Since 1946, Pearl has produced musical instruments in Japan. Founder Katsumi Yanagisawa changed the company's emphasis from percussion instruments to drums in 1950, and a few years later added Timpani, Latin percussion, and marching drums. Since that time, Pearl have become increasingly successful. Pearl has established a reputation that is as reliable as their equipment and is a favourite among professional players all over the world, including Dennis Chambers, Ian Paice, and Joey Jordison to name a few.