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If I get a piano pedal extender, it seems I will not need to purchase an adjustable footrest. Unless I'm missing something. Do you recommend having both?

Any problems with pedal extenders that I should be aware of? CPS Imports has a piano pedal extender for the sale price of $129.99 and free shipping. So it seems like the time to make a purchase. Any advice?

Ann, I have found this to be about as good as they get. There are a couple of comments in other threads about pedal extenders, if you do a search.

There is plenty of room for students to rest their feet near the pedals (aside) properly, so nothing else is really necessary.

John, thanks for your response. I've looked over the PE-2...good to know it's highly recommended. It's also helpful to know that the pedal extender will also work as a foot rest.

John, I took your advice. Just ordered the PE-2. Decided to go with top of the line instead of the OK bargain. I know I'll be happy with the purchase!

Was just researching this. My son is not yet tall enough to sit properly on the bench (with forearm parallel to the floor) and reach the pedals. But the music he is playing now require pedal usage.

I guess pedal extender is the only solution?

My daughter used a couple of PE-2s for about two years. For the first one, the bolt on that tightens the adjustable prop would come loose after arouond 100 - 200 presses of the pedal and the pedal would collapse. I had to duct tape it in her recitals to avoid any accidents like this. We replaced it with the second one, and that one's platform would sometimes collapses to 2/3rd of the original height. It's probably something that a little soldering job can fix but it's rather disappointing after reading so many good reviews about them. Maybe ours are just anomalies. Good thing my daughter grew so much she does not need it any more.

P.S. If any one who lives close to northern NJ and willing to take it, I'll give it away.

Ann,

I have the one you mentioned in your original post. You can come and look at it if you'd like sometime.

It works fine for me. Shipped quickly, too.

Where do the good reviews come from?

People who used them. Many teachers on PW have recommended it in the past.

Thanks Adrienne, but I already placed the order...and still confident that the one I ordered will be great...even though one poster got a couple of duds.

Why don't you contact Dr. Hu, and ask him to make good on it? I've used it in the studio for many years now, with no problems.

I did John. Dr. Hu sent the second one as a replacement of the first. He was quite pleasant to talk to and he stands behind his product. I just didn't want to bother replacing the second one since my daughter was almost tall enough to reach the pedal on her own when it began to act up. My point here is that at least some PE-2s have some build issues, not unlike any other products.

Fossil

Ann

I am using a pedal extender in my private studio from the Janssen Co. out of Oshkosh, WI. (Janssen is famous for their artist benches) Their product has both a left pedal and the damper pedal. It is very sturdy and is used daily in my studio. Cost was over $200 but very reliable - it was money well spent. I believe the small child likes having a place to rest their feet so their legs won't dangle --- and of course when they need to use the pedal they can do so with proper technique.

Terry

I've just got a pedalextender for my daughter. Its an "A-Leg-Gro-ped" http://www.a-leg-gro-ped.co.uk/ It cost a bomb to get it locally - but she loves it and her playing confidence and maturity has improved immeasurably .

Without the pedal her feet are at least 8" above being able to reach so theres at least a couple of years before she grows out of it (and then her sisters 3 years younger and looks to be following in her foorsteps too playing-wise).

Well worth getting...

Thanks for this additional information. It's good to know you were able to get a free replacement.

I ordered the PE-2 through www.firstmusicstore.com. I paid $245 and there was free shipping. I had not intended to spend this much on a pedal extender. But mainly I liked the height range adjusting from 2.5 inches to 8 inches. Others I looked at went from 5.5 inches to 9 inches. So the low position of 2.5 inches was a selling point for me.

I would have waited for more responses and waited to make a decision, but I was feeling very stressed over a separate situation that I had no control over (sister hospitalized--now home). Feeling stressed, I felt compelled to make a quick decision, but made myself post on PW to get more information first...but only waited a couple of hours. At least I used this stress to buy something of real value to my students, (instead of overspending on clothing etc).

Thanks to all of you for your posts!

I was wondering why you quickly went for something almost twice as much as what you originally were looking at when the lower priced product didn't look so shabby itself. Now I understand why with the lower height advantage.

I have the same kind of pedal extender as the CPS Imports one (only cost me about $50 in Taiwan). The build quality is great and looks nice, it can definitely be used as a footrest for kids. But the problem is it can not go lower than 5.5in which is too high for some kids who are still not tall enough to reach pedals comfortably.

Pianofossil, if you want to get rid of your broken PE2, I'd like to take it if you are not too far away. Could you PM me where you live in NJ? Thanks!

C.Y.

Sent you a PM

Fossil

The pedal extender arrived a week ago. (Ordered the PE-2). It has been very nice for using in my studio. It doubles as a foot rest and is a big improvement over the plastic step I had been using as a foot rest (having more weight and being more stationary). But I am concerned about using it at a recital. I'm picturing myself pulling out the bench between student performances and cranking the pedal extender up or down.

If you use the PE-2, how are you managing during recitals? Just get down on the floor and make adjustments? It wouldn't be a big deal, but the next recital will be at the Steinway dealer and the whole program will be recorded.

I'm wondering if a different model of pedal extender would be better for quick height adjustments during recitals.

Ann, call me lazy, but for recitals, unless the student actually needs the pedal extender for playing, I don't use it. When I do use it, I have it set on a medium level and just let the students work around that.