Yamaha Pacifica 1511 Mike Stern
Body: Ash
Neck: Bolt-on maple
Fingerboard: Maple, 184mm (7.25”) radius
Frets: 22
Scale length: 648mm (25.5”)
Pickups: One Seymour Duncan ’59 humbucker, one Seymour Duncan Hot Rails humbucker
Controls: Three-position pickup selector, master volume, master tone
Bridge: Six-saddle fixed type
Finish: Natural
As a long-time fan of vintage single-cutaway solidbodies, Mike Stern’s influence on the Pacifica 1511MS is immediately evident. The bound-edge, solid ash body carries a traditional control layout and plate-type bridge, while the maple fingerboard is contoured to a pronounced 7.25” radius.
Mike’s renowned playing style, blending lyricism, bebop and a scorching rock intensity, requires modern-day sound flexibility, and that’s what the 1511’s humbucking pickups deliver. The Duncan ’59 at the neck is known for its warmth and smooth tone; the bridge-position Hot Rails dishes the dirt with a fat, raw, distorted tone and incredible sustain. A perfect combination for bridging those jazz/rock licks.
