Vintage Re-Issue Mad Cat (Version 2)

Reissue based on the original 1984 Mad Cat with upgraded pickups and 4-way switching

A lot has happened since the first release of the Vintage Re-Issue Mad Cat in 2012. Through feedback from original Mad Cat owners, dealers and players, and by acquiring an authentic 1984 Mad Cat, the fully refined Version 2 was born. This 1984 instrument served as the blueprint for the new neck profile, pickup voicing and overall design approach.

The neck features a very comfortable profile with a smoothly rounded fingerboard, all crafted by hand for a natural playing feel. The original 1984 pickups sounded fantastic but produced noticeable noise. Heartbreaker Pickups was asked to clone the exact tone without the noise – resulting in a clear, dynamic and authentic Mad Cat character. Each guitar ships with an individual measurement of the pickups compared to the reference curve.

Version 2 includes a 4-way switch that expands tonal versatility. The leopard pickguard material used today is more durable than the original, which led to the return of the classic 70s-style output jack instead of the recessed version found on earlier reissues.

Key Features

• Based on an original 1984 Mad Cat
• Comfortable handmade neck profile with rounded fingerboard edges
• Heartbreaker pickup clones with true 1984 tone but without noise
• Individual pickup measurement included
• 4-way switching:
  • Position 1: both pickups in series
  • Position 2: neck pickup
  • Position 3: both pickups in parallel
  • Position 4: bridge pickup
• Durable leopard pickguard material
• Classic 70s-style non-recessed output jack