Diagnosing The Sticking Piano Key - Piano Tuning & Repair I HOWARD PIANO INDUSTRIES

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Diagnosing The Sticking Piano Key - Piano Tuning & Repair I HOWARD PIANO INDUSTRIES

One of the most common issues with pianos is having a sticking key. There is a list of things that could cause the sticking key. This video walks you through the steps of checking the most common causes of a sticking key. Once you have determined what the cause is you can then move forward with the right solution or repair.

🎥 Video Chapters
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00:00 - Intro
00:46 - Piano Keyslip
02:26 - Key Bushings and Key Pins
05:34 - Check Spaces Between the Keys
05:55 - Broken Key Sticks
07:02 - Whippen Jack Spring
12:12 - Broken Piano Hammer Shank
14:22 - Broken Elbow (For Spinet Pianos)

⏩ Links and Resources:
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✔️ Piano Balance Rail Felt Punchings

✔️ Piano Balance Rail Pins

✔️ Piano Front Rail Pins

✔️ Whippen

✔️ Piano Hammer Butt - Standard Upright

✔️ Drop Lifter Elbows for Spinet Pianos

✔️ Piano Bridle Straps

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👉 Disclaimer (this video is only for entertainment purposes comment)

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#stickingpianokeys
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[ernietollar]

Thanks for being generous with your expertise.


My problem today:
even with the key removed the hammer is sluggish and not returning. The problem is more likely if I slowly push the jack/hammer as opposed to a quick attack which causes rebound.



Also, There is a very quiet squeek audible when that particular notes mechanism is returning... the squeek seems to be in the hammer's movement (not the jack)... hope I'm using the correct terminology. Confusingly the squeek is not always there even when the sticking is happening.


Another clue is that the after the key is released one its jacks - the on activated by the key - not the one that pushes the hammer - returns only about 3/4 of the way to its original position. Also, lifting the key up a bit knocks the mechanism back.


Any thoughts would be appreciated, Ernie Tollar

[janelsturzen]

THANK YOU for generously sharing this information to help us with our own pianos instead of "this is too hard for you, call a technician"

[petercatsoulis]

Very informative. I appreciate all of the information that you have given to me. Now if only my school would let me perform repairs on our pianos I would be able to try and find out what is wrong with the ones that we have. I struggle to understand why I pay $11, 000 a year to go to a school that has only one tuned piano and several ones with keys that don't work or are out of tune...

[jennileigh]

I need to thank you so much. I suddenly had a key start sticking out of nowhere and I hadn't got a clue. I had longed for an acoustic for years and years while stuck with an electric and when I finally got him I fell completely in love. I LOVE my piano so much it's ridiculous and it was really upsetting me. I've got a great piano tuner and I know he could fix him but he's not due for another 2 months and I've not got the money to call him in right now. But from watching your video I've just fixed it! I am so relieved and happy so thank you so much. Alf says thank you too (I named my piano Alf lol). 🎶☺️🎶

[johnruggiero]

Great video. I had a key that wasn’t behaving 100% like the rest. It wasn’t sticking, but it lacked that tiny nuanced final bounce. After checking everything else, I couldn’t find a reason. I did notice the key pin appeared larger than the rest, but hadn’t seen this video yet.

So, after seeing this, I remember the key pin - Turns out the key pin was turned just a bit. I placed it back to where the wider portion faces left/right, and all is perfect.

[mikeporter]

After I replaced the treble damper felts on my old Bell upright, one of the black keys was sticking. I found that the red felt on the key cover that sits above the keys, had come unglued and would not allow that one key to come up all the way. Love your videos Howard — your parts and tools are great also.

[chriswest]

This was a great help! Thank you for sharing your trade. I actually found out that my piano (1912 Francis Bacon Player Piano) keys were sticking because of corroded felt pads below the keys. Flipped the pads over (will later replace) and lightly sanded the bottom of the keys. No more sticking keys! Glad the “stick” wasn’t in the action.

[StephSellsStuffbytheSeashore]

THANK YOU!!! You fixed my little Spinet 64 (that I got for free because the keys were sticking)!! I'm grateful for your video!!!! ALL they keys were fixed with a simple adjustment of the front board, except one white and one black... and I have faith that you will help me fix those, too! If I need any parts or tools, FOR SURE I am coming to you. :) Thanks again!

[smilingflower]

Just fixed a sticky key on my piano using this video. Thanks! (The piano tuner who came earlier said that it would stop being sticky if we played it more. Yeah right! No way would that pin have turned itself. Besides - no fun playing if one of the keys doesn't lift up.)

[kathrynkyle]

I am forever grateful to you! Thank you so much for sharing your expertise. I fixed my stuck key in a couple of seconds. Thanks to you I can play the pieces I love again!

[saadalhumaid]

I love you man watched your tutes from last night and was able to fix my upright piano thnx very much

[MatthewWeatherford]

Thanks for your videos. I finally got some confidence and took my piano's action out. I got the Protek CLP from your store. It worked great. Wound up having to do the entire action, but your videos got me through it.

[reannalloyd]

This page is going to be a HUGE help to me! Thank you for teaching!

[jensclemmensen]

This is the best video, I found on the subject. Real quality content! Thanks a lot for sharing!

[gxhgxhgxh]

Thank you so much for being honest and freely sharing your information. Tuners in my country are very secretive and they don't explain things to customers (even those who are musicians). I'm very grateful. Wishing you all the best!

[turnitback]

What an excellent video. Thank you. Our piano was bought new about 30 years ago. Our children never really took to music, so the instrument has stood idle for most of that time. Now I want to learn, so perhaps it wasn't entirely wasted. I shall now open it up and look for the cause. It's one key only, so I am hoping it isn't too bad. Best regards form the United Kingdom.

[MgThompson]

Your videos are fantastic! I was looking for tutorials over internet about how to do right maintenance on my piano, but could not find anything useful. 
And here comes the day when I found your videos. This is the gold mine!!
Thank you so much for uploading all this valuable knowledge to YouTube. :)

[garyandislasinclair-moore]

Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. I will now have a try at sorting a couple of sticking/non playing keys on my Wife's beloved piano

[Stahlgewitter]

Wow, I am SO glad I thought of checking for this on YouTube. I have the exact problem you went into detail about - the key that will play, then not. I am opening that sucker up tomorrow.
Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge! And for being so detailed.

[texasnanna]

Thank you so much! I just bought a piano at a huge discount because the owner did not want to have a technician fix four dead keys. My husband got .31 cents out from between the keys! lol The piano is perfect now.Thanks for the tips.