Fender sends cease-and-desist letters to competitors copying Stratocaster design
In May 2026, Fender issued cease-and-desist notices to rival companies to halt the production of instruments resembling the Stratocaster, a model made famous by Jimi Hendrix and others. This action comes after a ruling in March 2026 by the Regional Court of Düsseldorf, which recognized the Stratocaster as a copyrighted work against a Chinese manufacturer. Fender believes this ruling provides them with exclusive rights over Stratocaster-shaped guitars within Germany and the EU. Among the recipients are PRS Guitars and LsL Instruments, whose owner, Lisa Lerman, initiated a GoFundMe campaign for legal expenses. Detractors point to a 2009 US decision that denied Fender design trademarks, claiming the designs are public domain. The Stratocaster was developed in 1954 by Leo Fender and others, and its shape has been widely imitated since the 1970s.
Key facts
- Fender sent cease-and-desist letters in May 2026 to dozens of competitors over Stratocaster copies.
- The Regional Court of Düsseldorf ruled in March 2026 that the Stratocaster is a copyrighted work of craftsmanship.
- The ruling was a default judgment against a Chinese manufacturer that did not appear in court.
- Fender's lawyers claim the ruling gives exclusive rights over Stratocaster-shaped guitars sold in Germany and the EU.
- PRS Guitars, whose Custom 24 is used by Carlos Santana, received a letter and disagrees with Fender's assessment.
- LsL Instruments owner Lisa Lerman started a GoFundMe for legal fees, warning of a monopoly.
- In 2009, the US Patent and Trademark Office denied Fender design trademarks for the Stratocaster and Telecaster, ruling the designs were in the public domain.
- The Stratocaster was created in 1954 by Leo Fender and George William Fullerton, with input from Bill Carson and Rex Gallion.
Entities
Artists
- Jimi Hendrix
- David Gilmour
- Eric Clapton
- Nile Rodgers
- Carlos Santana
- Leo Fender
- George William Fullerton
- Bill Carson
- Rex Gallion
- Edward Cole
- Lisa Lerman
Institutions
- Fender
- PRS Guitars
- LsL Instruments
- Gibson
- Martin
- Hoshino Gakki
- Yamaha
- Wall Street Journal
- GoFundMe
- US Patent and Trademark Office
- Regional Court of Düsseldorf
Locations
- Germany
- Düsseldorf
- United States
- Los Angeles
- Tokyo
- Japan
- European Union