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Lester actually made several nice older grand pianos, one six one, the
other nine feet. I have seen several of the six feet pianos and one of
the nine foot ones. They are upper medium quality instruments: the
concert grand was a Steinway clone but nevertheless quite a nice
piano. When rebuilt properly, I would say either would surpass 90 per
cent or more of imported instruments. The poor pianos one thinks of in
the context of Lester are later productions. <br>
Regards, Robin Hufford <br>
<br>
Isaac Sadigursky wrote:<br>
<blockquote type="cite" cite="mid410-22004126465520330@earthlink.net">
<meta content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1106" name="GENERATOR">
<div>HI,MIchael! According to rumors out here,in la-la land,Lester
pianos were endorsed by Philadelphia orchestra.It was placed in the
back room and woodwind section players used to play cards on it.It
served them well.It belongs to the category of "tuning the untunable".
Have a nice weekend! Isaac </div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
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<div
style="font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size-adjust: none;">-----
Original Message ----- </div>
<div
style="background: rgb(228, 228, 228) none repeat scroll 0%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; font-family: arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size-adjust: none;"><b>From:</b>
<a title="spalding48@earthlink.net"
href="mailto:spalding48@earthlink.net">Michael Spalding</a> </div>
<div
style="font-family: arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size-adjust: none;"><b>To:
</b><a title="pianotech@ptg.org" href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech</a></div>
<div
style="font-family: arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size-adjust: none;"><b>Sent:</b>
12/3/04 8:46:11 PM </div>
<div
style="font-family: arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size-adjust: none;"><b>Subject:</b>
RE: endorsed by the Philadelphia Orchestra????</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<font size="2">
<div><font face="MS Sans Serif" size="2">Tom,</font></div>
<div> </div>
<div><font face="MS Sans Serif" size="2">Speaking of finding
interesting reading material in a Lester: Tuned one in a little church
last week. Ran a chromatic scale before I opened it up (and after
hearing that, I still stayed to tune it) and some notes in octaves 5
and 6 felt a little bound up. Sure enough, inside the action was their
original factory warranty document, entitled "Golden Anniversary
Guarantee Bond". A fold-out panel on the side contains 10 individual
coupons, each of which describes the guarantee for specific
components. For example, a coupon for keys, a coupon for strings, etc.
etc. The most interesting one is the "tone stabilator" - any ideas what
that might be? I looked all over the piano inside and out, but
somebody must have removed it before I got there :-)</font></div>
<div> </div>
<div><font face="MS Sans Serif" size="2">Another interesting
statement:</font></div>
<div> </div>
<div><font face="MS Sans Serif" size="2">"The Lester Piano Mfg.
Co., inc., is one of the largest and most progressive piano
manufacturing companies in America today. It has enjoyed coninuous and
direct management by the family of the founder and its policies have
never deviated from those which were established over sixty years ago.
Not only is the Lester considered one of the few really fine pianos now
manufactured, but its sterling qualities of tone and durability have
made it the favored instrument of many leading educational
institutions. The name "Lester" on your piano is absolute assurance of
years of musical satisfaction."</font></div>
<div> </div>
<div><font face="MS Sans Serif" size="2">Mike</font></div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
<blockquote
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<div
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Original Message ----- </div>
<div
style="background: rgb(228, 228, 228) none repeat scroll 0%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; font-family: arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size-adjust: none;"><b>From:</b>
</div>
<div
style="font-family: arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size-adjust: none;"><b>To:
</b><a title="pianotech@ptg.org" href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</a></div>
<div
style="font-family: arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size-adjust: none;"><b>Sent:</b>
12/3/2004 5:34:34 PM </div>
<div
style="font-family: arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size-adjust: none;"><b>Subject:</b>
endorsed by the Philadelphia Orchestra????</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<font size="2"><font face="arial,helvetica"><font face="Geneva"
color="#000000" size="2" family="SANSSERIF">List<br>
<br>
I've tuned many a Lester in my short career. Too many, I'd have to
say. Today, there I was, sitting once again at a Lester, banging on
those waterfall keys, attempting to make it sound like a piano when I
looked up, and on the underside of the lid was a decal which stated,
"Endorsed by the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra".<br>
<br>
Whaaa?<br>
<br>
This is like the US Olympic Track and Field Team endorsing PAYLESS
SHOES. <br>
<br>
Or the Nobel Peace Prize Committee awarding Yassar Arafat the Nobel
Peace Prize. (Oh...wait...that actually happened...heh, heh)<br>
<br>
Anyway, how could this be true? Was anyone around back then (this
piano dated to the 40s, I'd say)<br>
who could tell me how this could happen? <br>
<br>
I do have a theory, though. Perhaps it's because you can refer to
either the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestr!
! a OR Lester pianos by the initials: PSO!<br>
<br>
Tom Sivak<br>
Chicago PTG Associate</font> </font></font></blockquote>
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