Paws what you’re doing: Fender’s viral Hello Kitty Stratocaster is officially back, along with a Hello Kitty fuzz pedal, as part of a bumper 50th Anniversary release
Remember that Squier Hello Kitty Stratocaster from a few years ago, which saw its price tag soar to just shy of $1,000 after it went viral? Yes? Well, it’s officially making a comeback – and it’s been joined by a bunch of Hello Kitty accoutrement to boot.
It’s one of the strangest electric guitar case studies of recent times. Originally launched in 2006, the Squier Hello Kitty Strat hit the market without much fanfare, but by the late 2010s, its fortunes began to turn.
Between 2019 and 2022, prices for the Squier Hello Kitty Strat increased from $275 to $700 – that’s an absurd price growth of 254%. At the time, it was theorized the Hello Kitty Strat had gone viral after YouTuber TheDooo took it for a spin in a host of well-viewed Omegle clips.
However, the Squier Hello Kitty Strat has been discontinued for some time, meaning many players have been left, er, feline left out. Indeed, it was practically im-paws-ible to get your hands on one, unless you wanted to fork out fur a price-y second hand model.
Fortunately, Fender has given such fans another op-purr-tunity to experience the Hello Kitty Strat (okay, I’ll stop now).
Naturally, the Hello Kitty Fender Strat headlines the drop – which also celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the anthropomorphic cat – but they’ve been joined by a range of accessories, from branded guitar straps, guitar cables, gig bags, apparel, and even a full-on fuzz pedal.
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(Image credit: Fender)
(Image credit: Fender)
Specifically, Fender has dropped two Hello Kitty Strats – a Squier limited edition model, priced at $499, which features a glossy pink finish; and the Made in Japan Fender variant, which is available exclusively from Fender’s Tokyo store. Both, of course, come with Hello Kitty's face painted on to the body.
That latter model, though, is perhaps the most high-end Hello Kitty Strat you’ll ever see, complete with a Pearl White body, a C-shape maple neck, Hybrid II Custom Voiced pickups, and even a Certificate of Authenticity. All of that will set you back 330,000 Japanese Yen – approximately $2,145.
The Hello Kitty Fuzz, meanwhile, is a no-nonsense gain stompbox that offers Tone, Fuzz, and Level parameters, as well as – of course – bold pink or white Hello Kitty graphics. It’s also mighty accessible, priced at just $99.
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(Image credit: Fender)
(Image credit: Fender)
(Image credit: Fender)
As mentioned, there’s a load of spin-off accessories to go with the Strat and fuzz pedal, which have been separated into two camps of globally available and Japan-exclusive products. Broadly speaking, each market will offer a range of appropriately-branded gear – you know, in case you felt inclined to create a fully blown Hello Kitty rig.
Matt is a Senior Staff Writer, writing for Guitar World, Guitarist and Total Guitar. He has a Masters in the guitar, a degree in history, and has spent the last 16 years playing everything from blues and jazz to indie and pop. When he’s not combining his passion for writing and music during his day job, Matt records for a number of UK-based bands and songwriters as a session musician.
