Fender faces a massive PR disaster and potential boycotted as top guitar YouTubers Rhett Shull and Tim Pierce cut ties over “draconian” cease-and-desist letters.
Fender just won a massive legal loophole in Germany, ruling that the classic Stratocaster shape is a protected "work of art." Now, they are aggressively issuing Fender Cease Desist letters to clear out the competition. They aren’t just demanding a stop to production—they want inventory "recalled and destroyed" across the EU market!
While many letters are being sent behind closed doors, independent builders are starting to sound the alarm, and everyone is holding its breath to see how the biggest brands in the industry survive this.
Here are the popular brands currently targeted, confirmed to have received letters, or directly at risk of being wiped from the S-style market next:
LsL Instruments
Harley Benton / Thomann
PRS
Suhr Guitars
Tom Anderson Guitar Works
Schecter
ESP Guitars
Ibanez (Particularly the AZ series)
Are we looking at the literal extinction of Strat clones? Is Fender completely out of line here, or do they have every right to protect their body shape?
I have two Fender guitars: an American Ultra II (HSS) and a Player II (SSS). I use both very frequently. The Ultra for tones with more gain and the Player for clean sounds with a slight overdrive.
I want to replace the entire pickup set on my Player II with something more classic (characteristic vintage Fender tones), allowing me to better explore the potential of the Quad-Cortex in clean tones with little gain.
I'm considering the Custom Shop Fat 50s, Texas Special, Seymour Duncan S1, etc.
Could someone help me choose the pickups that best complement the Quad-Cortex?
Can’t get enough of the look and sound of the EMG thing. I also still love my Lace Sensors. Smooth pickup life 😂.
These are my 3 most recent projects.
Im curious if Fender is going to destroy all of its acoustic guitar inventory since they copied traditional acoustic guitar shapes??
It’s another double trouble post, Stratocaster edition this time.
American Professional Classic in Faded Firemist Gold and Vintera III Late 50s in Aztec Gold. Who wore it better?
First picture has a filter, the rest do not.
Is there anyone that can confirm if by these pictures (that are in a bad quality), if these fender is genuine?
I have mostly been a tele player, but my first guitar almost 30 years ago was a MIJ strat and wouldn’t mind adding another to my collection. This Tele Custom is an American Original and it just doesn’t work quite right for me so I’m looking to move it. This seems like a fair trade, no cash changing hands, but i haven’t played around with any of the AVII Strats and was hoping somebody here could chime in and let me know their thoughts.
The tele is going to be traded or sold, regardless, so please let me know if you think this is reasonable
Like the title says. I just got my very first fender and its my first time spending this much cash on a guitar since im only in college. Its a MIJ 1957 reissue. The single ply pickguard bothers me a bit though i know thats how its supposed to be to be period correct. Should i swap it out with an anodized gold one? I think im more scared of hurting the value of the guitar if i swap out parts, but a pickguard is relatively easy to switch back to original anyway. It just concerns me that if i do change it, maybe itll be more bothersome that its not “period correct”?
Fender launches a massive legal campaign in Europe, targeting alternative “S-Type” guitar builders with fines of up to €250,000 and demands to destroy their inventory.
Picked it up today for $650 Canadian. All original and works. The previous owner said it was a house guitar from a blues/rock bar in Toronto and both Alex Lofeson and Prince both played it, but I can't confirm that at all.
It's got some bangs here and there but I'm wanting to get the body repainted anyway and clean it all up!
I don't understand why other guitar makers should feel entitled to copy the Fender Stratocaster. There's no need to except for one reason: it's become the standard. That means it's worth something.
Which is why Fender should be entitled to licence their bodies the way they do with Warmoth.
Is this/was this ever common practice?
Hey! Thought I’d show my pride and joy (pun intended), first being my inherited (and beautifully set up with Texas specials)1990 Japstrat - and the only guitar I’ve ever played in 24 years.
And the American Ultra II HSS which I got last year as I loved the idea of the splittable humbucker which plays amazingly and is super versatile (as all strats obviously are) :)
Edit: had to delete and repost as first image didn’t work!
Hello, thought I would share here because it’s neat and I would like to know a little more about it so a trained eye would be helpful! Wanted to know if this is original or what. ~~Serial # is from the early 60’s but wanted to know if it is original~~.
**Edit:** I was 99% sure most of this guitar was original as I’ve known about it for like 27 years at this point. I mistyped the serial number at first and when I saw “no results” I stupidly asked ChatGPT to look at the serial number and compile some info about it for my aunt. The dumb bot began spitting out info that it looks like a Japanese reissue and yada yada 3rd and last time I use that abomination. I figured asking here would be a good bet to learn a little about it and proper care. Thank you to everyone who’s written helpful replies! Cheers!!
About noiseless pickups vs true single coils there is endless discussions …
Wanted to know what’s this sub’s Opinions…
And happy Straturday!
Let me know what you friends think!
I’m really bad at editing and still learning so syncing 3 vids up was challenging lmao but I still thought it was fun:)