Link: https://guitarbomb.com/blog/fender-ceo-admits-mistakes-stratocaster-legal/

Fender CEO Bud Cole acknowledged in a Bloomberg interview that the company's legal crackdown against 60 guitar builders over Stratocaster body shape copied "got ahead of us." Of roughly 60 companies targeted, 32 are negotiating with Fender and 18 have signed agreements. The company now claims focus on large manufacturers only, though boutique builders like LSL Instruments report no clear relief from legal threats.

So he's not admitting that he's destroying the company's legacy and future for a few quarters of short term profit.

Fuck off Bud, and when you get there, keep fucking off.

I'm quite disheartened to hear that 18 builders have signed agreements. I hope Thomann, Yamaha, and PRS take it to court and wreck shit.

I’m doing my part…I was getting ready to purchase a Fender Jazz Bass and instead went with a Stingray. I couldn’t continue supporting fender. It’s the same reason I have never and will never own a Gibson.

The only way to resurrect Fender's image at this point would be change of ownership.

Never mind the CEO, the owners can go fuck themselves.

Yeah they really shot themselves in the face here.

Same. Haven't quite managed to sell my Fender Strat yet. Stopped using Fender Studio.

Now I feel conflicted with the yard sale Behringer Strat knockoff I have, considering Behringer’s grey area.

I mean, it's pretty clear that companies have been copying the overall shape. But that's because Fender didn't try to obtain the copyrights for 50 years! So I don't see any conflict in calling out Behringer for infringing copyrights while calling also calling out Fender for trying to enforce copyrights that they were denied 20 years ago.

I can't think of a way for the current owners to regain any sort of trust.

Currently,the Fender name equals corporate shit-weasels.

I got a fender squire p bass a few years back and upgraded some components and it sounds and plays well. I only had a 5 string Traben before that but wanted a 4 string to noodle on so went cheaper. I always wanted an American Jazz but I'll definitely go a different route. I was eyeing Sire basses a couple of years back, so maybe I'll check them out again. I got a nice used 7 string schecter guitar a year or so back and have been really happy with that, so I might look that direction. Regardless, there are many other quality options outside of fender.

they tried to trademark in the u.s. and got shot down. the whole thing started now because of a default judgement granted in europe against a chinese seller of cheap knockoffs. there was never even the hint of a possibility of a trial there because they would never have showed up to defend. the default judgement was basically handed to them, and they took advantage and went straight for the jugular of basically every manufacturer they could find.

I sincerely hope the remaining 10 companies sue them into poverty

Fuck Fender. There are plenty of other choices out there that cost a lot less.