Saw this photo on Reddit and thought Fender should release a Jesus design guitar so that the market can decide.
Actually, it makes a lot of cents given the sheer volume (pun intended) of musical gear sold to churches.
One of my favourite account signatures was on a forum while researching PAs that said "Turn it up for Jesus!"
The Hello Kitty guitar seems to have led the way for sentimental crap like the current Pacman model from Fender.
Elsewhere on the internet, I was surprised that Rick Beato went straight for the top and argued that the new CEO should resign from Fender.
My feeling is that Fender has jumped from the pot and into the fire, but that few commentators have realised their existential threat developed from tackling the wave of quality Chinese-made counterfeit instruments.
Racism seems to be the only thing keeping a portion of Fender's fanboys behind the brand.
The iconic guitar brand is owned by an investment firm and it seems obvious to anyone who has tried a variety of products that they sell over-priced instruments to maximise profits.
So I was shocked when I saw an apology issued by one retailer, as it showed the brand were using their dominance to limit competition.
With the ruling against Chinese copies in Europe they were given an opportunity to further entrench their advantage to monopolise the market.
Stratocasters were patented in 1956 and Leo Fender died in 1991, so it is another example of how copyright law is harming innovation.
Can you imagine what guitars might look like if the market was not dominated with the message that designs from the mid-20th Century are the best available?
Many are celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Telecaster, yet is it really a design to put on a pedestal and say there is nothing to improve?
(Nashville models with a Strat-style middle pickup say differently, obviously.)