Fender plays with fire (and has a guilty conscience). The legal war over the Stratocaster spirals out of control as Fender sues Thomann over Harley Benton Let's talk business, guitars, and insufferable corporate smoke. If you're the kind of person who shares a beer with your band after rehearsal and wonders why the big instrument brands spend your money on lawyers instead of making better products, sit down, because this legal drama just reached its absolute boiling point this July 2026. You probably already knew Fender was on the hunt in Europe, but the latest bombshell is that Fender has formally sued Thomann for copyright infringement. Yes, you read that right: the world's biggest guitar manufacturer is going to war directly against the planet's biggest instrument retailer. But this time, as a musician and as a user of the brand, this hits a very sensitive nerve for me. And I'm going to explain why Fender isn't just playing with fire: it has a monumental guilty conscience in this whole affair. My reality: I love my gear, but the brand is breaking my heart. So you know I'm being completely honest and speaking from the trenches: in my current rig I only own one Fender guitar, my beloved Fender American Ultra II Telecaster 75th Anniversary Edition, and I use the Fender Tone Master Pro (TMP) every day. I'm ridiculously happy with my Tone Master Pro. It's a pedalboard cannon, it sounds flawless, it's intuitive, and it makes my life easier at home and in rehearsals. And that's exactly why this hurts so much: I use and genuinely enjoy Fender's products, and yet here Jhon Stolen is. Jhon Stolen feel like what they're doing affects all of Jhon Stolen. They've dragged music down to a purely industrial, cold level, designed by corporations and suits who have absolutely nothing to do with the essence or soul of music. They've forgotten about the everyday musician to focus on patent fights and commercial monopolies. Music is community, it's sharing, and watching it treated like a vulgar corporate chessboard is infuriating. The "guilty conscience": the hypocrisy of Fender's own emulations. Fender goes around demanding intellectual purity and suing left and right, but it turns out they live in a glass house themselves. If you're a Tone Master Pro user like me, you'll know the cabinet catalog used to include a model called "Freeman," a blatant, direct emulation of Friedman's cabinets. And what happened recently in a system update? Overnight, very quietly, they renamed it to "Forge." Why? Because Fender knows perfectly well it's using the prestige and designs of boutique brands to sell its $1,600 pedalboard, but the moment things heat up with copyright lawsuits, they scramble to rename it so nobody can sue them for the exact same thing. It's hypocrisy on a stadium scale. Fender benefits from "modeling" (which is nothing more than a digital copy of someone else's gear), but the moment another brand builds a guitar with a Stratocaster silhouette, a shape that's been a free industry standard for 70 years, they send their lawyers to Düsseldorf to claim copyright over "works of applied art." Their guilty conscience is visible from space. How did this legal madness start? For context: this whole circus started with a cheap win for Fender at the Düsseldorf Regional Court against a Chinese manufacturer on AliExpress selling Stratocaster copies. Since the Chinese company didn't even show up to defend itself (a default judgment), Fender seized the moment to set a legal precedent in Europe, getting the Strat's silhouette recognized as copyright-protected. Armed with that German ruling, in May 2026 Fender started sending cease-and-desist letters to top-tier brands like Yamaha, PRS, Suhr, Friedman, LsL Instruments, and Shabat Guitars. The common factor? All of these brands sell through Thomann. Fender wanted to scare the biggest retailer in the game to cut its competitors off at the knees. The final escalation: Fender vs. Thomann. On June 22, 2026, Thomann decided to plant its flag and sued Fender to demand a "Declaration of Non-Infringement," acting as a shield for smaller luthiers who don't have millions to defend themselves in European courts. But on July 16, 2026, Fender doubled down and formally sued Thomann, aiming directly at its low-cost house brand, Harley Benton (especially its S-Type models). Fender argued that Thomann is too big to pass itself off as the "defender of luthiers" and that Harley Benton is cannibalizing its Stratocaster sales in Europe. My verdict: the musician is left out of the equation. The cold reality: nothing is going to happen to Fender financially, at least not in the short term. 90% of its massive revenue comes from beginners buying their first Squier or a cheap amp to practice at home, and those people aren't reading Düsseldorf court bulletins. But with experienced and professional musicians, Fender is shooting itself in the foot. This "corporate bully" act is wearing out the real community, the one that keeps the essence of music alive. Who wins here? Alternative brands: I can assure you that people looking for a great high-end guitar are looking a lot more favorably at PRS (with the Silver Sky) or Yamaha (with the Pacifica), brands competing by building better instruments instead of sending lawyers. The used market and your local luthier: This is the perfect time to buy guitars musician-to-musician, support your neighborhood shop, or commission a custom build from a luthier in your city who loves wood, not patent lawsuits. I love my Telecaster Ultra II and I'm happy playing my Tone Master Pro. The gear is spectacular and I'm not selling it over this. But I'm crystal clear that if I had to buy a new high-end guitar today, my money wouldn't go into the coffers of a corporation that would rather pay corporate lawyers than think about the community of musicians that made it great. What do you think? Do you believe Fender has the right to claim ownership of a 70-year-old design, or did corporate arrogance get the best of them?

FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CORPORATION appoints Christina Stejskal as Chief Communications Officer. Returns to Fender to oversee global communications and join executive leadership team. HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (July 20, 2026) - Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC) today announced the appointment of Christina Stejskal as Chief Communications Officer. Reporting to Chief Executive Officer Edward "Bud" Cole and serving on the company's executive leadership team, Stejskal will lead Fender's global communications organization, overseeing brand, consumer and product communications, internal communications, executive and board communications, creator and influencer strategy, and corporate reputation. Stejskal returns to Fender from Dolby Laboratories, where she served as Senior Director of Global Public Relations, leading the company's global public relations strategy, executive visibility, crisis communications and agency operations while building the processes and infrastructure to support a modern, global communications organization. She previously spent nearly a decade at Fender, where she built and scaled the company's global communications function and helped shape the brand during a period of significant business growth and digital transformation. During her tenure, she led communications for many of Fender's most significant product launches and strategic initiatives, including the American Professional Series, the American Acoustasonic (R) Telecaster (R), the expansion of Fender's digital ecosystem, and the launch of Fender's first flagship store in Tokyo. She also established Fender's first integrated creator and influencer communications strategy and helped broaden the brand's reach through executive thought leadership and lifestyle storytelling that connected with new generations of players and more diverse audiences. "Christina understands what makes Fender unique - our history, our players and the culture that has grown around this brand for generations," said Edward "Bud" Cole, Chief Executive Officer of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. "She has played an important role in shaping Fender's global story, combining strategic thinking and creativity to build meaningful connections with audiences around the world. We're excited to welcome Christina back to the executive leadership team as we continue to grow the Fender brand and inspire musicians at every stage of their journey." "I'm honored to return to Fender and join the executive leadership team," said Christina Stejskal. "Few brands have shaped music and culture the way Fender has. I'm excited to help tell the stories behind our people, our products and the players who inspire us every day, while helping write this iconic company's next chapter." Stejskal has been recognized for her leadership in communications and marketing by Reuters, Ragan, PRWeek and The PR Net, including Reuters' Trailblazing Women in Marketing, Service & Experience (2024), Ragan Top Women in Communications - Trailblazer (2023), The PR Net's MarComms Most Influential (2023) and PRWeek Women to Watch (2021). Stejskal's appointment underscores Fender's continued commitment to strengthening its brand leadership and storytelling as the company celebrates its 80th anniversary and continues to shape the future of music across the industry and player experiences. Headshot for Christina Stejskal is available HERE. For information on Fender's products and to find a retail partner near you, visit www.fender.com. Join the conversation on social media by following @Fender. ABOUT FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CORPORATION: Since 1946, Fender has revolutionized music and culture as one of the world's leading musical instrument manufacturers, marketers, and distributors. Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC)-whose portfolio of owned and licensed brands includes Fender(R), Squier(R), Gretsch(R) guitars, Jackson(R), EVH(R), Charvel(R), Bigsby(R), and PreSonus(R)- follows a player-centric approach to crafting the highest-quality instruments and digital experiences across genres. Since 2015, Fender's digital arm has introduced a new ecosystem of products and interactive experiences to accompany players at every stage of their musical journey. This includes innovative apps and learning platforms designed to complement Fender guitars, amplifiers, effects pedals, accessories, and pro-audio gear, and inspire players through an immersive musical experience. FMIC is dedicated to unlocking the power of musical expression for all players, from beginners to history-making legends. In 2026, Fender celebrates 80 years of giving artists "wings to fly," carrying on the vision of its founder, Leo Fender, and connecting players through a shared love of music. FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CORP. MEDIA CONTACT: Alex Velasquez PR and Communications Manager Fender Musical Instruments Corp. FENDER (standard and in stylized form), TELECASTER, and ACOUSTASONICare trademarks of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation and/or its affiliates, registered in the U.S. and other countries. All other product and company names may be trademarks of their respective owners, and may be used herein under license. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by or of the respective owners. (C) 2026 Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. All rights reserved.

"Our goal was simple: have a conversation... Thomann chose a different path": Fender directly sues Thomann for copyright infringement. July 17, 2026 For months now the guitar world has watched Fender's dispute with the rest of the guitar industry over the Stratocaster body shape rumble on, but now things seem to have escalated once again, as the brand has confirmed it launched formal infringement action against German retailer Thomann. Back in May, the brand sent cease and desist letters to an array of guitar companies large and small - as well as a number of retailers - demanding that they stop producing and selling electric guitars that closely resemble Fender's Stratocaster. The action came off the back of a ruling in a Düsseldorf court in which Chinese manufacturer Yiwu Philharmonic was found to have infringed Fender's copyright over the Stratocaster body shape. Yiwu failed to show up to court, resulting in a default ruling. One of the first guitar makers to reveal it had been sent a cease and desist by Fender was California-based LsL Instruments, which subsequently hired attorney and guitar industry litigation veteran Ron Bienstock to spearhead its defence. Image: Adam GassonThe scale of Fender's legal action has become more apparent in recent weeks, though, as PRS and Yamaha - two of the biggest guitar manufacturers on the planet - and Thomann, one of the world's largest musical instrument retailers - have all revealed they've received cease and desists. While many brands are still weighing up how to respond to Fender's cease and desist letters, Thomann - which owns Harley Benton, a massive budget gear brand selling S-type guitars among its catalogue - announced that it was taking legal action against Fender in response, seeking for the matter to be "clarified in court not only for our own company, but for all parties involved". Thomann said it was acting on behalf of smaller guitar builders which "do not have the financial and legal means to conduct such a legal dispute". Thomann is notably the largest musical instrument retailer in Europe, and one of Fender's biggest retail partners, stocking a significant number of Fender guitars among its inventory. Now, Fender has responded, filing an infringement action in the Regional Court of Düsseldorf where it won the copyright case, and setting the stage for a huge showdown between the two behemoth companies. In a statement shared with Reuters and Guitar World, Fender takes aim at Harley Benton, Thomann's in-house budget gear brand, which sells a selection of Stratocaster-style guitars among its product lineup. Image: Harley Benton via YouTube "From the beginning, our goal was simple: have a conversation," the statement reads. "Like many other companies across Europe, we reached out to Thomann to discuss practical ways to differentiate products while respecting Fender's intellectual property. Our preference has always been dialogue and practical solutions - not litigation. "Unfortunately, Thomann chose a different path. Rather than continuing that dialogue, it initiated legal proceedings asking the court to determine that it can continue selling guitar body designs that Fender believes copies the iconic Stratocaster. Today's filing is Fender's response and the expected next step in the legal process." Fender also reiterates its "preference" to "resolve these matters through direct dialogue rather than litigation". "In many instances, companies have chosen to work collaboratively with us to explore practical solutions, including design modifications that clearly differentiate their products while continuing to serve musicians," the company continues. "This matter is different. Thomann isn't a small independent guitar builder. It is one of the world's largest musical instrument retailers, one of Fender's largest retail partners, and the owner of Harley Benton, one of Europe's largest guitar brands." Fender says that its Stratocaster cease and desist action was not because it opposes competition. Image: Adam Gasson "Fender has competed - and thrived - for nearly 80 years because musicians have choices. We welcome companies that challenge convention, develop new technologies, and create original instruments that inspire players," it goes on. "That's how this industry grows. "What doesn't move the industry forward is copying someone else's iconic design instead of creating the next iconic design. We believe the guitar industry is strongest when innovation flourishes, musicians have meaningful choices, and companies compete by bringing new ideas to players around the world." Since the news of Fender's Strat cease and desist letters broke in May, the guitar community has responded with ire, with large creators with hundreds of thousands of followers - including Rick Beato, Rhett Shull and Tim Pierce - criticising Fender's move. The new statement from Fender comes just a month after CEO Edward "Bud" Cole appeared at a dealer event, and attempted to calm down the controversy by saying Fender was "not suing anybody". "What we've done is reach out thoughtfully and [respectfully] to a handful of companies whose guitars come extremely close to replicating the iconic Fender Stratocaster design," he said. Fender's full statement Following Thomann's recent Declaration of Non-Infringement action, Fender today filed its infringement action in the Regional Court of Düsseldorf in response to the litigation Thomann chose to initiate. Earlier this year, the Regional Court of Düsseldorf recognized copyright protection for the Fender Stratocaster body shape as a work of applied art under European law. Following that decision, Fender engaged manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and online marketplaces across Europe whose products feature body designs that Fender believes are confusingly similar to the protected Stratocaster design. Our objective has been straightforward: protect Fender's intellectual property, reduce consumer confusion, and explore practical solutions - including modifications that clearly differentiate products from the Stratocaster. Those conversations continue today, and our preference has always been to resolve these matters through direct dialogue rather than litigation. In many instances, companies have chosen to work collaboratively with us to explore practical solutions, including design modifications that clearly differentiate their products while continuing to serve musicians. This matter is different. Thomann isn't a small independent guitar builder. It is one of the world's largest musical instrument retailers, one of Fender's largest retail partners, and the owner of Harley Benton, one of Europe's largest guitar brands. From the beginning, our goal was simple: have a conversation. Like many other companies across Europe, we reached out to Thomann to discuss practical ways to differentiate products while respecting Fender's intellectual property. Our preference has always been dialogue and practical solutions - not litigation. Unfortunately, Thomann chose a different path. Rather than continuing that dialogue, it initiated legal proceedings asking the court to determine that it can continue selling guitar body designs that Fender believes copies the iconic Stratocaster. Today's filing is Fender's response and the expected next step in the legal process. For more than 70 years, the Stratocaster has been one of the most influential and recognizable guitar designs in history. It has inspired generations of musicians, helped shape modern music, and become an enduring symbol of creativity around the world. Fender has proudly served as the steward of one of the most iconic instrument designs in music history. We don't take lightly our responsibility to protect that legacy. We believe that responsibility extends beyond Fender itself - to the artists, players, dealers, builders, partners, employees, shareholders, and the broader music community who have made the Stratocaster an enduring part of music history. Let's be clear: competition isn't the issue. Fender has competed - and thrived - for nearly 80 years because musicians have choices. We welcome companies that challenge convention, develop new technologies, and create original instruments that inspire players. That's how this industry grows. What doesn't move the industry forward is copying someone else's iconic design instead of creating the next iconic design. We believe the guitar industry is strongest when innovation flourishes, musicians have meaningful choices, and companies compete by bringing new ideas to players around the world. We're proud of what the Stratocaster has meant to generations of musicians, and we believe it's worth protecting. At the same time, we believe the future of the guitar industry depends on original thinking, bold ideas, and the next generation of great instruments. That's the future Fender has always believed in - and it's the future we'll continue to support. The post "Our goal was simple: have a conversation... Thomann chose a different path": Fender directly sues Thomann for copyright infringement appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.