Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Tuner-Technicians Forum Question: New Piano Problem?

Hi- I just got my brand new Kawaii K2 upright piano delivered yesterday. Several of the keys are sticking badly. One of them so much that it wont play the note if you hit it, and will visibly stay down lower than the other keys. I called the store to ask about it and they said things like this can happen with newly delivered pianos and it might just need to "settle" into my house. Is this correct? If so, how long should I wait before calling in a technician?

The store should send someone over immediately. Perhaps you received a piano right-out-of-the-box with no dealer prep. It could be binding key bushings. Any dealer worth his or her salt would not leave this go unattended. There is no such thing as settling-in with regards to binding keys. Tell them to either send someone out or take it back. Force them into providing customer service.

Don't take no for an answer.

Hello orange,

Sticking keys should not be a problem with a new piano. This is probably caused by the front pin bushing swelling due to humidity, but should not happen if the piano is properly regulated.

Where do you live, and where did you buy it from? How long did it stay in the store after it came from the factory?

If you are in a dry climate and it came from a humid one, letting it settle in the house may take care of this problem in a few days. Otherwise this is something that can probably be solved in 10 minutes.

Just to second Jon on this, I used to tune for a store. If a customer called to say a key was sticking, I'd be sent right over. "Keep your shirt on" is not the normal reply, in this situation.

Let us know how this comes out, please.

Like what everyone else said, the dealer should have this taken care of immediately.

Yep, your house is probably a bit more humid than the store, which caused the key to swell. It's likely all the keys might need a bit of easing. I would call the store and ask they send someone out. They should have offered to send someone out, instead of making excuses. You got poor customer service from the store.