# Fender backs off boutique builders in Strat fight

> After backlash, Fender's CEO says the company regrets how it pursued small guitar makers, but has already locked in 18 design agreements.
- Title: Fender backs off boutique builders in Strat fight | Shortify
- Summary: After backlash, Fender's CEO says the company regrets how it pursued small guitar makers, but has already locked in 18 design agreements. Fender is shifting…
- Keywords: fender, stratocaster, copyright dispute, cease and desist, boutique guitar builders, bud cole, prs, schecter, ernie ball music man, lsl instruments, guitar industry, trademark dispute
- Source: Guitar World — https://guitarworld.com/gear/electric-guitars/fender-ceo-bud-cole-stratocaster-legal-campaign-interview
- Published: 2026-09-18T11:22:47+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: fender, stratocaster, copyright dispute, cease and desist, boutique guitar builders, bud cole, prs, schecter, ernie ball music man, lsl instruments, guitar industry, trademark dispute
## Fender regrets how it started
CEO Bud Cole told Bloomberg the company made mistakes in its approach to enforcing Stratocaster copyright protection. He says the legal process got ahead of them.

> "It's clear to me that this got ahead of us, the legal process got ahead of us, and that we could have done this better."
## The cease-and-desist wave
In May, Fender sent cease-and-desist letters to 60 guitar builders claiming they made Strat copies. The move sparked widespread criticism from players and brands.
## Now targeting only big players
Cole says Fender is now focused solely on large manufacturers, not boutique or small builders. The company is no longer pursuing the smaller shops it initially contacted.

> "We are very, very focused solely on large manufacturers now. We are not focused at all now on boutique builders."
## Major brands already served
Schecter, Ernie Ball Music Man, PRS, Yamaha, and Harley Benton are among the biggest guitar companies that received cease-and-desist letters from Fender.
## 18 builders already agreed
Fender is working with 32 builders total, and 18 have already signed agreements to stop making Stratocasters and redesign their models instead.
## Boutique makers fighting back
LsL Instruments and other small builders are defending their right to make Strat-style guitars, represented by attorney Ron Bienstock, who beat Fender in a trademark case in 2009.
## The Strat definition problem
Cole avoided defining what actually makes a Stratocaster during his interview. Bloomberg noted that defining the iconic design turned out to be surprisingly slippery.
## Thomann case will decide it
All eyes are on the Thomann versus Fender lawsuit and what the 18 redesigned guitars will look like. How distinct they need to be from the Stratocaster remains unclear.
## Key takeaway

Fender is shifting its legal strategy away from boutique builders toward major manufacturers, but the damage to its reputation among small makers may already be done.