I have played a Stratocaster guitar for nearly all of my life. I had a Mexican Fender Standard Stratocaster in Candy Apple Red. I’m still keen to buy a new one. But after the latest cease-and-desist, my love for Fender reduced. I don’t think I want to have a Fender anymore. First, I had already started hating seeing a Strat and Tele on every stage. I was looking for a new guitar shape. But I still couldn’t get rid of the urge to get a Fender, because seeing a Fender logo on a headstock is a very important thing for me. But now this love has faded and a big anger is increasing in my heart.

Let’s start with what we came here for!

March 2026 - German Court’s insane ruling

I think Fender had been planning this for so many years. They found an easy target: a budget-friendly Chinese company that can’t protect itself. And Fender chose a German court. Surely this poor Chinese company couldn’t send any lawyer or be present in court. Easy peasy, Fender won the game. And boom, they got the right to target any guitar utilizing a similar Stratocaster body shape that is manufactured, distributed, or sold anywhere inside the European Union.

Ok now let’s make a point here, because this was only the first step. Fender wants to hit Thomann, Europe’s biggest market leader. They are selling Harley Benton guitars with an incredible price tag. And most of the Harley Benton guitars are better than most of the Fender guitars.

May 2026 - Attack on boutique and small guitar builders and luthiers

Fender’s legal team began issuing aggressive cease-and-desist letters to boutique and independent guitar builders and luthiers. Why? Because they were small to hunt and, like the Chinese company, they can’t protect themselves. And I think most of them were building better guitars than Fender.

LsL Instruments was the first company that announced they would fight against Fender. You can support them in this fight by donating to their legal challenge: LSL Instruments - Help Us Defend S Style Guitars

Late May 2026 - Attacking a real enemy: PRS

We all know that PRS is producing awesome guitars. When I look at their catalog, all the guitars are high quality except the Silver Sky. I’m sorry, but that guitar looks like a very cheap copy of a Stratocaster. But I know that so many people love it. John Mayer is a very famous guitarist and he was a former Fender artist. I think Fender feels very emotional, and therefore their first real cease-and-desist was targeted at PRS.

Fender talks to Guitar World

Fender says that they are not targeting all two-horned guitars. The problem is if the design of the guitar is a close copy or a direct clone. But we don’t know exactly what they mean. So if I change the dimensions or the cut of the horns, will it be ok?

My Opinion

My opinion is so clear. I owned a Stratocaster because the Fender logo meant so much to me. Because Ritchie Blackmore, Eric Clapton, and Rory Gallagher are my favorite guitarists and they’re all playing Fenders. I’m just a bedroom guitarist; I don’t have a plan to play on stage. This is my hobby, and I feel better if I have a Fender. I have two Stratocasters, but none of them are a replacement for a Fender.

But now I’m seriously thinking that I don’t want to buy a Fender anymore. All the magic is broken. Instead of a Fender, Suhr is promising a modern guitar, Harley Benton is a budget-friendly good guitar, and Vintage Guitars is giving me a real 50’s Stratocaster.