The guitar world has been buzzing for the last few weeks after Fender started slapping guitar manufacturers across the U.K. and U.S. with cease-and-desist orders in a broad and aggressive attempt to enforce copyright on the iconic Stratocaster “S” body style.
These actions follow a German court ruling from March 2026 against a Chinese manufacturer, Yiwu Philharmonic Musical Instruments Co., which was selling inexpensive, counterfeit Strat copies.
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