It isn´t that complicated....

Pearl (and stencils) are well known and described, and so are Star (and stencils), later becoming Tama.

Hoshino (Kougyou) not so much - possibly because they disappeared, perhaps they wasn´t sold as much in the US?

Here in Denmark, Pearls were sold as Pearl, and Stars are very far between.

But Hoshinos are relatively plentiful, branded Aria, Santana or just Hoshino.

My first kit was a Santana, that´s why I care.

Here is a nice one I had about a year ago:

[img]http://www.gratisimage.dk/thumb-75E9_4EC586CF.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.gratisimage.dk/thumb-779A_4EC586CF.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.gratisimage.dk/thumb-BA74_4E565B2E.jpg[/img]

My first kit was very much identical, but a little older - the toms just hung on simple flat pieces, Slingerland style.

Here is the next generation:

[img]http://www.gratisimage.dk/thumb-2636_4EC58744.jpg[/img]

All I have ever come by were the same shells - 6 layers of Luan.

Somewhere, on another harddisk, I have pics of a later model - with Beavertail-copies and Tama-style OmniSphere tomholders. Sold as Arias and Mayas.

Hoshino also made the shells for Trak - article here:

http://www.mikedolbear.com/story.asp?StoryID=2607&Source=Search&txtSearch=Trak

And then they just disappeared....

Jon

As I mentioned in other posts before: I'm quite sure that Hoshino disappeared because they ONLY used that ridiculous 'copy & mix' of Pearl-Star- ... Ludwig ...! (see pics on the page before ...) hardware parts with really not a single OWN design which might have given them a separate identity, clearly separating them from the other big Japanese companies at that time. No innovation - no survive.

Just my :2Cents:

Ralf

Looks like we may have found the source of the 80's Gretsch Blackhawks-poorly cast Tama knockoff hardware and Rogers chubby lugs,Zolocote interiors and Luan construction.

Best example for Ralf's words,two Hoshino sets,mix of parts from Tama and Pearl on same kit(first pic)

Yes, and the Rogers Beavertail-style lugs on the first. The second, red one is vey much identical to the wood-finished (probably just ce-coated) in my post above.

If Hoshino is not much known in the US, that must have played a large part of not succeeding. Europe alone cannot have been a large enough market.

I have also seen Acrylic Hoshinos from the same time as the red kit, by the way.

Regards

Jon

And here, a pic of an Aria, a little later than the red kit.

Note the lugs - this is the second type often found on early Hoshinos of the cheapest kind. No spring holding the insert, as on the type on the Luxor and the red one. The insert just being a flat piece of steel in a slot, Premier-style,

[IMG]http://www.gratisimage.dk/image-E360_4EED08CE.jpg[/IMG]

Here we have a typical Aria Tama-style tom-mount. Next generation has the OmniSpheres.

This kit is for sale in Denmark (not mine!) for 2800 dkr. including a 2002 hat and som 302 cymbals, stands and all, 1000 for the bass and toms alone.

http://www.trommeslageren.dk/forum/index.php?showtopic=66047

Jon