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Hello! I'm the president of an all-volunteer nonprofit. A person made a donation of a Lester Betsy Ross spinet Serial No. 149923. We have a huge garage sale each year in the building we are making into a community center, and I'd like to know what to charge for this piano. It seems to me to be in tune, but it was just moved here, so I don't know if it can be. We could also keep it for a couple of years until our community center is finished and use it ourselves for people to play, but if it's worth a lot we'd be better off selling it. I'm hoping that this is an early enough Lester Betsy Ross that it's before they put in plastic parts. I've tried to research it but am not able to really figure out its value.

Thank you very much for any information you can provide.

Susanka

You can see whether it has plastic elbows or not by opening the bottom board and looking at the elbows, but chances are that if it had them, notes would not work. Other than the elbows, these pianos were actually quite good for spinets, but spinets in general have little value, probably less than $250 at best.

I'll do that, and thanks. I had hoped it would be worth more than that, but every little bit counts! Thank you very much. I'm not sure what elbows are, but I'll find out, and all the notes do work. I think from checking the serial number this piano was manufactured in 1946. It still sounds good, at least to me!

Susanka

According to the serial number software I have, it was made in 1945-1946 in Philadelphia.

I see that one was for sale on Ebay for $500.00 and didn't sell. There is currently one for $400.00 too.

You're very kind. Thank you.

Susanka

These pianos have little value. Often, they have negative value, meaning you have to pay someone to remove them. Alas.

Someone in your community may be kind and give a donation for the piano, so setting a small price isn't a terrible idea. Keeping it around for the kids to play on isn't a bad idea either.

Yes, we made a decision just this morning to keep the piano for use in the community center we're turning the building into. We've looked all through it, and It's in very good condition actually; the donor was a pianist and organist who took very good care of her instruments.

Thank you, all, for your help!

Susanka

Keeping it to use sounds like a good option!
Good luck with the ongoing development of your community center.