By Nathan Gomes, Nandan Mandayam and Stephen Nellis July 14 Fender, the U.S. maker of the iconic Stratocaster electric guitar played by Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton, has widened its legal campaign to defend the guitar’s design with a notice letter sent to Yamaha, the Japanese…
mpany told Reuters. Fender began an aggressive campaign over the shape of the Strat in March, after a German court granted it copyright protection over the body shape in the European Union
Fender sent cease-and-desist letters to manufacturers and retailers asking them to halt production and sale of affected models in the region, sparking a backlash across the guitar industry, drawing legal challenges and criticism from independent manufacturers. The letter to Yamaha, the world’s largest maker of musical instruments, has not been previously reported. Yamaha did not specify which models were named but said it was reviewing the notice and weighing how to respond.
In a statement to Reuters, Fender said, “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.” The move pits Fender against a sizeable competitor with resources to fight a costly legal battle, after its initial moves sparked an online backlash among fans. At stake is whether Fender can claim exclusive rights to what many musicians consider a generic design, potentially wiping cheaper alternatives off European shelves and reshaping competition in fast-growing markets such as China and India. “It’s literally the guitar emoji,” said Rhett Shull, a U.S. guitarist and YouTube creator with over 780,000 subscribers.