Fender Japan is no stranger to big-name collaborations – Hello Kitty, Final Fantasy, Monster Hunter among them – but it may have just snared its biggest yet, as a gargantuan collaboration with Godzilla launched today in Tokyo, Japan.
Three electric guitars were unveiled: a highly Limited Edition Masterbuilt Godzilla Stratocaster, handbuilt by Fender Custom Shop Master Builder Andy Hicks, plus two made-in-Japan models, the Godzilla Stratocaster Blue and Godzilla Stratocaster Black.
The King of Monsters celebrated his 70th anniversary in 2025, and the Stratocaster became a septuagenarian last year, making it the natural choice for the three new models – but despite a collective age bordering on a century-and-a-half, these guitars are packing some genuine Fender firsts.
Limited Edition Masterbuilt Godzilla Stratocaster
The Limited Edition Masterbuilt Godzilla Stratocaster was something of a passion project for its Master Builder, who has been a fan of the monster since he was a kid.
“This is the most fun guitar I’ve done,” he told GW at Fender Flagship Tokyo. “This is my dream Godzilla guitar. It was almost like if I was spec’ing it out for myself – which I never get to do!”
The guitar comes adorned with custom artwork from fellow Godzilla obsessive and Los Angeles-based illustrator Tom Neely – this was his first-ever guitar commission, and he nailed the brief. So much so that Godzilla owner Toho had “no notes” – a rarity when working with major franchises. But Neely, too, has a long history with the prehistoric giant.
“I first encountered Godzilla as a child watching late-night TV movies, and I’ve been a devoted fan ever since,” he says.
“For the front of the guitar, we featured a black-and-white Godzilla with a blue blast to complement the neck inlay, capturing the spirit of the Heisei-era films. For the back, to celebrate Godzilla’s 70th anniversary, we created a montage of seven Godzillas – from the 1954 original to Godzilla Minus One – and added neon paint that glows under black light for a dynamic effect.”
But the guitar’s secret weapon is that tiny green button just by the volume control – as Hicks puts it, “with the push of a button, the legendary roar thunders through the amp – a true union between the King of Monsters and the 'King of Guitars'”.
“Godzilla’s roar is so iconic – it might be one of the most famous movie sounds – up there with a Lightsaber turning on,” he told GW. “I think you’d be hard-pressed to find somebody who didn’t know Godzilla’s roar, and so I wanted to incorporate that into the guitar.”
Adding an onboard sound effect that interrupts the guitar signal is a genuine Fender first and required Hicks and the company’s R&D department to come up with something entirely new to make it happen – making it the most challenging part of the build.
Other unique details include the blue Godzilla inlay in katakana and custom neckplate, while the rest of the guitar’s spec is kept simple to maximize the artwork, so you get a single humbucker – a tweaked version of Hicks’ favored Sonic Pickups Cult Leader – and a solitary volume control.
Currently, just one of these guitars exists in the entire world, and it’s priced at ¥5,500,000 (approx $36,000), but Hicks will make up to four more to order.
Fender Made in Japan Godzilla Stratocaster Blue/Black
For ever-so-slightly less well-heeled players, the Made in Japan Godzilla Stratocaster Blue/Black comes in at ¥495,000 (approx $3,250), and, as the name suggests, is available in two different finishes, both of which feature an alder body capped with myrtlewood.
You may have also clocked that Godzilla outline on the pickguard – this holds the other Fender first in this collection. By pressing the Tone 2 knob, players engage a new patent-pending circuit Fender is calling ‘G.L.O – Gain-Linked Optics’ – where an onboard distortion circuit illuminates ’zilla’s dorsal fin. The brightness changes with gain levels, recreating the monster’s heat ray effect.
Sure, it sounds gimmicky, but if you’re buying a Godzilla guitar, I’d wager you’re gonna want all the gimmicks you can get. Marty Friedman – a surprise guest at the guitar’s Tokyo launch – was impressed by the results, admitting that a Godzilla guitar could run the risk of being tacky, but the end result was stylish.
Once again, you get that killer Godzilla inlay at the 12th fret, a special-edition neck plate, custom hard case, certificate of authenticity, and, intriguingly, a Custom Godzilla humbucker “for a uniquely heavy tone”. Petition to make this an after-market pickup, Fender?
Sadly, both the Blue and Black models are exclusive to Japan: the Blue model is available from authorized Japanese dealers, while the Black edition can only be purchased from Fender Flagship Tokyo and Fender Japan’s official online store.
But Fender isn’t done yet with the Godzilla worship – no siree. In other ‘Japan exclusives we want to see in the west’ news, there will also be a 12-piece pick set, a distortion pedal that “summons an earth-shakingly powerful tone”, as well as a series of designer F is for Fender T-shirts and caps. PLUS, there’s even a Godzilla Charcoal Latte at the Fender Cafe for a limited time (yes, there’s a Fender Cafe in Tokyo, too, and its coffee is tastier than it has any right to be.)
Western fans may be disappointed that there are currently no Godzilla guitars marching across the ocean in the near-future (unless you have $36,000 handy). But what is encouraging is the collaborative effort between the US Custom Shop and Japanese guitar production – demonstrating that Fender is bringing MIJ into its international fold more than ever before.
We’ll be keeping our eyes peeled for the first signs of those illuminated dorsal fins emerging from the waves…
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