Kramer DMZ4000 R&R (Rebuild and Revive)

[Retag]

I think I'm going to start rubbing all of my basses with Vodka and Goo Gone from now on!

I am going to start eating some Goo Gone with all the vodka I drink. I will have amazingly clean insides.

[Hulakatt]

I hate waiting...

[fivebass52]

I hate waiting...

Hulakatt - you've been quiet for far too long.... Still waiting for parts?

[Hulakatt]

Yeah, I have the plate cut and fitted now and have to wait on a paycheck before ordering the electronics to tie it all together.

I also need to wander down to home depot and pick up a pair of screws to hold the control cavity plate on

[Hulakatt]

Ok, i got tired of waiting on parts so I checked and remounted the original DiMarzio pickups, started what wiring I could, strung it up and setup the action and intonation. I am able to reuse the original pots and jack but I'm still replacing the active electronics with an Orange Squeezer. The 2 remaining holes will be filled with a comp bypass (true bypass) and a bezeled LED (most likely orange but not sure yet). The speed knobs were chipped and battered so they will be replaced as well with something very similar.

[Hulakatt]

Not too bad considering how it started. If anything the duct tape helped preserve the finish underneath from getting very many nicks and dings over the years. I'll be happier when the electronics are done but I'm pretty satisfied with how it is shaping up.

[Matt R.]

Ha. That looks fantastic.

[jayceofbass]

Bravo!!!

[fivebass52]

That is one Good-looking Bass! Great job so far....

[amimbari]

Rod ( rodent ) would be proud of you

[danomite64]

I knew it! I knew that bass was gonna look sweet when you got the duct tape off it!!

[Hulakatt]

The passive electronics are done and the bass is now playable. The original vol pot was toasted and was replaced with a 500k audio. Tone pot is still the 500k linear and the tone cap is an Orange Drop .022. Also installed is the true bypass switch for the Orange Squeezer circuit (next paycheck) in line before the volume and tone pots. The DiMarzio's sound excellent and are a good match for this bass! I'll take some gut shots tomorrow night but the wiring isn't finished and isn't cleaned up as much as I like, it got kinda messy trouble shooting and swapping pots.

side note: I happened to have a pair of knobs that are a perfect match with the originals, replaced the broken one and now I have a spare.

yet another side note: With all of the other "mods" and "upgrades" bestowed upon this bass, an extra strap button was added by the neck plate. The strap buttons for the Kramers were made specifically by/for Kramer for (if I remember correctly) their aluminum neck series. If anyone has a Kramer in need, I have a spare strap button as well, just let me know.