Wow...

[Strat Avenger]

 

[Verne Bunsen]

I’m not sure how I feel about that. I mean, to be fair, non-Fender guitars of that shape are typically referred to as “S-Style”, and that shape is only generic and ubiquitous because of the popularity and success of the Strat. So I get where Fender is coming from. But this definitely seems like a bit of legal tee-crossing that should have been done many decades ago. The genie is kind of out of the bottle. Whatever may be right or wrong, I suspect this ruling won’t hold up to much pressure.

 

[Spud]

Maybe in the future to manufacture S tyles will require a licensing fee be paid to the mighty F!

 

[mayfly]

just as long as it does not affect Telecasters, I'm good.

 

[Don O]

I watched that earlier today. I wonder what was trademarked? Body shape only? Does it include pickup layout (and variations)? Etc…

I read they only won the lawsuit because the other side did not show up. Hmmm…

 

[TBurst Std]

Isn’t statute of limitations in play? The F has allowed obvious Ss other than licensed for what now, 40-50 years ?

First electric I played was a Crestwood S type back in the late 70s. The body and neck were pretty much spot on. Actually it was not bad playing or sounding. Was a neighbors. Tried it against a late 70s Strat back then and I preferred the Crestwood. Eventually my neighbor wanted it back. At that time I had my 1st LP. I knew I also wanted Fender tones. Grabbed a used 69 Tele that had been Bigsby snakebit and undone. Got it for $200. Excellent Tele. I’d still have it if it wasn’t stolen in the early 80s. It was a pale blonde, white guard, maple neck with the threaded saddles.

 

[Hodgo]

Isn’t statute of limitations in play? The F has allowed obvious Ss other than licensed for what now, 40-50 years ?

That’s what the video talks about. This particular German court appears to disagree with the US interpretation Fender received in 2004

 

[Hodgo]

Which means our dealers friends at Warmoth are likely okay

 

[JohnnyHardtail]

I wonder if the copyright still applies to guitars fitted with humbuckers, or S-styles that do not have a pickguard.

From watching the video, this ruling maybe only for EU.

 

[Tretgeraet]

My first guitar was a relatively cheap strat copy, I talked about it here. I got it in 1995 and back then I was convinced that it's a generic shape for an electric guitar, because I had already seen so many different brand names on guitars that looked like that in the various mail order catalogs of the time.

They were all somewhere in the price range of 300DM - 360DM, some were black, others red and most of them in sunburst and I remember brand names like "Hohner" and "Samick"... and apart from the colors they all looked the same to me!

It was much much later, that I first heard the names Fender or Strat/Stratocaster.

So, the ruling doesn't make much sense to me.

 

[stratamania]

My first guitar was a relatively cheap strat copy,

And whether at that time you personally had heard of its original designers or not it was a copy.

It was much much later, that I first heard the names Fender or Strat/Stratocaster.

And whether you had heard of the names and knew they were the originators of the name and design does not change the facts of the matter.

So, the ruling doesn't make much sense to me.

The ruling makes perfect sense. In a lot of ways more so than earlier rulings outside of the EU.

 

[Tretgeraet]

The ruling makes perfect sense. In a lot of ways more so than earlier rulings outside of the EU.

Then: Why now? If it makes sense now, it must have made sense 30 years ago, doesn't it?