Hohner HG-490 Madcat

5.0 (7)

1 Review

This product is Vintage or Discontinued

Newer option

H.S. Anderson HS-1 MAD CAT

Find out who is using Hohner Madcat

11 wishlisted

15 saved

Page last updated Apr 20, 2026

Pricing and availability

Store

Reviews

Price

^* Product prices and availability are updated by Equipboard every 24hrs and are subject to change. Equipboard may receive compensation for purchases made at participating retailers linked on this site. This compensation does not affect what products or prices are displayed, or the order of prices listed. For more information, please refer to our affiliate disclosure.

Description

Edit description

One of Prince’s mainstay guitars that he has been using since the early 80’s is the Hohner MadCat Telecaster, a Japanese made Fender Telecaster copy. These were designed in the early 70’s and later H.S. Anderson sold the rights to Hohner in Germany. Production stayed in Japan but with the Hohner logo. The MadCat had a 25 ½” scale, two single coils and a fixed bridge with a maple body built with a walnut strip down the middle. The front and back were book matched maple with fake tortoiseshell binding and a leopard print pickguard and plastic pickup ring. The proximity of the bridge pickup to the bridge itself produced a unique tone that had the perfect honk for funk causing Prince to fall in love with it. He owns several examples of these, most of which have had the neck replaced at one point due to him wearing them out.

Videos

Add video

Tamás Pógyor

Hohner Madcat The Prinz Telecaster 1989 Soundcheck

Tamás Pógyor

Reviews

Add review

Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Hohner HG-490 Madcat.

Build quality

0 0

The original Hohner MadCat was highly regarded for its quality, costing about 80,000 YEN in 1976, equivalent to $772.98 today.
Source
0 0

Firefly MadCat copies are noted for having decent body work, especially for their $200 price, despite cheaper electronics and tuners.
Source

Comparisons

0 0

The Hohner MadCat, originally a high-quality Telecaster copy, is noted by Prince's guitar tech as the best Telecaster he's ever played.
Source

User experience

0 0

Owners of the Eastwood version of the MadCat have reported needing to replace the scratch plate for personal preference.
Source
0 0

Stainless Steel frets on Firefly models are praised, contrasting with the general need to upgrade other components.
Source

Use cases and applications

0 0

The MadCat was used by Prince on almost every studio album since 1980, showcasing its capability for a wide range of sounds and tones.
Source

Value and pricing

0 0

The original Hohner MadCats are considered superior in quality to the later reissues produced after Prince's rise to stardom.
Source
0 0

Original HS Anderson or Hohner MadCats are seen as worth $3,000, whereas reproductions are criticized for lower quality.
Source

Mods and upgrades

0 0

It's mentioned that Fender Tele necks can fit Firefly bodies with minor adjustments; truss rod adjustment at the heel may interfere with some pickguards.
Source
0 0

Owners often replace Firefly electronics and tuners due to their lower quality; Dremel is used for adjusting pickguards to fit.
Source

Add review

5.0 out of 5

Based on 1 Review and 7 Ratings

5 star

4 star

3 star

2 star

1 star

shannon_smith

almost 9 years ago

This is what it sounds like when doves cry.

I have the Sixkiller copy. Beautiful guitar. Incredible tone. Great fretboard action. A joy to play.

Artist usage

Add artist

Prince

Singer, Guitarist

Prince

Verified via Photo

In this photo, one can see Prince with a Hohner Madcat, as well as in this video, playing "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", with Tom Petty, Steve Winwood, Jeff Lynne and others. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SFNW5F8K9Y&fbclid=IwAR1LKwxF-t1s8z3wBT7WFhQSlGSzmdPPZs4CQsIj7kK7sFER2l8L-pPNLwE