[pianotech] Replacing Steinway Action Frame?

[William Monroe]

John,

I really recommend calling S&S NY ( I know, it seems counter-intuitive) and
have them send you a new top stack for a B.  An Action Frame with Let-Off
buttons installed for a B is, as you say, less than half the cost of
replacing the rails.

Now you have an entirely new top stack with new buttons and eye screws, so
you no longer have to clean the old one, or install (or order - or use the
ones you've already ordered) new buttons.  It'll cost you twice that much to
have Dewey replace all the rails.  Just do a good job measuring stack heigh
on the old stack (if it is indeed correct).  When you get the new one, you
may have to do some fitting in terms of Left to Right position of the action
brackets (they can be bent) for clearance on the keys (maybe modify the keys
a little if necessary), and the overall height of the top action.  It should
be minor fitting.  but after all, that's what we are paid for.

The advantage to having Dewey do the repair is that if everything were
correct to start out with in terms of L-R positioning, overall stack height,
and height/placement of each rail, you won't have any fitting to do when it
comes back.  And, if something were amiss, you could probably let John know
and he may be able to make minor corrections in that way.

William R. Monroe


On Mon, Oct 3, 2011 at 11:56 AM, John Formsma <formsma at gmail.com> wrote:

> What are the current thoughts regarding buying a new action frame from
> Steinway versus having the old one repaired, a la John Dewey?
>
> First action replacement job...notice this morning that there are splits in
> all action rails. Not split throughout all sections of each rail, but in
> each rail. Don't recall seeing any before today. So maybe it happened whilst
> removing old parts last Friday. Good to know now rather than later, I
> suppose. I guess I sure know how to pick 'em. Sigh....  :)
>
> So, I can get a new frame from Steinway for about half the cost of getting
> the old one repaired. What are the pros and cons of each? (Searching the
> archives reveals 7 posts from 2002, but no posting about any end results.)
>
> --
> John Formsma, RPT
> Blue Mountain, MS
>
>
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