The Guest Piano Company was founded by Col. James A. Guest in Burlington, Iowa in 1854. The firm began as a large musical instrument retailer, and by the turn-of-the-century they had stores in several major Iowa cities. The Guest Piano Company started out building a modest number of pianos, but by the ‘teens the company offered a full line of upright pianos and player pianos which were sold in their large retail stores. The Guest Piano Company went out of business with the Great Depression.