HOW OLD IS MY PIANO?
FREE PIANO IDENTIFICATION & SERIAL NUMBER LOOKUP TOOL
What Year Was My Lowrey Piano Made? (Serial Number Lookup + Guide)
DIRECT ANSWER
Most Lowrey acoustic pianos can be dated to a specific year using the serial number. However, accuracy can vary slightly depending on:
Production era (The initial 1960s Chicago Musical Instruments launch vs. the later Norlin corporate era)
Manufacturing location (Built entirely alongside sister instruments at the historic Grand Haven, Michigan factory)
Model line (Mainly traditional home spinets and console pianos distributed through organ dealer networks)
Lowrey acoustic serial dating is highly reliable because the brand was built directly on the established, continuous record-keeping of the Story & Clark factory.
HOW LOWREY SERIAL NUMBERS WORK
Lowrey acoustic instruments did not use an isolated, unique serial numbering system.
Instead, the system follows this structure:
Serial numbers are perfectly integrated into the main Story & Clark production sequence.
The numbers run in a clean, sequential numeric progression starting in 1963 and continuing until production ceased in 1989.
Digits are strictly numeric, typically ranging from 5 to 6 digits long depending on the decade.
In practical terms:
A Lowrey piano and a Story & Clark piano built on the line at the exact same time will share the same consecutive number pool.
You should focus entirely on the numeric digits; large raised numbers cast into the iron frame are structural model codes, not the serial number.
The serial registry reflects acoustic piano production sequencing, not electronic organ models or cabinet styles.
WHERE IS THE SERIAL NUMBER ON A LOWREY?
Lowrey serial numbers are stamped directly onto the cast iron plate inside the cabinet or onto a dedicated area of the wooden back structure.
Open the top lid of the piano cabinet.
Look straight down into the interior at the gold or bronze-painted cast iron plate.
The serial number is usually ink-stamped directly into the metal frame, often located near the tuning pins in the center or treble area.
On some models, the number is stamped into the wood of the upper back structural posts or visible through a small cut-out window in the plate.
A flashlight may be required due to internal shadowing from the action components.
LOWREY PIANO SERIAL NUMBER LOOKUP TOOL
Important note for Lowrey pianos:
Because Lowrey acoustic pianos share a production sequence with their parent company, select “Lowrey” from the dropdown menu to cross-reference the Grand Haven factory registry.
WHAT YEAR IS MY LOWREY PIANO? (WHAT TO EXPECT)
After entering your serial number, you can typically determine:
The exact manufacturing year of your Lowrey acoustic piano.
Its corresponding era of mid-century American manufacturing (The early 1960s CMI era or the 1970s–1980s Norlin era).
Its approximate position within the Grand Haven factory’s annual production volume.
However, the serial number will not provide:
The specific day or month the frame was strung or boxed.
Information regarding Lowrey electronic home organ models, which use an entirely separate digital date-code format.
Detailed model layout specifications or specific wood veneer styles.
Common issues when identifying Lowrey piano age include:
Common issues when identifying Lowrey piano age include:
Attempting to lookup a Lowrey electronic organ serial number using the acoustic piano database tool.
Entering a 3-to-4-digit cabinet style or plate casting number instead of the unique stamped serial number digits.
Misreading numbers that have faded, oxidized, or been obscured by dust over the decades.
Confusing model designations (like those featuring Charles Frederick Stein scale designs) for the serial registry.
If your result seems incorrect for the physical era of the piano, re-check the number directly on the cast iron plate inside the cabinet.
LOWREY PIANO HISTORY
The Lowrey name was originally famous for pioneering home electronic organs, founded by Frederick Lowrey in Chicago. In 1955, the parent company Chicago Musical Instruments (CMI) acquired the brand.
In 1963, CMI bought the historic Story & Clark Piano Company and moved Lowrey acoustic piano production directly into Story & Clark’s Grand Haven, Michigan facility. This allowed them to offer traditional home pianos alongside their massive organ dealer network. Key historical phases include:
1963–1969: Initial acoustic piano production launch under CMI, utilizing robust, traditional mid-century American construction.
1969–1989: The Norlin era, where Lowrey pianos benefited from advanced acoustic scale designs introduced by industry legend Charles Frederick Stein.
1989: Production of the traditional American Lowrey acoustic piano line in Grand Haven comes to an end.
These instruments remain a notable part of the classic mid-century American home piano landscape, known for solid scale designs and resilient structural frames.
Our database includes Lowrey piano serial numbers across all major production eras and instrument types.
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