HS Anderson Mad Cat V2 #24020

The HS Anderson Mad Cat re‑issue is a no‑nonsense resurrection of a thoroughly original guitar, originally conceived back in 1973 by Shiino Hidesato for the Moridaira company. Instead of rehashing Telecaster clichés, Anderson went its own way: a core of walnut flanked by ash and topped (and tailed) with tiger maple, crowned by a bold leopard‑print pickguard. Its hardware and pickups lean more toward Strat‑style sensibilities, giving it a unique sonic voice. It soon achieved cult status — especially once Prince adopted one (via a Hohner OEM version) and relied on it for careers‑defining work like Purple Rain and 1999 

Fast forward: Anderson officially revived the Mad Cat in 2012 with local craftsmen in Japan back at Moridaira’s original factory. The first vintage re‑issue nailed the original spec, then quietly refined it. By version 2 — introduced around 2016 — they’d acquired an authentic 1984 original to copy its notably comfy neck profile and its signature (if finicky) pickups. Thanks to feedback from the Mad Cat faithful, they commissioned Heartbreaker to replicate the tone of the originals without the noise. The result: a hand‑built guitar, limited to around thirty units a year, complete with a certificate of authenticity — and in the case of V2, upgraded wiring, a 4‑way switch, more durable leopard pickguard material, and a return to the classic non‑recessed output jack