Yamaha Pacifica 112V Mods

Elliooooot

I got my first electric guitar, a Yamaha Pacifica 112V Old Violin Sunburst, when I was 11. I still have it, and it's still my favourite guitar, but as I've become more experienced I'd really like to start making some serious modifications that could make it a much better instrument. So far, I've installed 3 new Seymour Duncan pickups to replace the three original pickups. They sound great and I'm really pleased with them, but the guitar still has its flaws:

• Firstly, the stock bridge is quite low quality and using the tremolo makes it go out of tune pretty much instantly, so I'd like to start by replacing it with a high quality tremolo. I've heard nothing but good things about Trem Kings and I really like the idea of a fixed bridge system, does anyone have any more advice about this? Are there even better alternatives? 
• Secondly, I'd like to replace the stock tuners with locking tuners to further assist tuning stability, but I don't know much about the best choices at all; what would people recommend? 
• Related to this, I think replacing the nut would be another welcome addition, probably with bone as that seems to be the most all-round popular material. Any thoughts about nut material choice? 
• Another issue I'd like advice on is coil-tapping. The great thing about this guitar is it comes with a push-pull tone pot built and I've wired that to tap the bridge humbucker. However, I replaced the original neck single coil with a Seymour Duncan Cool Rails pickup for that sweet sweet jazz tone, and, since this is actually also a humbucker, I was wondering if it would be possible to wire the push-pull pot to also coil-tap this neck pickup for some more tone variations.

Any advice is greatly appreciated, I've just joined the forum and it'd be great to get some help from people who know better than me!

Jez6345789

HI 
A lot of this is really donw to how much you want to spend. 

My goto bridge thats cheap and reliable for me is the Wilkinson Vintage/modern type with the cold steel block cheap effective does the job. Not sure a good set up would not resolve the issue with the Yamaha as its is really a combination of things that cause tuning issues often related to a poor cut nut and locking machine heads. 

For all my Strat guitar builds I have used Axecaster Axerus or Northwest own brand either vintage clones or the rear wheel locking types and all of them have worked fine and not cost the heavy price of some of the big brands. For me its simple does a machine head do its job and all of these have. Are they as finessed in the plating department as the big names yes and no but they work don't slip tune up reliably so good enough for me.

For a nut I would look at at one of the modern types rather than bone (nice for an acoustic but the lubricated like graphtech etc. This might well with a improved locking machine heads cure the tuning issues. 

You should be able to lookup the wiring if its a 4 conducter job to do this. The only real issue is the pickup is about 9k so splitting the coils will give you a pretty low output depending on magnets etc. Its probably a suck it and see if you like the tone. 

If you want to pimp it out then you can throw a fortune at it but the above stuff works reliably and sounds fine 

HTH

Elliooooot

Thanks so much for the reply and all the great advice Jez.

I do quite like the look of the Wilkinson trems, and the main thing holding me back from getting a Trem King is the extra routing needed, so would a Wilkinson drop right in as a replacement? 

I have come across Axecaster tuners before, my only concern was that they were too good to be true for the price. I'll look into them more seriously now though, thanks! Basically I just want a set that'll stay in tune really well and will last for ages. 

I've come to the conclusion that the guitar definitely does need a new nut; the high E string pops out occasionally and it's been lopsided for a while. The only drawback of Graphtech that I've heard is that they can negatively affect tone, but the extra tuning stability would be a huge bonus. Would you recommend a Graphtech string tree to go with it, or is that overkill? 

Yeah, I was dubious of how much output a split Cool Rails could produce, but for me the priority with this guitar is to create something that can play in as many different situations as possible and cover the widest possible range. Plus I just think the idea of two split-coils is cool, so I'll give it a shot. 

In terms of cost, the only factor for me is whether I can do a high quality job with this guitar. If I can achieve the same reliable results for a lower price with things like Axecasters and a Wilkinson bridge then all the better, but I do love this guitar so if need be I'm willing to save up and spend a bit more.

Jez6345789

As far as I am aware the Graphtech Tusk would be an upgrade both sonically and in terms of friction removal over whatever Yamaha fit to a budget guitar. Its probably more resonant than the original and as long as you bother to glue it in you will get better transfer into the neck. Certainly their saddles change the bridge tones and that is a like or not as people play around with lots of materials for saddles these days. 

String trees are dependent on the sort of neck break angle in the design I have not owned a Pacifica my cousin has put his through 20+ years of gigs 3 nights a week. He only changed the pickups for Duncans after a couple of years. He had it well setup with a new nut early on and better tuners uses the trem lightly but part of his style. Its battered to hell but rocks on. I dont recall there were string trees on his. 

Have a quick look at the measurements but the wilkinson has some adjustment built into to the alignment so should drop in. I just get the classic one with the cold rolled steel block and vintage saddles they just work and can be found on ebay for 20 quid ish.  

The tuners have been fine and my mate who I did a partscaster for gigs it every week and never complains about the tuning he leans heavy on the bar and I put the locking wheel style on that and nothing gives a little heavier on the headstock than the vintage ones but really does not matter much as he spends 90% of his playing in full out overdriven rock mode. I think the light weight vintage copies are great for recording really nuanced clean tones.