I saw Squier Hello Kitty Strats traded for $700 on the used market – but right now you can bag one for $399 at Sweetwater

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Cat got your tone? Get your claws into a cult classic with a massive 31% off the iconic Hello Kitty Strat – provided it stays in stock

A white Squier Hello Kitty Stratocaster body on a pink background
(Image credit: Fender)

The Squier Hello Kitty Strat has become a modern classic, with Hello Kitty guitars seen in the hands of everyone from grizzled metallers to Marty Friedman. Now Sweetwater has reduced the price of the Squier Hello Kitty Stratocaster by a huge $180 (was $579.99, now $399.99) – a discount of more than 30%.

Squier Hello Kitty Stratocaster
Save 31% ($180)
Squier Hello Kitty Stratocaster: was $579.99 now $399.99 at Sweetwater Sound

The Squier Hello Kitty Stratocaster is a cult classic that has become a genuine favorite among all manner of players for its bold looks and stripped-back spec. Used prices went through the roof a few years ago, but move quickly and you can snap one up for under $400 at Sweetwater.

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I suggest that, unlike a cat on a keyboard, you don’t sleep on this one. The original launched with little fanfare in 2006, but went on to stoke wild demand on the secondhand market, with used prices rising from an average of $275 in 2019 to $700 in 2022.

I’d like to say that we on GW are completely level-headed and immune to this kind of froth, but then just over a year ago, when the team was invited over to Fender’s Artist Showroom for a sneak preview of upcoming gear, it was the return of the Squier Hello Kitty Stratocaster that had us most excited.

For my money, I actually prefer the white version, launched this October in celebration of 50 years of Hello Kitty, which handily, is the model discounted in the Sweetwater sale.

My most faithful guitar companion is a modded Fender Tom DeLonge Strat and the Hello Kitty setup speaks to exactly that level of (fur) balls to the wall punk simplicity, with a single humbucker and volume control.

Squier x Hello Kitty Stratocaster Electric Guitar - White

(Image credit: Fender/Sanrio)

I think that’s the real reason behind the Hello Kitty Strat’s longevity, though: it’s a setup that gets out of your way and simply lets you have fun on the fretboard again.

Under the iconic artwork, there’s a poplar body, a comfortable C-shaped maple neck and a maple fretboard, and it’s loaded with a Squier alnico humbucker. The price even includes a custom Hello Kitty gigbag.

The finish is what grabs the attention, of course, and I love the bold artwork of the custom shape scratchplate and details like the Hello Kitty logo on the rear, the red dot fret markers and the matching headstock with HK graphic.

I can’t fully explain what’s happened here, but somehow the Hello Kitty Strat has become one of the most desirable and popular Squier builds ever produced – and with a gigantic 31% discount at Sweetwater, this might be a rare situation where a cat for Christmas is actually a good idea…

For more bargain buys, as we spot them, keep an eye on our Black Friday guitar deals 2025 live blog.

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Matt Parker
Matt Parker
Deputy Editor, GuitarWorld.com

Matt is Deputy Editor for GuitarWorld.com. Before that he spent 10 years as a freelance music journalist, interviewing artists for the likes of Total Guitar, Guitarist, Guitar World, MusicRadar, NME.com, DJ Mag and Electronic Sound. In 2020, he launched CreativeMoney.co.uk, which aims to share the ideas that make creative lifestyles more sustainable. He plays guitar, but should not be allowed near your delay pedals.

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