My first post!

I' ve been reading for years here, but never felt the need to post something myself, in case you wonder..

I got intrigued by P's Hohner a couple of years ago, when he played a whole show on it at a summer festival, and it sounded really great.

So I started digging and finally managed to acquire one myself!

As you probably know, Moridaira in japan made these guitars under the HS Anderson brand (model TE1 Mad Cat), and a few were made OEM to hohner USA with a Hohner logo, and one of these became P's main axe.

Here's mine from '79:

[img:$uid]http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/w395/vlammie/IMAG0102.jpg[/img:$uid]

Needless to say, but it plays and sounds great, the most inspirational guitar I ever encountered in 19 years of playing.

No, it's not for sale.

I did notice Moridaira started making Mad Cats again in 2009, to celebrate their 45th anniversary, here's the link: http://www.moridaira.jp/archives/12553

I contacted them, made an appointment at NAMM in january, tested it, and then persuaded my boss to order the final 15 pcs of this limited production run. Moridaira is mainly manufacturing acoustic guitars these days (Morris brand), and the pickguard material is no longer available, they' re using stock from the '80s now for this final run.

I read posts of other .orgers who struggled to order one of these guitars from japan, but there'll be 15 in europe in a couple of weeks. I'll keep one myself, and 3 others have been reserved too, the other ones are still open. European prince-fans are in an advantage here, but hey, maybe you could give me a good reason to ship overseas too.

I put this in the marketplace, although I gain nothing personally here, I just wanted one myself.

The price will be similar to the japanese price, just with shipping cost and import duties added.

Compared to my '79 Mad Cat, the re-issues have useable tuners and the pickups sound better too, especially the bridge pickup. The sound is really really close, so I guess the magic lies in the walnut/ash/maple wood-construction.

These are really fine guitars, and it's my personal mission to share some of these with fellow P-fans over here.

Thank me later!

vlammie said:

My first post!

I' ve been reading for years here, but never felt the need to post something myself, in case you wonder..

I got intrigued by P's Hohner a couple of years ago, when he played a whole show on it at a summer festival, and it sounded really great.

So I started digging and finally managed to acquire one myself!

As you probably know, Moridaira in japan made these guitars under the HS Anderson brand (model TE1 Mad Cat), and a few were made OEM to hohner USA with a Hohner logo, and one of these became P's main axe.

Here's mine from '79:

[img:$uid]http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/w395/vlammie/IMAG0102.jpg[/img:$uid]

Needless to say, but it plays and sounds great, the most inspirational guitar I ever encountered in 19 years of playing.

No, it's not for sale.

I did notice Moridaira started making Mad Cats again in 2009, to celebrate their 45th anniversary, here's the link: http://www.moridaira.jp/archives/12553

I contacted them, made an appointment at NAMM in january, tested it, and then persuaded my boss to order the final 15 pcs of this limited production run. Moridaira is mainly manufacturing acoustic guitars these days (Morris brand), and the pickguard material is no longer available, they' re using stock from the '80s now for this final run.

I read posts of other .orgers who struggled to order one of these guitars from japan, but there'll be 15 in europe in a couple of weeks. I'll keep one myself, and 3 others have been reserved too, the other ones are still open. European prince-fans are in an advantage here, but hey, maybe you could give me a good reason to ship overseas too.

I put this in the marketplace, although I gain nothing personally here, I just wanted one myself.

The price will be similar to the japanese price, just with shipping cost and import duties added.

Compared to my '79 Mad Cat, the re-issues have useable tuners and the pickups sound better too, especially the bridge pickup. The sound is really really close, so I guess the magic lies in the walnut/ash/maple wood-construction.

These are really fine guitars, and it's my personal mission to share some of these with fellow P-fans over here.

Thank me later!

intresting, but no price tag....

Sorry, can't give definitive pricing yet, depends on currency exchange rate, import duties, shipping costs etc.

In japan they're 188.000 Yens, which is approx. 1800€, so european prices will go a little over 2000€.

EU-citizens with a valid VAT-number will not have to pay VAT on top, otherwise it's 21% (we' re based in Belgium, you know: beer, chocolate, waffles ).

Imho, that's a fair price for this build quality, and you'll know for sure it's a limited edition, since the leopard pickguard material is obsolete after these.

They ship in a SKB case, pickups are Bill Lawrence USA T1 and T2.

If you PM me your email-adress, I'll send some more info, pics, etc.

babar141 said:

intresting, but no price tag....

i would like to see the headstock.. wondering if it's the same as the original hohner

any updates?

i'm from Belgium AND i am interested

thx

brechten said:

i would like to see the headstock.. wondering if it's the same as the original hohner

nope that's a little different because of legal issues.

here's he 45th anniversary:

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

vlammie said:

brechten said:

i would like to see the headstock.. wondering if it's the same as the original hohner

nope that's a little different because of legal issues.

here's he 45th anniversary:

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

Looks like the "Bill Lawrence" version; tele bridge pickup and headstock...

The original H.S. Anderson Mad Cats and Hohners have a Strat bridge pickup and Tele headstock...

Neversin.

Neversin said:

Looks like the "Bill Lawrence" version; tele bridge pickup and headstock...

The original H.S. Anderson Mad Cats and Hohners have a Strat bridge pickup and Tele headstock...

Neversin.

Well, that's partially true...

The headstock is different because Fender wouldn't allow to use the old-style, but the hook is not as extreme as the Bill Lawrence models. Also: no ugly gold hardware...

Check this: http://www.moridaira.jp/b...e_products

You' re completely right concerning the tele/strat bridge pickup though!

I'm in the lucky position to have actually tried both, and I certainly prefer the tele-style over the strat-style, which is closer to the bridge and with a different the angle.

I had a luthier wind me another bridge pickup for my '79 Mad Cat because it was actually unbearable with the standard pickup.

The neck and in-between sounds are spot on though with the new model, in case you wonder...

My guess is the biggest part of the sound is in the wood-construction of the body and fixed hardtail-strat bridge.

The new Mad Cats come with Bill Lawrence USA T1 and T2 pickups, not sure about the link with the BL guitars though... I'll have to ask.

On their way from japan as we speak now...

They arrived and sound simply stunning!

some cellphone pics:

[img:$uid]http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/w395/vlammie/IMAG0391.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/w395/vlammie/IMAG0387.jpg[/img:$uid]

vlammie said:

They arrived and sound simply stunning!

some cellphone pics:

[img:$uid]http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/w395/vlammie/IMAG0391.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/w395/vlammie/IMAG0387.jpg[/img:$uid]

I can confirm! I picked one up last weekend. Can't stop looking at it....

Damn, what a beauty!

P.s.: Just now ordered a Get'm Get'm Faux Fur Dark Leopard guitar strap. Woohoo!

[Edited 5/21/12 2:43am]

And some better pics:

[img:$uid]http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/w395/vlammie/Mad%20Cat%202012/madcatfull1.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/w395/vlammie/Mad%20Cat%202012/madcatfull2.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/w395/vlammie/Mad%20Cat%202012/madcatheadstock.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/w395/vlammie/Mad%20Cat%202012/madcatheadstockback1.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/w395/vlammie/Mad%20Cat%202012/madcatprofile1.jpg[/img:$uid]

Enjoy!

Some pro pics, same guitar:

[img:$uid]http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/w395/vlammie/Mad%20Cat%202012/17-05-2012-madcat-002small.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/w395/vlammie/Mad%20Cat%202012/17-05-2012-madcat-019small.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/w395/vlammie/Mad%20Cat%202012/17-05-2012-madcat-017small.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/w395/vlammie/Mad%20Cat%202012/17-05-2012-madcat-013small.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/w395/vlammie/Mad%20Cat%202012/17-05-2012-madcat-012small.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/w395/vlammie/Mad%20Cat%202012/17-05-2012-madcat-011small.jpg[/img:$uid]

I likes................

Have you humped it or given it head?

That's one hot guitar!

Yes of course, that's a critical part in the factory's final testing procedures...

rdhull said:

Have you humped it or given it head?

vlammie said:

Yes of course, that's a critical part in the factory's final testing procedures...

rdhull said:

Have you humped it or given it head?