Last year, I purchased a 2022 SC594 where the previous owner installed Phase III tuners. Today I completed the change I mentioned in my Dec 27 post above and wanted to show the results as this topic has come up several times though I do not ever recall seeing the various comparisons. It took less than 15 minutes to complete the change, including replacing the strings. I went with the nickel as I was concerned the gold may not match the PRS gold exactly. Keeping the PRS gold screws looked better to me than the included nickel screws. I hope this helps if anyone else is considering going with the Phase III in place of vintage tuners.
Observations:
* The plates come with screws which are the same size as the Phase III screws. While I tightened them as much as possible, I will keep an eye on tuning stability over time as the screws will go into the wood a little less than they did before.
* The plates are pretty thin and may not feel exactly flat when first installed. They flatten out perfectly when the screws are tight.
* While the plates are thin, the string hole on the peg is lower as a result. I did not have an issue when restringing, but if you like to have several wraps (would you do that with locking tuners?) it is something to be aware of.
* As stated by others (and in my earlier post) they fully cover the vintage tuner impression for a clean look.
Before:
Side-by-Side:
All Done: