Yamaha has Keys Squeaking
E Huffman
I play piano and pipe organ. My Yamaha has a couple of keys that are
making squeaking sounds. The technician is coming in a few weeks to fix.
What makes the keys start squeaking? Ideas? I have never had that problem
before. My technician is very busy, thus the 4 week advance appointment.
It drives me nuts! Has anyone ever had this problem with a Yamaha
Piano????? I thought they were the best!
Keith McGavern
E Huffman wrote:
>
> ...My Yamaha has a couple of keys that are
Dear Mr. Huffman,
Squeaks happen. Brand names are not immune. But waiting 4 weeks for
someone to come and correct those squeaks...ouch!
Without knowing the circumstances, the first thoughts I had are:
consider another piano service that can better respond to your needs, or
at least a back-up for special situations like this before you go nuts
:-)
Sincererly,
Keith A. McGavern
Registered Piano Technician
Oklahoma Chapter 731
Piano Technicians Guild
USA
michael rabinovich
In article <01bc523e$9f548e20$7ba592cf@default> "E Huffman" <e.hu...@worldnet.att.net> writes:
>I play piano and pipe organ. My Yamaha has a couple of keys that are
>making squeaking sounds. The technician is coming in a few weeks to fix.
>What makes the keys start squeaking? Ideas? I have never had that problem
>before. My technician is very busy, thus the 4 week advance appointment.
>It drives me nuts! Has anyone ever had this problem with a Yamaha
>Piano????? I thought they were the best!
>
First of all, while Yamahas are good pianos, they are definitely far from
being the best. However, they certainly should not squeak. I actually
had the same problem recently with my Mason - one key squeaked.
My tech fixed it in no time - it turned out that the long keybed part
along which the keys glide in when you hit them was set too close to the keys.
I do not know the name of this part, but it is very easy to just remove it
until your tech comes.
Michael Rabinovich.
Joel Rappaport
As Keith McGavern mentioned, noises like these are not brand specific.
My first thought about squeaks was that you are disturbing the mice that
have taken up residence! Next possibility is that the buckskin knuckles
may need lubrication; this is normal maintenance and should be done by a
professional. If you push several keys down slowly and hear (and feel)
the squeak, this is probably it. Otherwise, there may be wood rubbing
wood elsewhere in the action (keys, other action parts). Hope this
eases your mind because it is not unusual. Maybe if you contact your
technician and mention the possibility of just lubricating the knuckles
without a complete tuning service call, he/she could schedule a quick
stop to take care of this. Good Luck!
Joel Rappaport
Rappaport's Piano Workshop
Round Rock, Texas
Vos nom et prénom
Hi !
Try Kurzweil !
samue...@infonie.fr
-------------------
E Huffman <e.hu...@worldnet.att.net> a écrit dans l'article
<01bc523e$9f548e20$7ba592cf@default>...
Kerry
Not just Yamahas have this problem.
I have 3 keys on my 1986 Steinway B which squeak. I recently had my
piano technician in for the regular tuning and when I asked him about
the squeaks, he listened for them and then told me he couldn't hear
them. I must admit that I found this rather disconcerting and for a
moment began to doubt my own hearing. Never-the-less, he attempted to
remedy "my" problem by applying a "special" lubricant to different
mechanisms and then asking me if I still heard the squeak. When the
squeak disappeared (according to my hearing), I told him so. After
repeating this procedure many times, it seemed we had fixed the problem.
Days after the tuning (and de-squeaking), the squeaks returned, and they
continue to "haunt" my playing. I don't want to have my technician come
back (at least not one who can't hear the squeaks), so I pulled the
keyboard mechanism out yesterday myself ("stare at the problem"), but to
no avail.
I have however collected some clues (for any "click & clack car-talk"
wanna-bes from the piano world). Here they are:
1) when I strike the keys with the keyboard assembly removed, there is
NO squeak
2) the squeak is more noticeable the faster or harder the key is struck
3) the squeak occurs only on striking (no squeak when it returns to
normal position).
Your collective thoughts/wisdom/comments appreciated
- Kerry
Joel Rappaport wrote:
>
> As Keith McGavern mentioned, noises like these are not brand specific.
> My first thought about squeaks was that you are disturbing the mice that
> have taken up residence! Next possibility is that the buckskin knuckles
> may need lubrication; this is normal maintenance and should be done by a
> professional. If you push several keys down slowly and hear (and feel)
> the squeak, this is probably it. Otherwise, there may be wood rubbing
> wood elsewhere in the action (keys, other action parts). Hope this
> eases your mind because it is not unusual. Maybe if you contact your
> technician and mention the possibility of just lubricating the knuckles
> without a complete tuning service call, he/she could schedule a quick
> stop to take care of this. Good Luck!
>
> Joel Rappaport
> Rappaport's Piano Workshop
> Round Rock, Texas
>
> E Huffman wrote:
> >
Don Mannino
Kerry,
Does it make any difference if the damper pedal is depressed or not?
Don Mannino RPT
Keith McGavern
Kerry wrote:
>
> ...I have 3 keys on my 1986 Steinway B which squeak. I recently had my
> piano technician in for the regular tuning and when I asked him about
> the squeaks, he listened for them and then told me he couldn't hear
>
> ...Days after the tuning (and de-squeaking), the squeaks returned, and they
> continue to "haunt" my playing. I don't want to have my technician come
>
> ...Your collective thoughts/wisdom/comments appreciated...
Dear Kerry,
1) Call another technician who might be able to hear your squeaks.
2) The particular lubricant used was ineffective for lasting results.
3) Check your clearance on the keyslip where the three notes are.
Sincerely,
ricm
I have 3 keys on my 1986 Steinway B which squeak. I recently had my
piano technician in for the regular tuning and when I asked him about
the squeaks, he listened for them and then told me he couldn't hear
Don Mannino <DonMa...@worldnet.att.net> wrote in article
<01bc5448$0bdf66e0$a8a093cf@mannino>...
> Kerry,
>
> Does it make any difference if the damper pedal is depressed or not?
>
> Don Mannino RPT
>
Or the soft pedal? Or while firmly holding down C below middle C play the
offending notes and see of there is a change.
Richard Moody PT
(see notes following)
>>so I pulled the
>>keyboard mechanism out yesterday myself ("stare at the problem"), but to
>>no avail.
Then you didn't break any hammers pulling the action out. Thank your
instructor.
>>I have however collected some clues (for any "click & clack car-talk"
>>wanna-bes from the piano world). Here they are:
>> 1) when I strike the keys with the keyboard assembly removed, there is
>>NO squeak
What is the "keyboard assembly". If it is the "mechanism" you pulled out,
then "striking" the keys without the hammers hitting the strings can cause
dammage to the hammer shank centers.
R Moody
ps since you know about pulling the action out, if you can see the hammer
rail while the action is still in the piano, press down on that with your
fingers and play the offending notes. If there is a change, you need to
*first check the key frame bedding.
Mark Mandell
If this is a Yamaha upright, then the squeak could be due to contact
between the key at the balance rail and the balance rail pin(something I
encountered several times in the institutional model). It could also be
friction between the hammer return spring and the groove at the rear of
the hammer butt. And there are other possibilities but this is getting
into too much technojargon already.
Mark Mandell , msm...@webtv.net