Having collaborated with the likes of Fortnite and Final Fantasy for a handful of launches over the past few years, Fender has been slowly assembling a formidable list of video game collaborations. Now, the firm has announced its latest sidequest – a partnership with Monster Hunter to celebrate the game franchise’s 20th anniversary, which has been marked by a striking Rathalos Telecaster . If you’re wise to the world of gaming, ‘Monster Hunter’ and ‘Rathalos’ will probably mean a great deal to you, but for those who just like the look of a dragon-inspired Tele, some context: Monster Hunter is a popular Japanese game in which users (you guessed it) hunt monsters.
Meanwhile, Rathalos – or the ‘King of the Skies’, as it’s otherwise known – is a monster from the game, which has served as the central cosmetic inspiration for this new single-cut. Two versions have been announced: a standard version that will be available worldwide, and a Limited Edition that will be sold exclusively from Fender’s flagship Tokyo store. Both examples share a close resemblance to one another, flashing a Rathalos-inspired design that features wing imagery, flame patterns, and a neat diptych body artwork.
There is also a custom neck plate, and a Rathalos icon on the back. They’ve even got dedicated Monster Hunter Rathalos pickups arranged in an SH configuration. Unsurprisingly, there’s no magical monster material under the hood: just plain ol’ alder for the body, maple fo.