I don't advocate anyone attempting this unless you are quite familiar with working on finishes.This type of work is going to void your warranty.
I've been working on guitars for 30 years and I'm always constantly researching and learning the tricks of the trade from experts like Paul W.
So please use caution and common sense before attempting a project like this.
Well the 07' 360 JG is nothing less than absolutely fantastic. It is just fine out of the box BUT I just love vintage guitars and I want to vintage up my 07' 360.
I've played this guitar to death for only owning it for 2 weeks and I'm ready to put it up on the bench.
So I pulled off the strings, bridge, tail, and Schaller tuners.
Got my vintage parts from Mike and first thing is to prep for the vintage tuners.
When you pull your stock Schallers off the guitar, you'll have some elephant feet impressions on the face of the headstock from the stock Scaller tuner washers which the vintage tuner bushings just won't cover. Note this is extremely evident due to the guitar finished in JG. Anyone who has owned a black car or black guitar knows what I'm talking about. Every ding, nick, and scratch shows. Here the impressions are really visible after a few strokes with 1000 sandpaper:
OK, now hang in there, it looks alot worst before it looks better. Now here I have sanded around the ring impressions only through the last layer of clear coat and very carefully into but not through the next layer. This is only an extremely thin depth due to careful even sanding with 1000 sandpaper. Note the low "E" washer ring impression still unsanded and the top clear coat still on at the top of the headstock, clearly visible:
Still with me - I promise it gets better. After sanding the last ring out and smoothing the rest of the first layer of clearcoat off the top of the headstock with 1000 sandpaper, I then followed with 1500 and then 2000 sandpaper to get a real even surface within the second from top layer of clearcoat. I was very careful not to over sand the top edges of the headstock. The top edge was gently rolled with 2000 paper to flare into the sides of the headstock's top edge - top clearcoat. I never cut into the any black - I was only within the top 2 layers of clear and only an extremely thin amount of the top layer, of the second to top, clearcoat. Here's where we are now:
Notice all evidence of ring impressions are gone.
Now for the rewards on all this work. Hence the Scratch X and then Zymol. I carefully polished the top of the headstock at a diagonal , then an opposite angle followed by nut to top of head with the scratch X. I buffed between coats to see my results and then carried on where more fine tuning was needed. Now for the good stuff: This is where you are rewarded greatly. I used the Zymol at opposite angles again followed by nut to top of headstock. Lots of elbow grease here - working the top right to the edge of the sides, then flare from original top coat of sides to polished second from top coat of the top of the headstock. Take a look:
It looks like... well ...new
What a relief. I've worked with many finishes over the years but never with Conversion Varnish as I've been told this finish is called. I must say it works rather well for someone who is used to working with finishes. I'll be installing the tuners tomorrow night.Then on to changing the covers on the HiGains to toaster top covers, followed by vintage knobs. Mike has promised me one of the Vintage cases to for my 360 to top this project off.
So here she sits ready for the next step:
Note the original Schaller tuners bottom left on bench and the parts Mike sent me from The RIC Page (toaster covers, Vintage tuners, Vintage knobs, center of benchtop. Here you can see how wonderful the ScratchX and Zymol finished the job on the Headstock which is now ready for Vintage tuner install. This should look really fine on the smaller headstock shape for 2007.
. I've asked alot of questions, obtained tools, and read so many articles in the back of guitar related magazines about setups repairs and the likes. I really enjoy working on guitars and you would too if you have the right tools and knowledge to get started. I would start with a really nice set of screw drivers in several sizes of each type of head. Example: #1, #2 Phillips. A set of Nut drivers would really help with getting Volume and tones knobs, input jacks, control switches, and threaded tuner bushings off. 
