A NEW BEGINING FOR DRUMS AND GUITARS…   Post war Japan and USA was a time for new influences and a generation of Jazz and Big Band players were looking for new and affordable musical instruments.    Mr Katsumi Yanagisawa started in a small factory of less than 300 sq ft with 2 workers  in Sumida, Tokyo on April 2nd 1946.                                            Over in America Leo Fender had split with his partner ” Doc Kauffman ” and had started work on a new design with a clean sound without feedback problems, the result of the work was the “Broadcaster ” which went into manufacturing in early March 1948. The neck on the guitar was removable for convenience , like a banjo and could be replaced within minutes.      The neck was made of maple as blonde finishes were popular then, Natural finish bodies were made of ash and painted ones made from alder. The Pearl Drum Co was making basic drum kits, marching drums, concert drums and timpani and Latin instruments and had 30 employees.