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Jackson USA Select Kelly KE2
ESP Arrow
VS
Playability
77
Sound
79
Build
74
Value
62
Score
77
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Playability
80
Sound
78
Build
75
Value
63
Score
78
FIND IT ON:
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Jackson USA Select Kelly KE2 vs ESP Arrow Specs Comparison
Jackson USA Select Kelly KE2 ESP Arrow
General
Brand: Jackson ESP
Year: 2020 2014
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: United States Japan
Series: USA Select Arrow
Colors: White, Black Black, Brown Patterns
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Alder Alder
Bridge: Floyd Rose Original Double-Locking Tremolo Floyd Rose Original
Neck
Neck Joint: Neck-Through Neck-Through
Tuners: Jackson Sealed Die-Cast Gotoh
Fretboard: Ebony Ebony
Neck Material: Quartersawn Maple 3pc Maple
Decoration: Mother of Pearl Sharkfin Shark Fin
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: Speed Thin U
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.775'' (19.7mm) - 12th Fret: 0.835'' (21.2mm) 1st Fret: 0.787'' (20mm) - 12th Fret: 0.866'' (22mm)
Frets: 24 Jumbo Nickel Silver 24 XL Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" to 16" 12"
Nut: Locking Locking
Nut Width: 42.9mm (1.688'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: Seymour Duncan JB TB-4 (Humbucker / Passive) Seymour Duncan Blackouts AHB-1B (Humbucker / Active)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Seymour Duncan Jazz SH-2 (Humbucker / Passive) Seymour Duncan Blackouts AHB-1N (Humbucker / Active)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: None None
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 0
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Black Black
Show Diagrams Comparison
Jackson USA Select Kelly KE2 and ESP Arrow pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Jackson USA Select Kelly KE2 and ESP Arrow's switch options

Reasons to Get
Jackson USA Select Kelly KE2 over ESP Arrow

Release Year
2020 vs 2014
From a more recent year
Compound Radius
12" to 16" vs 12"
Balanced playability for chords and single-notes
Neck Profile
Speed vs Thin U
Thin and flat neck for playing fast
Tone Knobs
1 vs 0
More tone control
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.775'' (19.7mm) vs 0.787'' (20mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.835'' (21.2mm) vs 0.866'' (22mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Nut Width
1.688'' (42.9mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Pickups Power
Passive vs Active
Cleaner sound and no battery needed

Reasons to Get
ESP Arrow over Jackson USA Select Kelly KE2

Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Retainer Bar
Yes vs None
Assists you so tuning doesn't change when locking the nut
Neck Profile
Thin U vs Speed
Comfortable neck with more grip
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.787'' (20mm) vs 0.775'' (19.7mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.866'' (22mm) vs 0.835'' (21.2mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.688'' (42.9mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Pickups Power
Active vs Passive
More output
Value Score
63 vs 62
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Jackson USA Select Kelly KE2 vs ESP Arrow

Bridge Pickup
Seymour Duncan JB TB-4 vs Seymour Duncan Blackouts AHB-1B
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Seymour Duncan Jazz SH-2 vs Seymour Duncan Blackouts AHB-1N
Different Neck Pickup
Headstock
6 vs R6
Different Headstock

Shared Features
Jackson USA Select Kelly KE2 vs ESP Arrow

Body Wood
Alder
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Ebony
Same Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Locking
Same Nut Material
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Pickups
HH
High output without hum
Number of Frets
24
Same maximum octave
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Floyd Rose
Allows intense vibratos and techniques like Dive Bombs
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Neck Joint
Neck-Through
Stronger neck and easier access to upper frets
Type of Frets
Jumbo vs XL Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • Neck-Through Build
  • High-Quality Nut
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Weight Relief
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Price History Comparison

Jackson USA Select Kelly KE2 Prices

SET PRICE ALERT

ESP Arrow Prices

SET PRICE ALERT

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Hand Size Comfortability

After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both favor small hands .

Jackson USA Select Kelly KE2:
Big Hands
Small Hands
ESP Arrow:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Beginner Friendliness

The Jackson USA Select Kelly KE2 meets 4 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the ESP Arrow meets only 3. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players.

New Player Friendliness

Jackson USA Select Kelly KE2
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners
  • Easy-to-use bridge

New Player Friendliness

ESP Arrow
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners
  • Easy-to-use bridge

Sound Quality Comparison

The wood used in an electric guitar or bass is not as important to determine the final tone. However, some people prefer specific wood types, so we'll take a look at those first. Then, we'll take a look at the electronics to determine the versatility and sound quality of each instrument.

Woods Used in Both

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony
Alder wood pattern used for guitar building
Alder

Maple is one of the most popular necks for good reasons. It is a strong wood that is relatively cheap to make and looks beautiful. The highest quality maple is the hardest that comes from North America. Find out more about Maple.

Ebony is a high-end wood, so it is not cheap. It's only used for fretboards because it's also very heavy. It does an excellent job as a durable material while looking elegant. Find out more about Ebony.

Alder is the most popular wood that Fender uses in most of their guitars nowadays. Even though they say it's because of its balanced tone with an emphasis in the upper midrange, it probably is because it isn't too expensive, and it's also pretty lightweight—more than Mahogany. Find out more about Alder.

Winner: Tie.

Pickup Configuration

Both pickup configurations are HH. Double Humbucker (HH) is the choice for people who want a fuller, more round sound with tons of mids and lows. Humbuckers also get rid of the hum noise that plague single-coil pickups. They can work out for almost any genre going from Djent to even Jazz.

Pickups Quality

Both come with very good pickups from at least one of the specialized brands in the market. With pickups like these, you probably won't need an upgrade anytime soon.

You can purchase similar pickups to the Jackson USA Select Kelly KE2's and use them on any guitar:

We found the same or similar pickups to the ESP Arrow's online:

The Jackson USA Select Kelly KE2's pickups are Passive while the ESP Arrow's are Active.

Passive pickups are what most guitars use. These have a normal output that works well for most genres. However, Active pickups are the preferred choice of heavy metal players because they offer extra output thanks to their 9v battery, which results in a heavier, more distorted sound. Bear in mind that achieving a completely clean tone with them won't be easy. So if you want to also use clean tones, you might want to avoid Active pickups.

Winner: Tie.

Versatility Comparison

Some instruments offer you more ways to explore your creativity than others. Below you'll find how both compare when it comes to versatility.

Switch Options

Both are equal when it comes to the pickup switching option.

Neither of them come with some kind of coil split or pickup mod option. This makes both lacking in terms of versatility.

When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.

Winner: Jackson USA Select Kelly KE2.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Jackson USA Select Kelly KE2
Pickups 85
Sustain 80
Versatility 64
Tuning Stability 85
Sound 79
ESP Arrow
Pickups 85
Sustain 85
Versatility 57
Tuning Stability 85
Sound 78

Build Quality Comparison

When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the Jackson USA Select Kelly KE2 compares to the ESP Arrow.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Jackson USA Select Kelly KE2 is built in United States while the ESP Arrow is made in Japan.

The United States is considered one of the best electric guitar manufacturers in the world. A guitar made in this country is supposed to have world-class quality control. Nowadays, guitars made in other countries can beat some of the ones made in the US, but most of the time, this country offers the best you can get. Of course, that comes at a price.

Japan has a long history of high-quality guitar building. Little has changed in terms of their manufacturing and quality control over the years. Many guitars made in this country can be compared—and even beat—others made in the US.

Winner: Tie

Nut Material

If you want your guitar to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.

In this case, both have Locking nuts. Instead of a regular nut, this guitar has a locking system that will lock down the strings at the nut, preventing it from getting out of tune. It removes one of the disadvantages of tremolo bridges, tune stability.

However, only the ESP Arrow has a retainer bar for the locking nut, which is a helpful addition. Without it, the Jackson USA Select Kelly KE2's strings will change pitch once you lock down the nut, so you'll have to make more micro-adjustments at the bridge to tune it correctly.

Winner: ESP Arrow.

Fret Material

Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.

Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.

Winner: Tie.

Bridge

The perfect bridge for you will depend on your playstyle because they all have advantages and disadvantages. However, some bridges are more expensive—like Floyd Roses and Evertunes—and thus add more value to a guitar.

Both come with a similar bridge: Floyd Rose. This is a double-locking bridge system that allows you to perform techniques like dive bombs and pinch harmonics. The locking nut allows your guitar to stay in tune even after the most intense tremolo usage. The disadvantage is that it takes more work to change the strings and set up everything correctly.

Since we need to be objective, the most expensive type of bridge will be the winner of this section. In the end, this doesn't matter if you're not going to use the bridge for its original purpose, so choose the bridge that fits your playing style better.

Winner: Tie.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. The Jackson USA Select Kelly KE2's are Jackson Sealed Die-Cast while the ESP Arrow's are Gotoh

Winner: Tie.

Neck Joint

Contrary to popular belief, the difference in sustain and tone that some neck joints give to a guitar is simply unperceivable—if they're all well built. However, some of them do have advantages over the others.

Both have a Neck-Through neck joint. This neck is a lot more resistant and lets builders give the neck joint a more comfortable shape for soloing at the upper frets. The disadvantage is that they're more expensive and that if you damage your neck, you can't simply replace it like with bolt-on necks.

Winner: Tie.

Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

Strengths & Weaknesses
Jackson USA Select Kelly KE2
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Neck-Through Build
  • Tremolo
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Retainer Bar
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
ESP Arrow
  • Made in Japan
  • Expensive Wood
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Neck-Through Build
  • Tremolo
  • Retainer Bar
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Jackson USA Select Kelly KE2
Quality of materials 41
Features 80
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 74
ESP Arrow
Quality of materials 51
Features 75
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 75

Playability Comparison

Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a guitar might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.

Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a guitar feels in your hands.

Nut Width

Jackson USA Select Kelly KE2 Nut Width
Jackson USA Select Kelly KE2 Nut Width
ESP Arrow Nut Width
ESP Arrow Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Jackson USA Select Kelly KE2 has the wider nut with 42.9mm (1.688'') vs 42mm (1.654''). This is a 0.9mm (0.034'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Jackson USA Select Kelly KE2, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Jackson USA Select Kelly KE2 and ESP Arrow's Scale Length
Both have the same scale length

The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.

In this case, both have a scale length of 25.5".

This is the scale used in most Stratocasters. It's slightly longer than the typical 24.75'' size found in Les Pauls, and it's one of the main reasons why Stratocasters have such a bright sound in general. A longer scale also means that the strings will have higher tension. This will help you get lower action without suffering fret buzz, which will also be helpful when playing in lower tunings without having to increase your string gauge.

However, this also means that there will be more separation between frets, which can make it more difficult to play. Also, bending the strings will require more strengths due to the increased tension, but remember that a tremolo guitar will offset this difficulty.

Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.

Neck Profile

Jackson USA Select Kelly KE2 Neck Profile
Jackson USA Select Kelly KE2's neck profile
ESP Arrow Neck Profile
ESP Arrow's neck profile

No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.

In this case, both have different neck shapes:

The Jackson USA Select Kelly KE2 has a D type of neck. This is a thin and flat neck that is made for playing fast. If you prefer a neck that doesn't get in your way when soloing, this is the shape you should use. Guitarists that prefer to have a bit more grip won't like this type of neck.

The ESP Arrow, on the other hand, has a U neck. This is also referred to as ''baseball neck'' because of its shape. It's usually thick, which is why some people with big hands like it. However, they can also be thin, similar to a C shape, but with more shoulders for a better grip.

Fretboard Radius

Jackson USA Select Kelly KE2 Fretboard Compound Radius
Jackson USA Select Kelly KE2's Compound Fretboard Radius
ESP Arrow Fingerboard Radius
ESP Arrow's Fingerboard radius

Most guitar fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.

In this case, the Jackson USA Select Kelly KE2 is the only one with a compound radius. This is a huge win because it will give you the best of both worlds: a more curved radius in the first few frets for chords, and flatter as you come closer to the body for soloing.

Fret Size

Jackson USA Select Kelly KE2 Frets Size
Jackson USA Select Kelly KE2's Frets Size
ESP Arrow Frets Size
ESP Arrow's Frets Size

The ESP Arrow has XL Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Jackson USA Select Kelly KE2's Jumbo frets.

Some people prefer taller frets because they result in more sustain since the strings get pressed cleanly without interference from the fretboard. However, if they're too tall—like Jumbo frets—, you might change the pitch of the strings accidentally if you press too hard because you won't be touching the fretboard with your fingers. This is also why some guitarists with a heavy grip prefer smaller frets. They like to feel the fingerboard to avoid pressing down too hard and getting out of pitch.

Final Playability Scores

Jackson USA Select Kelly KE2
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 100
Playability 77
ESP Arrow
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 90
Playability 80