the only company i know of that gets upset by using inspiration from their designs is Gibson. And, luckily, they only go after the bigger guys... or in the latest case, really really short midgetty fellas that live in hot cities But, Jackson is now Fender, so i imagine things will change soon, Fender are ruthless...
Yeh? That's why there's copies of Fenders everywhere? Unless you were being sarcastic...