After filling the old screw holes, I installed the new tuning machines to make sure they fit right. I also drilled pilot holes for the screws.

The tuning machines are Grover Rotomatic 18:1 tuners. They are the non locking type cause I have a locking nut for this guitar.

These pretty much fit the old Schaller ones from the 1980s. The only thing that didn’t line up was the screw holes. They are all 1/32″ or so off which is why I filled the old screw holes.

Time for some work on the neck and fretboard!

I gave the whole neck a good sanding to smooth things out and remove some age marks. I also sanded the headstock where it will be painted to rough up the paint (I’m not going to strip it). I filled the timing machine screw holes with toothpicks. I pulled out the old plastic fretboard dots and put in some cool red jasper stone dots. Then sanded the whole shebang and put a coat of oil on.

The new dots are a bit larger than the old ones (a good thing). Opened up the hole using increasingly larger drill bits. The drill is in reverse so it doesn’t dig in. Then I filled the holes with CA glue.

After some sanding, the dots are nice and smooth! After a coat of lemon oil, the fretboard and dots look awesome!

The Vanguard neck is now fretless. I think this will be the very first fretless flying V with a Floyd Rose!

Actually, it’s getting new stainless steel frets that will be smooth and sexy. It’s also getting new fretboard markers that are way less lamer.

Now it’s time to fill all the bumps and bruises with Bondo to level them out.

I felt the body to find any dips in the wood and sanded them a bit to make rough and circled them with pencil. Then mixed up some Bondo and schmear it in.

Next it sanding off the Bondo to make everything smooth again.

Next step is some final fitting /adjusting and then starting the paint!