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I have a neck I want to strip, maple with a poly finish. I have a heat gun. Question: Is stripping the paint with a heat gun a good idea or a bad one? I know people do it with bodies, but what dangers are there to the neck?

The heat could warp the neck off the top of my head, also it could catch fire maybe?

Use a hair blow dryer! It works, I've done this several times, just heat up small areas at a time and that poly will peel off like sunburnt skin!


Originally Posted by saladinUse a hair blow dryer! It works, I've done this several times, just heat up small areas at a time and that poly will peel off like sunburnt skin!I think the low setting on the heat gun is 400 F....... is that too hot?

thats HOT

I'd just use a bit of elbow grease and some sanding paper. It's not worth the risk using a chem or heat stripping. Bodies are okay because generally they're less vulnerable to warpage and such. (cause they're mostly one chunck o wood) A neck, hmmm. Fretboards are glued on. Maybe Mr heatgun or stripper could turn the glue into snot. Expanding maple might squeeze out the fretwire. Binding will be cooked. And any plastic will fry. The truss rod might cease up. And it'll probably never play the same again. Take the time, sand. If its worth the effort of restoring/customising, then it's worth the TLC

I've used heat on necks and to be on the safe side use a hair dryer if you have one. If not, make sure you don't get the heat gun to close.

Only if you hate the guitar. I sometimes work with heat guns and wouldn't risk it. A hair dryer would be a much better option.

I'd use chemicals were it not for MGTS's consideration so thanks.