Fender has found itself at the center of a major backlash after sending cease and desist letters to several small guitar manufacturers over Stratocaster-style guitar designs.
The controversy began after Fender won a legal case at the Regional Court of Düsseldorf in March. The ruling allowed the company to take action against brands selling guitars that use the Stratocaster body shape in Germany and the wider European Union.
Soon after that decision, several small U.S. guitar makers reportedly received cease and desist letters from Fender. According to reports, the letters asked those manufacturers to stop production, recall the products, and destroy their remaining inventory.
The move quickly caused anger across the guitar community. Many players and builders argued that Fender was targeting small independent companies and trying to control a guitar shape that has been widely used for decades.
Now, Fender has responded to the criticism.
In a statement obtained by Guitar World, the company said it is not trying to stop all S-type guitars, two-horned guitars, or double-cutaway designs. Instead, Fender said its focus is only on guitars that closely or completely copy the exact body design of the Stratocaster.
The company said it “fully supports innovation and competition across the guitar industry,” adding that other brands can still make guitars with a similar general layout as long as they are clearly different from a Stratocaster.
Fender said its goal is to protect one of its most famous designs while also supporting a creative and active guitar industry.
The company’s legal representatives, Bird & Bird, also sent a letter to attorney Ron Bienstock, who is representing at least one of the affected guitar makers. Bienstock is known in the guitar world for previously defeating Fender in a 2009 legal battle over attempts to trademark the Stratocaster, Telecaster, and Precision Bass body shapes.
In the new letter, Fender’s lawyers said that companies are still free to make and sell double-cutaway or two-horned electric guitars, as long as those guitars are designed in a way that is sufficiently different from the Fender Stratocaster.
However, the letter did not clearly explain where the legal line is between an acceptable S-type guitar and a Stratocaster copy.
Fender also denied that it is trying to force small builders to completely stop making guitars. According to the company’s lawyers, the affected manufacturers were only asked to change their designs so the instruments would not look like almost exact copies of the Stratocaster.
The letter also said that destruction of inventory is not something Fender is actively seeking. Fender claimed that such steps are only legal remedies that may be considered if a company continues infringement and refuses to work toward a solution.
According to Bird & Bird, some of the companies that received the letters have already contacted Fender and started settlement discussions. The company also said it may allow transition periods or other solutions in cases where manufacturers cooperate.
Fender CEO Edward “Bud” Cole defended the company’s position, saying Fender respects independent builders and the creativity of the guitar community. Still, he argued that protecting iconic Fender designs is part of the company’s responsibility.
Cole said Fender wants to protect its legacy while supporting a strong future for guitar makers, builders, and musicians.
For now, the backlash has not fully disappeared. Many guitar fans are still questioning how far Fender plans to go, and whether small builders will be forced to change designs that have been common in the industry for years.
