Yeah, maybe with a bit more patience, elbow grease and buffing pads, but it just didn't 'feel' right and didn't look like it was going to resolve evenly.
The topcoat has come up pretty well anyway. Very slight orange peel that I can live with, a few small marks but overall looks good.
I'm trying to get this one to the stage where I can put the neck on and chuck it in the rack while I work on some other stuff. I still don't have any pickups or electronics for it so it's a while away from completion.
I'm glad I tried the poly, it was worth it from a learning perspective. I was considering using it on the steam punker as it will have a natural wood finish look, but I'm not sure now.