Symptoms
- Pressing the right pedal does nothing; notes stop as soon as you release the keys
- Notes keep ringing even when the pedal is up (dampers stuck off the strings)
- The pedal feels loose, floppy or drops to the floor
- Only part of the keyboard sustains, or some dampers don't lift
- The pedal works but is stiff or very noisy
Likely causes
Fallen or disconnected rod
On uprights a wooden dowel connects the pedal lever to the damper lift rail. It can slip out of its socket, especially after moving.
Loose adjustment nut or broken spring
The pedal's travel is set by a nut or screw, and a spring returns it. A loose nut or broken spring leaves the pedal floppy or stuck down.
Grand pedal lyre problems
On grands, the lyre or its braces may have shifted, so the pedal rod no longer reaches the damper mechanism properly.
Dampers binding or out of regulation
Swollen bushings, dirt or misadjusted dampers can stop some or all dampers from lifting, or from returning to the strings.
What you can safely check yourself
- 1Press the pedal and look inside the top of the piano: do the dampers move at all? This tells you whether the problem is in the linkage or the dampers.
- 2On an upright, remove the lower front panel and check whether the vertical wooden dowel is still seated between the pedal lever and the action.
- 3If the dowel has simply dropped out, it can often be set back into its holes by hand; if it's broken or doesn't stay, leave it.
- 4On a grand, check under the piano that the pedal lyre is firmly attached and the braces are snug against the floor.
- 5Look for a broken spring or a loose nut on the floor of the case and keep any parts you find.
What not to do
- Don't force the pedal down hard or stand on it to make it work; you can break the lever or the trapwork.
- Don't spray lubricants into the action or onto damper felts.
- Don't remove the upright's action to reach the dampers; it's heavy, delicate and easy to damage.
Quick fixes vs. call a pro
You can usually handle it
- Check whether the dampers move
- Reseat a dowel that fell out
- Snug up the grand's lyre braces
- Collect any loose parts
Call a technician
- Replace broken rods, springs or nuts
- Regulate the pedal travel and lift
- Free binding dampers and bushings
- Fix dampers that ring or won't lift
What a technician will do
A technician reconnects or replaces the broken part, adjusts the pedal so the dampers lift evenly and at the right point, and frees any binding damper levers or bushings. Most sustain pedal problems are fixed in under an hour on site; a broken lever or casting may need a part ordered.
A piano holds about 18–20 tonnes of string tension. If a fix means opening the action, turning tuning pins or working near the strings, leave it to a technician.