As some of you might know, H.S. Anderson is building the Mad Cat guitars again, identical to Prince's Hohner (but with the original logo).

I thought sharing some pictures of the production process would be fun, so here we go:

[img:$uid]http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/w395/vlammie/HS%20factory/PA291864.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/w395/vlammie/HS%20factory/PA291862.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/w395/vlammie/HS%20factory/PA291851.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/w395/vlammie/HS%20factory/PA291854.jpg[/img:$uid]

Some more pics:

[img:$uid]http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/w395/vlammie/HS%20factory/PA291840.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/w395/vlammie/HS%20factory/PA291831.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/w395/vlammie/HS%20factory/PA291830.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/w395/vlammie/HS%20factory/PA291829.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/w395/vlammie/HS%20factory/PA291838.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/w395/vlammie/factory4.jpg[/img:$uid]

The factory:

[img:$uid]http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/w395/vlammie/HS%20factory/PA291876.jpg[/img:$uid]

I want one.

Nice,

But for this kind of money I expect the pickguard to be a bit better then they are now. They make the guitar look a bit cheap I am afraid. It should be transparent where the colour of wood comes through the pickguard. Just like it is on Prince's original.......

Just my 2 cents.

Doc.

wow, that's amazing. Would be great if it was sold as a P signature model....but we know he won't e up for it!! Anyways I want one!

I´m not a guitarist and the Hohner will always remain a mystery to me.

So, which one is THE original Hohner? Does Prince still play his first Hohner, or does he have dozens of replicas? And if he has replicas, are they made by Hohner or are they of the Henderson Mad Cat variety? Does he buy them second hand or does Hohner make custom ones just for him ( which I highly doubt since he didn´t like that they called one model "The Prinz", = German for "Prince").

And do they sound different? What are the price differences between a real old school Hohner, a remade Hohner "The Prinz", and a Henderson Mad Cat? Is Henderson a subsidiary of Hohner? How so? If not, why do they make a similar looking guitar? Which model is "the best" as far as sound goes? What makes the cheaper versions "bad" versions?

And again, if they don´t make the "old" and original Hohner anymore, where does Prince keep getting his? I know he has many of them.

I´ve tried to find answers to these questions over the last few years, looked up several websites dedicated to the Hohner but couldn´t really find any satisfying answers.

Like I said, I am not a guitarist but as far as sound and look are concerned, I really love this guitar, its shape and its color. I guess my brain has been programmed into liking this guitar over the decades. It is the epitome of a Prince guitar and it´s cool that he still plays it. It´s his trademark guitar (with the Cloud) and I can´t stand to see him with a boring looking Strat, regardless of the sound.

Feelgood said:

Nice,

But for this kind of money I expect the pickguard to be a bit better then they are now. They make the guitar look a bit cheap I am afraid. It should be transparent where the colour of wood comes through the pickguard. Just like it is on Prince's original.......

Just my 2 cents.

Doc.

the company which made the pickguard material in the 70's is gone...

after cutting, it gets polished so the end result is pretty close though, and it won't warp as much:

[img:$uid]http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/w395/vlammie/Vintage%20re-issue%20Mad%20Cat/MadCatVintageReissue26.jpg[/img:$uid]

an original from '79 next to the re-issue.

KoolEaze said:

I´m not a guitarist and the Hohner will always remain a mystery to me.

So, which one is THE original Hohner? Does Prince still play his first Hohner, or does he have dozens of replicas? And if he has replicas, are they made by Hohner or are they of the Henderson Mad Cat variety? Does he buy them second hand or does Hohner make custom ones just for him ( which I highly doubt since he didn´t like that they called one model "The Prinz", = German for "Prince").

And do they sound different? What are the price differences between a real old school Hohner, a remade Hohner "The Prinz", and a Henderson Mad Cat? Is Henderson a subsidiary of Hohner? How so? If not, why do they make a similar looking guitar? Which model is "the best" as far as sound goes? What makes the cheaper versions "bad" versions?

And again, if they don´t make the "old" and original Hohner anymore, where does Prince keep getting his? I know he has many of them.

I´ve tried to find answers to these questions over the last few years, looked up several websites dedicated to the Hohner but couldn´t really find any satisfying answers.

Like I said, I am not a guitarist but as far as sound and look are concerned, I really love this guitar, its shape and its color. I guess my brain has been programmed into liking this guitar over the decades. It is the epitome of a Prince guitar and it´s cool that he still plays it. It´s his trademark guitar (with the Cloud) and I can´t stand to see him with a boring looking Strat, regardless of the sound.

Prince's Hohner was made by H.S Anderson OEM for Hohner usa, hence the logo.

The one he still uses is an original from the 70s, with upgraded tuning machines and pickups.

at the back, there's a cover plate for a hole where someone built in a wireless system.

Roger Sadowsky made a replica that could ejaculate, so I don't think he has a lot of original Mad Cats.

www.madcat.ch and www.madcatguitars.com are good sources for info.

Glad you like them!

They are actually a bit better than the old ones, but have the same mojo.

The first batch leaves the factory today!

vlammie said:

Feelgood said:

Nice,

But for this kind of money I expect the pickguard to be a bit better then they are now. They make the guitar look a bit cheap I am afraid. It should be transparent where the colour of wood comes through the pickguard. Just like it is on Prince's original.......

Just my 2 cents.

Doc.

the company which made the pickguard material in the 70's is gone...

after cutting, it gets polished so the end result is pretty close though, and it won't warp as much:

[img:$uid]http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/w395/vlammie/Vintage%20re-issue%20Mad%20Cat/MadCatVintageReissue26.jpg[/img:$uid]

an original from '79 next to the re-issue.

They both look perfectly new to me. Which one is from ´79 ?

KoolEaze said:

vlammie said:

the company which made the pickguard material in the 70's is gone...

after cutting, it gets polished so the end result is pretty close though, and it won't warp as much:

[img:$uid]http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/w395/vlammie/Vintage%20re-issue%20Mad%20Cat/MadCatVintageReissue26.jpg[/img:$uid]

an original from '79 next to the re-issue.

They both look perfectly new to me. Which one is from ´79 ?

The right one is the '79, the right one is the re-issue prototype.

They are hard to catch faithfully on film though, this is also the left one (same guitar):

[img:$uid]http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/w395/vlammie/Vintage%20re-issue%20Mad%20Cat/14-09-2012-madcat-004.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/w395/vlammie/Vintage%20re-issue%20Mad%20Cat/14-09-2012-madcat-017.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/w395/vlammie/Vintage%20re-issue%20Mad%20Cat/15-09-2012-madcat-007.jpg[/img:$uid]

Maybe I'm just a really lousy photographer...

Price?

Price point?

Dealers:

http://maxguitarstore.com...uctID=9103

http://www.leo-caerts.be/...son-madcat

http://the-soundfactory.c...d-cat.html

More dealers following soon.

If you think your favourite shop should become a dealer, tell them to contact me.

SashaNicole said:

Price?

By the way, they are easily worth the price, please don't compare this to the Korean Hohner copies from the '80s, apples and oranges.

They are handmade in Japan, with selected wood and premium parts (Bill Lawrence pickups, Gotoh hardware, Callaham saddles, hi-voltage orange drop caps, etc.). It takes around 8 weeks to build one, and only 6-7 pcs a month are produced.

And since vintage Mad Cats sell around 5000€, these are actually a bargain.

vlammie said:

SashaNicole said:

Price?

By the way, they are easily worth the price, please don't compare this to the Korean Hohner copies from the '80s, apples and oranges.

They are handmade in Japan, with selected wood and premium parts (Bill Lawrence pickups, Gotoh hardware, Callaham saddles, hi-voltage orange drop caps, etc.). It takes around 8 weeks to build one, and only 6-7 pcs a month are produced.

And since vintage Mad Cats sell around 5000€, these are actually a bargain.

If I wrote you out a great sob story do you think you could get one to me free of charge in time for Christmas? I don't want any scratches on it mind.

I have my own plectrums and I could pay for shipping, no trouble at all.

KeithyT said:

...and what is that price? EDIT: ok 2843 euros on one of those links. That's about £2330 GBP I think with current rates. A pretty penny but I must admit they do look better than the Hohner Artist and Elite reissues from a few years ago (they were cheaper though) [Edited 12/5/12 2:03am]

The £ is getting stronger lately, so around 1900£ excl. VAT.

No idea how many VAT you would pay, but feel free to contact http://www.toneworld.co.uk/ in Manchester, they will know.

The hohner staufer artist guitars were made in the czech republic I think, so not from the original factory like the H.S. Andersons.

I actually don't think Hohner ever produced guitars themselves.

I have a '79 Mad Cat and compared it extensively when co-designing the re-issue.

Problem is most people now prefer the new one if I let them play both...

Feelgood said:

It should be transparent where the colour of wood comes through the pickguard. Just like it is on Prince's original.......

Just my 2 cents.

Doc.

Obviously you've never seen an original HG 490, which is the one Prince has, he has 2 by the way for the people wondering how many he has...

And as an owner of an original 1979 Hohner HG 490 I can tell you that the pickguard was never transparent and the pickguard's wood colour is lighter than the wood color of the body, it looks exactly the same as the ones on these H.S. Anderson reissues...

Neversin.

A quick shot before shipping.

Lefties available for a small extra charge, and with a black logo, no pearloid here unfortunately.

[img:$uid]http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/w395/vlammie/705975_464317576947483_2075226659_o.jpg[/img:$uid]

evreed said:

Not is USA I guess

Only in stores in Europe yes.

Shipping to USA is of course possible, but the price will be higher becaue of the shipping cost and import duties...

Availabe in european stores as of........ NOW!

First video online now:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KIG0aoRXww&feature=youtu.be

(Anybody knows how to properly embed this?)

vlammie said:

First video online now:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KIG0aoRXww&feature=youtu.be

(Anybody knows how to properly embed this?)

seems killer... i got an email about these a little while ago as i'd asked about them before... tempting

all prince stuff aside... i think it wouldbe a great tele to play

.

[Edited 12/24/12 1:21am]

MoBetterBliss said:

seems killer... i got an email about these a little while ago as i'd asked about them before... tempting

all prince stuff aside... i think it wouldbe a great tele to play

.

[Edited 12/24/12 1:21am]

It's definetely more than just 'the same guitar as prince uses'.

It actually made people sell their favourite telecaster and/or stratocaster after comparing it side to side with the Mad Cat. (inlcuding myself...)

One guy (who works at a music store) who is 51 years old and owned over 100 strat's and tele's, took a Mad Cat home, and played all night until 4.00AM, and texted me then it's the best thing he ever played, and the craftmanshiop is exceptional.

When comparing the Mad Cat to something else, what always strikes me is that you'll get "more of everything".

More highs (but never shrill), more lows (kinda like a subtle octaver mixed in), a lot more dynamics (you can go from clean to scream by just your pick attack), and more sustain.

Although the body-shape is telecaster inspired, the electronics and hardware are similar to a hardtail strat. Especially the in-between position sounds more strat than tele, but it has it's own thing.

Too bad there's not more playing in the above video, but you'll get the idea a bit.

If you can find the video, Prince played 1999/controversy on a french tv show a while ago (le grand journal I think), which is a very good example of how these guitars sound in the right hands...

vlammie said:

MoBetterBliss said:

seems killer... i got an email about these a little while ago as i'd asked about them before... tempting

all prince stuff aside... i think it wouldbe a great tele to play

.

[Edited 12/24/12 1:21am]

It's definetely more than just 'the same guitar as prince uses'.

It actually made people sell their favourite telecaster and/or stratocaster after comparing it side to side with the Mad Cat. (inlcuding myself...)

One guy (who works at a music store) who is 51 years old and owned over 100 strat's and tele's, took a Mad Cat home, and played all night until 4.00AM, and texted me then it's the best thing he ever played, and the craftmanshiop is exceptional.

When comparing the Mad Cat to something else, what always strikes me is that you'll get "more of everything".

More highs (but never shrill), more lows (kinda like a subtle octaver mixed in), a lot more dynamics (you can go from clean to scream by just your pick attack), and more sustain.

Although the body-shape is telecaster inspired, the electronics and hardware are similar to a hardtail strat. Especially the in-between position sounds more strat than tele, but it has it's own thing.

Too bad there's not more playing in the above video, but you'll get the idea a bit.

If you can find the video, Prince played 1999/controversy on a french tv show a while ago (le grand journal I think), which is a very good example of how these guitars sound in the right hands...

i usually prefer rosewood or ebony fretboards to maple... but i think i could make an exception in this case

and the cost doesn't put me off... i've spent significantly more on a guitar than what these are going for

do you know if they plan to keep production going, long term?

MoBetterBliss said:

vlammie said:

It's definetely more than just 'the same guitar as prince uses'.

It actually made people sell their favourite telecaster and/or stratocaster after comparing it side to side with the Mad Cat. (inlcuding myself...)

One guy (who works at a music store) who is 51 years old and owned over 100 strat's and tele's, took a Mad Cat home, and played all night until 4.00AM, and texted me then it's the best thing he ever played, and the craftmanshiop is exceptional.

When comparing the Mad Cat to something else, what always strikes me is that you'll get "more of everything".

More highs (but never shrill), more lows (kinda like a subtle octaver mixed in), a lot more dynamics (you can go from clean to scream by just your pick attack), and more sustain.

Although the body-shape is telecaster inspired, the electronics and hardware are similar to a hardtail strat. Especially the in-between position sounds more strat than tele, but it has it's own thing.

Too bad there's not more playing in the above video, but you'll get the idea a bit.

If you can find the video, Prince played 1999/controversy on a french tv show a while ago (le grand journal I think), which is a very good example of how these guitars sound in the right hands...

i usually prefer rosewood or ebony fretboards to maple... but i think i could make an exception in this case

and the cost doesn't put me off... i've spent significantly more on a guitar than what these are going for

do you know if they plan to keep production going, long term?

I' ve only had rosewood fretboards until my first Mad Cat, and now I prefer maple.

It's a bit smoother when bending.

The vintage re-issue Mad Cat is intended as a long-term model, but only 6-7 pcs a month are made, worldwide.

Historically, in the long run lower serial nrs are always more sought-after for guitars, so you might want to take that into consideration.

I agree that the price tag is reasonable considering the built quality and exclusivity.

If you can't find a dealer near you, just send me a PM...