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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Entertainment
James Tapper

How a Hello Kitty guitar became the hottest Stratocaster

Hello Kitty Jimi Hendrix Paul Atkinson Tony Bacon Fender Reverb
Courtney Love and daughter Frances Bean Cobain playing the Hello Kitty Strat.
Courtney Love and daughter Frances Bean Cobain rocking the Hello Kitty Strat. Photograph: Mark Sullivan/Getty Images

Electric guitars and testosterone go together like Jimi Hendrix and lighter fluid, but the latest hot musical instrument is a Hello Kitty Stratocaster.

The average price of a vintage pink strat emblazoned with the face of the cartoon cat-girl has more than doubled since 2019, and some owners are now asking more than $1,000.

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