07/13/2024
Here's a retelling of your story to dispel the myth about Prince's famous Hohner Madcat guitar:
There’s a common myth that Prince bought his iconic Hohner Madcat guitar at a gas station for $50. Let me share the true story to set the record straight.
In the early 1980s, Prince used to visit Chicago frequently. During one of his visits, he spent time at the Marva Collins Prep School in Chicago Marva Collins even appeared in the video for “The Most Beautiful Girl in the World.” Where Prince often made charitable contributions to her school some his early philanthropy contributions my started.
A friend of mine Clarence Goodman who is a superb guitar player by the way, walked into a pawn shop in La Grange,IL a suburban town outside Chicago and came across a specific Madcat guitar. He picked it up, played it, and immediately fell in love with it due to its great feel. The guitar was a replica of the HS Anderson Madcat but was made by Hohner.
My friend asked the owner for the price, and after being told, he decided to think about it for a week. When he returned to buy it, the owner informed him that he had sold it to a young Black kid who was signed to Warner Bros. Records. Knowing there was only one Black artist signed to Warner Bros. in the early 80s, my friend realized that Prince had bought the same guitar he once held in his hands.
Prince's acquisition of the Hohner Madcat was far from an impulsive purchase at a gas station. The guitar became one of his trademarks, but its acquisition was through more conventional means, highlighting Prince's keen eye for unique and high-quality instruments.
Here’s my authentic Madcat re issue V2 Vintages made by HSHenderson in Japan that I got custom made. Performance at Herb Alpert's Vibrato Grill Jazz in Belair with Marva King
