Mighty Mite neck issues

[maxtheaxe]

Hi, I'm following up on an earlier thread, seeking advice on replacement of the neck on my '95 Fender Roadhouse Strat, to wit:
http://theguitarhub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1888

I will need to do some prep to this neck I've received from MM; it's a very nice piece of maple with some birdseye, bit of flame, an ebony board, 9.5"-12" compound radius, MOP position dots.

In regard to finish, this has a very thin poly satin finish that has been hastily hand-sanded/ scuffed/has a bit of tooth. Is it advisable to spray nitrocellulose over this, meaning, will it be compatible with the poly?

Another issue is the nut...it's very cheapo plastic, which I was led to expect, so no big deal as I planned to replace it, however I have noticed that the slot in the board that the nut rests in is quite shallow compared to the slot in the stock neck; can I anticipate issues with this (given that I've little or no experience replacing nuts)? Any comments?

Also, I have not decided whether to use a Graph-Tech graphite/teflon nut or another trem-approved material called "slip-stone", which is delrin. Any recommendations or comments? Again, this will be paired with a Wilkinson 100V trem bridge (which I have not yet received) and I think I should mount the bridge first.

Thanks in advance for any advice; I will very likely have further questions as this project gets underway...but I'll try not to drive everyone nuts with all this.

I won't be starting for a while, since I have a gig coming up for which I'll need this axe and there's no way I can get it done before then.

Max

[Schroeder]

Hey Max, so in regards to your finishing question, you do not want to just start spraying nitro over the poly... if you want to attempt spraying nitro without removing all of the finish you need to scuff up the poly with some sandpaper, 220 grit. However, even doing this the lacquer may have a hard time bonding with each other, so if you want a for sure stick with the lacquer you're spraying, take it down to the wood.

As far as your question on the difference between graphite and delrin, I have no personal experience with delrin used as a nut so I could not say for sure. More than likely both would be good for trem use. The delrin I would guess would probably be slipperier, but it will for sure sound different. We tend to use bone for almost everything simply because of the sound quality derived from it, and with a little nut lube, and as long as the slots are cut properly, the strings shouldn't have any problem sliding back and forth.

Hopefully this aids your project. Good luck, peace!

-Clark