I've been trying to piece together threads on here, different guitar websites and ebay listings etc to put together a definitive list of all the Hohner Prince style telecasters that were ever released. Without going into detailed specs, prices etc and just concentrating on the aesthetic, look of the guitars, I think I am there, although dates may not be 100%...

The 3 original models (1975-1980?)

Hohner TE HG490 Telecaster
H.S. Anderson TE HS-1 (or TE HS-80?) "Madcat" Telecaster
Bill Lawrence TE Telecaster

All of the above are the original design, leopard print style pickguard, cheap telecaster copy from the late 1970s (the Lawrence has a unique "hooked" headstock). As we know Prince bought the Hohner version in or around 1980.

The Replica model (1985-1990 or 1985-1993?)

Hohner TE/The Prinz

On the back of the success of Purple Rain, Hohner re-issued a replica that retained the Fender style headstock, but the pickguard now looked more tortoise-shell than leopard print. The wording on the headstock reads THE Prinz. These are usually serial numbered by year on the back plate where the neck bolts on to the body. The latest serial number I have seen begins 89**** for the model with the Fender style headstock. Lending credence to the lawsuit shape change kicking in around 1990.

The Re-Issue Replica Model (1991-1994 or 1991-1996?)

Hohner TE Prinz

A re-issue of the replica above, THE was replaced with TE on the headstock text. This time a Fender lawsuit prevented the use of the Fender style headstock. The new headstock had a more pointed look. Tortoise-shell style pick guard again. The 1990s models were supposedly inferior in build quality and sound to the 1980s TE Prinz models. The serial numbers on these seem more randomly generated and sellers listing them on Ebay seem to be under the impression that they are mid-1980s models. I don't think they are.

The new replica models (2008)

Hohner The Artist HTA490
Hohner The Artist Elite

The latest Hohner replicas to be made. The pickguard is now closer to the original leopard print style but still not exactly like Prince's guitar. The headstock has been changed again to have a more curved look (but again nothing like the original Fender style). Both the HTA490 and Elite look identical but the Elite is more expensively (hand) made. Either the HTA490 or the Elite (not sure which) has apparently been put together with the help of some of Prince's ex-guitar techs who know some of the modifications he has made over the years. The Elite is also available in complete black finish (The Black Prince) much like their mid-1980s Hohner TE Custom (sister guitar to the TE Prinz).

Hopefully that's pretty close to correct and may help to answer some questions that pop up on here from time to time.
[Edited 5/13/09 4:14am]

KeithyT said:

Where can we get the pics?

The best site out there for pics is probably this one

http://www.photopix.ch/guitar/index.php

I got my HTA490 this morning from Grand Central and it kicks more ass than I thought in the first place.
With a nice set of Boss pedals, it sounds really good. Its natural sound is funky.

Very nice guitar. Well put together.

I'm really pleased.

Hey Sarkozy,

That HTA490 is such a nice price compared to the Elite too.

As an update to the original post, I should have said that the new 2008 Hohner The Artist (Elite model only) is also available in a black finish.

KeithyT said:

This should be added to the PRINCEPEDIA. A Prince Gear page could be made for this and the Cloud, effects, amps etc.

As an aside, did anyone see the recent ebay auction for the black Taylor 612-CE electro acoustic, played for a couple of weeks on the Musicology tour by Prince (before Taylor made him a custom purple one).

It went for $6000 USD (approx £4200 GBP) in the end. It looked lovely and if I'd won ther lottery a day or two prior to the auciton ending ...well, I'd have bought it.

KeithyT said:

Yeah, I was watching it to see how high it would go. Interesting story on that particular guitar. Prince was just using it until he got one in purple.

KeithyT said:

I totally agree.

It is very good quality.

I had so much fun playing Dirty Mind at lunch time with this nasty nervous raw rock sound that this guitar can produce. It put a big smile on my face.
Funky riffs sound really great on it as well.

update : oops sorry I meant When you were mine


[Edited 3/9/09 9:48am]

Does anyone know for definite if there was both a 1990 AND 1994 version of TE Prinz (with the non-fender-style headstock)? or are they one and the same?
[Edited 3/9/09 9:47am]

KeithyT said:

I was under the impression that the TE 1990-93 was updated in 1994-96 with (only) the different headstock due to the copyright issue with Fender.

So here's a 94-96:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/HOH...0035422667

Clarification: Before this headstock shape, it was "The Prinz" and not "TE Prinz".

See, I thought that from 1985 to 1990 it had the Fender style headstock, then the lawsuit kicked in and from 1990 onwards it had the new Hohner TE Prinz name and headstock, and the 1994 reissue was a minor one that only served to make the guitar worse from a build point of view? It seems to be a case of knowing exactly when the Fender lawsuit prevented Hohner from using the original shaped headstock.
[Edited 3/10/09 1:08am]
[Edited 3/10/09 1:09am]

LOL-I lucked out on getting my Artist-i got it the day it hit the shops-from Chicago (jacks music store-we love you and then the dollar pound was brilliant-just under a thousand dollars-not even five hundred pound-in all five hundred and ninety-in my hand including ninety pound import. I know folks that paid nearly a thousand POUNDS over here. My first guitar import-deffo not my last-though not at the mo wjth the exchange rate. I just wish i could get an amp too-but im told i'd need a transformer to run it off

my hohner is the sexiest guitar i've ever played/owned-and my other one is a US Fender tele custom duluxe

http://www.rockfunk.de/teleprinz.htm

The link above seems to support the fact that the Fender style headstocks on Hohner THE Prinz models lasted until at least 1990. The owner has included the guitar serial number and a picture on the website. I think if you ever see someone advertsing a TE Prinz as 1985 to 1989/90 (which I have) then the date is wrong. The TE Prinz is post 1990 and always has the non-Fender style headstock.

I still am unclear as to whether the TE Prinz was re-issued yet again in 1994 but with a lesser build and sound quality.

Does anybody know of the TE having a different headstock than the pointed one like the one pictured below?



I dont think it is fake because I definitely have seen other types of hohner teles with that style headstock. Is possibly hohner just ran out and started slapping those on there?

KeithyT said:

Im pretty sure that TE Prinz was a Hohner part description for the guitar - TE meaning Telecaster (there were TE Customs, etc.), as catalogs list it as such, even though the headstock says "The" Prinz on pre-1994 Hohners. Of course, the headstock changed shape in 1994. As far as build quality, 1980's were good, 1990's not so good. I'm not sure of the date that production became less than stellar.

Here's some more possible Prinz lineage:

http://prince.org/msg/7/219256

Also: Contact/Google scotty2funky, who used to be an orger. He is a guitar nut and sometimes luthier who knows his Hohner facts. Maybe he can straighten some of this out.

I think you are right about the TE thing squirrelgrease. I think I'll leave it as THE Prinz on the original post though just to differentiate, and because of the text on the headstock

I remember scotty2funky though (was he also in the UK, there was another Scott, a guitar player who also won a Schecter Cloud at one of the Celebrations at paisley). I'll see If I can track him down. Thanks again.

sarkozyiszeman said:

Got mine from same place about a month ago & was VERY IMPRESSED with it!

Best thread ever!

I have a TE Prinz from around 1990 with the pointy headstock. I gotta say, it isn't a great guitar, but then it is a cheap piece of crap Also the scratchplate just looks wrong, more of a flamey effect rather than the sort of tortoiseshell pattern on Prince's guitar.

I always thought it was a shame that Hohner never really made a truly authentic modern copy of Prince's old Hohner with everything including the headstock correct - the truth is that all the little details have to be correct to make it worth it for Prince fans. No doubt Prince's own one is a million miles away from standard spec though.

I have quite a few proper telecasters, I'm something of a tele geek... and I have to say that none of them are quite so shit as my old TE Prinz

Edit: One thing I wanted to add. I have seen many TE Prinz guitars over the years, and either the Hohner construction is extremely variable, or there has been more than one TE Prinz. My one has a sort of flame pattern on the scratchplate, but I've seen others that have a much more plain pattern that looks really different. The skunk stripe width has varied in a few different models. Also, the quilted effect on the guitar body is pretty nice on my 90 TE Prinz, but I've seen other TEs with MUCH crappier finish. So at some point during the 90s it seems that the TE Prinz had changed at least once, with a cheaply made one being a bit more fugly.
[Edited 3/11/09 16:20pm]

ian said:

I know they were bad, but damn you gotta trash em that much?
I was going to get the new reissue (the base one), but the guitar i pictured above showed up on craigslist for 350 and i just couldnt pass on the opportunity It's in the shop getting the nut reglued and a set up, but I dont recall it playing THAT bad, then again i am a lame guitarist...

Question - does the recent HTA490 and Elite have that fugly tortoiseshelll patterned headstock that I've seen in a few photos? That really looks quite bad to me.

It seems to me that if someone had the skills they could get a nice maple Fender tele style neck, give it the right colour and finish, stencil on the old Hohner logo on the headstock etc. Sell them to owners of the HTA490, and make lots of fans very happy.

MajesticOne89 said:

Ah ignore me, I'm just a misery-guts They do vary a lot, hopefully you got one of the nicer ones. I'm a bit of a snob - it annoys me that there isn't a properly accurate clone of Prince's Hohner available after all these years, so TBH I prefer to stick with nice Fender USA teles... way better than Prince's old hunk of junk

Hey ian, long time no see fritos man

Thanks for your input. the 1990 cut-off date (cos of the lawsuit) for the fender-like headstock seems to be supported by your guitar. Especially if it is definitely a 1990 model and has the new pointy looking headstock.

The new HTA490 and Elite do not have the tortoiseshell headstock on the final version. I think they decided against it sometime before they were built.

As for your other comments about the different versions of the TE Prinz, it's quite possible, Originally I thought that there was a 1985 version, then a 1990 version, then a 1994 version - all possibly with slightly different finishes and variations on the tortoise-shell, flame like scratchplate. Based on others answers though I've revised that to 2 different versions of the TE Prinz. It's a bit unclear.

The new HTA490 and Elite look much closer to Prince's guitar apart from the headstock shape of course. I like your idea of using a different bolt on neck for these new replicas. You could get a pretty well built, nice looking, more accuate hybrid version that way.
[Edited 3/12/09 1:57am]

It's the scratchplate that never gets produced correctly (and the headstock). Leopard print and turtle shell are two very different things.

So what wood is Prince's little Tele copy made of then? Don't worry just Googled it. He doesn't use the most sought after guitars though does he? He's happy with just Boss pedals, etc. Just all standard stuff. No Dumble in sight (although I'd love a Boogie but my wife says my neighbours wouldn't appreciate it) or anything fancy.

My guess is that if you want a replica of this guitar then it'd be best to get one made up as the Hohner models aren't that accurate.

Just came across this thread - I have an original H. S. Anderson Madcat that I've owned since it was new - it's in mint ++ condition. This guitar was the factory sample that the Morris Guitars East Coast reps took to the US guitar shows when it was first introduced. (I used to teach guitar and had a wholesale account with the rep firm - the owner offered it to me way back when - for a few hundred bucks).

It's a beaut, as would be expected of the factory sample instrument. Has the original triangular hardshell case. Pics available. Identical to this one shown on YouTube but my case has royal blue plush lining.
http://www.youtube.com/wa...4_NNRLKaag

Any interest? I plan to put it on eBay soon, but figured it should ideally go to a Prince fan. Has been part of my collection for many, many years, always kept in its case in my smoke-fee home. Offers?