Premier Guitar featured the Flaxwood Liekki in their December 2009 issue:
"I have played guitars many times the cost of these that can't touch
them for playability, fit or finish. The sound is good and versatile,
and the neck is probably the best feeling neck I've ever had my hands
on."
Tone Quest Report reviewed the Flaxwood Rautia and Liekki models in their June 2009 issue:
"We too have often wondered how much longer the guitar industry - an industrial dwarf compared to global companies producing consumer paper products - can continue to rely on the harvest of mature hardwoods used in the manufacture of high-quality guitars. Just as C.F. Martin resorted to 3-piece rosewood backs in its D35 and D45 models as the supply of Brazilian rosewood diminished, you'll know the supply of mahogany is waning when you begin to see fewer 1-piece bodies... These factors all contribute to our feeling that the Flaxwood guitars are a great idea whose time has come, and best of all - they work very well as musical instruments."
"With their arched top, hollow back design and composite ‘resonator' back cover, both the Rautia and Liekki behave like more controllable semi-hollow body guitars, with harmonic feedback emerging and chasing specific frequencies at high volume levels. You'll dig the responsive acoustic nature of these guitars because unlike a Gibson 330, for example, uncontrollable feedback doesn't overwhelm the Flaxwoods unless you're playing at extremely high gain and in close proximity to the amp."
"...the Flaxwood composite neck does an exceptional job of transmitting string vibration to the body of the guitar - in fact, you can merely rub your thumb along the back of the neck and hear the friction amplified through the back of the body."
"Flaxwood deserves credit for having developed and designed an innovative new technology in guitar building that truly works rather than coming off as a mere gimmick."
Premier Guitar magazine reviewed and awarded the Flaxwood Liekki in their June 2009 issue:
"Previous non-wood guitars I have played have seemed to me to go with the idea that the guitar should be as resistant to vibration as possible, theoretically to maximize sustain. The Liekki I found to have a pleasant, alive vibration to it which feels quite natural and wood-like, and yet, it has a sustain like a piano, incredibly smooth in response."
"The Liekki will give you a broad palette of sounds, from a sweet Lenny Breau type of jazz sound to a Tele-esque twang. Click on some distortion, and you can go from roots slide to death metal and anywhere in between."
"The Liekki comes out of the case ready to hit the stage, and I am finicky on this topic. I don't think that in my 40 years of guitar picking I have had more than a handful of guitars that didn't at least need the action worked a bit, but this one didn't - perfect set-up and intonation from the git go."
"I have played guitars many times the cost of these that can't touch them for playability, fit or finish. The sound is good and versatile, and the neck is probably the best feeling neck I've ever had my hands on."
Rating 5.0 and PG Premier Guitar Premier Gear Award, June 2009
Vintage Guitar magazine reviewed the Flaxwood Liekki in their May 2009 issue:
"Plugged into a variety of amps, the Liekki performed like a top-notch solidbody."
"Flaxwood claims the physical properties of their guitars make neck movement due to temperature and humidity changes pretty much impossible, and after leaving our test guitar in a very cold, unheated room for a week, it was in perfect tune."
"The Flaxwood could be excellent for the gigging axeman who knows that the vagaries of stage, car, and guitar-case environments can wreak havoc on a guitar's neck, intonation, and tuning. If Flaxwood finds a niche, they could make their mark as "that guitar that won't go out of tune."
Britain's Guitar Buyer magazine reviewed the Flaxwood Vasara in their April 2009 issue:
"We know what we were expecting when we plugged in the Flaxwood Vasara for the first time, and it's probably not far from what you're thinking right now. Synthetic material and active pickups? This has got to sound thin and artificial, right? In fact, this assumption couldn't be further from the truth."
"There's a raunchy, big yet cutting tone from the bridge unit that covers everything from a light, classic-rock crunch right up to a massive metal thud. The neck unit is pretty and warm when played quietly and cleanly, yet toughens up with overdrive in that flutey manner that always suggests Hendrix-style chords and bass runs. However, what is special about these tones is that they're all so much more ‘there' than what you'd get from many conventional guitars. It's a rather special kind of definition, where everything seems that much better behaved and right for the job. Low notes ring out without harmonics flapping about, while the mid-range is full but not over-focused and the top is clear, without a hint of sharpness."
"It is almost as though Flaxwood has designed out the less desirable tonal qualities of wood."
"If the electric guitar didn't exist and you were designing it from scratch in 2009, you might well decide that injection-moulded Flaxwood was a superior way of going about it than all that messy and unpredictable business with wood. The Vasara's great playability and polished, versatile sound mean that it grows on you very quickly. The fact that it's less than conventional becomes irrelevant after a while. The bottom line, however, is that the Vasara looks good, plays good and sounds great. We like it."
Australia's Guitarist reviewed the Flaxwood Liekki, Äijä and Laine in their February/March 2009 issue:
"The [Liekki's] sound is fat and focused, as you'd expect from soapbars, but the sustain is significantly more than you'd hear from a Les Paul Junior... even dialing the amp knobs randomly, we couldn't find a bad tone. [...] The flaxwood material (its composition and lack of dead spots) seems to maintain the resonance no matter where you play along the Liekki's neck. What a great feeling to hit a note up high and have it actually ring out for a time. [...] If you're looking for that middle ground between Stevie Ray and Gary Moore, your search won't start with the Liekki but it might just end with it."
"The Flaxwood Äijä is a serious rock guitar... like the others, this one resonates acoustically (and richly) from the body to the very top of the headstock. [...] The [Äijä's] cleans sounds were bold and in-your-face and the drive sounds were wicked... This guitar loves pedals... actually, we couldn't find a bad sound. [...] If you're a Recto player (you know who you are!) you need to check this one out."
"Plugged into an old Fender Deluxe Reverb, the tone of the Laine had ‘that sound' right away - and with plenty of juice... we were surprised by the range of tones and then when we started messing with the knobs, out popped a few more. [...] The Laine's clean sounds are superb, with plenty of sustain and body, even up the neck. Into the pedals or the Boogie lead channel, there's heaps of dynamic range and the body seems to respond accordingly - not just the electronics. [...] [The Laine] is a top end guitar that will last a lifetime and beyond."
Guitar Player reviewed the Flaxwood Laine in their January 2009 issue:
"The extended evaluation period allowed me to really get to know this guitar. Throughout months of abuse, the Laine proved to be indestructible."
"...the guitar maintained its tuning integrity after shivering in my basement for weeks without being touched, and it also stayed relatively in tune during hot, sweaty bar gigs, and after enduring aggressive bends and massive tremolo jacking."
"...a zingy, articulate voice that works well with high-gain tones and imparts a stout, crystalline snap to clean timbres. In fact, the Laine almost seems to explode out of your amp - I likened the sound to a jet catapulting across the deck of an aircraft carrier. The effect is present, clear, and ferocious, whether you rock hard with a Marshall or a Mesa/Boogie Rectifier, jangle with a Vox, or go all bluesy with a Fender Deluxe."
"If you want to rage out of a band mix, save a few trees, and start your tonal explorations with a sonically unique palette, the Laine is a brilliant option."
UK's Guitar Buyer reviewed the Flaxwood Liekki in their July 2008 issue:
"Although the guitar produces some very credible distorted tones, with plenty of P-90-style grit and bite, it's in the clean department that it really excels. There's plenty of detail and an overall evenness to the frequency range that flatters complex chords and Andy Summers-style jazz-tinged riffs."
"The Flaxwood company has succeeded in building an electric guitar from environmentally friendly materials that plays as well and sounds just as good as (if a little different from) a traditional wooden instrument."
"We reckon that companies like Flaxwood are to be commended for pushing the envelope and exploring new materials and methods of construction."
Australian Guitar Magazine reviewed the Flaxwood Liekki:
"...Flaxwood have responded to both environmental and instrumental concerns by developing a process for creating a synthetic tonewood that may well change the way guitars are constructed in the 21st century."
"Technology without playability is worth the sum total of bugger all... and for a guitar that will retail for around $3600 in this country [Australia], a lot of playability is required. It doesn't matter how environmentally aware or what sort of future-fetishist you are, a guitar has got to speak to you before you go laying down that sort of money to make it your own. Thankfully, the Flaxwood Liekki is a damn fine player."
"The guitar is exceptionally well balanced, and there is not a single issue I have with it physically. Similarly, there are no concerns about the way this one sounds. From the minute you pick it up and play it unamplified, you suspect that this one will sound special."
"If this were not both a technological and environmentally sound innovation, yet still possessed the tone and playability that it does, we would still be absolutely mad for it. Regardless of its design and construction, this one is just a stellar electric guitar."
"Flaxwood Guitars of Finland... have made what is quite possibly the most significant guitar innovation in a generation."
"Flaxwood has come up with a patent for something many thought impossible: to create a resonant, warm sounding, environmentally friendly raw material (no rare hardwoods are used) that can be used with modern, mold-injection technologies, and at the same time, produce instruments with great playability and gorgeous, wood-based tones."
"The end result is a truly remarkable "boutique" quality instrument with a much more affordable price point."
"Great tone, great playability, great feel and look, and a consistency from guitar to guitar that was simply not possible before Flaxwood. DestroyAllGuitars is thrilled to be representing such revolutionary and evolutionary instruments."
20th Century Guitar reviewed the Flaxwood Liekki:
"The hollow-bodied Liekki is akin to a Formula One race car with its sleek, compact and efficient body design accented by graceful contours."
"...incredible acoustic resonance and sustain. Hit a note anywhere on the Flaxwood neck and you can feel the energy being transmitted through the entire guitar."
"The Flaxwood Liekki embodies the Flaxwood philosophy of classic vintage elegance with modern design. Combining new school technology with old school assembly by a team of experienced and skilled luthiers makes the Liekki a real winner."
GuitarMart.co.uk reviewed the Flaxwood Liekki in December 2007:
"What makes Flaxwood guitars stand out from the crowd is that they produce a whole range of high-end guitars using a composite material that hold their own when compared to the best tonewood guitars on the market..."
"...Flaxwood guitars like the Liekki shouldn't be regarded as 'sound-alikes' for more traditional guitars, but should be judged in their own light. In this respect the flawless build quality and unique voice - which can in part be attributed to the composite construction - set these guitars apart (not to mention the Liekki is fitted with a resonator back plate)! This in itself is enough to make them interesting to anyone who is looking to expand their sonic horizons."
"In conclusion I think Flaxwood really have done their homework - on those long cold arctic nights! While their guitars do not look too startling different, which will please a very conservative guitar buying public, the construction materials and process are potentially years ahead of the competition."
Read the entire review by GuitarMart.co.uk's Clive Warner here.
GrandGtrs reviewed the Flaxwood Liekki in their 2/2007 issue:
"Guitarists are known to be a bunch of conservative people, which is not necessarily a bad thing but invariably leads to the fact that innovations are met with suspicion even though the advantages might be obvious. Many guitarists tend to happily stick with the well-known flaws of good old designs. Yet with Flaxwood things might turn out to be different."
"The theory to enhance wood without having it lose its natural warmth works out just fine. The guitar vibrates as if played for years. The tone is open, with virtually no compression."
"High quality does not always mean high-priced... a fair deal to explore ways in music far beyond the mainstream."
- translated by Alexander-Lars Dallman
Musikermagasinet reviewed the Flaxwood Rautia and RZZ in their August 2005 issue:
"An innovative and well-built instrument, stable and easy to play, superior dynamics and sustain, a wide sound register, good hardware and electronics. -- Anyone who is looking for a modern guitar like a PRS or Parker, should not forget Flaxwood - it could be an encounter that changes everything. Hurray Finland!"
UKGuitars.com reviewed the Flaxwood Rautia:
"As a guitarist would you choose the Rautia over a similarly designed PRS or a top of the range Parker? If you're looking for a truly innovative guitar that will set you apart from the traditional crowd of PRS, Gibson, Fenders - then yes! The guitar carries enough tonal range through its onboard tone controls and pick-up selector switch to leave you to concentrate on playing rather than twiddling the amp's bass, mid and treble settings. All in all, it's a fun guitar to play both from its tremendously comfortable and light body through to its unique feel and range."
Total Guitar reviewed the Flaxwood RZZ in their November 2004 issue:
”We're impressed. Someone has put a lot of thought, and no doubt a few late nights, into design of this unique guitar. The feel and the sound of the RZZ makes a strong case for composite guitars. The guitar is flawlessly put together and we had lot of fun with those P90 pickups. However we would suggest that fans of heavier sounds should look at the company's other guitars that are fitted with Humbuckers. Just make sure you that you try at least one."
Guitarist magazine introduced the Flaxwood RZZ on their centerfold in the Summer 2004 issue:
"Flaxwood RZZ - Best Gear First."
Finland's Riffi magazine tested Flaxwood Guitars in their 7/2004 issue:
"Structure, material, design, playability and tone; the Flaxwood has all the characteristics that a quality guitar should have. With good reason, we can wish Flaxwood Guitars good luck on their way to the World's guitar markets"
PLEASE NOTE:
To commemmorate our 2007 line and our website's visual makeover,
Flaxwood models were given new Finnish names. Hence, some of the
reviews quoted here refer to our guitars with their old model names; of
our new line, the Liekki corresponds to the old RZZ mentioned in the
quotes above.
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