[CAUT] Renner back action

[Wolfley, Eric (wolfleel)]

Jeff and All,

I've replaced a number of Teflon-era Steinway back-actions with the current part and have found that it is indeed a very simple operation when ordering the replacement part from Steinway. The part costs $814 for the S/M/L/O or A/B and $851 for a C/D. You simply align it right to left using a few samples and locate and drill a shallow hole for the pitman punching to ride in. On older instruments that don't have a floating pitman it is a simple and highly recommended operation to convert it which usually takes me about 20 minutes. The last replacement job I did took less than an hour before starting to install the dampers. I have had to shorten the damper wires on a few instruments and the sostenuto tabs stick out a little further which necessitates re-regulating the sostenuto rod location. I don't know how much a Renner back action costs but it seems like the Steinway part might be a good alternative (for Steinways only of course) when you add up the labor costs.

Eric

Eric Wolfley, RPT
Director of Piano Services
College-Conservatory of Music
University of Cincinnati
-----Original Message-----
From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Jeff Tanner
Sent: Tuesday, September 02, 2008 1:29 PM
To: College and University Technicians
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Renner back action

Any reason not to use the back action from Steinway?  They CLAIM it is a 2
hour job, and that there shouldn't be any re-engineering. I suppose their
claims are based on what is being done in the restoration center where the
techs do that job on a regular basis.  I've not done that job. I'd ordered a
S&S back action for a B at the university, but we never got that piano in
the shop before I left. But it is SUPPOSED to be made to fit as a direct
replacement with a simple side to side adjustment.
Tanner

----- Original Message -----
From: "Alan McCoy" <amccoy at mail.ewu.edu>
To: <caut at ptg.org>
Sent: Tuesday, September 02, 2008 12:33 PM
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Renner back action


> Aaron,
>
> You better allow a full day for the first one. You may or may not run up
> against difficulties. I did an A last spring though and it was a pretty
> straight forward job. On the other hand I was going to do a 70's vintage
> M&H
> BB last fall and I would have had to re-engineer the thing - it didn't
> have
> pivot blocks, each underlever had a jack spring, it was not your typical
> backaction.
>
> Alan
>
>