Don_ 1 Posted August 17, 2017 I've seen several comments about the variax standard being a Pacifica with added electronics. As I was not familiar with the Pacifica series I did a quick search and found guitars from less then 200 £ all the way up to 700 £. I've got no idea what sets those different models apart, is it only different hardware or is it also the body and the neck? Reason I ask is if I know what model is the variax it will be much easier to find a local shop that carries Yamaha guitars so that I can test the guitar. For me the neck is a big deal. Often it comes down to if I like the neck or not when playing guitars. And it is very hard to find a local shop that has variax guitars. If I know what guitar from the Pacific model is the variax I can just look for a shop with that specific Yamaha and do all the testing I need, and then order a variax online if I am liking the yamaha. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cruisinon2 2,597 Posted August 17, 2017 I've seen several comments about the variax standard being a Pacifica with added electronics. As I was not familiar with the Pacifica series I did a quick search and found guitars from less then 200 £ all the way up to 700 £. I've got no idea what sets those different models apart, is it only different hardware or is it also the body and the neck? Reason I ask is if I know what model is the variax it will be much easier to find a local shop that carries Yamaha guitars so that I can test the guitar. For me the neck is a big deal. Often it comes down to if I like the neck or not when playing guitars. And it is very hard to find a local shop that has variax guitars. If I know what guitar from the Pacific model is the variax I can just look for a shop with that specific Yamaha and do all the testing I need, and then order a variax online if I am liking the yamaha. Here's a hint...the Standard is an $800 guitar. They're not gonna stuff the fancy Variax guts that took years to develop and fine-tune, into ANY model of Pacifica, and then sell it to you at the same price that the guitar would fetch all by itself. You do the math... Ruminating over every possible outcome, and trying to devise a method to determine whether or not you'll like the neck of one guitar by playing something that you assume to be similar, is a colossal waste of time. If you want to buy a Porsche, you test drive a Porsche...sliding behind the wheel of a BMW won't answer any of your questions. With factory produced assembly line instruments, quality/fit and finish is a crap-shoot anyway. You can have two identical guitars with consecutive serial numbers, and one might be perfectly playable while the other one is firewood. Most of us were in the same boat initially. I'd guess that 2 out of 3 (or perhaps more) Variax owners rolled the dice and purchased online because they couldn't find one anywhere. It is what it is. Buy and try... it's the only way to get an answer. Comparing apples to oranges won't help you decide whether or not you like coconuts. Either way, it's not a life altering decision. It's just a guitar...if you don't like it, send it back. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
psarkissian 362 Posted August 17, 2017 Not just a Pacifica. It got passed around and we players put our two sense into the design. So it's a different kind of Pacifica/Variax. It has Variax electronics in it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Don_ 1 Posted August 17, 2017 It is all the same for now, lost my job today so no new gear anytime soon. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cruisinon2 2,597 Posted August 17, 2017 It is all the same for now, lost my job today so no new gear anytime soon. well that sucks... good luck with the hunt. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
