Ok I tried to age this piano before but I wrote the name of the brand down wrong the last time.

Lester of Philidelphia
serial # is 211901

I couldn't find anything in the Fine book on the company.

The piano is at a nursing facility; it is a cherry spinet at 39 1/2 inches (taller spinet). It is badly in need of tuning, regulation, and voicing in several areas. The action is terrible, unsuitable even for a beginner.

For curiousity sake and also for info. on if it is wise to sink money into it. My druthers would be to trade it in for a few bucks toward a more suitable instrument, So knowing the age might help me make a good argument down the road for getting something better.

But some at the place think it should be kept and tuned up and whatever places on it that need fixing to be fixed.

It is terrible to listen to and was kept by buffet steam tables for a long spell also.
That has affected the piano also.

Thanks in advance for any information on this piano.

I think it might be wise to trade it for something better.

wolf,
run, do not walk, away from this piano! having grown up playing a Lester spinet, in my opinion it is not worth fixing. The action is indeed awful, especially if fitted with plastic elbow joints as mine was. They were constantly breaking . Just my opinion but I'd definitely vote to trade for something (almost anything would be) better.

Regards,

Sophia

It was made in 1951. Not worth the effort. trade it in.

Thanks everybody;
I will pass along the input from the board on this piano.

I do try to avoid playing that piano. whenever possible...
it is literally painful to play and to listen to.

If I had my druthers I'd trade it in towards a new instrument ( a nice studio piano at the least, a nice restored tall upright like my own or even a nicer digital perhaps).

Having some expert opions on this matter wiil help me at least point out to the powers that be that sinking more money into this piano is not exactly the wisest decision.

Thanks for the age info Curry. And the action info Sophial (I really think this piano has the most horrible action I have ever had to deal with). It limits what I can do musically.
I always am amzed when I move from one group on the Lester to another group on a Baldwin Studio.

It is like 1 hour on the Lester feels like 4-6 hrs on the Baldwin. By the end of the day... I am spent because I have to play on some bad pianos.

The Baldwin gives me some relief before I play a 91 year old upright with too many problems to count. (That critter I only have a few playable octaves to play with... as about 15 keys on the treble half from the outside to wards the middle C don't play much if at all ). The 91 year old Kroeger has barely a pulse.

Now if they'd only listen to me ... sigh.

I have become the facility's piano lobbyist.
And I am finding some strong allies.... there is some hope now.

Again thanks to all for their input on this awful spinet...

Sad to say it probably isn't the worse piano on the grounds. The Kroeger is in the running for that title. LOL