Armed with German copyright, Fender threatens makers of Strat-style guitars
Fender has recently leveraged a German copyright ruling to challenge makers of Strat-style guitars. The company, which does not hold U.S. copyright on the guitar shape, is demanding that other manufacturers cease production and provide financial restitution. This move has raised concerns among smaller guitar makers about the potential impact on the industry.
- ▪Fender does not hold a U.S. copyright or trademark on the shape of its 1950s Stratocaster guitar.
- ▪The company won a default ruling in Germany, where instrument design is considered a 'work of applied art.'
- ▪Multiple guitar makers have received legal letters from Fender's law firm, demanding they stop production of similar guitars.
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Armed with German copyright, Fender threatens makers of Strat-style guitars Rob Beschizza 8:43 am Fri May 22, 2026 Illo: Boing Boing Fender does not hold a U.S. copyright or trademark on the shape of its 1950s Stratocaster guitar, having failed in a years-long legal effort to control use of a now-generic design. By the time it started slathering them with polyurethane in the 1970s, the patents were expiring. But the company recently won a default ruling in an unopposed copyright claim in Germany, where instrument design qualifies as a "work of applied art." It has begun threatening other companies that make similar guitars, including one in the U.S.
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