Kramer Focus VT 211S Desperately Seeking Tuners

[JayeG]

Argh! These are selling like hot cakes and they're awesome, if you're into taking things apart and putting them back together rather than enjoying their sounds. They are the Chevy of guitars.

Straight out of the box yesterday, after giving it a few days to settle into the temp of my very warm home, I  shred you not ... as in SKIN, given the frets tore my hands to pieces when I stupidly ran my hand down the length of the fretboard quickly. MAD CAT nails, sharp as razors, they were.

Do NOT get these for children, please. We don't want the Littles hurt in any way. 

I fed it lightly with olive oil,  waited and did an entire fret job. The fret rocker was dancing 3, 5 from 7 through 20.

The neck is now "like buttah" but the tuners are .. s.ugar h.oney i.ced t.ea.

What can I replace them with as an upgrade that would just drop in.

Is there such a thing?

Also, same for the pickguard and back plates. There is no lining or shield on the top plate, no copper shielding or insulation on the cheap plastic pick guard either. What might I upgrade to that has shielding, please? I have the HSS model.

The strings were as old as time. My hand was black just from the strings it came with. 

On the plus side, the mahogany body and paint job are beautiful. 

I would have paid extra for a little inlay on the fret markers rather than the "first act" styled stamp, fyi. Thank you.