Finally, the reason balalaika was banned, is based on the old Russian history, in 18th century balalaika was banned in Russia by the church and also by the government, since the instrument was used to mock the church and government by some people who would sing along with it anti-religious or anti-government folk songs and also Roosevelt thought that balalaika might a big propaganda tool by the communists and USSR supporters in the US at the time, so he decided to ban it as a precaution and absurdly the ban is simply "falls through the cracks" and keeps on getting renewed and what is more interesting, Bill Clinton extended it to Alaska (which was the only state that was previously excluded from the balalaika ban, due to the fact that balalaika was a considered a native instrument of Alaska as well, since Alaska belonged to Russia at some point not that long ago.
http://www.justanswer.com/law/7rdwt-balalaika-illegal-us-this-without-doubt.html#re.v/446/
Навел