Fender has given the cutest cult-classic electric guitar of all time a limited edition makeover that is guaranteed to be a smash-hit – particularly of fans of the single-pickup rock machine.
Yes, yes, yes, you guessed it, it is the Squier Hello Kitty Stratocaster, it's back, and it has been refreshed and refinished in white.
And you know the drill. File this one under “Hurry while stocks last,” because if history has told us anything, it is that in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes, and the Hello Kitty Strat selling out. It has ever been thus, well, since 2006 when it was first launched.
This all-new white one is just an aesthetic refresh. It is still the same Squier guitar that Fender launched in November 2024 to celebrate 50 years of this feline global ambassador for Japanese pop-culture (there was a limited edition white one then, and it didn't last).
That means you have a high-output Fender-designed humbucker at the bridge position, controlled by a single skirted Strat-style volume knob, a six-saddle hardtail bridge for zero-fuss setups, an easy-to-play C profile maple neck – bolted-on as per the classic recipe, 25.5” scale, yadda yadda yadda – plus the vintage tuners with white buttons, and all those signature Hello Kitty details.
Details such as the painted headstock to match the body, a headstock which has a miniature Hello Kitty graphic plus the Squier logo in red to match the dot inlays. Even the numbers on the volume dial are pink, not gold as you’d typically find. The Squier Hello Kitty Stratocaster is priced £439/$579 and is available now.
It does not come alone. This is an expansion of Fender’s Hello Kitty pawprint. We have the Hello Kitty Fuzz refinished in black – again with the Hello Kitty graphic, the pink, skirted amp-style controls, with the legends written in Japanese and English, and the same super-versatile op-amp sound.
It’s… A serious fuzz pedal with a simple three-knob drive. It’s reasonably priced, too, at £99/$124. You might even say it’s the cat’s pyjamas.
Now, what else? There’s loads here. There’s a new poly guitar strap (£30/$34). Better still there’s a pink and white Hello Kitty guitar cable (£25/$37), which looks really need with that woven finish. And there is also a clothing range comprising T-shirts and a crewneck sweat.
And there you have it. Where does this rank in the pantheon of pop-cultural feline collabs? We’d say this is the best since Gloria Yip Wan-Yee teamed up with a cat from outer space to fight an murderous extraterrestrial in Lam Nai-Choi’s crazy cult sci-fi actioner from 1992, The Cat. That cat’s superpowers were kung fu. Hello Kitty's? Cuteness. C'mon, look at the demo video from 2024 below... that's too much.
But it if you can handle all that cuteness, head over to Fender to check out the collection.
- “This series is built for players who demand reliability, versatility and performance at the highest level”: Fender gives its US lineup a retro-modern makeover with the American Professional Classic range
- “A pro-quality tool for hard-working musicians who like the guitar to do the heavy lifting”: Fender American Ultra II Stratocaster HSS review
