I fully get all the derision the once-pioneering #Fender guitar conglomerate gets from players for starting to sue makers of Stratocaster-looking instruments. If it was about *exact copies* I'd get their argument but now they're just committing corporate suicide. And that's fine by me; they haven't really innovated anything since the founder Leo Fender left for greener pastures. (NB. Fender's current copyright actions were predicated by Leo's final design home G&L declaring bankruptcy just late last year due to MAGA tariffs pushing them over the line...) As an ethical tightwad I haven't considered buying anything from Murica since the re-election of certain member of the trump clan anyhow, but what I do find curious is that many of these now-vocal anti-Fender influencers and regular players are eagerly plugging/buying intruments and gear from a hostile dictatorship (guess which manufacturing behemoth?) that genuinely hates artistic freedoms, with zero reservations. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ If it was me (and I am!) I'd just have a fine luthier build fine instruments to my taste (which I've done!)... But if I was looking for a fine factory built instrument — perhaps even a Strat facsimile — I'd probably go for a Japanese Fujigen/FGN one.