Great find! Very interesting. I'd love to see a kit of those . . .

@Trout: me too! I will be looking at the auctions here to find the rest of the kitCool1

Great find, OsakaBop.

I'm glad to know you in Japan, being our first class 'reporter on-site' for that Japanese stuff. Without you we won't be in the position to be so close to the origin of Asian drums, Sir! Yes Sir

Ralf

@Ralf- thanks- funny that's how we all feel about you in the world of Star drumsWelcome

Most interesting things about this drum it's that it's from the early 60's- has real calf heads- to me that's crazy. I have never seen that before on a MIJ

Very cool! Love the dust collectors....I mean the stick savers hoops! I admit that they make a great handle (aren't we all guilty of grabbing those by that rim?)

I don't know about anybody else, but I am dying to see the inside of that shell.......

John

I once saw a Fuji kit from the 60's. It seems to me ,they are an example (along with Yamaha) of what Japanese drums could have and should be. There was a genuineness to them , not so much of the copying and not so much devil may care marketing. I would bet that the shells are a cut above the average for the time. Is the plating, nickel?

Sorry for the delay, a smashing busy couple of days just past- here is the interior of the Fuji drum- of note- 100% calfskin heads top and bottom with wood hoops- what year does that put this thing?

Opening it up - the wood is smooth in texture, not the dry flakey texture of the usual luan- something else? Interesting grain pattern as well...... more mysteries.

[IMG]http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn87/Osakabop/2012-05-24230103.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn87/Osakabop/2012-05-24230032.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn87/Osakabop/2012-05-24230103.jpg[/IMG]

Unusually , it looks like Teak. Teak would have been one of the more common wood choices ,available to the Japanese when these drums were made, certainly as Tectonia Grandis---the common Teak of commerce but also possibly as Tectonia Philippinensis or Tectonia Hamiltoniana. Both of those have a much more limited range and less desirability than the former and are now endangered. T.P. would likely have been available in Japan due to its heavy dependence on the Philippine forests for it's wood product supplies.

Wow - the inside looks really cool. What do they sound like?