I was wondering why suddenly one key on my piano tends to stick when I press the sustain pedal. Could someone tell me what could be the reason and if it is something that happens often and can be easily corrected by a technician? Sorry if this is a very "basic" question, but I just don't know.

Upright? Grand? When you say "stick", what do you mean?

When you say stick, I take it to mean that the key won't return to the up position? It's probably something jamming against that particular key as you press the sustain pedal, stopping it from returning to the up position. If it was me, I'd take a look around inside and see what was sticking. But then again, I'm the type of person to tear things apart just to "look around," so if it's anything more serious than an easy fix, I'd recommend calling someone to check it out.

You are not a tech and should not be offering advice on something you know nothing about. A key sticking can be cause by numerous that a technician would be able to fix. Call a tech don't try to fix yourself.

You are not a tech and should not be offering advice on something you know nothing about. A key sticking can be cause by numerous things, that a technician would be able to fix. Call a tech don't try to fix yourself.

When the pedal is depressed, the dampers springs--which put some upweight into the key--are removed from the equation. Whatever it is that is causing excess friction then causes the key to not return quickly enough to allow rapid repetition. In other words, it's almost guaranteed that the sticky key is NOT caused by the pedal.

What IS the cause of the problem could be any number of things, and those things can be diagnosed by a competent tech.

Why not take a look? I'm not physician but I'd look at my leg to see if it might be broken if it stopped working.

Could be something obvious like a paper clip. Might not be and then you call your tech.

It's not good advice to advise people to be helpless. Just use some common sense.

Thump, thump, thump.

I highly doubt that it would be something like a paper clip if the "stickyness" only shows up when the damper pedal is depressed. Chances are that the problem is somewhere in the key. Either the balance or front rail bushings are too tight. But as you've heard already, you won't know for sure until you technician has looked at it.

Thank you all.

Wayne, don't worry. I would not touch my piano. Bernarddk surely meant well, thanks to you too.

When I say stick, yes, it does not come up, and strangely it does seem linked to the sustain pedal, because when I release the pedal, the note comes up.

My piano is a 6'3'' Estonia bought last year. I take care of it, and had a Damp Chaser installed.

By the way, if you know of any tech in Montreal that you trust, please let me know. I could have him adjust the piano and by the same token ask hom to take care of this other issue.

At this point, it might be me who is crazy, but when the tech I have leaves after adjustment, I hear false notes here and there - it makes me cringe like nails scratching a blackboard. He was recommended by the store where I purchased my Estonia. Once I told him "listen this note, it is false, it kind of falls after one second, and this other one has a shorter time period than the other ones" - he gave me his tool and said: You can do it yourself. Again, I am not a professional musician and I do not have all the terminology to explain what I hear, but there is something wrong.

I play way less my piano because what I hear is a big turn-off. Again, it might be me, but I have a feeling that my Estonia could sound much much better. I even thought of selling it.

Lucie,

I understand your frustration. Communication between client and tech can be challenging. The client describes something the way he/she hears it, the technician is used to the term used in his profession.

This sounds like a voicing issue, tone rather than pitch. More to the point, it sounds as if there are different lengths of sustain in neighboring notes.

You might talk to the tech and see if he is comfortable with doing other work on your piano besides tuning: regulating, string work, voicing, etc. If not, getting a referral from someone you trust would be the way to go. Having someone you can communicate with is important.

Any tuner that hands you the tool and says "here, you can do it yourself" is in my eyes, a foolish person not willing to listen and/or, cannot correct it him or herself. I believe it is time to find another technician at this point.

Pianos basically more or less, rely on gravity for the return of all parts plus some springs for additional help. Lifting the damper off from the strings, eliminates one point of gravity and weight. Letting the damper back down again, places pressure onto the back of the key, just enough in this case for the key to return back up again.

Perhaps some of our Canadian friends who also frequent the forum will know of someone in your area that is competent to handle this situation?

Guess I'm being dense. Am I being reprimanded????

Check mrtuner.com Mark Cerisano RPT serves Montreal. His contact info is on the web site. Good luck and let us know the outcome.

Marcel Carey (819)564-0447 is another technician that serves the Sherbrooke/Montreal area.
Dan Silverwood
www.silverwoodpianos.com

Great, thanks a lot. I will call one of them.

I have heard tuners on this site say they "know" the Estonia. I guess it is not really different from other pianos, or are there specific tuning issues or specifications with it that I should tell the tuner?

Estonia instruments are no different than any other piano. They are all constructed in similar ways, using similar materials.

Either of the tech’s names provided will be able to help you set this instrument up correctly.
Anyone who hands you the tool and makes that remark is not only lacking in professional behavior, they have an ego problem and are unable to make the changes you have requested.

This is why the resulting comment. Most technicians, who can do the work, keep quiet and see the job through to its completion.

Dan Silverwood
www.silverwoodpianos.com

LOL!! Not at all! Those were thumps of agreement!!!

An additional thought. Just today, I was called to my college to fix a sticking key described as above.
Only stuck with the sustaining pedal used. Turns out, the very front edge of the sharp key, was JUST clipping the very back edge of the white key, just enough, so that when the sustaining pedal was NOT used, it worked fine but, when it was used, taking all of the weight of the dampers off from the keys, then, it stuck. I lightly filed the backside of the offending white key and that solved the problem.

Or it could be a paper clip! Stuck between the keys or the wippens and slowing up the one key.

Ah,, but some said they doubted it be that!!! Yeah..

Being a new piano probably it is some tight key bushings but it almost always surprises me what it really is.