He seems like a nice guy but I can't watch his videos and this is a big reason why
Bingo
Rhett? What kind of name is that? He needs a better name
Totally agree, I think Yamaha will judge their own success on their sales figures rather the opinion of an average UA-camr. And if they fly somewhat under the radar all the better for the consumer to get a solid instrument without the name on the headstock adding 50% to the price.
@@antonyedwardson9900 That's right, and I would say without the name adding 300% to the price.
Yamaha is the most underrated brand and nothing else comes close. Every price range excels
The lower to midrange Revstars may be the best double humbucker/P90 deal for a new guitar right now, even more for a used one.
If they had the room and routing for 3 potentiometers out of the box (I use G&L PTB-style wiring in most of my guitars), they would be the perfect modding platform for my needs.
why underrated? folks play them in stores and decide they just don't really want to own it
I have original SG3000 and a Revstar 720...both excellent
@@ltcuaa What stores? I've seen zero Yamahas in any store I've been to, apart from their acoustics. The truth is, Fender and Gibson have a huge monopoly on the guitar market. Some smaller stores I know don't even stock Ibanez.
stores stock what sells, they just don't sell well. it's like your dad trying to talk you into dating some sensible neighbor but you're just not interested
Never played a Yamaha that didn’t make me go “that’s quite good actually.” Their QC in the low end is pretty consistent imo.
I agree they have amazing QC which I haven't seen in ibanez guitars that cost 3-4 times the price.
I got a Pacifica that I modded a bit.
Makes my 1500 USD + guitars feel like crap.
True story
@@ehsanhaq155 same yo 😂
@@obvioustroll3617 Agreed. Yamaha Indonesian factory BQ & QC CONSISTENCY isn't as good today as times of the mythological legend, but it's better than Ibanezs IMPE.
@@theblytonian3906 That's sad to hear. I've been looking into getting a Yamaha because I have been getting absolutely sick of the poor QC for Indonesian-made Ibanez guitars. I always heard that Yamaha, at all price points, had very good QC. To be fair, most of the guitars that I get that are Indonesian-made, have all had some major QC issues. I have some Indonesian Gio's from the early 2000s, and they blow most of the Indo premium stuff I've bought over the last few years out of the water! Not in terms of specs, but in terms of build quality, fit and finish, and attention to detail. I just wish that more guitars were still made in South Korea. A lot of those guitars could get quite close to their Japanese/USA counterparts at really decent prices. I'm guessing that just too many guitars are now being made in Indonesia, and that's why the overall quality is slipping.
When I think of Yamaha I think of the instrument brand you buy for your kids as they learn ... pretty much anything. Trumpets, violins, pianos, flutes, drums ... from grade 1 through to diploma, they have an instrument that will meet the demands of the player no matter what the level, and at a reasonable price. Their stuff is just so good, you know the music teacher will give a gentle nod of approval when they see it. It is just the safest purchase you can make. They just make quality tools for musicians.
Yamaha makes many high-end instruments. Some of its pianos, for instance, are among the best, and definitely not for any but the most well-heeled students
It's also worth mentioning Matteo Mancuso who also plays Yamaha exclusively. He is one hell of a player!
he did mention it, also wen't on to say those guitars are customised specific to artist needs which means those guitars can't be aquied by general public maybe?
wen’t? Holy crap.
@@grgwashnton23 Exactly. He has a yamaha custom shop revstar that has different hardware and pickups - specifically too it adds locking tuners. Although the implication is that this is a prototype of a future signature guitar
I met Matteo Mancuso when I went to see him in Sacramento in February. He happened to be staying at the same hotel as me. I actually asked him why Yamaha? He said as you would expect that he has a roomful of guitars but he always comes back to the Revstar. Of course is doesn't hurt that he is sponsored by Yamaha!
They have consistently made great sounding quality instruments, Matteo Mancuso and Chris Buck and many others have proven this over and over again.
I mean shit masayoshi takanaka plays almost exclusively Yamaha and he's probably the best guitarist in all of Japan and the world but he doesn't get enough recognition over seas sadly
mike stern too.
Because Yamaha make consistently decent beginner instruments for the price, I think many people consider them a starter brand and want to move on. That and their marketing is lacking. It mostly comes down to perception.
Yes. I consistently recommend Yamaha for beginners. They make seriously great bang for the buck guitars and basses. I’ve never felt that I didn’t get my moneys worth with any Yamaha product from mixers to drums and guitars. One of these days, I plan on getting an SA2000. By all measure, an awesome guitar.
@@timkoelln3826 The SA2000 is, but that's where Ibanez has niipped them in the bud on this occasion, and I say that as a Yamaha fanboy, and Ibanez fanboy, and Gretsch fanboy, and Cort fanboy. : P Ibanez not only make an equivalent of the current model Yamaha SA2200 in their Made in Japan AS2000 Artstar, but for the poorer folk like me who don't live in the USA paying in warmonger profiteeering inflated USD, they make the Ibanez AS113 which is pretty much an Indonesian made AS2000. I have one and can attest the BQ could easily be mistaken for Japanese. Same pickups and electronics, with a few additional aesthetic and and brand niceties in the AS2000 such as genuine Gotoh tuners.
rly funny bcus fender is 3x the price for the same/weaker quality and specs and idiots eat those shit up thinking those are quality instruments just bcus of the price tag
some people even go with the "buy mexican strat then upgrade" route, even tho they could have just gotten a pacifica 612, which is cheaper than a mexican strat and is better than an american strat
@@lestercheng1454 Fact. You can even hear the elitist snobbery in this reviewer's conditioned perception and trite dismissal of the PAC61X series Pacificas. As if any Fender comes with custom full Seymour Duncan PUP fitout, pull-push coil split, Graphtech TUSQ nut and string trees, Grover locking tuners, and vintage 6 point mount Wilkinson bridge and trem block with finishes and build quality that positively embarrass Fender or Gibson.
@@theblytonian3906Must have watched a different video. What snobbery? What elitism? Any negative points made are largely about marketing, and to me he is spot on. I have bought and enjoyed several Yamahas over the years, but they too often present a middle of the road image as standard. They make some great instruments, but dont explore the flagship hi spec area, nor do they make much effort to exploit the image of the great players who use them. He picks out Chris Buck’s custome Revstar for example, which should really be made widely available and would excite people about the quality all across the range. No snobbery there, just good sense.
Honorable mention, Ty Taybor from "King's X" had his own signature model. A very under-rated guitarist!
If you enjoy Ty, you'd probably like his solo project called "the jelly jam"
Ty Tabor is a very unique genius. Noone plays like him.
Those T Tabor signature RGX models are awesome
The Revstar has been getting good press - sounds good to me! Never played one of them or their other electrics but in the 90's I bought a cutaway acoustic Nylon String which has a terrific piezo (or similar) which can be configured stereo where EDB go left and AGE go right. I use it a lot in the studio to add some wide-panned sparkle to more acousticish tracks -works a treat. Yamaha doesn't get any sort of marketing here in HK like Ibanez, Epiphone, PRS and the majors . . .
Those custom Pacificas look awesome. Yes, Yamaha are missing an opportunity there but to be honest... they are doing pretty well in the market anyway and guitars is only a small fraction of their business.
Mike Stern has been playing his signature Pacifica Tele for 30 years now.
They should consider re-releasing the less expensive T style Pacificas. I think they should design their own offset guitar as well, like Ibanez did with their Talman.
Had several YAMAHA Pacifica. They were perfect at an reasonable price. Never understood, why they are not more popular.
Pacificas are known to be priced much cheaper than what they could be based on quality and playability.
I have bought 2 yamaha pacifica guitars used. Because what's cheaper than Pacifica is used Pacifica 😂.
@@Marta1Buck 😁👍
cheaper than what they could be ? not really, they get as much for them as they can, the look is the deal breaker for most. value is not the concern for most experienced players
They should bring back the Ty Tabor model.
I got 2 of those
One thing I hope Yamaha capitalizes on, is their gear being featured in popular media. For example, Bocchi The Rock was a really popular anime last year that featured the main character buying a cool looking Yamaha Pacifica. It has a black transparent flame maple top, with black and chrome hardware. It looks great! The problem is, Yamaha doesn't sell the exact looking model that the character has in the show. The only way you could get it was by winning a contest for one. All they have to do is change a pickguard and pickup cover to black on one of their models and it would be identical. This would not only attract fans of the anime, but regular players who want a simple but very aesthetically pleasing guitar. Some fans are already buying guitars and converting them with aftermarket parts to look like the one in the show. Doing little things like that, having more effective marketing strategies, and offering more incentives like flame tops on the higher end models, as you said, would go a long way in helping them I think. They're well made guitars, so I hope to see more people get into them.
Bocchi featured a yamaha?? Now i GOTTA check it out.
@@vipuldass2318yea... spoilers...
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after the LP broke, her dad gave her the money she has earned from her GH UA-cam channel and she picked up a black Yammie Pacifica
I think the Revstar was a homerun for the company. Definitely got character.
I've wanted a Les Paul Junior with P90's for a while but the current ones are very poor, and the Revstar with P90's is a damned good guitar and much better than the Gibson for the money.
@@markfahey3921 I had a LPjr two years back. It was an unremarkable guitar and at 800 USD used it still cost me more than a Revstar would have.
@@shanewalton8888 I recently gave up gigging to enjoy more family time, and I've come to the conclusion that what you want out of a gigging guitar is playability and a good sound. Gibson are not cutting it for me at the moment and their QC doesn't guarantee you a decent guitar. Who wants to spent £3000 on a mediocre guitar? I have a couple of friends with 59 juniors, one of them plays in Wishbone Ash and they sound terrific, a different guitar altogether from the present juniors. But at £5000 for one of those, it isn't going to happen for me.
I love both the revstars and Pacificas..really well designed. People forget the Yamaha Troy Van Luewen signature guitar it was/is a really distinctive designed guitar (semi hollow 3x 90s and bigsby) that has alot of interesting wiring stuff going on. A very versatile live guitar.
I remember seeing Troy Van Leeuwen playing his Yamaha in 2005, it measured up to Josh Homme's luthier-made semi-hollows very well (though the both of these guys being incredible players may have more to do with it).
Yamaha could benefit from some better marketing, but I quite like that they’re an underrated gem. My Revstar is unbelievably easy to play, action is down to 0.6mm and it’s buttery smooth.
@@reggiewallace260 No, you're mistaken. 0.6mm action is correct - a human hair is 0.06mm.
This is the first time I viewed your channel. I enjoyed this video. I play Fender mostly now, but I had a Pacifica in the past. Yamaha is a great guitar Conpany. They really caused a huge change in quality with less expensive guitars as well. Other companies like Squire really began to step up their quality to keep up. I will always have gratitude for that. Your guitars are beautiful by the way. Also you are an amazing player. Thank you for the education. Great video!
First rule of any successful product: physical availability. The Revstars have been notoriously hard to find in stores, and they even had a backlog when you tried to order online. To overcome their perceived ‘uncoolness’, you really should pick one up and play it. Once that’s the case, most players will be surprised about the build quality and tones, especially considering the pricepoint. I own two ‘vintage’ SG’s from the seventies, as well as a first series Revstar RS 502, and I can asure you the Revstars are almost just as good as the old ones, but at a fraction of the price. Not sure if playing the heritage card would really help; most of the players (Marley, Santana, Dylan, Frusciante) only played them for a short while.
True. I am just having very difficult time finding the model that I want.
Paul Simon's main live touring guitars for years have been Yamaha.
Their acoustics are good.
I remember getting really close to buying a yamaha acoustic that had a built in system to add chorus and reverb that was so cool and inspiring to play, but was a bit expensive for me at the time. Highly recommend trying one out if you find one
Beautiful playing as usual buddy! The little walk up after the quiet little break sounded excellent.
Based on their going rates on the used market, I think Yamaha would make a mint if they re-issued the sg/sbg series and it wasn’t 3 grand.
The SG1820 is about £2400, and is an awesome instrument. Yamaha have to fight the Americana bias of electric guitarists, it’s no surprise and not their fault that their instruments are undervalued.
@@terencecain2893I agree to a point. I can’t help but think if they reissued models like the sg500, 600, etc instead of the revstars they would have been more popular
@@Horseheadbookendz A 1980 SG1000 is about £950, a Gibson Les Paul of the same vintage costs two and a half times as much. The Yammy is undervalued and a bargain imo. This won’t change for the foreseeable future, and makes reissuing the series an non-starter. No surprise Gibson keep raiding their back catalogue tho.
I absolutely loved my Pacifica over my bullet. Both cost about the same, but sound and neck quality were loads better on the Yamaha
Isn't it crazy how yamaha had more authentic feeling fender necks than the Squier models did? 😂 my pacifica is still going strong and I've gotten nothing but raised eyebrows and compliments on how well built such an affordable guitar is.
@@dethmedic52 and it’s just plain beautiful! I have the violin sunburst color.
@@Emrys345_Guitar heck yeah good color, mines just all natural baby 🤣
I’ve been playing and collecting guitars for nearly 40 years. I have a collection of all the ‘usuals’: Strat, Tele, PRS, Les Paul, SG, etc, as well as some more unusual ones. All amazing guitars in their own right. I recently bought a Yamaha Rev Star. I can’t overstate how impressed I am with it. Amazing build quality, great feel and playability, fantastic sound, great features. We all know guitars are very subjective and very personal, but to me at least, the Rev Star is up there with the best I have. They should definitely be more popular but, for now at least, they seem to be a bit more in the ‘for those that know’ category.
I am a keys player turned multi-instrumentalist (guitars) and I love my Revstar. I know how amazing Yamaha pianos and Synths are so looking into their guitar options was a no-brainer. Fantastic quality instrument.
bro i haven’t seen your posts in like 6 months on my feed lol i completely forgot about your channel and how much i appreciate it
Lee Ritenour has for years played a nylon string version of Yamaha's Silent guitar. So I bought one used on eBay.. amazing instrument, quite innovative, sounds great plugged directly into an amp, etc. So I bought an acoustic/electric called an AC5R also used (Acoustic Concert size, 5 means solid wood, made in Japan, R is rosewood back and sides) and it is a great guitar, also sounds really good plugged directly into my DRRI. Based on those purchases I might get a REVSTAR with P-90 at some point. I have a couple of vintage Gibson electrics from the 60's, 3 Fenders, and I think the Yamahas are right there with all of them.
I'm old- over 50- and co-own a somewhat celebrated recording studio in San Francisco. Our inexpensive Yamaha models - electric guitars, 5 string bass and 12 string acoustic- get more use from clients than almost all our more recognized axes- when it comes to studio tracking. I have to laugh at all the comical snobbery I've seen over the years around this issue. Bottom line: get a guitar under $500 you can afford- and any other money is better spent on lessons than gear.,
I love my revstar. I purchased one to take on tour to have a hood quality guitar that I didn’t care if it got beat up. Now I don’t want it to leave the heard. The tones are awesome from the filtertrons are awesome.
I bet it is the Denim color one too?
When my boy was starting guitar, pretty much everyone recommended a Yamaha Pacifica. Does the whole brand now have the “taint” of student guitar? (We didn’t choose one in the end. The boy chose a Squier Bullet Mustang)
Your point about the differences (or lack of them) between Standard and the Japanese made Revstars is well made. The Standards are aspirational enough for me.
Wow, I love your playing so much John. Beautiful phrasing and so melodic with flawless technique.
Just discovered your channel and you’re great! I deeply enjoyed these minutes and you’re a pretty good talker! Cheers!
Very well done...I appreciate the research and objective look at this brand!
My revstar standard is my main work horse guitar and I can't fault it. I don't take my gibsons to rehearsals or gigs anymore. Last night I took my 40 SG1000n to rehearsal and it was awesome, the only problem is it's a heavy lump of wood or it would come out to play more often.
Back in the day I remember the SG2000, SG1000 and SG45 guitars from Yamaha that were amazing. Stuart Adamson of Skids and Big Country fame played one as I recall.
You can add Santana, John McGeogh, and I think Bill Nelson to that list too. Alan Murphy (Level 42) played an MSG. And no one ever has a bad word for the the SA2200 or its earlier incarnations. They make some bloody good guitars - I own 4 btw, including an MSG Standard, an SA2200, and one of the handmade LL400 acoustics.
Their hollow bodies are highly regarded as well, aspirational type guitars. I wish they would do a re-release of their old SA guitars from the late 60s and early 70s, the SA30 through SA90 guitars. I love the ways those look, a very kindy quirky japanese tweak on the hollow body shape.
The only thing that lets Yamaha guitars down is the marketing. (E.g not humping the consumer) Apart from that they are a fantastic guitar from bottom to top.
Finally got a RSS02T Merlot with P90s 4-5 months ago. Took a while to get one locally.
So good that 2 weeks ago I bought a RSS20 with 'buckers from the same shop.
Both hang next to a 2014 ES335 Cherry Dot Gibson.
The Revstars get played a lot more
Nuf Said!
Now all I want is a Revstar 12 string. Yamaha has NO electric 12 strings.
I've got a Revstar just like the one you have in the video. I like the guitar, but it is not without a few quality issues. My guitar arrived with scratches on the stainless steel frets that would grate against the strings when doing bends. Yamaha was willing to fix this, but required I send the guitar to California from Georgia at my expense. I also had to purchase my own shipping box. I tried to get the work done in my town, but there was no one who had the tools to polish out the scratches. The cost of shipping plus the shipping box was going to be $140, which is around 20% of the purchase price. I was fortunate to eventually find someone nearby that would remove the scratches, but what a hassle to have to go through on a new guitar. The other issue I am having with this guitar is that there are hot spots on the fretboard where the volume will suddenly get much louder and I have been unable to correct this issue by making adjustments to the action or the pickups. I do like this guitar and plan to keep it. It has a unique sound and lots of tonal variety through pick-up, tone control and volume settings and I this inspires me to play more. I think the issue, which JNC mentions, is that these guitars are not readily available in the guitar stores and the only way to get to know one is to buy it sight unseen. If the guitar had been available locally, I would have discovered the scratched frets before purchasing. It is sad that this guitar was put to market in that condition, and does say something about Yamahas quality control process needing improvement. Overall, it is a great guitar for the money, but it took me a while for me and the Revstar to make up after such a bad start.
Another name to add is Ty Tabor from King's X. Super influential player who played Yamaha guitars for years, and even had a signature model like 20 years ago.
I've almost absolutely decided that my next guitar will be either a Revstar or Pacifica 612. I think they are definitely overlooked.
I have both Pacifica and Revstar (P90). Very happy with both
Revstar is an amazing guitar.
Don't think you can go wrong with either! I have a SA2200 (chose it over a ES-335), Revstar RS502 and now the 611 is catching my eye as that P90/Humbucker combo looks very interesting!
that was not JOHN LENNON in the photo graph, it was his SON Julian Lennon
Really nice playing, man. 🤘🏼
I just picked up a lightly used 1995 Yamaha RBX 250 bass for next to nothing. It plays amazingly well--better than real P basses that cost many times more. Now I'm on the hunt for the fretless version of the same bass....
I have a Revstar 502T with P90s and a bigsby. I love that guitar. I am mostly a Fender Jaguar player but I like to have other sounds available. It has a great quality
Jeff Schroeder of The Smashing Pumpkins plays Yamaha Pacificas and occasionally Revstars. I have several Yamahas including a MIA custom shop Pacifica, and I feel sorry people paying for labels on the headstock.
The thing that does me with the yamaha pacifica 112 is the neck is too thin at the nut (41mm), the string spacing isn't wide enough for my fingers, hence why I play strats and other guitars with wider necks at the nut around (43mm). I used to own a pacifica 112 years ago the fretwork was some of the best I've seen for the price, it's just a shame they don't make them with wider necks at the nut then maybe someone with bigger hands instead of a kid might be-able to play chords near the nut with one (without mute-ing other strings?)....
I so miss my Yamaha (Mango Top) APX500 v2 I once had. Amazing sounding guitar and lowest action I ever got on a acoustic neck! I miss that guitar so much and it was beautiful to look at too.
I play an APX and a BB at church. Both are solid instruments, sound great and have survived decades of use.
The BB's barrel socket is a pain, time to replace it again but that's the only problem it's ever had.
Beautiful playing! One of the best sessions players (also on the first Chick Corea Electric band) played the Yamaha Pacifica, I saw him with Dave Weckl more then 30 years ago on the Yamaha booth in Musikmesse, one of my favorite players, great singer too. Yamaha guitars are really cool, sad to see they don't have the original SG's (2000 and 3000) anymore, those where legendary guitars, they should keep them on their catalogne as it's a reference. And I agree they should put back some high end Pacifica guitars in their catalogue too, I remember they did some nice Pacifica custom shops in the 90's.
I have a Yamaha acoustic I bought off a bandmate in 1979. Played it quite a lot since then...it's been abused such as when I lived on a boat, went travelling, took it camping several times etc. needs a re-fret now and it will be great again... Really is a guitar for life! I also have 2 of the Japanese Revstars (One with Humbucker one P90) and absolutely love them. They are great fun! The position of the controls, build quality and sound are perfect and a nice change to the "standard Strat or LP sounds" that have ruled for so long. I could afford the Japanese built "Pro"models, so why the hell not, and I quite like that you can't easily tell the difference.
Dollar for dollar Yamaha makes some of the best instruments in the industry and always have. The Pacifica and Revstar are as good as anything out there.
I'd like to bring a different angle that is gonna piss off a lot of people here: the problem is not Yamaha , it's rather guitar nerds mentality. Most people do not really have the ability of judging an instrument for what really is but rather prefer to read blogs and use the eyes and stomach feeling for choose an instrument. Otherwise you can not possibly explain why Gibson still selling big numbers despite quite obvious flows in the quality and not only in the °entry level ° LP std ( considering the price is a non sense to call it entry level ) but also in the higher price range. The relatively new design of the Revstar might understandably turn off a lot of people that want a more classic look instrument , but Japanese production have a lot to offer also in that box: Edwards, FGN etc. I think the truth is most people really have no idea how to differentiate a good from a mediocre instrument, mostly because they are noodlers rather than musician
Wow.. those high end prototypes "mock-ups" looks indeed incredible! Where did you find them, I want to see more...
I always think of the Pacificas as either entry level or modding platforms. The local mom & pop shop has some 112s in stock and not sure how a couple of them made it out of the factory. Obvious tooling marks and really bad neck pocket gaps. The chain store has the more expensive models that seem to have better QC but are getting into the same price range as the Sire S7. Be nice to see Yamaha update the line with some more modern features like SS frets and roasted maple :)
I I'm not by any means a guitar brand snob, and I played a black RevStar standard this weekend just because I happened to see it. This is the humbucker model. It absolutely blew me away. It played like a guitar that would typically cost three times more in terms of just the setup out of the box. Mind you this was on a rack at Sam Ash I could just grab it, so it wasn't as though it was some special setup. I plugged it into a 5150 amplifier and could cover a range of sounds that candidly shocked me. Considering parting with some other gear to pick one up really.
Yamaha is coming back into guitars very strong over the last 2 years. It will not surprise me to see a lot of working pros pick up this one in the new Pacifica just because they do more and sound just unique enough to let you do all the standard stuff Plus more.
Interesting to hear your thoughts but I'm a little confused that you feel that the Pacifica 612 specs are middle of the road where they have branded pickups, Wilkinson trem and locking tuners, you dont get anything like that spec for similar money with Fender. I love my fenders but also love my 612
There are people who want a name on the headstock, and then there are people who want a working guitar. Those Pacifica's are excellent, easily as good as a USA strat
My main electric guitar is a modified Pacifica - PAC510 model. I absolutely love this guitar. My first acoustic was a Yamaha, many years ago. I also own an LJ6 acoustic, which I find to be one of the most playable acoustics I have ever tried. (the neck is sublime!) Yamaha guitars do tend to be more about the steak and less about the sizzle. (If you will pardon the possibly antiquated reference?) I wish Yamaha would embrace their Japanese heritage more. They have made some amazing electric guitars in the past, that most people outside of Japan have not had the opportunity to see. I would also like to see more pickup configurations available. But overall, amazing guitars and tremendous value for money.
I commented on Rhetts's video a similar idea to yours; that Yamaha needed a really high-end guitar that was, to borrow your sentiment, aspirational. They have all the tools necessary for the creation of such a guitar, however, they don't have nearly the notable client list of most other brands by comparison. They need heavy hitters who actually use their guitars on stage and screen.
I've had a Pacifica 612 for about a year now, it's my first and only "expensive" guitar I own and have played it daily. Got it in the same deep blue you have to get that vibe Masayoshi Takanaka rocks on his blue lagoon Yamaha SG. There are moments im thoroughly in love with it, and moments I wish I could emulate the tone of a fender.. dunno what it is. The Duncan's in the Pacifica are fine pickups, they quack, but even clean through a preamp are really chimy, something I feel like I could have gotten out of a less expensive instrument.
I gigged one of the upper end 90's Pacificas side by side with my US PRS for years. Never did the Yamaha feel any lesser of an instrument. Still have that Pacifica and play it almost every day. Their upper end 335 types are beyond stunning. Yamaha have never pushed their guitars as a 'lifestyle brand' and I respect them a lot for it.
I haven't tried the revstar or one of the more traditional dual cutaway LP types, but I have a Pacifica 611 HFM which I bought as an alternate to my Variax 700 since I was looking for mags pups that could give me a little variety. It's pretty pedestrian. The neck is an aquired taste, and the frets and nut feel cheep. Tuning stability is fairly poor with the trem. The body finish is nice and is pretty comfortable, and the Seymour Duncan pickups are decent (the coil split on the HB is useless though, as the drop in output is too big). Overall it plays and sounds like an entry level guitar along the lines of a Squire. Agree with the bit about them not being particularly aspiring. If I had to sell one of my guitars it would be the Pacifica.
Do you think you'll ever be able to get your hands on a Kiesel? Would love to hear you play one. I know they're probably A LOT harder to get in the UK.
You make every guitar sound good!
I'd love to try the Pacificas you mentioned.
And I wonder why more companies don't do S type semi-hollow guitars.A more affordable Eric Johnson Strat, the f'hole one.A thinline S type.
My premier classical guitar was a Yamaha. Yamaha owns line6 with our beloved hx stomp, helix and also totally awesome Variax guitars. Heaps of well known artists play Variax too. Thanks John love your videos.
They make a great double or single modeler as well the hd100. It feels and sounds like an amp. Also, the THR line. Rhett grates on my nerves. He needs to return the free guitar he has on loan.
I don't think I've ever heard a better sales pitch for an 800 dollar guitar than to say it's almost exactly like the premium Japanese version that's twice the price. Maybe Yamaha are smarter than we think?
To be fair, its worth noting that Chris Buck was pretty engrained in his Revstar before collaborating with Yamaha. I still have my first guitar, a 2nd hand Yamaha acoustic. A little woody, but rich sound, plays like butter. Friends reach for this one when over. It's been festival camping, homeless through winter, through uni. campus life, road trips, left in the rain, left by the campfire, left in reach of toddlers, a little melted by the radiator. Still going strong. Yamaha knows how to build!
Yamaha engineers and produces a lot of equipment, including engines. Some of the most legendary engines out there, such as the 2JZ for example, and the V10 in the Lexus LFA were tuned by Yamaha. I do think their marketing might have something to do with the perception of their guitars. The fact that a lot of UA-camrs and other influencers (such as chris buck) are starting to use their instruments might however help change that perception.
This was essentially my point as well.
They weren’t tuned by Yamaha… Yamaha actually made the cylinder head. I’ve been to the Yamaha museum in Hammamatsu Japan
@@robmcd Yes, this right here. They actually designed and made the head. The 1LR-GUE was even tuned acoustically by Yamaha. Yamaha has some of the most prominent engineering prowess I have ever seen in a company, i'd love to visit the Yamaha museum in Hamamatsu!
The problem with the Revstar has been availability. Guitar Center doesn't carry them, and neither does the local mom and pop store near me. And they were out of stock everywhere online for a long time. I would have probably gotten one of the Revstar Standards when they finally becaume a little more available, but have never played one, and hate buying blindly. (I ended up buying the PRS DGT SE instead because the mom and pop near me had one for me to play).
Sam Ash sells them
@@user-jz4gy2vk4c The Sam Ash stores within 25 miles of my house do not have any in stock. This is how it has been since they were announced. And the online store is out of stock on several colors (but not all colors). They are hard to find.
@@steveliberty I hope you find one Steve,nice guitars
My Vegas Sam Ash has the Element in stock,I bought a white one six months ago,give them a shot,hope it helps
Well obviously Sweetwater has them because Rhett can’t remember if it’s a loaner or not. He’s seriously in need of a reality check in many ways.
I don't own any Yamaha instruments but have played some random acoustic/western guitars and a few electrics and they were all awesome. The neck felt right, the action, the sound, all top!
To me the Pacifica line lacks resonance in the sound. They use pickups that are also in other guitars that sound great, so there must be something in the construction. Have they got some weird truss rod arrangment?
My favourite guitar I own is a 1978 Yamaha sg1000. Apparently referred to as a les Paul killer. It’s all original with original hoc. Simply stunning sounding and feels great in the hands.
I have a Pacifica, it's beautifully made. Dunno why but I much prefer my Silver Sky SE. The nut width seems narrow to me on the Yamaha and it don't sit in my lap as cosy as the PRS. Also the neck seems looong
I'm not a pro-player - bit of a plodder really, but I've got two Revstars, one RS720B and an RSS02T Standard. Love the neck and the way the instrument feels in-hand. Maybe I'm a contrarian and just didn't want to go the usual Fender/Gibson route? Don't know but I enjoy the Revstar immensely
Got an original RS620 in brickburst. I love to look at it from every angle and never tire of playing it. Had thought about getting a p90 version but these guitars sell out fast, hard to find. That fact alone says.. these are great instruments.
Kickass, I'm the other way around, I've got the 502 and not the 620. But I did end up getting an RSE20, which is a very nice humbucker model.
I really fond of Soren Andersson music video with reversed Pacifica - such a nice look IMHO. And Jack Thammarat's custom light Yamaha was the top notch.
Yep Soren is great. He does a demo for Yamaha’s modeler double and single. Sold me on getting one.
Actually, Yamaha's acoustic guitars have a consistent success in the market. Yamaha's budget LL series (LL6, LL16), which have incredible build quality, is one of the best sellers entry-level acoustic guitars in China and Japan. The more expensive ones (LL26, LL36, etc) are also used by many Japanese artists.
For electric guitars, I think Yamaha just keeps the same quality on their products. In fact, the Pacifica series is also one of the best sellers entry-level electric guitars in Japan.
The Revstars also earn compliments from almost everyone on the internet who have ever played them. I think the only problems are simple: 'brand added-value', the non-F/G body style, and color choices :(
I agree - I have a LL16 ARE and I spent an age looking at best bang for the buck dreadnought style guitar and it couldn't be beaten, in my opinion. It feels amazing to play and sounds bloody good.
Iv been playing Pacificas exclusively for over 25 years , first one was an Pac 812 superb guitar and have since acquired a few more. During the last 20 years iv also bought many others different brands which cost lots more, the pacifica is still my main go to beautiful sweet warm tones. In Australia there are plenty of them here, top of the line pacificas retail for around $1000, a Fender American Strat $2000, Pacifica has Seymore Duncan pickups flame maple top locking pegs graphite nut and trees, maple neck rosewood board , they play and sound better. I replace the bridge with a SDJB if not fitted as standard and thats it
These look great but I would miss the 2 individual vol control. I like to blend the middle pickup position.
I haven’t actually had one in my hands, so I’m curious about the size of the revstar body - it looks a bit larger, almost 335 size. Is that correct or is that an illusion?
If i am correct, the second generation revstar is slightly bigger than the first.
I have never owned a bad piece of Yamaha gear, mixers, speakers, guitars, drum kits, all great.
I think the problem with Yamaha guitars is that they aren't expensive enough.
Since they're not that expensive, people tend to think that they're just medium range guitars, so there's nothing exciting about buying a Yamaha 6 string. While buying a gibson, wow, you get a sense of acheivement, even though, they can't fucking stay in tune, have lots of flaws, and the quality of the woods and craftmanship isn't superior to most other brands. But in the mind of the buyer, it's better than the rest. They don't have the same aura.
I have had several Yamaha guitars in my life, and with Ibanez, it's the brand I usually recommand buying if you wanna start playing the guitar, cause they're usual good playable instruments that are not very expensive.
08:28 WHERE did that list come from? Where is a Squier Baritone Telecaster the #2 selling guitar? Where are people even FINDING Revstar guitars? My biggest issue with Yamaha, Reverend, most of these not Gibson/Fender brands, is that I simply can't put my hands on one before purchase. I've seen a couple of Pacificas on the market. I've never seen a Revstar in a store, ever, and you're telling me they're the #4 selling guitar in some list.
Nathan, you and Chris Buck just need to make a collaboration video. You both are stupendous players and would make an amazing duo in one video.
guys! need help in deciding between Pacifica 612 and revstar?
which one should i go for?
thoughts...?
I play the same model as your Pacifica. It is a great guitar and fantastic for the money. Its a bit unbalanced as the humbucker is a little too dark and the middle and neck pickups are a little too bright. But that would be my only complaint. I gig it live.
One of the very few guitar brands that actually spends on R&D. They just need a proper marketing team.
A good point. Yamaha is constantly innovating. Fender/Gibson haven't done anything innovative in decades.
I mean, their sales are great. I think the marketing team is doing their job just fine. They’re a huge, diverse company, even just in the musical instrument realm, whereas Gibson and Fender are predominantly guitar manufacturers. I think people are forgetting this. They very much know their place in the industry and know what they need to do to capitalize.
Logically I know they are good quality. But I have almost zero desire to get any of their guitars other than a revstar. Even then I don’t feel like there’s anything I’m missing out by not owning one.
@@jamesmarkham7489 Curiously, I have zero desire to buy another over-priced, poor QCed Fendson. So we cancel each other out!
@@bostonbesteats364 oh I agree the big two are not something I’d recommend anymore.
I love Yamaha guitars and basses...have an electric Pacifica 12 string, an AEX500 thinline, an acoustic 12 string and a 5 string bass...I used to play bar gigs with a Pacifica 912 J that was a top notch guitar and leave my strat and les paul in the studio. Same with the AEX 500...great acoustic stage guitar with a hybrid mini humbucker at the neck. Leave my Martin in the studio....I wish I'd kept some of my old Pacifica's but I would sell them to students...they are great beginner instruments that can take a beginner from basics to bar gigs. Larry Klein played Yamaha basses as does Nathan East..Larry played them with Joni Mitchell and Peter Gabriel and Nathan plays with Clapton...Tommy Tedesco played Yamaha jazz boxes at the NAMM shows for years. Bonnie Raitt had a signature Yamaha guitar.
Regarding the Pacifica range, it was originally designed in the late 80s by Rich Lasner, who famously designed many of Ibanez’ hit instruments - the JEM, RG, Saber and Radius series. The Pacifica is, to me, an improvement on the superStrat template, that looks much curvier and balances better compared to a Fender. I wouldn’t say no to a minimalist version with more contouring, kind of a Luke I style…
In punk and new wave era, there were many players who used Yamaha's. In a bass world... Nathan East, Michael Anthony, Billy Sheehan as you mentioned, Peter Hook...
I didn't know a single person you listed for Gibson but knew everyone that played Yamahas. I have had a couple Yamahas over the years and currently looking at the new Pacifica (owned an old one back from the late 90s).
My only complaint on the revstar is the controls. A five way switch and push pull pot for a 2 pickup guitar. I have a hard enough time just remembering what notes I'm supposed to play.
I think that Rhett video was very UScentric and Instagram-biased, in my opinion. I also think the yamaha marketing team are not aiming for popularity and coolness, but a real sense that Revstars are “great guitars”, instead of “cool guitars”. That’s why they sent guitars to people like Phil McKnight or Henning Pauly instead of Mary Spender and Paul Davids. Maybe they did too…
Pretty fun that I just ordered one. Probably the most boring guitar I've bought. Buut It was on sale. Here in Sweden the 112vm usually goes for roughly 340 euros on amazon. Now, for some reason they reduced the price to just 160 euros. Why I did this is becaue I have some seymour duncan pickups I got as a birthday present like 15 years ago that I havent unboxed yet since I havent had anything to put them on. It's the Seymour Duncan Hot Rodded Set JB/Jazz Set. Is there a way to make them fit on the pacifica you think? The pick guard have split the two neck pickups where as these seymour are like two in one piece?
Another great Yamaha play is Rik Emmet from Triumph...a noteworthy addition. Amazing player and singer.
Also Victor Smolski.
Ty Tabor from Kings X and Bill Leverty from Firehouse were Yamaha guys too and phenomenal players and ad their own signature models . Rik Emmet played SG models and had a sweet double neck and a few high end Pacificas . Craig Goldy from Dio played Pacificas for some years too .
I have Gibsons and fender guitars but none with P90S do you think i could go wrong with one of these love vids and playing sir