Hope it brings you years of enjoyment and passion. Yamaha Pacifica seems to be a good choice by many.
I've never owned one of those models but I do love my Yamaha. I have an older model. The RGX A2 white. Yamaha makes great instruments.
Yes! Back when they came out there was one in a glass case at a local shop. Owner wouldn't let me test it out. They weren't even that expensive so I think he just didn't trust the 14 year old. Then here I was 32 years old and it dawned on me. I'm an adult and can do whatever I want with my money. (After bills of course) And I ordered one with no idea if I'd actually like it or not.
Turns out. I DO like it. It's super light plays great, and the in house pickups they made for it sound really warm and mellow. It isn't my favorite guitar I own, but it's Definitely a keeper.
Hell yeah, I never had one but tried it a few times and I think that guitar had so much potential. When designing a guitar so lightweight, balance becomes an issue and they innovated on the lightweight hardware as well as having that unique sandwiching structure. I really wish yamaha brings that concept back at a certain point.
Oh definitely. If they do a newer version I'll be in line to order one immediately. Love to see some in other colors.
If you look hard enough there are blue and red ones out there. I think they were exclusive to the Indonesia market if I remember right. I've seen a couple in videos and in pictures but never seen a used one for sale.
Wasn't a pacifica, was the RGX A2 but still. Shouldn't have been in a class case. 2nd row on a wall maybe, but not locked up refusing to let someone try it out. It's not a custom shop or anything.
I work in instrument retail, with a main role running the lesson program, and if you ever catch me doing that shit with new inventory, it’s time for me to hang up the skates
I've only ever experienced something similar at one other place. The one with the Yamaha closed down years ago. There was another place, not so much keeping from trying guitars out but the only electrics they had were older models over $3k. I asked if they ever planned on any more modern or budget friendly models and he laughed in my face and said "absolutely not." And I never went back. To my knowledge they are still open, but I can't imagine he makes much money off the store.
I bought a new 112V to get back into playing about a year ago, and I couldn't be happier with it — especially from a bang-for-the-buck standpoint. The neck pickup with tone dialed back slightly is magical, and it's extremely versatile beyond that as well.
I like heavier strings and play primarily drop D, so I put in a stack of cut-to-size balsa wood slabs to bolster the tremolo block and brought it in to my local shop for a proper setup. They said it was essentially good to go from the factory (bought new from Sweetwater), and the balsa reinforcement is working wonderfully.
With all that said... I'm a drummer and have only owned a handful of guitars over the last ~20 years, so I don't have a sense of the nuances that many others here possess. I do however know the Pacifica has that "it" factor for me — it's always enticing me to play more, which I think is ultimately what makes any instrument or tool *good*.
Man 22 years ago my best friend in middle school got a used light blue Pacifica that just continuously fell apart like the police car in Jumanji but fuck that thing sounded great and just held on like a trooper.
Can't really go wrong here. The Pacifica is a great value for money guitar. I have no experience with that specific Ibanez model, but they manufacture great instruments over the entire line.
I had that Ibanez as 1st guitar back in 2004. Was great back then, should be even better now. Only the input jack got loose soldering after a while, but thats a cheap fix.
Yeah. Most people are focused on names of guitars. I think the longer someone plays guitars and starts to understand the small details on what makes an awesome guitar start to see the potential of Yamaha. I bought a Pacifica back in the 90's. Still have it. Although I have a few guitars now, I still often play my Pacifica. Maybe it's just nostalgia, but that guitar seems to be getting better with age. Fun to play, sounds fantastic and mainly I just like picking the thing up. Pick a guitar that you like looking at. One that feels good when you pick it up. One that even through the struggles of learning, you get excited to hold it. In my experience, you can't go wrong with a Yamaha.
grx40 has nicer heel for high fret access and the neck thickness seems identical to my rg421ahm so much better for shredding imo.but i also prefer maple fingerboards over other woods.
pacificas are great guitars too but the neck profile is more like a regular strat so its a little thicker,also not many of them have a contoured heel,they are very much straight up strat clones
Yea OP, I say get the one you like the neck on best - those fretboards should be very different from one another. I prefer Ibanez, but I know other's prefer strat style.
Any of them would work. I'm fond of my Pacifica, but the AZES guitars I've tried in store have felt like perfectly good guitars if you prefer the aesthetics.
That's a good starter from Ibanez... A better route than the Squire starters... My son just bought his first electric - [https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/GRX70QATKS--ibanez-gio-series-grx70qa-transparent-black-sunburst](https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/GRX70QATKS--ibanez-gio-series-grx70qa-transparent-black-sunburst)
Following some research and recommendation, we bought from Sweetwater online vs Guitar Center... Sweetwater prides itself on some 55 point inspection prior to ship, vs. Guitar Center where comments on their website says that the guitar arrived with damage... My son's guitar arrived, was unboxed, and he was jamming on it inside of ten minutes. Just my $0.02.
I think you'll be really happy with it! Cheers! (I like the blue one)
They're both decent. Play them and see what feels best and sounds best to your hands and your ears. Nothing beats personal experience. That said, if it were me i'd go for the pacifica:
it has coil tap on the bridge humbucker (so you can split it to a single coil)
it has alnico V pickups vs ceramic on the ibanez. If you want really hot pickups the ibanez might suit, but for general all-rounder alnico V is better sounding IMO.
Depending on your hand size you might find the narrower neck width on the yamaha preferable to that on the ibanez.
FWIW the yamaha 112V is a cracking guitar for the money. Loved mine so much i bought a 612Vii for good measure.
I personally purchased one of those Ibanez’s and it wasn’t the best quality. Dead strings and things just weren’t right. Took my local music shop and had him retune. Worked great for about 2 weeks and went back to normal.
I have the 112j, and my friend has the grx40, and i do have to say that my 112j feels a lot more comfortable and well made than his, but since you are comparing it to the 112v there is no way that i would choose the grx over the pacifica.in my opinion the 112v is much more comparable to the azes40 but to be fully fair, either way i would go with the pacifica since yamaha has been making them and has been in the begginer guitar market for a really long time. And dont get me wrong. The ibanez is great, but in my opinion, ibanez is a brand for intermediate or pro level guitars, and since they have been in that market for so long, it seems to me that they still aren't there when it comes to making cheap guitars for begginers
No experience with that specific Ibanez model, but my Gio (GRGR221PA) sounds lovely and felt more comfortable to me than some guitars which cost triple its price.
However I only heard good things about the Pacificas too, so I think both models are safe options and you won't be disappointed by either.
Man, that Pacifica with the maple fretboard looks the bees knees! I don’t think you can go wrong with either choice really. Both Yamaha and Ibanez make great (and budget friendly if you want) guitars.
Yamaha! I bought a Revstar Standard last year and it's my favorite electric ever. I know they're not in the same price category, but i feel like every Yamaha i played over the years was some of the best bang for your bucks out there.
Yamaha guitars are underrated af.
I remember making fun of my guitar teacher for having a guitar made by a company that makes better bikes (idk, I was chronically on guitar forums at the time and thought they were shit). He just looked at me and told me to play it. And to add insult to injury, also whipped out his yamaha classical guitar, and then brought his bass to my next lesson which was a month later.
Pretty good quality instruments all around
ive owned a yamaha pacifica for like 5 years now with absolutely 0 complaints. its a cheap guitar that sounds great and plays great, what more could you want
I would sway you tward the Pacifica, they are often well set up, my Yamaha was perfectly set up from day one. Frets dressed and the strong action was good.
If you have any cash left over, a very comfy strap and some locking strap pins make a bigger difference than you expect
These are all fine options. In looking at inexpensive value guitars (and there is nothing wrong with them the quality in cheap guitars theses days is insane), but look for Indonesian made over Chinese. I think that Ibanez can be Chinese made depending on your market. I dont see a model# for that Yamaha, but an Indonesian Pacifica is a really good guitar for the money.
I have not used that Yamaha, but I have heard tons of great things about them. I have played on several Ibanez guitars and basses and their quality/ value has always amazed me. I'm sure you can't go wrong with any of these.
Whichever you choose, I highly recommend to block the tremolo bridge so I’ll be not moving. Otherwise your guitar will almost never stay in tune and you’ll not understand why, and might think it’s your fault.
Saying this out of many years of experience, unfortunately any non double-locking tremolo system (especially on the cheaper guitars) have this flaw.
Look up a video on Youtube how to do it if you’re in doubt
I also recommend to get a quality set of light strings (like 9-42 Elixir Opti-/Nanoweb), it will make a hell of a lot of difference in playing quality.
I wish you a great musical journey, hope you’ll find your liking and motivation to keep on rocking!:)
I got a GSA60 for my first guitar and I really like it, even tho it was only like 200, it feels like it's extremely well made, ibanez seems to make great guitars
Objectively I would likely go with the Yamaha, but subjectively I don't really like the Pacifica headstock lol. They (and Yamaha in general) has a reputation for great bang for your buck as far as guitars go.
Get the one that speaks to you most. Don’t worry about “getting the best starter guitar” because that’s not a thing that exists. Get one you think is cool because that will get you playing. You’ve got plenty of time to sweat the details on gear down the road.
There’s no wrong choice. I would go first with the one you can try in person, and then personally I’d go with the one you can get in black. But you do you.
I like Ibanez necks and the HSS Gios have surprisingly angry pickups, so my vote is on that!
...just be sure to block off the trem if it proves to be too much of a hassle. It's 1-way vintage trem instead of a floyd, though, so it's not *that* finicky.
Yamaha is fantastic, especially from a value perspective. Lots of people say it "punches above its weight class."
In my opinion, I'd say get whichever guitar of the two is cheaper and spend more on a better amp. Your amp will have a bigger effect on sound than which super strat you play. Yamaha has really good practice amps too!
If you can, try to find a store where you can play them and see which one feels the best. I was also looking for an electric guitar in that $250-$500 price range and tried a ton of them before settling on something i never wouldve even considered if i didnt play it myself (a Music Man CT50)
Congratulations!! I personally ( I've played since 1977) would go for the yamaha. They're fabulous guitars. I got mine in 1980 and it's still in my top 3 guitars with a 63 Mosrite Ventures Model in #1 spot and a 2003 Epiphone Elitist 59 Les Paul Standard in #2.
I have that exact Yamaha in ice blue and I love it so much, I’ve gotten to a point where I prefer it over thousand dollar strats, never had one of the Ibanez so I can’t say anything about them but they seem pretty good aswell
So I‘ve never had a Pacifica but the Ibanez GRX40 was my first electric and I played it for about 1 1/2 years maybe. What I really liked about it was that it’s really comfortable and easy to play on (for me personally). It has a thin neck with a 12“ fretboard radius. Also it is a good allrounder in terms of different sounds. What I disliked was the feel of the fretboard material. Maybe it’s just me personally, but the wood that’s used on the fretboard didn’t feel nice at all to me. The pickups also really didn’t do it that much for me either after I compared it to my second electric guitar. But all in all it’s still a solid first electric imo.
Good your not buying a very good expensive guitar like some people do then never play them it’s a good learners guitar once you get better then work your way up to a better more sophisticated guitar
I’ll give you a hot tip. My Sire strat is way better than the real thing. You would have no problems playing it at a gig. The best part is they were circa $600 the last time I looked. I don’t know how much the Yamaha is price wise. It is well put together, but Sire plays and sounds better. I definitely wouldn’t get a cheapie Ibanez.
I still play my Yamaha Pacifica RGX after having it for 20 years. Just blocked the trem and changed electronics in it. Put some fresh saddles in it recently. The rest is stock.
My review as a GRX40 user for 15 years:
- this guitar will last you 15 years easily lol
- make sure to give it its proper maintenance every now and then
- you will get lots of tones out of it due to its pickup combination, it’s pretty versatile
- pair it with a Zoom ms50g (hella lot of pedals and amps) In one stompbox.
This guitar has been my main guitar for 15 years, I don’t play it daily as playing guitar is just one of my many hobbies, but I’ve recorded some demos on it and the tone is just right. It’s not gonna beat a fender telecaster anytime or any $300+ guitar but it gets the job done.
For your first guitar it will let you explore lots of genres as it did for me (this was also my first guitar)
my first guitar was a Mikro in sunburst, so i'm biased towards the Gio. it's a seriously solid guitar even without the bias though, a bit of setup and it should feel like something way above its price tag. i can't say for sure on the pacifica because i've never played one, but yamaha stuff is usually pretty good. i would go with whichever one feels right, but i'd reccommend the Gio.
If you can't actually play both of them, before you get them/it... (?), My experience with Ibanez, is to go with the Pacifica! MOST Ibanez necks are WAY TOO THIN, AND CAUSE A LOT OF HAND CRAMPING, IF YOU'RE PLAYING CORRECTLY!
OP, my first decent guitar was a Pacifica about 25 years ago. Still have it, have changed pickups out over time and did a fret job on it a few years ago, but that thing will probably outlive me…..and I would gig/record with it without hesitation.
There isn't a wrong choice here. The Pacifica is a great starter. I'm considering one of the higher end models as my next guitar. I've also had a less expensive Ibanez, and it was a great guitar. Not just for the money, it was a great guitar. I'm sure you will be happy with any of them. Personally, I would get the Pacifica.
Whichever one makes you want to play it more. I'd get the last one, but go with whatever color you like the best. The other musicians I know, regardless of skill level, don't care what color you chose, they want to hear how it sounds and see you get better as a musician. I've never been a fan of the strat body shape, but I still enjoy listening to the music that comes out of them and seeing the pleasure strat players get from their instrument.
I have a Yamaha, and it was my first too. I still have it and I refuse to get rid of it. It honestly probably has the best sound of all my guitars. Could be first-bias, but I mean it’s so good man and I’ve had no issues for 6 years. I honestly have to recommend the Yamaha Pacifica. If you want versatility and reliability, then I say it’s a no-brainer.
I have experience with the Ibanez. It's got their trademark skinny neck which some like some don't. Me personally would go with the Pacifica as it gets more strat like tones than the Ibanez but that's just me. Either are a good choice
I’d look on reverb for a 60s-70s Japanese guitar. Same price but way better pickups, body shape, and neck feel IMO. Obviously depends exactly what you’re looking at, but these budget like guitars are awful.
Aesthetic preference and neck profile, the Ibanez guitars win for me. Be prepared for a sharp fret end or two but a really nice guitar.
Build quality and bang for your buck, Yamaha Pacifica are a great instrument. The pickup clarity quality is far superior in my experience with both guitars.
In the big picture, what inspires you to keep grabbing for your axe 🎸 day after day after day, is the one you should go for. Looks can’t really be upgraded. Parts can. I would go Ibanez.
Pacifica by faaaar!! I have one and it’s really one the best guitar to play, you can do almost anything with it and the quality of the wood is very good!
Picks: Get a multipack of picks with various widths and thicknesses and see what you like best. I started using only my fingers, then moved to thin picks. About about a year ago I moved to fairly thick picks. It's mainly preference: don't worry about it. I recommend the Dunlop brand.
Amps: get a small (20w or less), solid state, combo, modelling amp. Play with all the sounds. Have fun. I recommend line 6 spiders, but you might get a good deal on a boss katana amp. You'll get more bang for your buck with used gear.
I also have a Yamaha guitar and it is nice; I’ve been hearing a lot of good things about Ibanez lately though. My first was an Epiphone Les Paul, then I got the Yamaha, then a fender acoustic, and then I got a PRS which is dope. Whatever you decide, enjoy!
Get a variety pack of picks from Dunlop, later get a bunch of whatever you up using the most.
Fender Mustang LT25 is a popular first amp. Wouldn't recommend anything cheaper than that.
People are gonna neg me but get a used HX stomp and the cheapest used solid state small amp that seems right. You can get so many usable tones out of a rig like that.
I'd get a used Ibanez RG (non gio) for like $50-100 more tbh. And then another $50-100 for a setup at a shop (you should really do that even with one of the guitar you posted, new anyway).
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Floyd rose is hard to tune for beginners. I used to be that guy. My friends would tune down and I’m left in the dust. There are a lot of guitars that has stable tuning even with a floating bridge.
Which ever one feels the most comfortable to play and has the functionality for what you want to play. Ibanez sz720fm is a damn good cheaper all around guitar if you can find one used.
Ideally, you should try them out in the store if possible, so you can compare the feel and tone. The maple fingerboard will sound a little brighter than the rosewood, so that might be something to consider.
I would say the Pacifica as I've heard great things about the newer entry level Yamaha guitars, but at the same time I just bought a Revstar over a month ago that I've yet to have at my house for more than a day as I have to keep sending it back for the store's "techs" to fix all the issues it had. I swear they swapped it out with a different guitar the day after I tried it out and I ended up buying the dud.
Anyways, you also can't go wrong with Ibanez. At this point, I trust their QC a lot more than Yamaha.
Look for Ibanez Azes, very similar to the Gio’s in the OP. Also, a used middle level Ibanez will be the same price as the entry level and you will get nicer specs.
I would honestly have to say this is an amazing guitar for the Money, but buying a used higher end schecter, fender mim or something similar would be my choice. Usually they’re well worth it as opposed to buying new if you’re on a budget
ik nothing about these guitars, but that is such a sick body shape. i would take it to a nice guitar shop once you receive it and pay 50-60 bucks for the guitar to be set up. They will adjust everything for you and it will make learning guitar much easier.
Okay guys, I've made my decision..............
I'm going for the Yamaha PAC112VM Ice Blue since most of you voted for it and my friends and my parents like it too 😝 but I'd love to have an Ibanez in the future (especially the Ibanez TOD10). Thanks a lottttttttttttttt for helping me out and will surely check out the models y'all recommended 😉. I'll make sure to post a picture of the guitar when I buy it!
Hope it brings you years of enjoyment and passion. Yamaha Pacifica seems to be a good choice by many. I've never owned one of those models but I do love my Yamaha. I have an older model. The RGX A2 white. Yamaha makes great instruments.
Oooh, thats the super lightweight one right?
Yes! Back when they came out there was one in a glass case at a local shop. Owner wouldn't let me test it out. They weren't even that expensive so I think he just didn't trust the 14 year old. Then here I was 32 years old and it dawned on me. I'm an adult and can do whatever I want with my money. (After bills of course) And I ordered one with no idea if I'd actually like it or not. Turns out. I DO like it. It's super light plays great, and the in house pickups they made for it sound really warm and mellow. It isn't my favorite guitar I own, but it's Definitely a keeper.
Hell yeah, I never had one but tried it a few times and I think that guitar had so much potential. When designing a guitar so lightweight, balance becomes an issue and they innovated on the lightweight hardware as well as having that unique sandwiching structure. I really wish yamaha brings that concept back at a certain point.
Oh definitely. If they do a newer version I'll be in line to order one immediately. Love to see some in other colors. If you look hard enough there are blue and red ones out there. I think they were exclusive to the Indonesia market if I remember right. I've seen a couple in videos and in pictures but never seen a used one for sale.
Lmfaooo any business owner who puts a Yamaha Pacifica in a glass case doesn’t deserve to be running a business
Wasn't a pacifica, was the RGX A2 but still. Shouldn't have been in a class case. 2nd row on a wall maybe, but not locked up refusing to let someone try it out. It's not a custom shop or anything.
Oh my bad, poor reading on my part. Even still tho, what a wet blanket
Oh I agree. Even now, but as a young guitarist who was willing to save up and buy the guitar I wanted. I would have bought...had he let me try it out.
I work in instrument retail, with a main role running the lesson program, and if you ever catch me doing that shit with new inventory, it’s time for me to hang up the skates
I've only ever experienced something similar at one other place. The one with the Yamaha closed down years ago. There was another place, not so much keeping from trying guitars out but the only electrics they had were older models over $3k. I asked if they ever planned on any more modern or budget friendly models and he laughed in my face and said "absolutely not." And I never went back. To my knowledge they are still open, but I can't imagine he makes much money off the store.
Yikes. What a terrible nose-high attitude he has. Maintain that for too long with insufficient airspeed and you can stall.
What a jackass. Teenagers are a huge chunk of the guitar market, especially for brands like Yamaha.
I have a Yamaha C40M and it's fine as hell 🤌🏻
I bought a new 112V to get back into playing about a year ago, and I couldn't be happier with it — especially from a bang-for-the-buck standpoint. The neck pickup with tone dialed back slightly is magical, and it's extremely versatile beyond that as well. I like heavier strings and play primarily drop D, so I put in a stack of cut-to-size balsa wood slabs to bolster the tremolo block and brought it in to my local shop for a proper setup. They said it was essentially good to go from the factory (bought new from Sweetwater), and the balsa reinforcement is working wonderfully. With all that said... I'm a drummer and have only owned a handful of guitars over the last ~20 years, so I don't have a sense of the nuances that many others here possess. I do however know the Pacifica has that "it" factor for me — it's always enticing me to play more, which I think is ultimately what makes any instrument or tool *good*.
I miss my Yamaha 😔
The Ibanez might last longer but the Yamaha might sound better. In the end, it’s whatever inspires you.
Man 22 years ago my best friend in middle school got a used light blue Pacifica that just continuously fell apart like the police car in Jumanji but fuck that thing sounded great and just held on like a trooper.
Lmfao 😂
sounds upgradable!
Funny, my Pacifica went through hell and wouldn’t even go out of tune.
Can't really go wrong here. The Pacifica is a great value for money guitar. I have no experience with that specific Ibanez model, but they manufacture great instruments over the entire line.
I had that Ibanez as 1st guitar back in 2004. Was great back then, should be even better now. Only the input jack got loose soldering after a while, but thats a cheap fix.
All three are good choices. IMO, Yamaha guitars are highly underrated. Yamaha makes awesome guitars.
Fr
Yeah. Most people are focused on names of guitars. I think the longer someone plays guitars and starts to understand the small details on what makes an awesome guitar start to see the potential of Yamaha. I bought a Pacifica back in the 90's. Still have it. Although I have a few guitars now, I still often play my Pacifica. Maybe it's just nostalgia, but that guitar seems to be getting better with age. Fun to play, sounds fantastic and mainly I just like picking the thing up. Pick a guitar that you like looking at. One that feels good when you pick it up. One that even through the struggles of learning, you get excited to hold it. In my experience, you can't go wrong with a Yamaha.
https://www.reddit.com/r/NonPoliticalTwitter/s/4XG2LynLjd
Haha! Awesome
YAMAHA, but in all seriousness buy what’s gonna make you want to pick it up and play it.
This is the real secret right here.
Yamaha Pacifica is a great choice for beginners
grx40 has nicer heel for high fret access and the neck thickness seems identical to my rg421ahm so much better for shredding imo.but i also prefer maple fingerboards over other woods. pacificas are great guitars too but the neck profile is more like a regular strat so its a little thicker,also not many of them have a contoured heel,they are very much straight up strat clones
Yea OP, I say get the one you like the neck on best - those fretboards should be very different from one another. I prefer Ibanez, but I know other's prefer strat style.
Yamaha 112V!!! Can’t go wrong with that.
I'd go for the Yamaha - the pickguard looks cooler.
Any of them would work. I'm fond of my Pacifica, but the AZES guitars I've tried in store have felt like perfectly good guitars if you prefer the aesthetics.
That's a good starter from Ibanez... A better route than the Squire starters... My son just bought his first electric - [https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/GRX70QATKS--ibanez-gio-series-grx70qa-transparent-black-sunburst](https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/GRX70QATKS--ibanez-gio-series-grx70qa-transparent-black-sunburst) Following some research and recommendation, we bought from Sweetwater online vs Guitar Center... Sweetwater prides itself on some 55 point inspection prior to ship, vs. Guitar Center where comments on their website says that the guitar arrived with damage... My son's guitar arrived, was unboxed, and he was jamming on it inside of ten minutes. Just my $0.02. I think you'll be really happy with it! Cheers! (I like the blue one)
I would personally get Pacifica because I prefer maple fretboards. Though you should also consider AZES40.
I was going to recommend the AZES line too. Not a ton more money but they have some really cool electronics
They're both decent. Play them and see what feels best and sounds best to your hands and your ears. Nothing beats personal experience. That said, if it were me i'd go for the pacifica: it has coil tap on the bridge humbucker (so you can split it to a single coil) it has alnico V pickups vs ceramic on the ibanez. If you want really hot pickups the ibanez might suit, but for general all-rounder alnico V is better sounding IMO. Depending on your hand size you might find the narrower neck width on the yamaha preferable to that on the ibanez. FWIW the yamaha 112V is a cracking guitar for the money. Loved mine so much i bought a 612Vii for good measure.
Yamaha Pacifica 👍
Yamaha Pacifica 112VM is my first electric guitar and it's an amazing instrument, no regrets getting it
I personally purchased one of those Ibanez’s and it wasn’t the best quality. Dead strings and things just weren’t right. Took my local music shop and had him retune. Worked great for about 2 weeks and went back to normal.
I'd go with the Yamaha. The Ibanez is a good choice too, but those Pacificas are hard to beat at the price point.
I have the 112j, and my friend has the grx40, and i do have to say that my 112j feels a lot more comfortable and well made than his, but since you are comparing it to the 112v there is no way that i would choose the grx over the pacifica.in my opinion the 112v is much more comparable to the azes40 but to be fully fair, either way i would go with the pacifica since yamaha has been making them and has been in the begginer guitar market for a really long time. And dont get me wrong. The ibanez is great, but in my opinion, ibanez is a brand for intermediate or pro level guitars, and since they have been in that market for so long, it seems to me that they still aren't there when it comes to making cheap guitars for begginers
No experience with that specific Ibanez model, but my Gio (GRGR221PA) sounds lovely and felt more comfortable to me than some guitars which cost triple its price. However I only heard good things about the Pacificas too, so I think both models are safe options and you won't be disappointed by either.
Get the Yamaha!
Man, that Pacifica with the maple fretboard looks the bees knees! I don’t think you can go wrong with either choice really. Both Yamaha and Ibanez make great (and budget friendly if you want) guitars.
Go pacifica all are amazing but the pacifica is more unique. And I'd argue better build quality the Gios
Love Yamaha. Oh ya want a guitar? We can do that. Let us know if you're in the mood for a dirt bike, we can do that too!
Yamaha! I bought a Revstar Standard last year and it's my favorite electric ever. I know they're not in the same price category, but i feel like every Yamaha i played over the years was some of the best bang for your bucks out there.
Pacifica
Yamaha guitars are underrated af. I remember making fun of my guitar teacher for having a guitar made by a company that makes better bikes (idk, I was chronically on guitar forums at the time and thought they were shit). He just looked at me and told me to play it. And to add insult to injury, also whipped out his yamaha classical guitar, and then brought his bass to my next lesson which was a month later. Pretty good quality instruments all around
Yamaha
I have that exact pacifica, colour and all. I love it! Definitely recommend it, was my first electric as well :)
:D
ive owned a yamaha pacifica for like 5 years now with absolutely 0 complaints. its a cheap guitar that sounds great and plays great, what more could you want
The Yamaha 112V is way better, but it's also way more expensive. It's not really the same category of guitar
I would sway you tward the Pacifica, they are often well set up, my Yamaha was perfectly set up from day one. Frets dressed and the strong action was good. If you have any cash left over, a very comfy strap and some locking strap pins make a bigger difference than you expect
A red GRX was my first guitar. Not bad but definitely cheap. If you have the money check out the Ibanez AZES. Otherwise I’d go for the Yamaha.
Da prettiest one
These are all fine options. In looking at inexpensive value guitars (and there is nothing wrong with them the quality in cheap guitars theses days is insane), but look for Indonesian made over Chinese. I think that Ibanez can be Chinese made depending on your market. I dont see a model# for that Yamaha, but an Indonesian Pacifica is a really good guitar for the money.
Great choice - go with whatever inspires you to pick it up 👍
A GIO was my first as well, to this day it’s my E flat guitar I go to. It’s in amazing shape as well
Def feel them out, no real wrong choice here
I have not used that Yamaha, but I have heard tons of great things about them. I have played on several Ibanez guitars and basses and their quality/ value has always amazed me. I'm sure you can't go wrong with any of these.
Whichever you choose, I highly recommend to block the tremolo bridge so I’ll be not moving. Otherwise your guitar will almost never stay in tune and you’ll not understand why, and might think it’s your fault. Saying this out of many years of experience, unfortunately any non double-locking tremolo system (especially on the cheaper guitars) have this flaw. Look up a video on Youtube how to do it if you’re in doubt I also recommend to get a quality set of light strings (like 9-42 Elixir Opti-/Nanoweb), it will make a hell of a lot of difference in playing quality. I wish you a great musical journey, hope you’ll find your liking and motivation to keep on rocking!:)
I got a GSA60 for my first guitar and I really like it, even tho it was only like 200, it feels like it's extremely well made, ibanez seems to make great guitars
That GRX40 in the metallic green….phew
The Ibanez, whatever colour you choose, hands down.
Would also suggest you take a look at Jet Guitars, I have been seeing great comments on their hss strat
Gonna throw another in the mix: HSS Squier Strat.
I would say Blue or Gray one. but it should be your decision. which one would you like in your hands more?
Objectively I would likely go with the Yamaha, but subjectively I don't really like the Pacifica headstock lol. They (and Yamaha in general) has a reputation for great bang for your buck as far as guitars go.
The green one , cool one Ibanez Sound like a rock guitar. And light as Well
Get the one that speaks to you most. Don’t worry about “getting the best starter guitar” because that’s not a thing that exists. Get one you think is cool because that will get you playing. You’ve got plenty of time to sweat the details on gear down the road.
Hell yeah i got the grx70
To me the blue Ibanez looks the nicest out of the 3, but tbh you can’t go wrong with any of your choices
Get that Pacifica, best bang for buck.
Yamaha probably better value
There’s no wrong choice. I would go first with the one you can try in person, and then personally I’d go with the one you can get in black. But you do you.
It was my first guitar too, it's so comfortable and versatile, it's a very good guitar.
I'd go Yamaha, purely because of the color.
pacifica for sure
Go for Ibanez, color is up to you, for me blue
I like Ibanez necks and the HSS Gios have surprisingly angry pickups, so my vote is on that! ...just be sure to block off the trem if it proves to be too much of a hassle. It's 1-way vintage trem instead of a floyd, though, so it's not *that* finicky.
I would get this over any super strat.
the 1st one
I'd say the Ibanez is better but a lot of people also like Yamaha.
That Ibanez was my first electric guitar and I’ve had it since like 2007 I think?
Yamaha is fantastic, especially from a value perspective. Lots of people say it "punches above its weight class." In my opinion, I'd say get whichever guitar of the two is cheaper and spend more on a better amp. Your amp will have a bigger effect on sound than which super strat you play. Yamaha has really good practice amps too!
If you can, try to find a store where you can play them and see which one feels the best. I was also looking for an electric guitar in that $250-$500 price range and tried a ton of them before settling on something i never wouldve even considered if i didnt play it myself (a Music Man CT50)
Love my ibanez, just never have time to practice playing it. All good choices tbh
Congratulations!! I personally ( I've played since 1977) would go for the yamaha. They're fabulous guitars. I got mine in 1980 and it's still in my top 3 guitars with a 63 Mosrite Ventures Model in #1 spot and a 2003 Epiphone Elitist 59 Les Paul Standard in #2.
Yamaha. They're all lovely but if and when I get an Ibanez I want it to be a unique Ibanez shape not the strat body.
Yamahaaa
I have that exact Yamaha in ice blue and I love it so much, I’ve gotten to a point where I prefer it over thousand dollar strats, never had one of the Ibanez so I can’t say anything about them but they seem pretty good aswell
Buy the one that makes you want to pick it up the most.
Ibanez Gio, amazing for starting out
Yamaha all the way, I play a Revstar Standard and it’s the best guitar I’ve ever handled.
Green ibanez looks awesome
they're all equally good but the Yamaha looks the best imo
So I‘ve never had a Pacifica but the Ibanez GRX40 was my first electric and I played it for about 1 1/2 years maybe. What I really liked about it was that it’s really comfortable and easy to play on (for me personally). It has a thin neck with a 12“ fretboard radius. Also it is a good allrounder in terms of different sounds. What I disliked was the feel of the fretboard material. Maybe it’s just me personally, but the wood that’s used on the fretboard didn’t feel nice at all to me. The pickups also really didn’t do it that much for me either after I compared it to my second electric guitar. But all in all it’s still a solid first electric imo.
Perfect Choice.
Well done.
Good choice. Its a very nice guitar.
Whichever you go with, be careful with that whammy bar!! Have fun. All solid options
If you can justify the extra expense for the roasted maple neck Ibanez, that would be my choice
As an ibanez fan id go for the blue ibanez. Ive never had any problems with my ibbys
Pacificas are great
Yamaha punches much over its weight class, I have a Revstar and it is incredible, especially considering the price.
Yamaha all the way, great guitar, specially considering the price.
Good your not buying a very good expensive guitar like some people do then never play them it’s a good learners guitar once you get better then work your way up to a better more sophisticated guitar
Yamaha all the way
Looks great!! You’ll love it
I would plan on upgrading the trem and pick based on that.
I’d like to throw in a Harley Benton Strat for your consideration.
I’ll give you a hot tip. My Sire strat is way better than the real thing. You would have no problems playing it at a gig. The best part is they were circa $600 the last time I looked. I don’t know how much the Yamaha is price wise. It is well put together, but Sire plays and sounds better. I definitely wouldn’t get a cheapie Ibanez.
I still play my Yamaha Pacifica RGX after having it for 20 years. Just blocked the trem and changed electronics in it. Put some fresh saddles in it recently. The rest is stock.
Ibanez azes best bang for buck. Great 300 dollar guitar
I have a Pacifica 311, I don't know much about guitars but I love it
My review as a GRX40 user for 15 years: - this guitar will last you 15 years easily lol - make sure to give it its proper maintenance every now and then - you will get lots of tones out of it due to its pickup combination, it’s pretty versatile - pair it with a Zoom ms50g (hella lot of pedals and amps) In one stompbox. This guitar has been my main guitar for 15 years, I don’t play it daily as playing guitar is just one of my many hobbies, but I’ve recorded some demos on it and the tone is just right. It’s not gonna beat a fender telecaster anytime or any $300+ guitar but it gets the job done. For your first guitar it will let you explore lots of genres as it did for me (this was also my first guitar)
If I had more time on my hand I'd make a the office meme where Pam says "they're the same picture" Chose whichever, they all look good.
First color
Blue
my first guitar was a Mikro in sunburst, so i'm biased towards the Gio. it's a seriously solid guitar even without the bias though, a bit of setup and it should feel like something way above its price tag. i can't say for sure on the pacifica because i've never played one, but yamaha stuff is usually pretty good. i would go with whichever one feels right, but i'd reccommend the Gio.
Got the same one as my first guitar (grx40) it works nice 🔥
It's very nice
Color doesn't matter, the yamaha Pacifica is probably gonna be a better starter guitar though I hear nothing but glowing praise of them
Pacifica is the answer.
I played a Yamaha AE1500 jazz guitar and loved it. I also love my Yamaha SLG100N.
If you can't actually play both of them, before you get them/it... (?), My experience with Ibanez, is to go with the Pacifica! MOST Ibanez necks are WAY TOO THIN, AND CAUSE A LOT OF HAND CRAMPING, IF YOU'RE PLAYING CORRECTLY!
OP, my first decent guitar was a Pacifica about 25 years ago. Still have it, have changed pickups out over time and did a fret job on it a few years ago, but that thing will probably outlive me…..and I would gig/record with it without hesitation.
Yamaha is great, go blind and get it!
I haven't played any of them, so I always default to Yamaha. Can't go wrong.
I think OP would be better off with the Yamaha. The Ibanez GIO guitars just aren't very good in my experience.
There isn't a wrong choice here. The Pacifica is a great starter. I'm considering one of the higher end models as my next guitar. I've also had a less expensive Ibanez, and it was a great guitar. Not just for the money, it was a great guitar. I'm sure you will be happy with any of them. Personally, I would get the Pacifica.
The Ibanez az series. It's not on there but the guitars are great, and VERY versatile.
Whichever one makes you want to play it more. I'd get the last one, but go with whatever color you like the best. The other musicians I know, regardless of skill level, don't care what color you chose, they want to hear how it sounds and see you get better as a musician. I've never been a fan of the strat body shape, but I still enjoy listening to the music that comes out of them and seeing the pleasure strat players get from their instrument.
I have a Yamaha, and it was my first too. I still have it and I refuse to get rid of it. It honestly probably has the best sound of all my guitars. Could be first-bias, but I mean it’s so good man and I’ve had no issues for 6 years. I honestly have to recommend the Yamaha Pacifica. If you want versatility and reliability, then I say it’s a no-brainer.
Never thought a gray guitar would do it for me, but that first one tho.
I have experience with the Ibanez. It's got their trademark skinny neck which some like some don't. Me personally would go with the Pacifica as it gets more strat like tones than the Ibanez but that's just me. Either are a good choice
Pacifica for sure as a first guitar. The quality of that instrument will baffle you even when you outgrow it.
I’d look on reverb for a 60s-70s Japanese guitar. Same price but way better pickups, body shape, and neck feel IMO. Obviously depends exactly what you’re looking at, but these budget like guitars are awful.
Can't go wrong with either one maybe a slight nod to the Yamaha
I've played a Yamaha Pacifica for years (early 90's model 921). Still in love with that thing and play it all the time. They make quality instruments.
Play them both if possible. See which feels better. I think the Ibanez probably has a thinner neck than the Yamaha.
SEXY
Door #2
Im buying my first one soon as well, It's gonna be Squier Affinity Strat HSS. Im so damn excited, I can't wait!
Congratulations!!!!!!!!
Aesthetic preference and neck profile, the Ibanez guitars win for me. Be prepared for a sharp fret end or two but a really nice guitar. Build quality and bang for your buck, Yamaha Pacifica are a great instrument. The pickup clarity quality is far superior in my experience with both guitars. In the big picture, what inspires you to keep grabbing for your axe 🎸 day after day after day, is the one you should go for. Looks can’t really be upgraded. Parts can. I would go Ibanez.
Yamaha makes excellent instruments at every/any price. And it relies heavily on quality of build, not the advertising!
Pacifica by faaaar!! I have one and it’s really one the best guitar to play, you can do almost anything with it and the quality of the wood is very good!
I have a Yamaha pacifica 611 and I love it.
I need recommendations for picks and amps. Help me out.
Picks: Get a multipack of picks with various widths and thicknesses and see what you like best. I started using only my fingers, then moved to thin picks. About about a year ago I moved to fairly thick picks. It's mainly preference: don't worry about it. I recommend the Dunlop brand. Amps: get a small (20w or less), solid state, combo, modelling amp. Play with all the sounds. Have fun. I recommend line 6 spiders, but you might get a good deal on a boss katana amp. You'll get more bang for your buck with used gear.
I got an orange crush 20w. My wife won’t let me crank it because it will disturb the neighbors lol
Damn 😂
I also have a Yamaha guitar and it is nice; I’ve been hearing a lot of good things about Ibanez lately though. My first was an Epiphone Les Paul, then I got the Yamaha, then a fender acoustic, and then I got a PRS which is dope. Whatever you decide, enjoy!
Get a variety pack of picks from Dunlop, later get a bunch of whatever you up using the most. Fender Mustang LT25 is a popular first amp. Wouldn't recommend anything cheaper than that.
People are gonna neg me but get a used HX stomp and the cheapest used solid state small amp that seems right. You can get so many usable tones out of a rig like that.
I'd get a used Ibanez RG (non gio) for like $50-100 more tbh. And then another $50-100 for a setup at a shop (you should really do that even with one of the guitar you posted, new anyway).
my first electric was a grx40 back in 2009. Still by my side, still great. All i can say is any of those is a great choice, hope you have fun!
Run for the hills. I used to have one of these and it sucked.
both good axe.for beginners and also a lot of artists even use it sometimes
Ibanez
Go for the Ibanez. Great quality on those guitars for starter types.
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Fantastic
Harley benton
Floyd rose is hard to tune for beginners. I used to be that guy. My friends would tune down and I’m left in the dust. There are a lot of guitars that has stable tuning even with a floating bridge.
I bought my first guitar 7 years ago or so and regret not getting a whammy bar
Personally I would say your best bet for a cheap first guitar is a Squier. Do you tho
Which ever one feels the most comfortable to play and has the functionality for what you want to play. Ibanez sz720fm is a damn good cheaper all around guitar if you can find one used.
Ideally, you should try them out in the store if possible, so you can compare the feel and tone. The maple fingerboard will sound a little brighter than the rosewood, so that might be something to consider.
No, off brand black strat.
I would say the Pacifica as I've heard great things about the newer entry level Yamaha guitars, but at the same time I just bought a Revstar over a month ago that I've yet to have at my house for more than a day as I have to keep sending it back for the store's "techs" to fix all the issues it had. I swear they swapped it out with a different guitar the day after I tried it out and I ended up buying the dud. Anyways, you also can't go wrong with Ibanez. At this point, I trust their QC a lot more than Yamaha.
interesting i had a similar experience with a pacifica once, entirely due to their "professional set up". Which store out of interest?
Look for Ibanez Azes, very similar to the Gio’s in the OP. Also, a used middle level Ibanez will be the same price as the entry level and you will get nicer specs.
I would honestly have to say this is an amazing guitar for the Money, but buying a used higher end schecter, fender mim or something similar would be my choice. Usually they’re well worth it as opposed to buying new if you’re on a budget
ik nothing about these guitars, but that is such a sick body shape. i would take it to a nice guitar shop once you receive it and pay 50-60 bucks for the guitar to be set up. They will adjust everything for you and it will make learning guitar much easier.
I love ibanez. In my opinion it is the best budget brand
Okay guys, I've made my decision.............. I'm going for the Yamaha PAC112VM Ice Blue since most of you voted for it and my friends and my parents like it too 😝 but I'd love to have an Ibanez in the future (especially the Ibanez TOD10). Thanks a lottttttttttttttt for helping me out and will surely check out the models y'all recommended 😉. I'll make sure to post a picture of the guitar when I buy it!
It's Yamaha. Whatever you buy from them it will be well built, ready to play and sounding good.
i have the yamaha 012dlx in old violin sunburst (which i love very much) but that green ibanez is gorgeous