A Pacifica That Takes It Up a Notch
The Yamaha Pacifica has been a working guitarist's go-to since 1990 — beloved for its playability, reliability, and value. The PACS+12 Pacifica Standard Plus takes that foundation and builds something decidedly more premium on top of it. This is a guitar designed by Yamaha Japan in partnership with Yamaha Artist Services in Hollywood, and it shows in every detail.
Shell White is one of those finishes that somehow manages to look both classic and fresh at the same time. Understated on the rack, sharp on a stage. And under that finish sits a chambered alder body that keeps the weight comfortable without sacrificing resonance — a design decision that makes long rehearsals and marathon gigs a lot more pleasant.
Whether you're tracking at home, gigging weekends, or somewhere in between, the PACS+12 brings a tonal toolkit and build quality that punches well above its weight class.
This item is a B-Stock guitar sourced directly from the manufacturer. It is new and has never been previously owned. The photos shown are of the exact instrument you will receive. Before shipment, our licensed technician will inspect and professionally set up the guitar to ensure it is playing its best. During our inspection, we noticed VERY SMALL INDENT ON BACK (THIS WAS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO GET A PICTURE OF DUE TO THE SMALL NATURE, ONLY ABLE TO SEE UNDER DIRECT REFLECTION OF BRIGHT LIGHT), SMALL AMOUNT OF PAINT RESIDUE IN NECK SCREW HOLES. (see pictures) Please note, these may not be the only cosmetic imperfections. As a B-Stock instrument, there may be additional minor blemishes that are small in nature and do not affect playability or performance.
Reflectone Pickups — The Rupert Neve Connection
The headline spec on the PACS+12 is its HSS pickup set: Reflectone pickups co-developed with Rupert Neve Designs. Rupert Neve is legendary in the studio world for his work on mixing consoles and preamps, and that ear for clear, articulate signal capture translates directly into these pickups. They deliver solid lows and sparkling highs with a dynamic sensitivity that responds to how hard you play, not just your amp settings.
The 5-way selector covers the full HSS range from punchy bridge humbucker to warm neck single-coil, and there's a push-pull coil split on the tone knob that opens up even more single-coil voicings from the bridge position. That's a lot of sonic ground covered without ever touching a pedal.
A Neck Built for Playing
Yamaha fitted the PACS+12 with a bolt-on maple neck in a slim C profile — the kind of shape that disappears in your hand. The satin finish keeps things friction-free so your palm glides smoothly whether you're playing open chords or running the upper register. The rosewood fingerboard is outfitted with medium stainless-steel frets, which are both noticeably more durable than standard nickel frets and easier on your fingers when bending.
The fingerboard radius sits at 13.8" (350mm), which leans toward the flatter side — comfortable for chording and great for bending without fretting out. The carved neck heel gives you cleaner access to the upper frets than you'd typically expect on a bolt-on design.
Hardware That Holds Up
Gotoh locking tuners and a Gotoh 2-point tremolo bridge handle the tuning stability duties here. Locking tuners cut string-change time and improve tuning retention after using the whammy bar, and the 2-point pivot design gives the tremolo a smooth, responsive feel. A TUSQ nut completes the setup — synthetic bone material chosen for its consistent string spacing and transfer of vibration.
Yamaha also applied their Acoustic Design technology to the PACS+12 body — a process involving 3D modeling to optimize wood routing for maximum resonance and better vibration transfer between neck and body. It's the kind of engineering detail you don't always see called out at this price point.
Product Features:
- Body: Chambered alder, beveled lower bout for playing comfort
- Neck: Bolt-on slim C-shape maple with satin finish
- Fingerboard: Rosewood, 13.8" (350mm) radius, medium stainless-steel frets
- Pickups: Reflectone HSS configuration — co-developed with Rupert Neve Designs
- Controls: Volume, Tone with push-pull coil split; 5-way pickup selector
- Hardware: Gotoh locking tuners and Gotoh 2-point tremolo bridge
- Nut: TUSQ
- Finish: Shell White
- Yamaha Acoustic Design chambering for enhanced resonance
Brand: Yamaha
Model: PACS+12 Pacifica Standard Plus
SKU: PACS+12 SWH-2ND
Condition: B-Stock
Since 1872, C.A. House Music has been helping musicians across the Ohio Valley find the right gear -- with real advice from a team that actually plays. We're your authorized dealer of all the big names in guitars, keyboards, band instruments, drums, pro audio, and more. With four family-owned and operated locations in Ohio and West Virginia (plus a full online store), you don't have to go far for instruments, lessons, rentals, and repairs. No matter your musical needs, our team of musicians wants to help you Play Music for Life.
