1986 Kramer Pacer Deluxe

Unique features

• Flip Flop Pink finish

• Seymour Duncan Full Shred with stock SSL-1 pickups

• Really great looking knot in the center wood strip on the neck

• Headstock in rough shape, tip slightly chipped and clear coat peeling up

Take

Got this one on Reverb, where the headstock damage was clearly shown however the body was strategically positioned to make it less clear just how much damage was done to it. Luckily, I was able to work out an agreeable deal with the seller after it arrived - he claimed it was damaged in shipping but I doubt it. Even with the damage, it photographs well and all the hardware is there, so it plays great.

Finish is one of Kramer’s cool “flip flop” paint jobs. Basically, it’s a multi-layer finish that changes the appearance based on the angle of light and what angle you view it from. It is not nearly as extravagant as a modern “chameleon” finish, but does add a nice dimension to the look. This one in particular is flip flop pink, which has a hint of metallic blue flake underneath, which gives it a pale look in certain light. I think it looks great, with a little more depth than a single color pink finish.

It arrived with the factory pickup arrangement, a JBJ and two SSL-1’s. I already had a Pacer Deluxe with the stock electronics, so I swapped in a recent Duncan Full Shred. I’m impressed with this pickup, it loses the JB’s mid spike in exchange for a flat, even curve but has some of the Custom flavor mixed in. That makes sense, since it’s the same wind as a Custom but with an A5 magnet (like a JB) plus hex pole pieces. The Duncan website lists the pickup EQ as being very strong on the treble, but I don’t find that to be the case. It is less brittle than the Distortion for sure, and has good thickness under gain.