The company is framing its legal efforts to target Stratocaster copies as supporting creativity and innovation in the guitar industry, while protecting the designs with which it made its name.
“Fender has tremendous respect for the guitar community, independent builders, and the creativity that continues to shape this industry,” says Fender CEO Edward “Bud” Cole. “At the same time, Fender has a responsibility to protect the iconic designs and brand identity associated with its instruments around the world.
“Protecting these iconic designs is part of Fender’s obligation as a steward of the brand, its legacy, and the authenticity musicians associate with Fender instruments.
“We remain open to engaging constructively with partners and companies across the industry as we navigate this process. Our goal is to protect that legacy while supporting a vibrant future for guitar makers, builders, and musicians alike.”
This made me feel 0% better about the situation.
Fender had an iconic name on the headstock that people did care about and now they’re losing that as they grasp for more control of body shape which is already public domain in the US 🤯
The fact that Fender already lost an attempt to secure IP rights in US court is what makes this whole thing so crazy. And my understanding is that the German and EU courts are such that the default summary judgement isn’t even binding anywhere else. I have to assume that a company like Fender would retain a competent law firm. So who decided this was going to be a profitable course of action? And who is going to prove to be so horribly wrong about how it will turn out?
I’m guessing that competent lawyers are good at convincing dumb fuck MBA’s to spend shit tons of money on billable hours
It would seem saner to me if the MBAs pushed for the legal action and the lawyers determined they can’t lose their licenses over this. And I would be astounded if FMIC is paying by the hour and not keeping a firm on retainer.
Your interpretation of these kind of things seems based on actual knowledge but I’m pretty good at pulling things out of my asshole
Specific things, or just random things? There are some things I’ve lost that I’d love to replace.
Anything Fender did expired into the public domain decades ago. They are trying to secure a copyright, which lasts 70 years, for a SHAPE.
Shapes can be trademarked and copyrighted. Coca cola have trademarked the shape of their plastic bottles.
Maybe they think of it as free marketing. How did Kanye stay in the news for as long as he did? Being the absolute worst person he could muster up.
Maybe they know damn well this isn’t gonna go anywhere, but holy shit are people gonna talk about it.
(Source: my tinfoil hat, which doesn’t get enough credit for it’s stylish design)
“Blah blah blah fuck you we want money” is all I read. I hope they choke on it. It’s rich that they talk about innovation when they are the Harley Davidson of guitars, coasting on nostalgia for decades.
Harley Davidson copyrighted the sound of their shitty motors. This is what happens to a brand being milked with zero innovation or R&D.
I will never buy another fender again.
buy used. then none of your money goes to fender.
That’s an option, but then people would see me with a Fender. It’s like buying a used Tesla. Yea, musk didn’t get my dollars, but I can still be seen driving a Tesla.
I do already have a mid range squire p bass that I’ve upgraded, and a Fender acoustic bass. None of my 6 or 7 string guitars are Fender. There are a lot of solid manufacturers out there that I can support and be more than thrilled with the product. I’ve always wanted to try my hand at building and electric, and maybe now I’ll make an S shape fender style out of spite.
There are so many great brands out there nobody actually needs a fender.
But remember that Reverb just was purchased by Fender. That means they also are getting a cut of your used sales too.
I’m beginning to feel that the entire idea of intellectual property is just another form of class warfare by the Epstein class against the rest of us.
Intellectual property is just an extension/form of capitalist property. Capitalism is class warfare, yes.
I wonder what the Stradivari family would have to say about that?
For those that don’t know, violins, violas, cellos, and bass didn’t have that shape until Stradivari came up with it. Prior to that, they looked a bit more like acoustic guitars.
Fender’s argument here would wipe out every single modern violin, viola, cello, and bass manufacturer.
The only real difference I can see is that the shape of a violin, etc., changes how it sounds. I’m entirely uncertain how that plays out in the electric guitar world.
Body shape doesn’t affect the tone in electric guitars at all, at least not on a conceivable level. It’s all about pickup circuitry and strings
That’s what I guessed given the extreme variety available, but I wasn’t certain.
Translation: Fender thinks we’re stupid
make better shit or fuck off, Fender
I’d smash my Fender in response, but, I can’t afford to Cobain shit.
Same, but I can scrape the Fender stickers off my guitar case 😤
They went after PRS Silver Sky!
https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/electric-guitars/prs-fender-cease-and-desist
I saw that! I’m excited for PRS to get involved and I hope they shut this shit down via the courts 🤞
RIP Fender. Don’t be dicks. Especially in the music space. Know your market.
I haven’t really bought Fender in a long time, and this whole debacle pretty much cements my position.
I was planning on buying a Fender Rumble Bass amp that was recommended, can anyone recommend another quality bass amp? Thanks.
