axetogrind
TDPRI Member
I could swear i've have seen Prince playing a Brown Woodgrain Tele W/Tortoiseshell pickguard that had ''Schecter''on the headstock but a buddy of mine tells me it is a Hohner.Well can anyone help with Pics or info?Thanks.
Prince's Tele:Is it a Schecter?
- Thread starter axetogrind
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links like Ebay, Amazon, and others.
- Status
ROADMAN
Poster Extraordinaire
your buddy is right
griole
Tele-Meister
Prince's Tele was an H.S. Anderson "Mad Cat", made in Japan. I had one, and they were quite a bit nicer than the Hohners that came after them. The finish on both the body and the neck was superb. Pickups were weak, but I didn't know any better back then, and so didn't even think of modifying or upgrading them. Also, I remember specifically that the tortoise appointments on the Mad Cat were single ply, and pretty cool looking. The Hohner had cheaper-looking, multi-ply laminate tortoise trim.
I bought my Mad Cat for dealer cost, from a music store where it languished for almost a year until the owner got sick of looking at it, or watching me sit down and play it again and again. It was my gigging guitar for a year or so. After I started using a Strat to gig with instead of it, I sold it for a pittance.
Due to the relative rarity and discontinuance of the Mad Cats, Hohner jumped in and made the "Prinz" copy that sold fairly well, and now usually goes for big bucks. Put a Mad Cat and a Prinz side-by-side, and you'll see the drastic difference. If you ever have the opportunity to grab an H.S. Anderson Mad Cat, do it!
I bought my Mad Cat for dealer cost, from a music store where it languished for almost a year until the owner got sick of looking at it, or watching me sit down and play it again and again. It was my gigging guitar for a year or so. After I started using a Strat to gig with instead of it, I sold it for a pittance.
Due to the relative rarity and discontinuance of the Mad Cats, Hohner jumped in and made the "Prinz" copy that sold fairly well, and now usually goes for big bucks. Put a Mad Cat and a Prinz side-by-side, and you'll see the drastic difference. If you ever have the opportunity to grab an H.S. Anderson Mad Cat, do it!
OaklandA
Friend of Leo's
The Hohner Prinz is a pretty decent Tele....had not heard of the H.S.Anderson...thanks for the info.
sneakyjapan
Poster Extraordinaire
they are now being made again, only this time when you grab one...you`ll need a gold card...can be seen at the Digi Mart site sometimes. But be warned , they ain`t cheap.
griole
Tele-Meister
Here are a couple of shots of the Mad Cat (thanks for the link, sneakyjapan). At 188,000 yen asking price, that's about $2,000! YIKES! Nice looking guitar, though.
Josh Davis
Tele-Meister
A buddy was Princes drum tech. Said he has a room full of 59 Bassman reissues in road cases at paisley park. I always liked prince, even he knows a tele through a bassman is a great tone.
It might be pedantic, but Prince's Tele is and was a Hohner - he's never had a Mad Cat. Sure, both were initially made in the same factory, but Prince's has always been a Hohner branded guitar.
Look at the headstock in any older picture - it has Hohner in silver following the headstock contour.
image removed
image removed
Pictures courtesy of (link removed)
Last edited:
olaftheholy
Tele-Afflicted
+1
I thought so too, Hohner!
but i knew of the H.S Anderson's and theres also a version of it made by Bill Lawrence once...
Prince's guitar always has been a Hohner though...
There's a dedicated website for the guitar prince has played
Foto below is of the Bill Lawrence version (i remember it well from back in the day)
image removed
linkage;
(link removed)
I thought so too, Hohner!
but i knew of the H.S Anderson's and theres also a version of it made by Bill Lawrence once...
Prince's guitar always has been a Hohner though...
There's a dedicated website for the guitar prince has played
Foto below is of the Bill Lawrence version (i remember it well from back in the day)
image removed
linkage;
(link removed)
Slap my wrist for not originally crediting that website!
Another site with some info on other guitars Prince has played over the years
http://www.geocities.com/prince_guitars/index.htm
BTW - a little bit of tech info - while on the Kinman site it is suggested that Prince has a set of Kinman Tele Broadcasters in his guitar,
http://www.kinman.com/image/review_tmp/Princes pickups.pdf
he in fact had a set of the Strat Kinmans installed (not sure which model). Rather than buy new covers, he had the white covers blacked out with a sharpie(!) which can be seen in some later photos where it has worn away.
image removed
Another site with some info on other guitars Prince has played over the years
http://www.geocities.com/prince_guitars/index.htm
BTW - a little bit of tech info - while on the Kinman site it is suggested that Prince has a set of Kinman Tele Broadcasters in his guitar,
http://www.kinman.com/image/review_tmp/Princes pickups.pdf
he in fact had a set of the Strat Kinmans installed (not sure which model). Rather than buy new covers, he had the white covers blacked out with a sharpie(!) which can be seen in some later photos where it has worn away.
image removed
Last edited:
griole
Tele-Meister
OK, the Hohner Prinz used in the picture above is essentially the same guitar as the H.S. Anderson, which came out before the Hohner. Whatever was on the headstock, the guitar was a high quality axe. But the Hohners went through a series of "cheaping" exercises until it got to the version originally posted, which you wouldn't mistake for the guitar he actually used. So I stand corrected as to headstock brand.
Speaking of headstocks, I humbly submit that the Hohner "Artist" at the link below is without doubt the WORST headstock design ever to grace a Tele-style guitar. Beware: Following the link is not for the squeamish! Ugh!
(link removed)
Well, at least they got the tortoise trim right..........
Speaking of headstocks, I humbly submit that the Hohner "Artist" at the link below is without doubt the WORST headstock design ever to grace a Tele-style guitar. Beware: Following the link is not for the squeamish! Ugh!
(link removed)
Well, at least they got the tortoise trim right..........
Yep, butt-ugly headstock. Seems they just couldn't think of something better. Even if I had the money to spare, that headstock would stop me buying one.
Interesting to see that the new Andersons bear a closer resemblance to the Bill Lawrence than the original Mad Cats - headstock shape and Tele style 3 screw bridge pickup at regular tele slant instead of a Strat style 2 screw pup in the only slightly angled orientation.
Interesting to see that the new Andersons bear a closer resemblance to the Bill Lawrence than the original Mad Cats - headstock shape and Tele style 3 screw bridge pickup at regular tele slant instead of a Strat style 2 screw pup in the only slightly angled orientation.
Last edited:
johnporter
Tele-Meister
One of the two Hohners Prince is currently using on tour, they are early eighties Japanese made models and Prince is ROUGH on them.
image removed
(link removed)
During the "Purple rain" and "parade" tours Prince used three Hohners, his main one with a build in wireless, a second one for Back up duties and a third one with a hose fitted to the back of the neck meant to spray the audience wet with during the song "head" where he was simulating masturbation with his guitar and the spraying was the orgasm.
image removed
Prince in 1983 during the 1999 tour with the Hohner with the built in wireless, it enabled him to ride his motorcycle on stage and come off playing. Note, no lead coming from his guitar
image removed
Prince with the spraying Hohner, the hose is clearly visible between the body bindings.
But Wendy and Miko also played Hohners.
image removed
(link removed)
During the "Purple rain" and "parade" tours Prince used three Hohners, his main one with a build in wireless, a second one for Back up duties and a third one with a hose fitted to the back of the neck meant to spray the audience wet with during the song "head" where he was simulating masturbation with his guitar and the spraying was the orgasm.
image removed
Prince in 1983 during the 1999 tour with the Hohner with the built in wireless, it enabled him to ride his motorcycle on stage and come off playing. Note, no lead coming from his guitar
image removed
Prince with the spraying Hohner, the hose is clearly visible between the body bindings.
But Wendy and Miko also played Hohners.
Slow Reflexes
Poster Extraordinaire
Damn. That clip deserves its own thread.
M0wgly
NEW MEMBER!
Believe it or not, but I'm on the verge to buy either the Hohner Artist Elite or H.S. Anderson Madcat 2009 reissue model... Although the Madcat is only sold in Japan. I fortunately have a japanese friend who can help me to ship this to my address.
So, can anyone advise me which one is better?
So, can anyone advise me which one is better?
iama
TDPRI Member
I can tell you the original HS Anderson Mad Cat is a fine instrument. If you haven't had any luck, maybe this one will work. I've had it since '82. Very solid, very resonant.
Udonitron
TDPRI Member
I see those Honers from time to time in Japan. They go for about 65K Yen. Gorgeous but VERY heavy!
Burlington Dave
Friend of Leo's
Prince, now there's an under rated guitarist! Love him or hate him, he sure can play.
- Status
