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Kramer Pacer Classic
Kramer Jersey Star
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Playability
70
Sound
70
Build
54
Value
75
Score
65
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Playability
70
Sound
81
Build
62
Value
71
Score
71
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Kramer Pacer Classic vs Jersey Star

Reasons to Get
Kramer Pacer Classic over Jersey Star

Release Year
2022 vs 2020
From a more recent year
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Tone Knobs
1 vs 0
More tone control
Pickups
HH vs HHH
High output without hum
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm) vs 16'' (406.4mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings
Value Score
75 vs 71
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Kramer Jersey Star over Pacer Classic

Country of Manufacturing
Indonesia vs China
Built with higher quality standards
Pickups Brand
Seymour Duncan vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs None
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Switch Positions
5 vs 3
More tone options
Pickups
HHH vs HH
High output without hum and tons of tone versatility
Fretboard Radius
16'' (406.4mm) vs 12'' (304.8mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend

Other Key Differences
Kramer Pacer Classic vs Jersey Star

Bridge Pickup
Alnico 5 Classic Humbucker with Double White Exposed Coils vs Seymour Duncan JB SH-4
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Alnico 5 Classic Humbucker with Double White Exposed Coils vs Seymour Duncan Jazz SH-2
Different Neck Pickup

Shared Features
Kramer Pacer Classic vs Jersey Star

Body Wood
Alder
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Maple
Same Fretboard Wood
Headstock
6
Same Headstock
Nut Material
Locking
Same Nut Material
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Number of Frets
22
Same maximum octave
Nut Width
1.625'' (41.3mm)
Same string separation at the nut
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
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Profile Type
C
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Neck Joint
Bolt-On
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • Retainer Bar
  • High-Quality Nut

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Weight Relief
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • Expensive Wood
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

SET PRICE ALERT
SET PRICE ALERT

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Kramer Jersey Star is probably the better product overall with its final score of 71 compared to the Kramer Pacer Classic's 65 score, although not by a lot.

The Kramer Jersey Star wins when it comes to sound, build quality. On the other hand, the Kramer Pacer Classic has the upper hand when it comes to value for the money.

If you got small hands, none of these instruments will make a big difference when it comes to comfortability.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

Both meet 4 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness. 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. If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, you can't go wrong with either of them.

New Player Friendliness

Kramer Pacer Classic
  • Comfortable shape
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners
  • Easy-to-use bridge

New Player Friendliness

Kramer Jersey Star
  • Comfortable shape
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners
  • Easy-to-use bridge

Nevertheless, when it comes to choosing an instrument, you should pick the one more compatible with your personal style. Still, below we'll try you to give you our results as objectively as it's possible to help you decide.

Kramer Pacer Classic Overview

  • From Kramer's 2022 Original series
  • Made in China
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Alder body
  • Maple neck
  • Maple fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Alnico 5 Classic Humbucker with Double White Exposed Coils (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Alnico 5 Classic Humbucker with Double White Exposed Coils (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 2 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Licensed Floyd Rose bridge
  • K-Speed SlimTaper C Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Die Cast tuners
  • Weight between 7.7lbs (3.5kgs) and 8.25lbs (3.7kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Kramer Jersey Star Overview

  • From Kramer's 2020 Original series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 16" Fretboard Radius
  • Alder body
  • Maple neck
  • Maple fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Seymour Duncan JB SH-4 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Middle pickup: Seymour Duncan JB SH-4 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Seymour Duncan Jazz SH-2 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 0 tone Dome knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • Floyd Rose 1000 Series Tremolo bridge
  • Elliptical C Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Die cast with pearloid buttons tuners
  • Compare Specs >

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
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.

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

The Kramer Pacer Classic has an HH configuration while the Kramer Jersey Star has HHH pickups.

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.

On the other hand, A triple Humbucker (HHH) can be intimidating at first, but it's one of the combinations that offer the most tone versatility. You'll be able to have from a lot of output for Hard Rock genres, to warm and clean sounds that are more common in Jazz.

Pickups Quality

The Kramer Jersey Star pickups from a more specialized brand than the Kramer Pacer Classic. Its pickups should give you a fuller, richer sound, although it all depends on what type of music you're going to play. We recommend these pickups for Hard Rock and similar genres.

We found the same or similar pickups to the Kramer Jersey Star's online:

Both use Passive pickups. This is what's used for most music genres. They have a regular output and will serve you for both high-gain and clean tones. The alternative (Active pickups) offer a higher output that is mostly used for heavy music.

Winner: Kramer Jersey Star.

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

The Kramer Jersey Star gives you 5 switch options while the Kramer Pacer Classic gives you 3. This means that the Kramer Jersey Star gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

Only the Kramer Jersey Star comes with some kind of pickup modification: Coil Split.

Coil Split lets you disconnect one of the pickup coils. When used with humbuckers, it turns them into single-coil with lower output and cleaner tone.

Kramer Pacer Classic pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Kramer Pacer Classic's switch options
Kramer Jersey Star pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Kramer Jersey Star's switch options

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

Winner: Kramer Jersey Star.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Kramer Pacer Classic
Pickups 60
Sustain 70
Versatility 66
Tuning Stability 85
Sound 70
Kramer Jersey Star
Pickups 90
Sustain 70
Versatility 78
Tuning Stability 85
Sound 81

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 Kramer Pacer Classic compares to the Kramer Jersey Star.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Kramer Pacer Classic is built in China while the Kramer Jersey Star is made in Indonesia.

China has a bad reputation when it comes to building quality. However, times have changed and now respectable brands use China's cheap labor to build good instruments for a lower price. Don't discount a guitar only because it was built in China, but also expect more quality from countries like Korea.

Indonesia is becoming the most popular country for guitar building because they can make good instruments for a low price. Some people think that they're 'the new China' when it comes to build quality. But the truth is that Indonesian guitars are more consistent, although Chinese quality has improved a lot in the last few years.

Winner: Kramer Jersey Star

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.

Both models come with a retainer bar, which is helpful when changing the strings on a double-locking tremolo. Without it, the strings would change pitch once you lock down the nut, so you'd have to make more micro-adjustments at the bridge to tune it correctly

Winner: Tie.

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 Kramer Pacer Classic's are Die Cast while the Kramer Jersey Star's are Die cast with pearloid buttons

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 Bolt-On neck joint. This neck is joined to the body by 4 bolts that you can simply unscrew. This allows you to replace the neck or take it off for travel. It's the most common and cheapest way to build a guitar.

Winner: Tie.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Kramer Pacer Classic
  • Locking Nut
  • Tremolo
  • Retainer Bar
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in China
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • 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
Strengths & Weaknesses
Kramer Jersey Star
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Split Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Retainer Bar
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Kramer Pacer Classic
Quality of materials 41
Features 65
Quality Control 55
Build Quality 54
Kramer Jersey Star
Quality of materials 41
Features 70
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 62

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

Kramer Pacer Classic Nut Width
Both Guitars Have The Same Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, both have a nut width of 41.3mm (1.625'').

This is considered a narrow width for a 6-string guitar. This means that this guitar will have a narrower string separation at the nut, which will affect your fretting hand.

If you are a player with big hands, you might find it difficult to play chords without muting strings. However, this is good for players who have smaller hands, as it will allow them to reach each string more easily at the nut.

Scale Length

Kramer Pacer Classic and Kramer Jersey Star'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

Kramer Pacer Classic Neck Profile
Kramer Pacer Classic's neck profile
Kramer Jersey Star Neck Profile
Kramer Jersey Star'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.

Both the Kramer Pacer Classic and the Kramer Jersey Star have a C-shaped neck. This is what you'll find in most modern guitars. Most people feel like the thickness of a C neck is simply the less intrusive one for playing fast, while at the same time allowing you to grab the neck easily for resting if you want to.

Fretboard Radius

Kramer Pacer Classic Fingerboard Radius
Kramer Pacer Classic's Fingerboard radius
Kramer Jersey Star Fingerboard Radius
Kramer Jersey Star'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 Kramer Pacer Classic's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Kramer Jersey Star's. This extra arc will make playing chords easier in this model. You won't be as likely to mute the strings, especially if you have big hands. However, playing single notes and bending will be easier on the Kramer Jersey Star.

Still, both tend to favor soloing over chords, so if you're looking for a guitar for playing rhythm, you might want something else with a radius closer to a Stratocaster's 9.5''.

Hand Size Comfortability

Everyone has a different hand size, and that's why it's recommended to try a guitar before buying, even if others tell you that it's comfortable to play. However, we can know whether a guitar favors small or large hands just by knowing its exact measurements.

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

Kramer Pacer Classic:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Kramer Jersey Star:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Kramer Pacer Classic and Kramer Jersey Star Frets Size
Both have a similar Medium Jumbo fret size

Both have a Medium Jumbo fret size. These are slightly shorter than full Jumbo frets, so you'll still feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings. However, they interfere less with your fretting hand than medium-size frets. This is a good size if you like easy-to-press frets, but would still like to feel a bit of the fretboard when playing.

Final Playability Scores

Kramer Pacer Classic
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 70
Playability 70
Kramer Jersey Star
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 70
Playability 70

Specs Side-by-Side

Kramer Pacer Classic vs Jersey Star
General Kramer Pacer Classic Jersey Star
Brand: Kramer Kramer
Year: 2022 2020
Configuration: HH HHH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: China Indonesia
Series: Original Original
Colors: Blue, Red, Purple White, Red
Left-Handed Version: Yes No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Alder Alder
Bridge: Licensed Floyd Rose Floyd Rose 1000 Series Tremolo
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Die Cast Die cast with pearloid buttons
Fretboard: Maple Maple
Neck Material: Maple Maple
Decoration: Dot Mother of Pearl stars with double stars at 12th fret
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: K-Speed SlimTaper C Elliptical C
Frets: 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" 16"
Nut: Locking Locking
Nut Width: 41.3mm (1.625'') 41.3mm (1.625'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Alnico 5 Classic Humbucker with Double White Exposed Coils (Humbucker / Passive) Seymour Duncan JB SH-4 (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Seymour Duncan JB SH-4 (Humbucker / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Alnico 5 Classic Humbucker with Double White Exposed Coils (Humbucker / Passive) Seymour Duncan Jazz SH-2 (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 5 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: None Coil Split
Volume Controls: 2 1
Tone Controls: 1 0